Reader Reviews

Rating: 4 / 5

This is a hoodless zipless down sleeping bag with no insulation on the bottom. I decided to try this bag as a cheaper alternative to "variable-girth" sleeping bags and for the price of £110 (about $200 at the current high rate) I am very happy with it.

The bag measures 195x75cm (about 77"x30") and weighs 400-430g (~14-15oz), 200g of which are 96% fillpower 750+EU/850+US goose down. It is made in a Pertex Quantum box wall construction with insulation on the top and sides and a single layer of Pertex as bottom offering more draft resistance than the similar mesh bottom version Ryan Jordan has reviewed. If you bring a balaclava as your warm hat, the elastic neck drawcord ensures a close fit over it, also keeping drafts at bay here. Rab have chosen to put more insulation per area in the footbox than the rest of the bag, so the compartments at the head end are less stuffed - if you sleep uneasily, there is a slight tendency for the down to slide down the sides of the 4 or 5 compartments closest to the head.

It has a comfort rating of 0C (32F) - presumably with a warm hat. Personally I find it warm enough for Scottish 3 season use in combination with a tent, 3/4 length mat, hat and a baselayer.

The provided stuffsack is strong and waterproof and would be replaced by ultralight people. Pack size is 24cm x 11cm diameter (9.5"x4.3"Ø) - people with small packs can probably get away with stuffing it slightly harder. A big cotton storage sack is provided to loft the bag in when not in use. (site at http://www.rab.uk.com if you are curious)

Rating: 4 / 5

This bag is a little too small for me. At just 413 grams, it certainly is light. I like it a lot, but at 6' and 175lbs I'm just too large for it. When I'm taking a family member that is smaller than I am (almost all of them are) on a backpacking trip this is the bag I take along for them.

Rating: 5 / 5

I bought this bag in London for GBP99. The Snow+Rock matched an internet price of GPB99 instead of retail price of GBP139. The first real test was -4 degC in the French Alps (Le Lac Blanc) at 2300m in October 2007. I used it part of the night before giving it to my wife who was shivering. I wore a baselayer Icebreaker Merino ZipT, Smartwool Merino Bottom, 2nd layer lightweight Polartec 100, Smartwool Adrenaline Crew Socks, and a Beanie. The RAB was on top of a Z-lite pad (7 panels). I was toasty warm except for my feet. The bag is rated 0 degC. I am sure if I had to push it lower with another layer (UL 60 Parka) and another pair of socks.

Rating: 3 / 5

I've had one of these for years and although the quality and price were good I always felt Rab / O.D. made a mistake by just leaving a sleeping pad shaped uninsulated patch in the base.

To put it more simply the insulation doesn't wrap around your body enough especially towards the foot end. Seems dumb to leave a rectangular (hole) and not follow the shape of our bodies.

I've emailed them about this in the past but they've never bothered to update their design. I must say they were a more agreable company when they were owned by the original Rab and they gave me some Pertex Quantum to do some home modding.