I'm a tall guy and an avid backpacker, so that often presents a bit of a problem when it comes to finding good equipment. At 6'4", most sleeping bags on the market are just too short for me. I spent two years sleeping in a cheaper, shorter mummy bag where I had to use the mummy hood just to cover my shoulders. This Marmot bag is a big improvement.

The main reason I purchased this bag is because it was big enough for me to fit in. It is a very comfortable night's sleep, and that's hard to find sometimes if you're tall. The zipper is well sown and the track stays fairly clear of the fabric, so you don't have to un-jam it every time you want to get in or out. There is a simple pull cord to tighten the hood that is easy to reach. The only problem is that some mornings I have woken up to find the cord outside of the bag and then I have to fish it back inside just so I can get out of bed. (I haven't gotten stuck yet though) The fill material is down, which is great for consistent temperature control down the whole bag (i.e. no "dead spots"). Down also packs very easily, which was a concern of mine. Most of my equipment (tent, mat, sleeping bag) is all long or oversized, so I'm always conserving space. This bag will compress down and fit in the lower compartment of my pack without having to use an annoying compression sack. The stuff sack that comes with it does the job quite well.

The main problem with this bag is that lacks in waterproofing. I mostly do three season camping in the North Carolina mountains, so rain without cold temperature is a concern. My bag is rated down to 20 degrees, which is perfectly adequate for my environment. The problem is that the water resistant outer shell was not an option I could get. This isn't a big deal if you take care of the bag, but it is a significant concern, especially for wetter environments. I think some of the colder rated bags come with that shell, but that's also extra money. I get around the problem by always sleeping in a tent and when I pack my bag, I just put the sleeping bag stuff sack in a large plastic bag so it won't get wet that way. Wet down is bad news, so this is something to think about.

One accessory I would recommend that you think about buying with this bag is a sleeping bag liner. I have a silk one that just slides in the bag and gives you and extra layer. It's not really about the warmth, but a silk liner like that means that your bag doesn't get as dirty. You can wash the lining out after every trip much easier than the whole bag. This is not something that comes with this bag (you'll have to buy it separately) but it's a good thing to think about with any sleeping bag of this quality and price level.

Overall I've been satisfied with this bag. I paid a lot for it, but I also got a quality product. If you're looking for an oversize bag that packs well, this is a good one to look at. It's durable, good quality, and comfortable. I would suggest shopping at a good camping store where you can actually zip yourself up in it, as well as any other bags of the same size. I chose Marmot over North Face after I tried out a few different bags, but it was just as much about the fit of the bag on me as opposed to the overall quality of the bag. Treat this like a good investment (just like all other higher end outdoor equipment) and you'll get a good return out of this bag for years.

Recommended: Yes