View Full Version : Sierra Designs temp ratings?
Hey guys, I have been lurking around the forum for some time now and have learned a lot so I finally joined. This happens to be my first post...
I am wondering if anybody out there uses a bag from Sierra Designs and how true their temperature ratings are? I am doing a short hike from Caratunk to Monson this week and the temps will get down to about 30 degrees at night. Wondering if my 2 season Zissou bag will be warm enough if I double up my pads and sleep with some clothes on. Also use a Sea to Summit reactor liner (more to keep my bag clean but it does add some warmth). The comfort rating is 36 so I think I should be okay but I know that some companies exaggerate just a little. I could bring my 20 degree, synthetic Marmot bag but I would rather keep my pack as light as possible and that thing weighs a ton! Thanks.
Secondmouse
04-10-2016, 20:59
Hey guys, I have been lurking around the forum for some time now and have learned a lot so I finally joined. This happens to be my first post...
I am wondering if anybody out there uses a bag from Sierra Designs and how true their temperature ratings are? I am doing a short hike from Caratunk to Monson this week and the temps will get down to about 30 degrees at night. Wondering if my 2 season Zissou bag will be warm enough if I double up my pads and sleep with some clothes on. Also use a Sea to Summit reactor liner (more to keep my bag clean but it does add some warmth). The comfort rating is 36 so I think I should be okay but I know that some companies exaggerate just a little. I could bring my 20 degree, synthetic Marmot bag but I would rather keep my pack as light as possible and that thing weighs a ton! Thanks.
is your bag the Zissou 23?.. I have this bag and it is confusing in that it says "2-season" right on the bag. I have never heard "2-season" mentioned anywhere else and don't know what it means...
anyway, this is an EN 23* lower limit/ 34* comfort rated bag and the way I understand the ratings is the "lower limit" is for men and the "comfort" rating is for women. that means the Zissou 23 should be comfortable for a man to achieve uninterrupted sleep down to 23* (personal factors notwithstanding).
reviews of this bag are generous but sometimes say that 23* is optimistic but that 30* is easily achieved. if you are a warm sleeper on a good mat, I would assume you would easily be comfortable at 30* without the Reactor Liner or any more clothing than your base layers.
good luck and please let us know what you find out...
Plan for teens to low 20's. You maya be really cold in that bag this week.
My Zissou 23 isn't marked 2 season just 23*. I've been good to 18* with UA long baselayer, socks and balaclava. I like it. But then I sleep warm, frequently I'm on top of the covers while my wife is burrowed under. It's a wonder we had kids. :banana
I have the Zissou plus, I think it is basically this years version of the Zissou 23 with a couple added features. Pretty sure all the specs are the same though. I always sleep with some clothes on especially in colder weather, I hate crawling out of a nice warm bag when its freezing out.
Secondmouse
04-11-2016, 12:39
I have the Zissou plus, I think it is basically this years version of the Zissou 23 with a couple added features. Pretty sure all the specs are the same though. I always sleep with some clothes on especially in colder weather, I hate crawling out of a nice warm bag when its freezing out.
ahhh, the Plus is a new version and has the quilt-like opening. looks nice...
the 2-season version is rated slightly less than the Zissou23 at 26* Lower Limit/36* Comfort.
I also sleep in my base layer, season specific. generally, if it's warm enough to hike in shorts and short sleeves, that's what I wear to bed. in this weather my 100wt fleece is supplemental insulation if the weather dips below expectations.
in weather cold enough to need a long sleeve baselayer and longjohns, I wear that, and supplement with the fleece or even a puffy if needed...
Yeah, the quilt type top is one of the reasons I got this bag, I cant wait to try it out. I have read a lot of reviews on the Zissou 23 and it seems that most people think the temp ratings are pretty accurate. I will definitely let you guys know how I make out. I did not know that the lower limit was for men and comfort temp was for women (it does say that on REI's website but I never caught on I guess) so I should be fine. I would say I am an average sleeper not too warm or cold.
Mr. Bumpy
04-11-2016, 13:31
I own a Zissou 23 and am disappointed. I got it thinking it a good substitute for my old campmor down 20 but it is not. For me the Zissou is good for about 30 but much colder than that and I am in long base layers, watch cap, and maybe throw a down coat over me too. And this is in a tent.
Secondmouse
04-12-2016, 15:20
I own a Zissou 23 and am disappointed. I got it thinking it a good substitute for my old campmor down 20 but it is not. For me the Zissou is good for about 30 but much colder than that and I am in long base layers, watch cap, and maybe throw a down coat over me too. And this is in a tent.
different people do sleep differently but this is a common enough response that I take heed. with that in mind, I got the Zissou 23 as the 3-season part of my sleep system.
it was on sale for $125, so for a 39oz/20*-30* bag I think that's pretty reasonable. I've not tested it down to 23* yet but it was cozy right around freezing with just my base top, socks, and boxers. I suspect adding longjohns, a fleece and/or a puffy would get me down to the lower rating.
if I know it will be much colder than that, I layer a 19oz EE 40* Prodigy (synthetic) quilt on top. that combination is good down to 0* or a little below, and weighs less than 3.5 lbs.
I'll take that for 4-season system that costs $300...
different people do sleep differently but this is a common enough response that I take heed. with that in mind, I got the Zissou 23 as the 3-season part of my sleep system.
it was on sale for $125, so for a 39oz/20*-30* bag I think that's pretty reasonable. I've not tested it down to 23* yet but it was cozy right around freezing with just my base top, socks, and boxers. I suspect adding longjohns, a fleece and/or a puffy would get me down to the lower rating.
if I know it will be much colder than that, I layer a 19oz EE 40* Prodigy (synthetic) quilt on top. that combination is good down to 0* or a little below, and weighs less than 3.5 lbs.
I'll take that for 4-season system that costs $300...
$125 is a steal for that sleeping bag. Someone else posted about supplementing their 30* sleeping bag with a thermarest tech blanket and it gets them well below 0*. That may be something worth looking into. I wont be disappointed if I'm chilly past 30*. I bought it for summer use but its my first down bag so I'm eager to try it out. I am going to see how it does with just my base layers on (I usually sleep with them on anyhow) and if I'm cold I'll have plenty of layers to get me by. Leaving in the morning and the sun is supposed to be shining!!!
Mr. Bumpy
04-12-2016, 21:43
That is a great price for that bag. You did well.
I only mentioned my criticism is that it isn't warm enough for me much below 30, but it fits me well and seems reasonably well constructed. I decided against ditching it and am going to get a light quilt both to supplement it when it gets too cool and to replace an old summer bag. For the really cold stuff I stick with my old 0 deg campmor down bag.
Secondmouse
04-12-2016, 22:54
I decided I want a sleeping "system" that gets me from warm summer through winter as cold as I will likely experience in the southeast. I used this chart from Enlightened Equipment to figure out what I needed.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/U3jtIt6WO3UU0iHSysjZUTpcromkUVu-eVVi-pHyoHebEIuO3AAzhfXpLeEyoYqaqG5LuvTY86RZrn0aIazjOF1 If3acP1FNir_xxVpLGqq1DtqDe43l-kIvgie2YIRkXbU=s1600
layering systems traditionally use the warmer/heavier layer under a lighter top. and if one of the layers is synthetic, it works better if this is used as the top layer so the dew point is (hopefully) outside of the down.
I wanted my summer layer to be a synthetic quilt. this is because a quilt will work better for hot weather and I believe synthetic insulation will handle sweat and body oils and the subsequent laundering better than down. mine is a long/wide EE Prodigy quilt rated at 40*.
according to the chart above, layering my 40* quilt over a down bag in the 20*-30* range will get me down to 0* or a little below. for my purposes, the Zissou 23 works perfect. that it was 700 fill Dri-down and on sale was just the icing on the cake...