Your muscles are tired and aching after a long day’s hike. You have had your meal, erected your tent, rehydrated and watched as the stars flickered to life. It’s time to sleep, and if you have done enough research, a well-rated, soft, and warm sleeping bag is important if you are to wake up re-energized come the following morning.

You slide into your sleeping bag, and after a few minutes, you realize that the cold seems to find its way into the bag.  You start to wonder what could be wrong. You are in a bag rated 20 and its only 25^oF outside. You should be okay, right?

This is precisely why a good sleeping bag comes in handy. If you are unfamiliar with the Western Mountaineering, you should know that this company is one of the best sleeping bag manufacturers. It is well-known for making compressible, and lightweight products with the 850+ fill power goose down. With just a weight of 1 lbs. 13 oz., the Ultralight is one of the most versatile yet lightweight gear available and can easily compress into an eight-liter waterproof stuff sack.

The Western Mountaineering UltraLite Sleeping Bag  can be used to move through different climates during hiking trips and summer bike tours. You can sleep on it, or in it and no one would care. When the temperatures fall, zip up and get under the hood where you’ll be warm owing to the draft tube and a full down collar.

Review

Packaging

The UltraLite sleeping bag comes in blue, and in different sizes ranging from five feet to six feet either for the right or the left zip. It all depends which side you need to have a larger fit. The actual bag is 11*12*17 inches, with a shipping weight of about 1.63 pounds, perfect for camping and hiking.

Design & Durability

The horizontal baffles on the sleeping bag make for a simple-to-use thermostat. It’s down chambers surround the gear from zipper to zipper, making it possible for you to shift the down towards the top for cold nights. On the other hand, it’s possible to shift material underneath the bag during warmer nights. Opening the sleeping bag and laying it flat allows you to press down and run with your arms in any desired direction, pushing the insulation in the areas you need it to be.

Similar to the AlpinLite, this bag incorporates a reverse differential hood that is amazingly comfortable. This implies that the fabric on the bag’s interior is larger compared to the shell fabric. The hood covers your head, providing the comfort desired and is suitable for trapping the heat without the need to tighten it much.

Western Mountaineering utilizes a one-inch tape on both ends of the zipper which helps in facilitating an easy, snag-free functionality. The draft collar on the bag and the draft tube on the zipper are lofty; they mate perfectly, keeping the cold air out and the warm air in.

Nonetheless, Western Mountaineering should come up with a different technique for closing the hood and the draft collar of the UltraLite. The good thing about this draft collar is that it allows minimal cold to get into the bag. Both Closures are pieces of Velcro which are difficult to identify and operate and don’t open easily during the night.

Versatility

The UltraLite is one of the most versatile outdoor sleeping bags. This piece of equipment is capable if unzipping during warm weather condition and can also be used in temperatures of twenty degrees Fahrenheit as rated. For people who experience the cold earlier than others, or during extra cold nights, it’s possible to add a lighter weight jacket to help boost the warmth of the bag.

The continuous baffle design allows the user to regulate the temperature further. Even for a weight-conscious individual, this 1 pound 13 Ounce sleeping bag is quite reasonable to include in your backpacking gear list and is warm enough for use in cold nights or at higher elevations.

Warmth

The twenty degree Fahrenheit rating of the Western Mountaineering UltraLite Bag is pretty conservative. This sleeping bag is certainly on the warmer ends of any twenty degrees bags available. This outdoor gear is designed to provide the warmth you would expect from any well-established brand. Similar to the MegaLite, this sleeping bag incorporates continuous horizontal baffles.

Its design makes it possible for you to shift from the bag’s top to its bottom, and vice versa. It’s quite a functional gear that allows you to control the temperatures inside it; you can add more insulation on the top during cold nights. The UltraLite also offers an opportunity to shift that down to its bottom where you can compress it to keep you warm during the warmer nights.

Weight

A regular length UltraLite gear weighs 1 pound, 13 ounces. This is among the lightest sleeping bags that are rated to temperatures below twenty-five degrees Fahrenheit. Moreover, the UltraLite is lighter compared to most bags rated in the range if 30-35^oF. What’s even amazing about this piece of outdoor equipment is the fact that the UltraLite is significantly warmer compared to other 20^oF brands, yet lighter in weight than most of them.

The UltraLite utilize “Extremelite,” a shell of 12D fabric, which is similar to what the MegaLite uses. This fabric is insanely light as it weighs less than an ounce per square yard. The ultra-fine yarn which makes up the fabric is ultra-compressible and soft.

Although somewhat fragile, the down-proof fabric largely contributes to the low weight of the bag as well as its compressibility. Another essential contributor to the low weight of this bag is its slim cut. Since it utilizes less material, the UltraLite has succeeded in cutting a handful of ounces from its overall weight.

Comfort and Fit

Soft, lofty, and lightweight materials make this product a very attractive place to lay your head after a long day’s hike in the wilderness. Nonetheless, the hip girth, as well as the narrow shoulder, make it less comfortable compared to the MegaLite, Sierra Designs Backcountry Bed, or the Nemo Salsa 30. People who love to sleep on their back will hardly detect this, but for the tummy and side sleepers, it’s likely to be noticed.

In general, the UltraLite offers the softest and most comfortable feeling than you would ever expect from a different bag of the same rating. Apart from its narrow fit, the UltraLite Sleeping Bag consists of a down collar which runs on the upper chest to prevent the heat from escaping when moving around during the night. The gear has a full zipper that is essential for venting in warmer weather, and a down-filled draft tube that prevents side drafts.

Unique Features

The UltraLite sleeping bag has interlocking draft tubes and a full down collar that will wrap snuggly around your neck to help insulate and prevent any heat loss. The draft tubes run along the bag’s zipper to keep you insulated and prevent any heat from escaping between the zipper coils.

The outer shell is not only water resistant, but also breathable and goes a long way in protecting you and the down from condensation. Your bag will always stay dry even if it touches the wet sides of your tent or when you have been sleeping under the stars on a dewy night.

And that’s not all. There is a 5 ¼ inch spacing of continuous baffles that encircle the sleeping bag from zipper to zipper making it very compressible, light and toasty warm. Moreover, they lack a side block baffle that allows you to shift down the baffle chamber and to fully adjust the temperatures during the warm weather. When it’s hot, you are advised to lay your bag down flat and move some baffles towards the bottom for less insulation at the top.

During the cold nights, you can now move the baffles back to the top to increase the insulation. A five inch of loft has a temperature rating of 20 degrees Fahrenheit that guarantees you warmth during those cold nights. Whenever it gets colder than expected, you can always layer up on extra clothing or use a fluffy sleeping pad to provide you with additional warmth.

Value for Money & Guarantee

At about $500 for a regular length gear, the UltraLite is quite a worthy investment. Additionally, if this bag can sustain over ten years of use, and is your go-to gear for most, if not all, your backpacking adventures, along with the periodic ski touring or mountaineering adventure, then the bag is an excellent investment.

There is no warranty information or guarantee pertaining to the purchase of the sleeping bag given on the site. You are advised to contact the manufacturer directly when you need more information or whenever you need to return your sleeping bag in the event that it’s either damaged on delivery or it just does not satisfy your backpacking needs.

The Western Mountaineering UltraLite Sleeping Bag is one of the best outdoor equipment. Although it offers a few disadvantages, it is a fantastic bag that has all the features you would expect from a bag of its type.

The UltraLite is warmer, lighter, and the most compressible gear for its temperature rating. If you are a cold sleeper, this sleeping bag is tough to contend for weight, comfort of materials, packed size, and warmth.

Apart from that, the UltraLite offers the best value for money and is probably the best sleeping bags for its price whether regular, short, or long.

What’s important is to have an idea of what aspects you would like the sleeping bag to have in order to ensure you are picking the right one. There are features you would need to focus on including temperature ratings, warmth, and weight.

We can all agree that a sleeping bag is an essential gear to have when planning your outdoor expeditions. Even when planning a hiking trip in the summer, you will still need this equipment. Without using a sleeping bag, your body will absorb moisture from the ground and end up giving you uncomfortable feeling as well as back issues.

This gear balances heat from the human body. Nonetheless, the amount of body heat produced differs from one individual to another. That is why it’s advisable for every individual to use sleeping bags that are chosen according to their preferences.

Review

While there are winter camping enthusiasts, most people will refrain from it and go camping during the warmer part of the year or in mild winter periods such as March. That means the best option for most people is a high-quality three-season bag.

The Western Mountaineering Sycamore MF is a three-season sleeping bag which takes the shape which can be best described as “mummy, but not-so mummy”. The manufacturer calls it semi-rectangular, but it still retains the warmth of a real mummy bag with extra legroom. What is good about this shape is that you can freely roll during the night without much hassle, so the comfort is very similar to that you get in your bag.

This guide offers some meaningful information about the Western Mountaineering Sycamore MF RZ so you can decide for yourself is the bag is better than its contenders in the market. Therefore, without further ado, let’s take a look at what the Sycamore MF RZ has to offer.

Before we can assess some of its contenders in the market, here are some of the attributes that make this sleeping bag what it is. You should also remember that these aspects can assist you to make the right decision as far as choosing the best sleeping bag is concerned.

Packaging

The packaging of the Western Mountaineering Sycamore MF RZ Sleeping Bag includes a durable stuff sack. With this, you are able to pack down your bag even smaller, making it convenient to carry your sleeping bag everywhere you go.

This bag also comes with high-quality Microlite XP fabric that prevents it from getting wet and compromising its efficiency when on the outdoors. This bag only weighs 4.9 pounds and will zip and unzip easily to provide the comfort you deserve during the warm and summer nights.

Design and Durability

Remember, also, that this bag is made to last, and buying it once will spare you the need to buy some less expensive bags three or four times. Basically, it is more likely that you will use it until you quit backpacking, then you will require a replacement bag. Of course, this bag is sensitive owing to its fine down fill, and you should strictly follow all maintenance recommendations given by the manufacturer.

Comfort

If you are mainly a back sleeper, the Sycamore MF RZ Sleeping Bag will offer the comfort you need during your nights in the outdoors. The large draft collar will sit comfortably under your chin and the hood cinches to a point such that only the nose sticks out. For those who love to sleep on their sides, the Sycamore MF RZ shallow hood is not effective enough.

There are other bags on the market that can offer a higher rate of comfort since they feature larger hoods which remain suspended over the head, maintaining ventilation, even when it’s burrowed down. Although not a significant issue, you’ll discover that it’s more comfortable sleeping on your back rather than your side when using the Western Mountaineering Sycamore MF RZ.

Warmth

There are models that require you to sleep using a pad in order to keep warm during the night. However, this is not the case for the Western Mountaineering Sycamore MF RZ Bag. It does not require isolation from the ground since it is fitted with a high quality 850+ goose down that keeps you warm throughout the night.

Additionally, the Sycamore MF RZ features a thermal hood that cinches perfectly around your face to protect your head from the cold. The tuck zippers as well as the comfortable hood are the main aspects that make this product for the colder weather.

Weight

When it comes to backpacking and outdoor expeditions, the issue of weight is very important. At 4.9 pounds, the Sycamore MF RZ is a little heavy for outdoor expeditions, although it can easily be compressed into a manageable size in their stuff sack. The accessories and features included in the bag, add to its weight.

This includes aspects such as the Microlite XP, the down, and the zipper. However, despite its weight, this bag can be helpful during the ski tours, three-season trips, and the alpine endeavors.

Unique Features

Western Mountaineering designed this bag and made it out of Microlite XP fabric to provide a water-resistance surface. The Sycamore MF features a spacious hood that has a secure adjustment, and its full-length zipper helps in transforming the Sycamore MF into a blanket for additional comfort. In Summary, the features of this sleeping bag include:

• 850+ fill down
• Highest loft-to-weight ratio
• Roomy hood with drawcord for security during cold and windy weather
• Semi-rectangular shape suitable for river trips
• Full-length zipper that transforms the bag into a zipper

Weather Resistance

The Western Mountaineering Sycamore MF RZ Sleeping Bag performs excellently during light rain condition and easily dries, even after the water has puddled up on the fabric. You will not feel any moisture along the zipper since the bag is fitted with a beefy draft tube.

The MicroLite XP material is a truly breathable and waterproof fabric. Sycamore is impervious to small amounts of melting snow or any form of condensation. The surface of the bag greatly aids its drying time, and in no time, you’ll be ready for your next journey once the bag has been exposed to moisture.

Versatility

The Western Mountaineering Sycamore MF RZ Sleeping Bag provides a relatively unique design that makes it quite versatile in its application. The bag features a full-length zipper that makes it possible for you to convert it into a blanket when it gets a little warmer during the night.

Its zipper can also be opened on the bottom side to increase ventilation and enhance your comfort when it gets a little toasty. Apart from doing a perfect job of regulating the temperatures, the zipper also features a draft tube that prevents the bag from getting wet on the inside. Moreover, the Western Mountaineering Sycamore MF RZ provides adequate space that makes it possible for you to add some layers when the nights gets extremely cold.

Generally, its huge compressed sized, coupled with its relatively heavier weight prevents the Sycamore MF RZ from becoming a great contender when considering gears you can use everywhere. Therefore, when you are searching for something lighter, there are other kinds of products offering the same level of warmth, but slightly lighter compared to the Sycamore MF RZ.

Value for Money and Guarantee

The only reason why someone should not buy a Sycamore is its price. For the same money, you can buy three bags which are not matching all quality features of the Sycamore but are still good and relatively comfortable for some less demanding tasks.

But if you consider backpacking and staying in the back country the way of living rather than just a hobby, you would really show your interest in a Sycamore. Once bought, it will give you years of comfort and warmth, even if your trips ace very frequent and particularly long.

Being one of the best performance sleeping bags on the market, this one is relatively expensive and offers high levels of comfort. Its unique features such as the MicroLite XP microfiber surfaces and the bottom zip opening are a strong addition to its leading weight to temperature rating ratio.

With just 2lbs for the 6 foot size, it is among the lightest bags of its rating. Note also that the makers were maybe a bit too rigorous, when rating this bag, as customers praised its usability even at temperatures lower than that.

However, it may be good for you to follow recommended temperature guidelines. On top of all its semi-rectangular/comfy mummy shape gives a perfect relation between warmth and comfort.

If you are into buying a top tier three-season sleeping bag look no further than the Western Mountaineering Sycamore. There certainly are some other bag models which are of a higher quality and even more expensive, but you would hardly notice the difference. Speaking of the insulating property there is hardly any three-season bag which can offer more warmth combined with this quality of finish.

Remember, also, that this bag is made to last, and buying it once will spare you the need to buy some less expensive bags three or four times. Basically, it is more likely that you will use it until you quit backpacking, then you will require a replacement bag. Of course, this bag is sensitive owing to its fine down fill, and you should strictly follow all maintenance recommendations given by the manufacturer.