Reviews: Marmot Hydrogen Sleeping Bag: 30 Degree Down
Superlight and Super Warm
This bag is the best ultralight sleeping bag produced. I have spent have many nights at 28 degrees and have been warm. Since the bag stuffs down the size of a softball there is always room in your pack.
Marmot Hydrogen Bag Is Everything Promised
I have been an ultra light fanatic for years and always look to shave an ounce or two. As far as sleeping bags go, in recent years I have added Italian, and French made bags, two major U.S. manufacturer's down bags, and a couple of those specialty manufacturer's sleeping system thingies! I must say the Hydrogen is lighter, more comfortable, packs/stuffs better and is far, far more full featured then any of those other bags. It is perfect for any weather we encounter spring and fall, and in summer it is light enough to take along as insurance as it packs easier then most 45 degree bags and you can unzip it for those July/August hot nights as its not one of those horrible cocoons! I have found it so versatile it has already replaced all of my three various multi-season bags I used to use. After a five night trip and two weekend trips, I can't yet vouch for the long term toughness, as the materials are not exactly heavy duty, but I have found it very well made, and able to handle whatever we have faced so far with no runs, stuck zippers or punctures! A bit pricey for a thirty degree bag, but I think well worth it. MP.
awesome - and black
It's expensive, but I expect it to last and be far worth the investment. I just spent 8 days in southern Utah canyoneering, and camping the whole time. One day involved a 3 hour hike in Cedar Mesa with full pack. The low weight definitely helped as it was hot. The bag does pack small, though softball is a bit exaggerated - more like a 8x8" square. But you'll need a stuff sack like an OR with straps - the stock one merely ties closed at a fixed size. Once in the bottom of my pack it only took up half the space (Gregory Lassen 2000). My old 40 degree EMS bag kept me cold, lost it's synthetic loft quickly and I am discarding it. This kept me warm in low 40s with no extra clothes on. Ever watch those expanding toys you put into water? This sack does the same thing when unleashed - you just gotta watch it rise! And it's about time those cheesy outdoor colors give way to a solid sharp black.
Excellent Summer bag
First bought this bag in an effort to put together an ultralight setup. First trip out, took this bag with me on a weekender up to King's Canyon. Lows at night were in the 40s and I was perfectly comfortable. My old summer bag is a +20 and a full 2 pounds heavier than the Hydrogen. For camping in the Sierra in the summer a +30 is normally just fine. My only addition to this bag was to use a compression sack with it. (A granite gear xs works great) Takes up less room in my pack than my rain gear now. I've seen some comments about the half zipper, but it really didn't bother me at all.
Light is Right
I am a Special Forces NCO that purchased the Hydrogen just before deploying for Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. Unlike those in the south, those of us operating in the North with the Kurds faced night-time temps in the 20’s in March to the mid to high 30’s by mid May. The Hydrogen proved to worth every penny. I was never cold and relished the extra room in my overpacked Ruck Sack, and wouldn’t trade the shed pounds for anything. I was concerned with the half zipper limiting the speed in which I could get out of the bag if the situation required, but never was an issue. I will continue to use this as my primary bag as the issue three piece bag is a synthetic nightmare of weighty, space-wasting government waste and abuse, and my other civilian bags while better, come nowhere near the performance for the space and weight as the Hydrogen.
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