Sleeping Bag ReviewMichelle DellerOctober 05, 2016sleeping, sleeping bag reviews, mountain hardware lamina, backpacking, hiking, sleeping bags, reviews, mountain hardware, camping, mountain hardware lamina zero degree, sleeping bag, mountain hardware lamina z sparkComment

Choosing a sleeping bag

In the 1980's, a lifetime ago, my parents got my brother and I sleeping bags for Christmas. They are the heaviest things on the planet and pack down to almost fit in my car trunk, about the circumference of an average car tire. Needless to say these are not backpacking sleeping bags, and it's questionable whether they should be taken in the car, considering it takes up one whole shelf in my closet.

So when I was preparing for Kilimanjaro, it was necessary to shop for a sleeping bag. I knew one thing for certain, I wasn't going to spend hundreds of dollars, since the continued use of said sleeping bag was in question, and I had lots of other gear to purchase for the trip. I took to the internet in search of criteria for picking a good sleeping bag that would keep me warm in subzero temperatures.

Synthetic vs Down

First decision was do I get a synthetic bag or go for down. There are obvious pros and cons to each, so it mainly comes down to a personal choice. For those money conscious shoppers, price is a big difference. For my money, synthetic offered warmth at a price I could afford. As far as testing the difference between synthetic and down in terms of warmth, my friend got a down bag to take to Kilimanjaro and I had synthetic, we were both warm on the coldest camping night while on Kilimanjaro. I should note that we had the same sleeping pads and both used the same liner to compliment our sleeping bags. So, all things being equal, I'd say my synthetic bag was a good purchase.

Wet weather is always a possibility on the trail, and I like the odds of synthetic maintaining it's usability over down in precipitous weather. When down gets wet, it's wet! Here is a breakdown of the down versus synthetic debate from REI. Considering the conditions you will face while using the sleeping bag, can help you make a decision of which type of bag is best for you.

Cold Weather Degree Sleeping Bag

I purchased the Mountain Hardware Lamina 0˚ on the discount website, Sierra Trading Post, for under $100. It had a left-handed zipper and was the short size, but those features didn't matter to me. I liked that the short meant less weight. It doesn't compact as small as my friend's down zero degree bag, but it is smaller than my 1980's sleeping bag. I have a 38L backpack and it won't fit in the bottom sleeping bag section without opening up the zipper to the main compartment. So if pack-ability is important to you, consider getting a sleeping bag that will compact smaller.

As other users have reported, I've gotten the zipper stuck a few times. It does have a protection flap, but if I'm not paying attention sometimes it gets caught. The zipper is not a deal breaker for my overall positive experience with this bag.

3-Season Sleeping Bag

Because my zero-degree sleeping bag is so good at keeping me warm, I had to get another bag for warmer weather conditions. I had such a great experience with my Mountain Hardware Lamina Zero Degree that I decided to look at the Mountain Hardware line for a lighter bag.

My goal for this sleeping bag was two fold: compact enough to fit in the bottom of my backpack and good in temperatures between 30 - 50 degrees. I also didn't want to break the bank with my second sleeping bag purchase. I took to the internet and did some research and landed on the Mountain Hardware Lamina Z Spark and I'm happy with my decision.

So far it's been used on the Appalachian Trail in 40 degree weather and I was warm enough that I had to vent the bag. I also took it to Peru to hike on the Inca Trail and I was so warm that I had to use the bag as a blanket instead of climbing inside the bag on the coldest night. On the warmer night, I used the sleeping bag as an extra sleeping pad with just my liner as a cover. I've also purchased a waterproof stuff sack for those times where wet weather might be possible. It fits in the bottom compartment of my backpack, which also helps with my packing for weekend trips and epic treks, like on the Inca Trail.

Bottom line: I like the Mountain Hardware Lamina line!

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*No benefit from Mountain Hardware for my review, just my honest opinion based on using their product.