MontBell UL Spiral Down Hugger Sleeping Bag Review

[Marc Clarke]

For what it is worth, I think the Montbell-supplied stuff sack is WAY TOO SMALL (as does the original reviewer). I carry my #3 Long in a 20 liter dry bag loosely fit into the bottom of my pack rather than in the tiny factory-supplied stuff sack.

Similarly, the Montbell factory-supplied cotton storage bag that came with my U.L. Spiral #3 Long is also WAY TOO SMALL, as I literally have to stuff the sleeping bag into the cotton storage bag. I'm out shopping for a MUCH larger non-Montbell cotton storage bag.

[John RB]

marc,
great breakdown. thanks again. for what its worth to you, rei has great large "natural cotton" non-stuff storage sacks for sleeping bags. i've gotten 2 in past sales for $1 each…

[Marc Clarke]

I picked up an aftermarket "natural cotton" non-stuff storage bag today. Thanks for your tip. :-)

[M Stein]

Hello, all,

I myself recently asked MontBell customer service to provide EN ratings, and in my case, they wouldn't give it out.

But by poking around the sites linked to on Western Mountaineering's "international dealers" page, I was able to turn up the super-secret EN Rating for the WM Summerlite.

The Summerlite is +6 C/+2 C/-14 C, or for us retrogrades who use the Neandertal scale…

WM Summerlite
COMFORT: 43 F
LOWER LIMIT: 36 F
EXTREME: 7 F

Treating James' experience as a baseline (where the WM bag proved warmer than the MB), we might consider the MontBell bag to be a 40 F bag, rather than a 30 F.

For what it's worth….

[Ultralite Hiker]

"The Summerlite is +6 C/+2 C/-14 C, or for us retrogrades who use the Neandertal scale…

WM Summerlite
COMFORT: 43 F
LOWER LIMIT: 36 F
EXTREME: 7 F
"

Thanks for this info. However, based on everything I have read here on the Summerlite (which is quite a few threads) most people say the summerlite has a pretty conservative rating. Why would WM put out a 32 degree bag that has a lower limit of 36? Or are you saying these tests were done independently of WM?

Either way, most here agree the Summerlite is true to rating, or maybe even conservative. I agree that the UL Super Spiral wouldnt be quite as warm, but 40 seems too high for the bag.

[David Ure]

"Why would WM put out a 32 degree bag that has a lower limit of 36? Or are you saying these tests were done independently of WM?"

Yes – EN testing is done by an Independent body. For all intents and purposes, this WM is a 36 degree bag.

[Ultralite Hiker]

I stand corrected then. So 40 degrees for the UL Super Spiral, I was about to puchase but that makes me hesitate.

I find the Summerlite too confining.

[Jerry Getz]

I am a very fidgety side sleeper, and the room afforded by this bag is truly second to none. In my opinion the best thing is the way the bag sort of sucks itself down close regardless of position, minimizing open airspace between the bag and your body. For me, that is what makes all the difference.

JSG

[Author]

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