Marmot Atom Sleeping BAg

I’ve got one..nice bag. I might be selling it though.

I’m using a hammock and might change over to a quilt. Let me know if you are shopping….it’s been used 2 nights in my backyard and not in the woods.

dan.reynolds@alaskaair.com

I have an Atom. I have only used it for 4 bag nights, the long July 4th weekend. Temperature lows borderline to low 60’s (bag is rated to 40, if I remember correctly) and I had no precipitation.

I bought this bag for overnights in late spring, summer, and early fall in the Smokies (NC) region. My max time out is a week), but usually I’m limited to 3 or 4-day weekends.

Previously, I’ve carried my Marmot Helium (15 degree rating) for the spring and fall outings, and I’ve carried the REI midweight fleece liner for my summer outings. Purchasing the Atom cuts my late spring/early fall weight, but my summer weight is the same (about a pound).

I did not have any extreme weather (again, 60ish at night) and I had NO precipitation. However, this has the same shell as my Helium, so I can comment that the shell is rather water resistant (very necessary, for me).

Pros:
Bag compresses very small, but puffs up nicely.
Bag has a nice feel: not slippery, has a yummy coziness to it (guys probably don’t have any idea what this means, it’s a girl thing)
Per my experience with the Helium, which has the same shell, it is rather water resistant.
Having this bag cuts my weight in half from my Helium; weight is same as my midweight liner for summer, but expands the low temp range significantly.

Cons:
Price, compared to my midweight fleece liner.
I personally hate the red color; I prefer more subdued/earthy tones.
The 3/4 length zip is fine on my Helium, as I never have it unzipped, but, as the Atom is used for warmer weather, I think the sacrifice of an ounce or two would be worth a longer zip, or a toe box zip. I had mine unzipped completely on one night, and was half hanging out of it (I’m a very, very cold sleeper, too). I don’t think I’d like it if the temps were more like my home nighttime temps (75ish, 100% humidity in Raleigh this time of year).

Two cents worth, nothing more. :)

Edited to add: I remember, my first night out, thinking to myself, ” Why would you need a down-filled hood on a summerweight bag?” Just a thought…I’d rather have had a long zipper and ditch the hood. Another 2 cents (I’m up to 4 cents now…can’t buy a gumball for that price nowadays, though!)

Check out the WM Highlite. It is the same weight and has a slightly lower temp. rating at 35 degrees. I have one, and it is simply awesome. It has been around now for a few years and seems to have quite a following. Western Mountaineering bags are practically worshiped on all of these backpacking forums.

I bought a used WM Highlite off a member of this board. 17 ounces…35 degrees, and 6’6″. Kind of hard to beat. When layed next to a Montbell #5 Superstrech with the 650 fill, it was nearly twice the mass for like 10 ounces less. Killer bag.

Regarding hoods. I qualify by saying I do not, nor do I really every plan to spend much time hiking in hot muggy conditions. But my bag is my last resort life preserver in worst case cold scenarios. If I did not have a hood and it started snowing in a freak summer storm…I would be very sorry. But I plan to be in the Sierras or Rockies or Cascades for the majority of my hiking career.

Thanks for great info, nothing like getting 4 cents worth of info from knowledgeable people ! Yeah, the color ! Happy with a hood and half zip. Will look into the other brand mentioned. Thanks again !

another bag to consider would be the new western mountaineering summerlite. 32 degree, full-zip, 1lb 3oz.

the summerlite is very tempting if its packed size is similar to the others. It would be a bit bulkier but how much?

I have the Atom. I love it. It is a very versatile piece of gear. I use this with different layering systems and can sleep down to zero in it. It is a key piece of gear for me. I have no complaints.

I looked at the WM sleeping bag. It’s an excellent choice as well and you can hardly go wrong. I got my Atom on sale at a price you would never touch a WM bag at.

Pay attention to the shoulder girth measurements of the bags listed in this thread.

The Marmot has the most room.

If the Atom had a full zip I’d buy one.