Choosing to construct my sample Cloud 15 as they did was a ballsy move. The electric blue stitching visually jumps out on the stark white background; there's no room for sewing imperfections. There's a REASON people usually sew with color-matched thread: it helps hide little flaws. But the sewing of this bag is top-notch, with no call for camouflaged seams. Some of the seam allowances used in the Insotect baffles are tiny, too… say a millimeter or two, so the slightest variances would announce themselves.
Although the longitudinal baffles are parallel from the waist down, the baffles widen and flow outward in a sort of fleur-de-lis. The chest section might make you wonder if Martha Stewart and beaten egg whites were involved in any way, the baffles mound so nicely. There is slightly less loft in the legs, then the footbox vaults upward. The hood is DEEP and fluffy and heavenly. It fits like the best of winter parka hoods. Many of you know how profusely I sing the praises of Western Mountaineering bags: the Sierra Designs Cloud 15 hood makes Western hoods seem nearly like second-rate afterthoughts. Yeah, it's that nice. The hood drawcord is superfluous for the majority of conditions. If the temps really plummet, though, there is a single drawcord adjustment that will batten down both the top and bottom borders of the hood. There is a slight puckering where the fabric and insulation sort of "fall" as the hood joins the body, but in practice I did not find that to be an issue… and it is the slightest of nitpicks. The half-length zipper is backed by an electric blue burgeoning marshmallow poof of a tube. The weight my sample Cloud is 27.8 ounces, 0.2 ounces under spec.
ARTICLE OUTLINE
- THE TOUR
- IN USE
- TECH TALK
- COST-BENEFIT
# WORDS: 1400
# PHOTOS: 5
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Even cheaper direct from SD right now. $349.99
http://www.sierradesigns.com/p-474-cloud-15.aspx
Sierra Designs has only the regular size on sale. The Clymb's price is for the long version.
Jerry – good comment on the solar value of a dark sleeping bag cover – that makes a huge difference in colder air temps.
Looks like a nice bag despite the light cover – competitively priced. Wonder why it's not sporting the DriDown. The EN rating is 30* for woman and 19* for men.
The comparison needs to be made to the Marmot Plasma 15 – very well designed hood, draft collar & footbox wrapped in a Pertex Quantum cover – one degree warmer on the EN rating – though cost wise you need to wait for the sale prices.
I've been watching for the Plasma 0* for about a year – I see they finally now have those available – I'd start waiting for the sale price but my 2006' 900 down Quantum cover Lithium is in perfect condition and weights the same even though I added 1.5oz of 900 to the draft tube – I also like the fuller cut for ventilating and ability to add layers without as much compression.
At the Sierra Designs website today (2/8), one currently finds the Dridown Cal 13 and the women's Dridown Clo 18, which may be the successor bags, both of which have the vertical baffles. No trace of the Cloud 15. Guess it drifted off.
How will 900 fill power down handle the condensation? Last thing I want at 15 degrees is a compromised sleeping bag.
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