Why I bought this.
When I bought this for my son 1 year ago I bought it because it was the best kids sleeping bag REI had available. (REI Volcano Jr. was not available.) At the time he was only 1.5 years, so this was a product that is intended more for his future use then his present use. To my surprise, he has been quite comfortable using it over the past year.
What is included?
Just a stuff sack. A storage sack was not included. You will have to buy that separately if you wish. I just store it under his bed.
Basic construction
This is your basic mummy style sleeping bag, wider at the top and narrow at the feet. The stitching is tight and looks good. The zipper only goes halfway down the sleeping bag (kid friendly), there is the typical Velcro connection at the top of the bag, 3 small straps to hang the bag if necessary, a non-loop strap that connects to the zipper, and no pockets in this bag. The insulation is Polarguard 3D, a synthetic fill.
Durability
After scanning the bag over I have not noticed any loose threads, holes or any damage to parts of the bag. None of the seams are lose and the stitching is fairly tight.
The true test of durability will be decided when he out grows this bag. I dont feel a year is sufficient to test the durability because a good sleeping bag should last 10 years or so (there are exceptions of course.)
Kid friendly
First thing you will notice is the bag is smaller than most. I would not recommend this for anyone taller than 52 inches. It is pretty small when stuffed in its stuff sack.
Also the bag has no strings that a child could get caught on. Also no choking hazard to worry about.
How does it work?
Just like all mummy style sleeping bags you stuff this in a small sack for travel. It takes you about 10 seconds to stuff, a child could take up to 30 seconds to stuff their sack. You do not roll or tie this bag up for storage.
How cold can you go.
This sleeping bag is rated at 20 degrees Fahrenheit or 7 degrees Celsius.
My sons experience
It is difficult to write a review for someone else when that person does not talk well. So this section is purely observational.
Thankfully the times we went camping it has been fairly warm (never got below 25 degrees.) So most of the time my son just sleeps under it like a blanket with just his feet inside the bag. He has slept well and we have never had a problem with the bag catching him or falling off. The couple of times that it did get cold he also slept comfortably in the zipped bag. Although there were times he would crawl into my wifes sleeping bag in the middle of the night (he will do that no matter what the temperature.)
I have never been concerned with him being suffocated. First thing I did was see if I could breath through the bag. I found that I could with some resistance. Not enough to inhibit breathing. There is also no strings for him to get caught on.
Polarguard 3D
The fill is called Polarguard 3D and the manufacturer lists these advantages.
-Superior warmth, without weight
-Greater loft, even when wet.
-Highly compressible
-Machine washable, fast drying.
-Moisture resistant.
-Hypo-allergenic
-Will not shift, mat, nor clump.
-long lasting
Advantages of synthetic fill.
-Keep warm even when wet.
-Generally cheaper than down.
Disadvantages of synthetic fill.
-Weigh more than down.
-Take up more space than down.
Storage tips
Some sleeping bags come with a larger storage sack. This is a good idea since you really do not want the bag to be compressed when you are not using it. I actually prefer to keep my sleeping bags under my bed instead of using a stuff sack. If you keep a sleeping bag stored like this, it will last for a much longer time.
Tips to staying warm
What I recommend doing is stripping down to shorts and a t-shirt (less if you like) and put the clothes that you are going to wear the next day at the bottom of your sleeping bag (this keeps them nice a toasty.) For whatever reason, I have been warmer in my sleeping bag with just shorts than I am with a fleece or jacket on. Try it, you will be surprised at the difference in warmth.
Dimensions and weight
Length: 58 inches
Width: 20 inches at the widest point. 12 inches at the feet.
Length rolled: 19 inches
Width rolled: 8 inches
Weight (with stuff sack): 2 pounds & 2 5/8 ounces
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