Gear Review: Slumberjack Sojourn -20 Sleeping Bag

Dave

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Review: Slumberjack Sojourn -20°F Sleeping Bag
Slumberjack has been making sleeping bags for a long time and I was excited to hear that they were introducing some new designs for 2016. While I already have several sleeping bags of various types, I didn't have a down sleeping bag or anything I'd consider "light" other than my old USMC sleeping system.

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The heart of any sleeping bag is the type of fill material used and DriDown™ is getting pretty good reviews online. Here is what I found out first hand about the Sojourn on my recent week long winter trip to Death Valley:

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I'm an XXL kinda guy, and I've always preferred a rectangular bag for it's roominess. But that roominess comes at the cost of efficiency since there is more air space to heat. The simple single zipper design also means you're "all in or all out" in an old school rectangular bag. The Sojourn is the natural evolution of the traditional mummy design and takes the concept to the next level in my opinion.

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The dual zippers and "arms out" feature of the Sojourn solves the "all in or all out" conundrum allowing you to do other tasks in your tent while still staying warm. It's really nice to be in the bag and yet able to get dinner or read. Or even have a beer!


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The two large velcro tabs on each side of the bag at the shoulder and elbow allow the dual zippers to be bypassed for quick in/out of the bag if desired and even serve as a back up if a zipper were to fail - doubtful as the zippers feel robust and feature nice draft tubes for insulation. The hood is extremely well designed with proper shoulder/neck baffles and drawstring - far superior to even my new issue USMC bag. Temps in Death Valley were hovering in the low teens to single digits and the bag was more than up to the task. I usually wear a fleece beanie at night when it's cold but found it unnecessary with the hood design of the Sojourn.

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At 4 pounds 6 ounces it's a real contender as your sole winter time bag though at the upper limit of "through hiker" weight in my opinion, and packs down to a reasonable size with the included stuff sack. I opted for the Long version of the bag and at 86 inches long and 65 inches around the shoulders it's roomy enough for bigger people. I'm 6'4 and the footbox even had plenty of room for my size 14 feet - I didn't feel like a mummy in the relaxed fit of this bag and was able to sleep on my side in comfort.
The Sojourn is available in -20, 0, 20 and 40 degree versions. Many US sleeping bag manufacturers use non-standardized methods to establish their temperature comfort ratings which means that ratings from different manufacturers may not be comparable so when I shop for a bag I always buy the lowest available temperature rating I can afford - You can always unzip if you're too warm but if you don't have enough bag you'll be regretting it... been there done that!

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The polyester shell, black "solar lining" for drying in the sun, and water resistant double layered hood and foot panels aid in keeping this bag dry. They also made drying easier by adding these sturdy loops on the foot box for hanging and "lofting" the down in the bag.

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The key to this bag's warmth is the fill: 550 fill power gray duck down to be exact. They've also added a twist to duck down with DriDown™ technology. Each feather, or plume, is treated with a molecular level polymer creating a hydrophobic finish allowing the insulation to stay dry longer, loft better & dry faster than untreated down. This is especially important when camping several nights in a row or in a humid environment where the bag may accumulate moisture in the form of condensation. Anyone who has ever suffered through the night in a soggy sleeping bag will appreciate the value of a bag that can maintain loft and warmth even in the worst conditions.

The included mesh storage sack is a nice touch as this allows the "looser" storage recommended for a down bag and better breathability than the nylon stuff sack.

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What would I change? I don't like sleeping bags with slippery, "cold on entry" polyester interiors so I'd like to see this bag with a fleece interior. I'll probably pick up a Micro Fleece Bag Liner to address this concern.
The bottom line? I highly recommend this bag. Obviously, down bags are very expensive and you need to choose wisely. If you could only have one sleeping bag this will work and the price point is more than reasonable considering all of the intuitive features like dual zippers, great hood and 550 fill power DriDown™. Priced around $299, the Sojourn -20 is a great value. Visit Slumberjack for more info!
 
I see that they made a nice little video for this bag:

 
Reopening an older thread here, Dave, still rate this highly? I notice that the Slumberjack guys have a great discount offer this weekend, wondering if I should push the button. Not sure I'd need the -20, the 0 would probably work for my needs but wondered if you are still recommending the Sojourn?
 
Slumberjack is holding a 20% off sale this weekend, with free shipping on orders over $49. But here's the problem.

I'm interested in the Country Squire 20 (I'm a big guy). It's $239.95. $240 X 80% is $192.

But Amazon has that bag for $176, and that seems to be their regular price. And their shipping is free if you're a prime member.
 
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