Western Mountaineering Summerlite Sleeping Bag

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Western Mountaineering down gear has an awesome reputation in the US and that reputation is beginning to build on this side of the pond. Very high quality materials design and construction results in the lightest bags available for a given warmth.

Western Mountaineering says

At just 1 lb 3 oz. the SummerLite is the lightest bag we make in a continuous baffle construction. Our goal in designing this bag was to make it as light as possible without eliminating key features or function. The result is a fully-baffled bag that weighs only 19 ounces and features a full-length zipper with insulated draft protection! The SummerLite is a dream come true for lightweight backpacking fanatics.

Our Verdict

Western Mountaineering down gear has an awesome reputation in the US and that reputation is beginning to build on this side of the pond. Very high quality materials design and construction results in the lightest bags available for a given warmth. 

An example of their attention to detail is their quoted 850+ fill power down used in all their bags: WM quote this figure even though their down generally gets higher ratings in official tests this is because they feel that the official pre-testing preparation enhances the down quality!

One of our customers used this bag on his Lands End to John O’Groats walk, he had this to say:

“The Western Moutaineering sleeping bag was both light weight and warm enough for a Scottish summer. On the first two nights I camped in Cornwall the temperature dropped to around 3 degrees and I did need to don a sweater but that is par for the rating of the bag.” Courtesy Trevor James.

– Reviewed by Ultralight Outdoor Gear

Features

• Full-length #5 YKK Zipper
• Insulated Draft Tube
• 4″ Loft, 32° F
• 5 1/4″ Spacing/Continuous Baffles
• 10 oz. Down Fill
• 59″/38″ Shoulder/Foot Girth

Specifications

• Shape: Mummy
• Rating: 0°C / 32° F *
• Loft: 10cm / 4″
• Highest Quality minimum 850+ fill power down

Short

• Length: 165cm / 5’6″
• Weight: 524g
• Fill weight: 225g
• Packed size: 30 x 15cm
• Internal shoulder girth: 150cm / 59″
• Internal hip girth: 130cm / 51″
• Internal foot girth: 97cm / 38″

Regular

• Length: 180cm / 6″
• Weight: 562g
• Fill weight: 255g
• Packed size: 30 x 15cm
• Internal shoulder girth: 150cm / 59″
• Internal hip girth: 130cm / 51″
• Internal foot girth: 97cm / 38″

Long

• Length: 200cm / 6’6″
• Weight: 608g
• Fill weight: 285g
• Packed size: 30 x 15cm
• Internal shoulder girth: 152m / 60″
• Internal hip girth: 132cm / 52″
• Internal foot girth: 97cm / 38″

* Western Mountaineering state: ‘We independently verify own temperature ratings through our own testing, customer feedback and design knowledge. Most of the items in our catalog we have been making for years, which means we have lots of prior knowledge from everyday consumers on what ratings are accurate. We have also EN tested our bags. In every case the EN rating is lower than our posted rating. This means our ratings are more conservative. We do this to ensure that almost everyone will be happy in our bags at the temperature we publish.’

More About Western Mountaineering:

• Western Mountaineering Construction
• Western Mountaineering Materials

Help and advice:

• The Ultimate Guide to Lightweight Sleeping Bags
• Time-Saver Guide to Choosing a Sleeping Bag
• The EN13537 Standard
• All About Down