Sierra Designs Backcountry Bed 800 3-Season Review

As a hammock camper, I have not been a big fan of traditional sleeping bags. I know I could use a over quilt, but I like the warmth that a sleeping bag can provide. The problem I have with the traditional sleeping bag is the fight with the zipper. It is often a fight that is repeated during the night for each bathroom break you make. Nothing is worse than getting back into your hammock after your potty break, to fight with getting comfortable and zipped up in your bag again.

Last year during the retailer outdoor show Sierra Designs introduced some newly designed sleeping bags. The one that caught my attention was the Backcountry Bed. This bag uses a new zipper-less design that looked about perfect for those hammock campers that still like their sleeping bags, but hate the zipper. I was finally able to get my hands on one in March, and it is definitely the most comfortable sleeping bag I have ever used.

The bag is made in such away where that after you slide your feet inside, it has an integrated quilt that is used just like a comforter you would have on your bed. This comforter is rather large and allows you to use integrated arm pockets to tuck it in and stay nice and warm. If you're too warm, just untuck a little and let some fresh air in. The foot box has a vent that allows you to kick a leg out if your getting too warm as well. If you're not hammock camping, it has a sleeve for your sleeping pad. This allows you to toss and turn, and keeps your pad underneath you. Very nice for those of us who move a lot in our sleep.

The bag features DRIDOWN which is a treated down that helps the down stay dry, keep loft and dry faster than untreated down. We, as kayakers, do a lot of camping in damp conditions and I was quick to realize how important the DRIDOWN really is. 

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My first trip with this bag was to the Alabama mountain games earlier this year. I set up my Kammock hammock, set up my tarp, attached my under quilt and threw the BackCountry Bed in. It's a little different getting into it as you have to set up a little farther on it and work your feet into it. Similar to just having the zipper halfway up on your sleeping bag and sliding in. After getting in, I tucked myself into the comforter and enjoyed how warm it was. The temperature was in the mid 40s, and i found myself getting warm, so I untucked the quilt a little and kicked out a foot, and in no time i was counting sheep. The trips to the restroom at night weren’t so much of a dread as they are when you are fighting with a zipper, and was easy to just snuggle back in afterword. 

The second night of the trip a rain came and dummy me left the strap from the tree line straight into the hammock. I woke up and hardly noticed how wet i was till I started packing up. I had stayed warm in 45 degree temperatures with rain running down into my hammock and didn't even notice it thanks to the DRIDOWN in the Back Country Bed.

Throughout the year, I continued to use the hammock camping in temperatures down to 32 degrees. I have never felt cold, or noticed any drafts with the bag. The Back Country Bed 800 has a rating of 31F comfort / 20F limit. If you're warm natured like myself, you potentially could find your comfort level down to the limit of the bag.

The bag i use is a Men's Back Country Bed 800 Long. It weighs in at 2 pounds 11 ounces. So it's not the lightest bag, but if comfort is a priority for you, trading those ounces for comfort might make your sleeping experience a little more pleasant.

If you are looking for one of the most comfortable sleeping bags on the market, this one is it. The built in comforter makes it feel like you're nestled up in your bed at home, and allows you to pull off the comforter or kick out a foot if your start getting too hot.

Pros

• Most comfortable sleeping bag I have slept in
• Closest thing to sleeping under your own comforter at home
• Vented feet box so you can kick out a foot when you get too warm.
• Easy to untuck the quilt when too hot

Cons

• If counting ounces, this may not be the bag for you
• Because the bag does not zip, the potential for drafts exists if not well tucked in.
• Cost. It is one of the more expensive 3 season bags on the market.

Mens Long Backcountry Bed 800 3-season specs

• 31 Degree F Comfort / 20 Degree F Limit
• Fits to 6’6”
• Weight is 2 lbs / 11 ounces
• Packed size is 8 inches by 15 inches

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Womens Backcountry Bed 800 3-season specs

• 25 Degree F Comfort / 13 Degree F Limit
• Fits to 5’8”
• Weight is 2 lbs / 10 ounces
• Packed size is 8.5 inches by 16 inches

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