Opionions on the REI Nooksack sleeping bag

In My Humble Opinion
1

I’ve got an REI dividend, plus a 20% off coupon (that expires the 11th).
I’m thinking about the REI nooksack. It is a +35F synthetic bag.
I’m too cheap to buy down, plus I may use it for kayak camping (even in a drybag chance of wetness). I think the temp reting is good enough for my uses.
(I can always add a blanket for marginal conditions)

Any opinions on it? I saw nothing at outdoorerview.com, and very little w/ google.
Any alternatives I should considfer?

Thanks,

Brian

2

I can’t comment on the bag, but I just wanted to say I cross the Nooksack River twice a day. :smiley:

FWIW, I usually just use my armt-surplus intermediate or winter bag. I may go camping in the 'yak; in which case I’ll use my down bag (North Face, but purchased at REI).

Have you gone to REI to check it out, or have you only seen it online?

3

I don’t know anything about the Nooksack, either. But I will say that I’ve been very pleased with every piece of REI equipment I’ve owned or used. The “REI brand” stuff isn’t really made by REI (for example, my wife Joule’s REI boots are made by Merrill, they even have Merrill insoles). I’m not sure who makes the sleeping bags, but you can ask at the store.

My wife also has an REI (women’s) Shasta, which is a +15 degree synthetic bag. She’s quite happy with it. I find that 35 degree bags are a little too cold for me, but that depends on how “cold” you sleep. I always sleep better if I’m a little warm rather than a little cold. Of course, that depends on where and when you sleep out, too (I spend a lot of nights outside in spring and fall (no bugs) in northern Minnesota).

Anyway, my recommendation is to go to the REI store if possible, and climb inside all the bags in your price range. There is some variation in the position and utility of things like pockets and drawstrings for hoods.

4

When they say left or right zipper, that from the point of view of someone in the bag on thier back, correct?

Brian

5

Yes. The idea is that people with opposite zippers can zip their bags together to make one large bag.

BTW: Every time I cross the bridge, I get The B-52’s Love Shack in my head.

Nooksack!
It’s a Nooksack!
Nooksack, baby!

[sub](Similarly, I get The Pogues’ Dirty Old Town in my head when I drive by the Semiahmoo signs.)[/sub]