Mountainsmith Monarch 0 Degree Sleeping Bag Review

Anytime we review a product we try our best to do so in some really great places. For the Mountainsmith Monarch 0 Degree Synthetic Sleeping Bagreview we decided to take it with us on a short trip to Sequoia National Park in California. We also don’t like to stay in the first campground we come across, we are more of the exploring off the beaten path type. So instead of car camping, we parked the car and hiked out into the backcountry to have some fun and test out the Mountainsmith Monarch sleeping bag.

We arrived at Sequoia National Park in the early afternoon and the weather was beautiful. With temperatures in the mid 70′s I was a little worried about testing a 0 degree sleeping bag in such nice weather. We quickly gathered our gear and started to head out on the trail. On the hike to our camp I didn’t notice any excessive weight with this sleeping bag. It seemed to be decently light and not to bad for short backcountry trips. For those of you that take extended backcountry trips and try to keep everything as light as possible there are lighter bags than this. However, for shorter trips and for car camping this bag would do just fine and won’t hold you back.

Once we got to our camp for the night and the sun started to set the cooler weather started to set in with temperatures in the 40′s. Yes I know, this is well above what the Mountainsmith Monarch sleeping bag is rated at. With that said, the sleeping bag kept me warm all night long and at times during the night I was actually pretty hot inside it. So based on the 40 degree temperatures outside the tent and the fact that I was hot while in the sleeping bag without a shirt or pants on, I would say this bag would keep you warm in much colder conditions. If you were in much colder conditions you could were a good base layer to bed and be just fine.

Besides being warm or hot at times, the Mountainsmith Monarch sleeping bag was actually really comfortable. The fabric this bag is made of is nice and soft against your skin and felt really good to sleep in. Mountainsmith says the bag fits up to 6’4″ and I think they are correct on that. I am about 6′ and weigh in around 165 and had plenty of space inside this bag. I think if I added a few extra inches to myself and even more pounds I would still be okay in the bag.

Overall nothing bad really came up during this trip when it came to the sleeping bag. It performed how I expected it to perform and I am happy with the product Mountainsmith has delivered. Everything worked on the bag from the zipper never getting snagged to the hood fitting nicely around my head. Like I said above, I would recommend this sleeping bag for short backcountry trips and campground camping where weight is not a huge issue. If you are going on an extended backcountry trip then you might consider a lighter sleeping bag. However, if you have any weight to spare in your pack then this bag would be just fine on the extended trips as well.

Here are some of the specifications of the Mountainsmith Monarch 0 Degree Sleeping Bag.

• Relaxed mummy shape
• Right-hand zipper
• Form-fitting adjustable hood
• Neck baffle collar
• Calf-length, two-way locking zipper
• Full length draft tube
• Anti-snag zipper reinforcement
• Contoured footbox
• External hang loops for drying or pad lashing
• Differential cut for optimal loft and anti-migration
• Sil-Nylon compression stuff sack included
• Cotton storage sack included
• Offset quilt construction
• 50/50 Insulation disbursement

• YKK® 2 Way Autolock Zippers
• 75Dx240T Diamond Poly RipStop, W/R, CIRE
• 50dx290T Taffeta Poly Liner W/R, CIRE
• 33dx244T Sil-Nylon RipStop Stuffsack
• MountainLoft™ Hollowfibers insulation – 1.25kg

If you are looking for a good sleeping bag and a good price then check out the Mountainsmith Monarch 0 Degree Synthetic Sleeping Bag