Mountain Hardwear Phantom 30 Review

Performance Comparison

Warmth

The Phantom 30 is filled with 11 oz of premium goose down. Although this high-quality down boasts a respectable fill power of 850, after extensive testing our testers don't believe there is enough of it for this bag to live up to its 25F lower limit EN temperature rating. In fact, there were several bags with inferior temp ratings that felt warmer to our testers during our tests. The absence of a neck baffle also seems to make the limited insulation a bigger issue because it's hard to prevent heat from escaping out the hood.

Weight

At 1.48 lbs for a size Long, the Phantom 30 is among the lightest bags in this review. It achieves this low weight with narrow dimensions and high-quality materials. Our testers appreciated these weight savings during minimalist adventures when the ounces really mattered.

Comfort

The 10-denier nylon lining fabric on the Phantom 30 feels luxurious on the skin. Unfortunately, this sense of luxury is negated by the bag's narrow dimensions. Even our slimmest testers complained of feeling constrained by the meager girth at this bag's waist and foot. To be fair though this is a common complaint we hear about most ultralight mummy bags that choose to trim their dimensions to trim ounces.

Packed Size

One advantage to this bag's minimalist design is a minuscule packed size. Using our personal aftermarket compression sack, we were able to pack it down to an impressive 6.7 liters. We were able to achieve similar results with the capable compression sack that this bag comes with. Our only gripe is that this compression sack is a little heavy at 2.8 oz.

Versatility

The Phantom 30 makes some compromises when it comes to versatility. You cannot rely on its premium down to keep you warm if it gets wet. The 3/4-length zipper is long enough to shed excess heat on warm nights but too short to effectively share it between two people during an unplanned bivouac. The lack of a significant neck baffle also limits this bag's usefulness if temperatures unexpectedly drop.

Features & Design

This bag is designed to keep weight at an absolute minimum so its feature set is understandably sparse. We're happy to report that the 3/4-length zipper is sturdy and resistant to snagging. The hood closure utilizes a basic, inelastic string as a drawcord. We found this to be reasonably effective, but relatively uncomfortable because it would dangle into the bag and irritate our faces. This bag also lacks a small organizational pocket for stowing a phone.

Value

With its premium materials, the Phantom 30 retails at a correspondingly premium price. Unfortunately, we prefer several other bags in this price range over the Phantom. It represents an OK value at full price, but it becomes much more desirable if you're lucky enough to find it on sale.

Conclusion