Marmot Trestles 30 Review
Cons: Really heavy, not very compressible, stiff lining fabric, heavy stuff sack
Manufacturer: Marmot
Our Verdict
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Marmot Trestles 30 | |||||
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Awards | ![]() | ![]() | |||
Price | $100 List | $199.95 at Backcountry Compare at 3 sellers | $170 List | $127.73 at REI Compare at 2 sellers | $145.00 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers |
Overall Score ![]() |
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Star Rating | |||||
Pros | Lots of insulation, great venting options with the accessory zipper, durable construction | Awesome warmth-to-weight ratio for the price, very compressible, tons of venting options, nice compression sack included | Thick synthetic insulation, well-balanced performance, easy to use zipper, included stuff sack | Cheap, anti-snag zipper, sturdy materials, versatile synthetic insulation | Inexpensive, burly, decent warmth, roomy fit |
Cons | Really heavy, not very compressible, stiff lining fabric, heavy stuff sack | Not as warm as its temp rating, no draft collar, uncertain durability | Bulkier than expected, mediocre warmth-to-weight ratio | Moderate warmth-to-weight ratio, doesn't compress well, limited extra features | Heavier than average, bulky, no storage sack, no compression sack |
Bottom Line | Heavy with mediocre performance in several areas | Great warmth-to-weight ratio for an affordable price | This synthetic mummy bag is simple and effective | Among tough competition, this workhorse holds its own admirably | An affordable option that's still suitable for overnight backpacking |
Rating Categories | Marmot Trestles 30 | NEMO Kyan 35 | The North Face Cat's Meow 20 | Mountain Hardwear Lamina 30 | Kelty Cosmic 20 |
Warmth (20%) | |||||
Weight (20%) | |||||
Comfort (20%) | |||||
Packed Size (15%) | |||||
Versatility (15%) | |||||
Features & Design (10%) | |||||
Specs | Marmot Trestles 30 | NEMO Kyan 35 | The North Face... | Mountain Hardwear... | Kelty Cosmic 20 |
Measured weight (size Long, in lbs) | 3.54 lbs | 1.89 lbs | 2.39 lbs | 2.28 lbs | 2.63 lbs |
Manufacturer claimed weight (size Regular, in lbs) | 3.06 lbs | 1.69 lbs | 2.25 lbs | 2.17 lbs | 2.41 lbs |
Temperature rating (F) | 30 F | 35 F | 20 F | 30 F | 20 F |
EN lower limit (rating for men)/ EN Comfort Rating (rating for women) | 26 / 36 F | 35 / 46 F | 22 / 33 F | 27 (lower) F | 19 (lower) F |
Compression/Stuff sack weight (oz) | 4.2 oz | 2.4 oz | 4.0 oz | 3.7 oz | 0.8 oz |
Compressed volume (L) | 13.1 L | 6.6 L | 11.4 L | 8.6 L | 8.7 L |
Fill | Synthetic - Spirafil | Synthetic - Primaloft Silver | Synthetic - Heatseeker Guide | Synthetic - Thermal.Q | 600FP Down (83%) / Polyester (17%) |
Hydrophobic down? | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Yes |
Fill weight (size Reg, in ounces) | 33.8 oz | 12 oz | 26 oz | Unknown | 18.2 oz |
Shell material | 70D polyester | Ripstop nylon (20D) | 20D Nylon Ripstop | Ripstop nylon (30D) | 20D Nylon taffeta |
Neck baffle | No | No | No | No | Yes |
Small organization pocket | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
Zipper | 3/4-Length Left Side, 1/4-Length Right Side | Full-length / Side | Full-Length Side | Full-lengh / Side | 3/4-Length Side |
Shoulder girth (size Regular) | 62 in | 62 in | Unknown | 60 in | 64 in |
Hip girth (size Regular) | 57 in | 57 in | Unknown | 58 in | 60 in |
Foot girth (size Regular) | Not listed | 46 in | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
Stuff or compression sack included? | Compression | Compression | Compression | Compression | Stuff |
Storage sack included? | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Water resistant shell? | No | DWR | No | DWR | No |
Total weight (size Long, in ounces) | 56.6 oz | 30.2 oz | 38.2 oz | 36.4 oz | 42.0 oz |
Manufacturer claimed weight (size Long, in ounces) | 53 oz | 30 oz | 39 oz | Not listed | 43 oz |
Our Analysis and Test Results
Marmot offers sleeping bags across the full price spectrum. Their ultra-premium Phase 20 scored pretty well as a standard backpacking sleeping bag. Meanwhile, the lighter Phase 30 won a Top Pick Award for water resistance in our ultralight sleeping bag review. The bargain basement Trestles 30, however, didn't do nearly as well in the budget backpacking sleeping bag category. Read on to learn why we think Marmot is better at premium bags.
Performance Comparison
Warmth
The Trestles is filled with 33.8 ounces of synthetic Spirafil insulation. This amount of insulation is substantial compared to other budget backpacking sleeping bags. However, on the industry standard EN test it receives a modest 26°F lower limit temperature rating. Our testers think this rating is accurate, which makes this bag well suited for all but the coldest 3-season conditions.
Weight
A consequence of this bag's substantial insulation is correspondingly substantial total weight. On our scale, a size long weighed a whopping 3.54 pounds. This figure is heavier than most budget sleeping bags. We thus believe the Trestles provides a subpar warmth-to-weight ratio, even after you factor in its affordable price.
Comfort
Often heavier sleeping bags are heavier because they're designed to be more comfortable. But that's not necessarily the case with the Trestles. Its 62-inch shoulder girth is fairly generous but not the largest of the category. Its durable fabrics are unfortunately stiff and not as soft as some of the other budget sleeping bags. The Trestles thus scores slightly below average in overall comfort.
Packed Size
This bag comes with a large sack that doubles as a compression and storage sack. In both these functions, it performs adequately, but at 4.2 ounces, it's on the heavier side. In our packed size test with an aftermarket compression sack, the Trestles achieved a minimum volume of 13.1 liters. This bag is fairly large and will take up a substantial portion of all but the biggest backpacking packs.
Versatility
Versatility is the one area where this bag shines. You can count on its synthetic insulation to keep you warm even if it gets soaked. The ¼-length accessory zipper is also great for venting excess heat on warmer nights. We only wish this accessory zipper was a smaller size to cut down on the bag's overall weight.
Features and Design
Although we like the venting options that the accessory zipper offers, we believe this additional zipper would be more useful if it were tacked on to make the main zipper longer. Then the bag could be fully unzipped into a quilt. The accessory zipper location also requires there be separate drawstrings to tighten the chin and forehead regions of the bag's hood — a minor convenience and slight weight increase. Our testers were still able to appreciate the Trestles convenient stash pocket, but there appear to be a few ways its design could be better.
Value
The Trestles is one of the cheaper sleeping bags marketed for overnight backpacking. It has a few features that we like, but its considerable weight isn't ideal. The Trestles, therefore, is not a particularly great value.
Conclusion
When you're sleeping in it, the Trestles performs pretty well. Its accessory zipper, in particular, is great for adjusting your warmth as temperatures and your metabolism fluctuate throughout the night. Its substantial weight and packed size, however, make it less than desirable for if you hope to carry it into a real backcountry camp.
— Jack Cramer