Marmot Col -20 Review

Compare prices at 3 resellers Pros: Very warm, most weather resistant in its category
Cons: Heavy, zipper snags
Manufacturer: Marmot
Our Verdict
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Marmot Col -20 | |||||
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Awards | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | |
Price | $717.75 at Amazon Compare at 3 sellers | $710 List | $420.00 at REI Compare at 2 sellers | $619.00 at Feathered Friends | $479.95 at Amazon |
Overall Score ![]() |
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Star Rating | |||||
Pros | Very warm, most weather resistant in its category | Warm, awesome comfort, great warmth to weight ratio | One of the warmest bags in the test, excellent color scheme | Warm, highly weather resistant | Comfortable, spacious, lightweight, elasticized baffles allow you to sit cross legged |
Cons | Heavy, zipper snags | Expensive | Lack of hydrophobic down, missing top hood cinch | Small hood, tight cut | Significantly less warm than similarly rated bag, enormous footbox, vents |
Bottom Line | This is an excellent bag for hunkering down and waiting out bad weather | The Kodiak is the cream of the crop when it comes to loft and comfort | Without hydrophobic down, this one earns a top score among our test bags | This bag has a weight saving fitted cut and is great for alpine missions when you'll encounter wet snow | Loaded with features, this bag is great for those looking for a little luxury in the backcountry |
Rating Categories | Marmot Col -20 | Kodiak MF | Mountain Hardwear Phantom 0 | Feathered Friends Snowbunting | NEMO Sonic 0 |
Warmth (20%) | |||||
Weight (20%) | |||||
Comfort (20%) | |||||
Packed Size (15%) | |||||
Features (10%) | |||||
Weather Resistance (15%) | |||||
Specs | Marmot Col -20 | Kodiak MF | Mountain Hardwear... | Feathered Friends... | NEMO Sonic 0 |
Measured Weight (lbs, size Regular) | 4.08 lbs | 2.85 lbs | 2.68 lbs | 2.85 lbs | 2.95 lbs |
Fill Weight (oz) | 44 oz | 30 oz | 29.6 oz | 25.3 oz | 24 oz |
Type of Down Fill | Goose Down | Goose Down | Goose Down RDS Cert/Fluorine Free | Goose Down | Down |
Fill Power | 800 | 850 | 850 | 900 | 800 |
Material Weight (excludes down, oz) | 21.3 oz | 15.65 oz | 13.28 oz | 20.3 oz | 23.3 oz |
Temperature Rating | -20° F | 0°F | 0°F | 0°F | 0°F |
Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | |
Shoulder Girth (inches) | 64" | 66" | 58" | 60" | 61" |
Hip Girth (inches) | 61" | 57" | 52" | 56" | 58" |
Foot Girth (inches) | 47" | 41" | Not listed | 38" | 53" |
Shell Material | Pertex Microlite 30 Denier | MicroLite XP | 10D nylon Ghost ripstop, DWR finish | Pertex Shield EX | 20D nylon ripstop, DWR treatment |
Continuous Baffle | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Our Analysis and Test Results
This big burly bag is the most weather-resistant bag in its class. It is also super spacious and warm, making it ideal for hanging out in base camp while the weather is foul. All that space and durability comes at a cost, and the Col is one of the heavier bags in our review.
Performance Comparison
Warmth
The Col is packed with 44oz (!) of 800 fill down, giving it incredible loft and insulative powers, and an excellent warmth-to-weight ratio. The cut of this bag is wide to accommodate movement and layers, and in the case of this bag, our testers felt that the extra space did not affect the warmth factor considering that there is so much down between them and the elements. The extra space accommodates more layers, and a whole bunch of other stuff you might want to keep from freezing solid like water, and your boots.
When sleeping on your back with the hood completely cinched tight, the air hole is suspended several inches above your face, so you can still breathe without your nose freezing off. A thick draft collar with a dedicated cinch cord keeps out any drafts that make it past the hood.
Weight
The robust shell fabric, wide cut, and amount of down make the Col the second heaviest bag in this review. In a backpack, 4 lbs 1.3 oz is a lot of sleeping bag to haul around, If you're carrying this bag into the snowy wilds on a sled or snowmobile, the warmth, space, and features easily make up for the extra weight.
Comfort
The Col gets a solid score for comfort because there is so much room to move around, change clothes, and burrow down inside the bag. This is essential if you are going to be spending many hours inside this bag, waiting out bad weather. The extra space makes the Col more comfortable. The Col loses a few comfort points because of the light-duty draft collar, and the thick material around the inside of the foot box that some testers didn't like against their feet. These problems are easily mitigated with a down jacket and a pair of socks.
Packed Size
All that down and shell material make for a relatively large packed size. The Col still holds its own against similarly rated bags. Due to high-quality materials, the Col still manages to pack down small enough in a 60-liter pack to allow room for other winter gear.
Features
This contender is designed for extended winter trips. The features are right on with what our testers who've lived and worked in cold climates like to see. The inside of the foot box is reinforced with a thicker shell fabric to protect the bag from your boots. There is enough room in the footbox to sleep with your boots on or leave them down in the bottom of the bag, so you don't have to thaw your boots out, making it way easier to get up in the morning. Two thick, full-length draft tubes prevent cold air from entering through the zipper, though they tend to snag when opening or closing the bag. The full-length, two-way zipper is useful for venting if you get too hot in this bag (we sure did).
The zipper pull is glow-in-dark, so you can see where it got snagged. We felt the draft collar was a bit lacking. It's thin compared to the collars on a few lighter bags, and it connects with one small snap that is hard to find at night. Inside the draft collar, you'll find a small stash pocket, hidden away until you pull a tiny cord. Our testers generally find stash pockets useful for batteries and headlamps, and a few of them think the pocket on the Col think hidden too well, and difficult to find in the dark.
Weather Resistance
The 30 denier Pertex Microlite shell is truly waterproof and breathable. In our submersion test, we fully dunked parts of the bag underwater and tried our best to squeeze out all the air so that the bag could absorb as much water as possible. The Col didn't absorb any water; it remained airless and compressed, and no water was allowed in through the shell or the stitching for the baffles. It doesn't have a hydrophobic down treatment, and who cares?
Unless you're going swimming in it, that down isn't going to get wet. Since all the water remains on the shell of the bag and none is absorbed, the Col had the fastest drying time of all the bags in its class. Though heavy, you aren't likely to need to carry a bivy sack or an over bag when sleeping out in this bag. A simple lean-to, lightweight tent, or snow cave will block the high winds, and the Col will take care of the rest.
Value
This bag will set you back a big chunk of change, but it may be worth it if you're going to be spending serious amounts of time living, working, and adventuring out in the cold. Three months equals about 90 nights in the bag. That comes out under $8 a night for warmth, comfort, and respite after bitter cold days.
Conclusion
The Col is the bag you want when warmth, comfort, and weather resistance are your top priorities. We feel it's the best bag in the review for long expeditions where you will be spending a lot of time in your sleeping bag, and need lots of space to protect yourself and critical gear from the cold.
— Matt Bento