Western Mountaineering Versalite 10 Review
Cons: Shallow hood, not as warm as the heavier contenders
Manufacturer: Western Mountaineering
Our Verdict
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 This Product
Western Mountaineering Versalite 10 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  |  | | | |
| Price | $590 List Check Price on Amazon | $730.00 at Backcountry | $609.95 at Backcountry | $619.00 at Feathered Friends | $499.95 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Lightest bag in its class, super lofty, awesome zipper | 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 | Shallow hood, not as warm as the heavier contenders | 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 | A great bag when weight matters, especially for ski touring or cold weather backpacking | 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 | Versalite 10 | 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 | Versalite 10 | Kodiak MF | Mountain Hardwear... | Feathered Friends... | NEMO Sonic 0 |
| Measured Weight (lbs, size Regular) | 2.06 lbs | 2.85 lbs | 2.68 lbs | 2.85 lbs | 2.95 lbs |
| Fill Weight (oz) | 20 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 | 850 | 850 | 850 | 900 | 800 |
| Material Weight (excludes down, oz) | 13.7 oz | 15.65 oz | 13.28 oz | 20.3 oz | 23.3 oz |
| Temperature Rating | 10°F | 0°F | 0°F | 0°F | 0°F |
| No | No | Yes | No | Yes | |
| Shoulder Girth (inches) | 62" | 66" | 58" | 60" | 61" |
| Hip Girth (inches) | 53" | 57" | 52" | 56" | 58" |
| Foot Girth (inches) | 39" | 41" | Not listed | 38" | 53" |
| Shell Material | 12 Denier Extremelite | 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
Light is right, and this bag nails it. Rated to 10 degrees, we felt that a warm sleeper wearing some extra layers could comfortably use this bag year-round in the Sierra.
Performance Comparison
Warmth
The Versalite has a fill weight of 20 oz and a materials weight of 13.7 oz, making it an extremely efficient vessel for containing the 850 fill high-quality goose down. We feel this bag kept us warmer than some competitors rated
Weight
This contender is the second lightest bag in our review at just over 2 lbs. This is apparent as soon as you yank it from its huge storage bag and send the bag floating across the room towards your backpack. The Versalite is the heaviest bag in Western Mountaineering's ExtemeLite series, and its ExtemeLite shell fabric makes it feel like an ultralight bag.
The shell fabric feels less durable than the MicroLite XP used on the Western Mountaineering Antelope and the Kodiak, prompting our testers to take extra care when hunkering down amongst the rocks and sticks, but we experienced no tears or escaping feathers during the testing process.
Comfort
The Versalite strikes a nice balance between thermal efficiency and room to move around or layer up. These extra inches help keep the Versalite versatile, making room for comfort when temps hover around freezing and making room for a puffy jacket when they drop into the low teens.
The Versalite has a big draft collar with its own dedicated cinch cord for dialing in comfort and keeping out the cold air. Our testers felt that the hood was shallow compared to the better fitting hood on the Editor's Choice Award-winning Western Mountaineering Kodiak MF, but if you primarily sleep on your back, the drawstring does a fine job keeping the hood over your forehead.
Packed Size
The Versalite packs down smaller than any other bag in this review, making it an excellent choice for multi-day climbing and ski touring endeavors when your pack is crammed to the brim with gear. It stuffs down to 8"x15" in its included stuff sack and much smaller in a compression sack. Due to the thin, lightweight shell fabric, we recommend taking extra care when stuffing this bag directly into the bottom of a pack, watching out for sharp, pointy object or getting the bag caught in the backpack zipper.
Features
Our testers' favorite thing about both Western Mountaineering bags in this review is the awesome snag-free zipper. It's vastly superior to the zippers on all of the other bags, due to the stiff tape that is sewn in on both sides of the zipper.
The full-length draft tube eliminates cold air and moisture from entering through the zipper, but never gets snagged when you need to make a quick exit. The velcro closure system for the hood and draft collar is minimal but effective at keeping cold air out, unless you thrash around in your sleep all night. The Versalite comes with a giant-sized storage sack to help the 20oz of down retain its lofting ability.
Weather Resistance
The 12 denier ExtemeLite shell fabric is incredibly weather resistance for the weight. In our light rain test, the shell fabric easily repelled water, and no moisture penetrated the zipper or the stitching around the baffles.
The Versalite is not as weather-resistant as the Western Mountaineering Antelope.
Value
The Versalite is a high-quality, versatile down bag that you could potentially use throughout the year. While this is a big investment, you will save space in your pack, keep weight off your back, and have an easier time slogging around in the mountains. Light is right! The included stuff sack allows for fully lofted storage, extending the life of the bag. Western Mountaineering bags are made in sunny San Jose, California.
Conclusion
The Western Mountaineering Versalite is a top of the line bag. While expensive, you definitely get what you pay for, which is an incredible warmth-to-weight ratio, great features like the comfy draft collar, and a light and weather-resistant shell. Did we mention the zipper to rule all zippers? If you tend to sleep warm and want to go fast and light, this bag is a smart choice.
— Matt Bento