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Feathered Friends Egret UL 20 - Women's Review

This high-end bag will keep you warm and comfortable from Spring to Fall in all conditions
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feathered friends egret ul 20 for women sleeping bag review
Feathered Friends Egret UL 20 - Women's
Credit: Feathered Friends
Price:  $569 List
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Manufacturer:   Feathered Friends
By Jessica Haist ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Oct 29, 2019
89
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#1 of 17
  • Warmth - 25% 10.0
  • Weight - 25% 9.0
  • Comfort - 20% 8.0
  • Packed Size - 15% 8.0
  • Features - 15% 9.0

Our Verdict

The highest quality bag in this review, the Feathered Friends Egret UL 20, knocks its competitors off their pedestals easily and wins our Editors' Choice Award. It has an unmatched down fill of 950+, creating a toasty and lofty bag for all three backpacking seasons. It is super lightweight, packable, and has a simple shape that is comfortable and effective. Our only complaint (price aside) is that its available sizes left some of our testers feeling like there wasn't a perfect fit. Those who fall right in the middle of the two women's sizes (5'3 and 5'9) felt that they had to size up, at which point the bag became a little too roomy.
REASONS TO BUY
High-quality down
Warm
Lightweight
REASONS TO AVOID
Sizing not for everyone
Fabric is a bit noisy
Because this is the warmest product, it is the best choice for traveling long distances in the mountains or cold weather from Spring to Fall. If you're somewhere that the weather can be unpredictable and often cold, the Egret is perfect. We recommend it on long backpacks where weight is essential and you want something warm. The Pacific Crest Trail is a perfect example! It's not the best option as a warm-weather bag as its fill is too warm for lower elevations. While the price is a little steep, our Editors' Choice winner offers the best warmth to weight ratio out there and superior performance through all three seasons.

Compare to Similar Products

 
Awards Editors' Choice Award Editors' Choice Award Best Buy Award Top Pick Award  
Price $569 List
$529.00 at Feathered Friends
$589.00 at REI
Compare at 2 sellers
$340 List$305.47 at Backcountry
Compare at 3 sellers
$118.26 at Backcountry
Compare at 2 sellers
Overall Score Sort Icon
89
86
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61
Star Rating
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Pros High-quality down, warm, lightweightHigh-quality down, warm and lofty, light, a top tier productComfortable, lightweight, excellent materials, not constrictingVery lightweight, small packed size, high-quality downComfortable, inexpensive, recycled materials
Cons Sizing not for everyone, fabric is a bit noisyExpensiveComforter sometimes does not stay tucked inTight-fitting mummy bag, not very warm, expensiveHeavy, bulky
Bottom Line This high-end bag will keep you warm and comfortable from Spring to Fall in all conditionsA high-tech, high-quality backpacking sleeping bag with more roomy dimensions than mostA great, high-quality choice at a relatively low price for those looking for a lightweight bag that doesn't sacrifice comfortThis super-lightweight, compact bag is a great choice for fast and light, warm-weather adventures but does sacrifice some comfort and warmth for weightThis well priced synthetic bag is a great choice for your car camping needs
Rating Categories Feathered Friends E... Sea to Summit Flame 15 Sierra Designs Clou... Therm-a-Rest Hyperi... Marmot Trestles Eli...
Warmth (25%)
10.0
9.0
5.0
4.0
5.0
Weight (25%)
9.0
8.0
9.0
10.0
5.0
Comfort (20%)
8.0
9.0
8.0
5.0
9.0
Packed Size (15%)
8.0
9.0
9.0
10.0
5.0
Features (15%)
9.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
7.0
Specs Feathered Friends E... Sea to Summit Flame 15 Sierra Designs Clou... Therm-a-Rest Hyperi... Marmot Trestles Eli...
ISO/EN Comfort Rating 20 F (not EN rated) 15 F 26 F 32 F 20 F
Fill Type Goose down Goose down PFC-Free DriDown 900-fill-power Nikwax Hydrophobic goose down HL-ElixR synthetic fibers
Measured Weight 1.7 lbs 2.0 lbs 1.7 lbs 1.2 lbs 2.8 lbs
Total Weight 27.5 oz 31.2 oz 27.4 oz 19.0 oz 44.0 oz
Fill Power 950+ 850+ 800 900 Synthetic
Women specific features Extra fill in footbox and chest Women's specific fit - more insulation in key areas More insulation per square inch than men's version Available in a "Short" length, which is a standard women's size Women's specific fit
Fill Weight 17.3 oz (medium) 22.9 oz 14.8 oz 12.0 oz Unspecified
Material Pertex Endurance UL Ultralight 10D Nylon Shell 15d nylon risptop 10D Nylon RipStop w/ DWR 20-denier recycled ripstop polyester
Neck Baffle Yes Yes No No Yes
Pocket No No No No Yes
Sleeping Pad Sleeve No No Yes Removable attachment straps No
Zipper Length 62 in 56 in N/A 35 in 53/15 in
Shoulder Girth 54 in 60 in 59 in 55 in 58 in
Hip Girth 56 in 58 in 58 in 48.5 in 58 in
Foot Girth 38 in 40 in 39 in 36 in 45 in
Stuff Sack included? Stuff sack and storage bag included Compression stuff sack and storage bag included Stuff sack and storage bag included Compression sack and storage bag included Stuff sack and storage bag included

Our Analysis and Test Results

This warm, high-quality bag will keep you performing at a high level in the backcountry with quality sleep, and will last you a long time!

Performance Comparison


feathered friends egret ul 20 for women sleeping bag review - the feathered friends egret wins our editors' choice award for its...
The Feathered Friends Egret wins our Editors' Choice Award for its high quality and high performance.
Credit: Jessica Haist

Warmth


The Egret is not EN rated, and so it is a bit tricky to compare with the other products we tested that do have an EN temperature rating. However, after using this bag, it proves to be the warmest of the bunch. Its super high fill power of 950+ increases its warmth to weight ratio, meaning that this bag puffs up huge and keeps the heat in its lofty filling. The Egret also has continuous baffles that are open from bottom to top, which allow you to shake all the down filling to the top of the bag for especially cold nights if you have a warm sleeping pad to maximize all the down for warmth.


We were curious why Feathered Friends chooses not to EN test their bags, a common spec among competing manufacturers, so we reached out to them to find out why. Here is what they said:

"First, the test is expensive and doesn't exactly provide 'real world' metrics. That being said, when we compare the specs of our bags (loft, down quality, construction, etc.) against our competitors who did EN test, and our bag exceeds theirs in every measure, we feel confident that if theirs can be labeled a 20, for example, ours can, too. We also have over 45 years of experience in building, testing, and rating bags. We rely on and highly value those decades of user feedback (a lot more than a lab test)."

feathered friends egret ul 20 for women sleeping bag review - the feathered friends egret kept us warm on cool nights in the alpine.
The Feathered Friends Egret kept us warm on cool nights in the alpine.
Credit: Jessica Haist

We appreciate their experience and think that the Egret is slightly warmer than other bags that were EN rated to 20 degrees. The only problem we encountered with warmth is that one of our testers who is 5'5" found the 5'9" sized bag too long creating a space for cold air in the foot box that she couldn't fill. She ended up stuffing clothes down to fill up that space which helped with keeping warm on cool autumn nights in the mountains. The Egret also comes in a 5'3" size option, which is great because there are not many products offered for folks in that size range. Most women's products come in an average size of 5'6", so if you're taller than that you would have to size up to a men's bag - but with the Egret, you have the 5'9" option as well.

feathered friends egret ul 20 for women sleeping bag review - the egret is the warmest product we tested, guaranteeing a cozy...
The Egret is the warmest product we tested, guaranteeing a cozy night's sleep!
Credit: Jessica Haist

Weight


The Egret is a super lightweight option! It weighs only 1.72 pounds (27.5 ounces). We are pleasantly surprised by its weight considering how much down it's stuffed with. This makes it one of the lightest bags we've tested, with one of the best warmth: weight rations. It's a fantastic option for trucking around on multi-day backpacking adventures into the mountains.


feathered friends egret ul 20 for women sleeping bag review - the egret paired with the neoair xlite sleeping pad.
The Egret paired with the NeoAir XLite sleeping pad.
Credit: Jessica Haist

Comfort


The Egret is extremely comfortable. It has a standard mummy shape that is quite roomy, providing you with more space for your legs and shoulders to move around. We didn't feel claustrophobic or constricted. What's more is the high-power fill is super lofty and cozy, swaddling your body for excellent all-night comfort.


We did notice that the shell fabric is noisy and one of our tent mates complained that this bag, paired with the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite Women's sleeping pad "sounds like you're in a bag of Sun Chips". The shell material does make a crinkly noise. We are also a little disappointed in the shape of the hood. We would like for it to be slightly deeper to cup your head more, it felt a little shallow. On a really cold night, more coverage would be nice.

feathered friends egret ul 20 for women sleeping bag review - we wish the egret's hood was slightly deeper. it feels like it...
We wish the Egret's hood was slightly deeper. It feels like it barely wants to stay on when we cinch it down on cold nights.
Credit: Jessica Haist

Packed Size


Given that the Egret is so lofty with so much down packed into its baffles, the compressed size is slightly larger than some of its competitors. It comes with a small-ish stuff sack to pack it in, but it can be compressed even smaller with a compression sack.


Features


The lack of distinct features on this bag is a feature in itself. The Egret does not have fancy bells and whistles that are obviously straight out of the gate. We think that some products have too many overbuilt features that are not very useful and make the product heavy. The Egret's quality materials and construction are its best features, including the ability to move all of the down in the bag on to the top.


Its extremely burly zipper seems a bit overkill, but we understand that the biggest complaint in sleeping bag reviews is that the zippers often catch on the shell material. Feathered Friends has discovered a way to make sure this doesn't happen. The #5 YKK two-way, separating zipper with locking sliders and the burly zipper liner fabric makes it virtually impossible to catch fabric in the zipper. Other models featured zippers that seemed to snag at the most inopportune times. The Egret's zip guard fabric is crinkly sounding and doesn't help with the "Sun Chip" bag effect. We like that it comes in three different colors.

feathered friends egret ul 20 for women sleeping bag review - the burly separating zipper makes sure it won't get caught on the...
The burly separating zipper makes sure it won't get caught on the shell material. We think it's slightly overkill, but it works.
Credit: Jessica Haist

feathered friends egret ul 20 for women sleeping bag review - we spent many nights in the alpine testing the feathered friends...
We spent many nights in the alpine testing the Feathered Friends Egret.
Credit: Jessica Haist

Value


The Egret is one of the most expensive bags in this review, and we think it's worth every penny. This is a bag that's worth saving up for a little longer, as it will last you a long time with proper care and is super versatile.

feathered friends egret ul 20 for women sleeping bag review - the feathered friends egret and the marmot phase are both perfect...
The Feathered Friends Egret and the Marmot Phase are both perfect for the high and beautiful alpine environment!
Credit: Jessica Haist

Conclusion


This high-quality product consists of top of the line materials, and the company is an industry leader. The Feathered Friends Egret 20 UL is lightweight, warm, and comfortable, and is our favorite choice for long backpacking trips in the mountains. It wins our Editors' Choice Award for all of these reasons.

Jessica Haist
 

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