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Mountain Hardwear Rook - Women's Review

This middle of the line down bag will keep you comfy and warm out there for a decent price
Mountain Hardwear Rook - Women's
Photo: Mountain Hardwear
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Price:  $280 List | Check Price at Backcountry
Pros:  Comfortable, warm, decent price
Cons:  Low quality down fill, heavy
Manufacturer:   Mountain Hardwear
By Jessica Haist ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  May 14, 2020
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69
OVERALL
SCORE

RANKED
#13 of 17
  • Warmth - 25% 8
  • Weight - 25% 5
  • Comfort - 20% 7
  • Packed Size - 15% 8
  • Features - 15% 7

Our Verdict

The Mountain Hardwear Rook is the latest iteration of Mountain Hardwear's lower price point women's sleeping bag. We think it is a decent value, is comfortable and warm, and could be a good choice for folks looking to up their backpacking game with a down sleeping bag. It's not the lightest, warmest, or cheapest of the bunch, but it's a decent all-arounder. We would bring this bag out on the trail with us on multi-day backpacking trips, and if paired with a warm sleeping pad it could be used from spring to fall. We wish its down fill was slightly higher quality to help lighten up the bag a bit.

Compare to Similar Products

(change comparison)
 
Awards  Best Buy Award Best Buy Award   
Price $280 List
Check Price at Backcountry		$319.95 at AmazonCheck Price at Backcountry
Compare at 3 sellers		$249.99 at Backcountry
Compare at 2 sellers		$157.95 at Backcountry
Compare at 2 sellers
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Pros Comfortable, warm, decent priceComfortable, lightweight, excellent materials, not constrictingLight and compressible synthetic, keeps you warm when wetComfortable, warm, roomyComfortable, inexpensive, recycled materials
Cons Low quality down fill, heavyComforter sometimes does not stay tucked inBulkier packed size, heavier, small fitHeavy, bulkyHeavy, bulky
Bottom Line This middle of the line down bag will keep you comfy and warm out there for a decent priceA great, high-quality choice at a relatively low price for those looking for a lightweight bag that doesn't sacrifice comfortAn inexpensive and versatile synthetic bag, this is an excellent choice for breaking into backpackingThis middle-of-the-pack sleeping bag is comfortable, warm, and fine or short backpacking trips and car camping excursionsThis well priced synthetic bag is a great choice for your car camping needs
Rating Categories Mountain Hardwear Rook Sierra Designs Clou... The North Face Cat'... Mountain Hardwear B... Marmot Trestles Eli...
Warmth (25%)
8.0
5.0
8.0
8.0
5.0
Weight (25%)
5.0
9.0
6.0
6.0
5.0
Comfort (20%)
7.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
9.0
Packed Size (15%)
8.0
9.0
6.0
7.0
5.0
Features (15%)
7.0
8.0
7.0
6.0
7.0
Specs Mountain Hardwear Rook Sierra Designs Clou... The North Face Cat'... Mountain Hardwear B... Marmot Trestles Eli...
ISO/EN Comfort Rating (F) 15 F 26 F 22 F 15 F 20 F
Fill Type 650-fill down PFC-Free DriDown Heatseeker™ Guide synthetic insulation 650-fill-power down HL-ElixR synthetic fibers
Measured Weight (in lbs) 2.6 lb 1.7 lb 2.5 lb 2.5 llb 2.8 lb
Total Weight (oz) 41.5 oz 27.4 oz 40.2 oz 39.7 oz 44 oz
Fill Power 650 800 Synthetic 650 Synthetic
Women specific features Additional insulation More insulation per square inch than men's version Women's specific cut Additional insulation Women's specific fit
Fill Weight (oz) 25 oz 14.8 oz Unspecified Unspecified Unspecified
Material 30D Nylon Plain Weave 15d nylon risptop 20D Nylon Ripstop/taffeta 20D Ripstop Nylon 20-denier recycled ripstop polyester
Neck Baffle Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Pocket No No No Yes Yes
Sleeping Pad Sleeve No Yes No No No
Zipper Length 66 in N/A 59 in 66 in 53/15"
Shoulder Girth 58 in 59 in 58 in 60 in 58 in
Hip Girth 52 in 58 in 58 in 50 in 58 in
Foot Girth 40 in 39 in 40 in 40 in 45 in
Stuff Sack included? Compression sack and storage bag included Stuff sack and storage bag included Compression sack and storage bag included Stuff sack and storage bag included Stuff sack and storage bag included

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Rook rolls into our review with pretty average, middle of the pack scores. We think it's a decent choice for short to medium length three-season backpacking trips.

Performance Comparison


The Rook will keep you warm and cozy on cool backcountry nights.
The Rook will keep you warm and cozy on cool backcountry nights.
Photo: Ian McEleney

Warmth


This bag is EN comfort rated at 15 degrees Fahrenheit. From our testing, the Rook does feel warm and cozy on cool nights. It is a more roomy mummy shape than others we've tested, so there is the potential for it to not be quite as warm as other, snugger fitting bags since there's more room for cold air to live. We do like the lofty hood insulation and drawstring around the hood to cinch the opening closed for extra warmth.

Weight


Weighing in at 2.6 pounds, the Rook is not the heaviest bag in the bunch, but it is by far not the lightest either. We attribute this to its low quality, 650 fill power down which takes much more filling to accomplish the same amount of warmth as less of a higher 800+ fill would. This results in a heavier, less compressible bag overall. The Rook comes with an included compression sack, which itself weighs 4.4 ounces. If you want to save a few ounces, consider purchasing a lighter weight compression sack.

The Rook's hood fits well and the bag is a roomier mummy shape.
The Rook's hood fits well and the bag is a roomier mummy shape.
Photo: Ian McEleney

Comfort


Standard comfort for a middle of the road bag. The shell materials don't feel as soft as other higher-end bags, and its 650 fill down isn't as cozy and lofty as other, 800+ fill bags we've tested. The fit of the bag is a standard mummy, lots of room in the feet, snugger around the hips with a nice fitting hood. Folks who feel claustrophobic in a slimmer fitting mummy will find that the Rook has a little more wiggle room.

The included compression sack is too large and we think the Rook...
The included compression sack is too large and we think the Rook would compress down smaller with a smaller sack.
Photo: Ian McEleney

Packed Size


We were pleasantly surprised by how compressible the Rook is. This bag is way more compressible than the included compression sack gives it credit for and could be compressed much smaller than you're able to with the included one. You could purchase a smaller and lighter compression sack for this bag that would enable it to pack down much smaller.

Features


The Rook is a relatively simple sleeping bag. It does come with a nice anti-snag zipper pull, there is no included pocket and does not have many bells and whistles - which is ok. We prefer bags with simple designs that don't have over-complicated features to add weight.

We like the Rook's anti-snag zipper.
We like the Rook's anti-snag zipper.
Photo: Ian McEleney

Value


The Rook is a decent value product. It's right on par with other competitors of similar quality and weight. If you can find it on sale, even better! We like that it comes with its own mesh storage bag as well as an included compression sack.

The Rook is Mountain Hardwear's lower price point down bag.
The Rook is Mountain Hardwear's lower price point down bag.
Photo: Ian McEleney

Conclusion


The women's Mountain Hardwear Rook is a decent middle of the road product that could be a good choice for someone looking for a quality down bag, but can't drop the cash for a top of the line one. We think it is warm and comfortable, but wish it was slightly lighter. We like its simple design and how compressible it is. We'd recommend purchasing a lighter and smaller compression sack to make it an even smaller package in your pack.

— Jessica Haist