REI Co-op Magma 15 - Women's Review
Our Verdict
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REI Co-op Magma 15 - Women's | |||||
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Awards | ![]() | ![]() | |||
Price | $399 List $399.00 at REI | $569 List $489.00 at Feathered Friends | $340 List $209.95 at Amazon | $275 List $259.24 at Backcountry | $179 List |
Overall Score ![]() |
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Star Rating | |||||
Pros | Very warm, lofty, good value | High-quality down, warm, lightweight | Comfortable, lightweight, excellent materials, not constricting | Comfortable, warm, roomy | Comfortable, inexpensive, recycled materials |
Cons | Zipper design is uncomfortable and creates drafts, less compressible | Sizing not for everyone, fabric is a bit noisy | Comforter sometimes does not stay tucked in | Heavy, bulky | Heavy, bulky |
Bottom Line | This super warm and lofty bag is a great choice for cool weather camping and backpacking, but we wish there was a more conventional zipper | This high-end bag will keep you warm and comfortable from Spring to Fall in all conditions | A great, high-quality choice at a relatively low price for those looking for a lightweight bag that doesn't sacrifice comfort | This middle-of-the-pack sleeping bag is comfortable, warm, and fine or short backpacking trips and car camping excursions | This well priced synthetic bag is a great choice for your car camping needs |
Rating Categories | REI Co-op Magma 15... | Feathered Friends E... | Sierra Designs Clou... | Mountain Hardwear B... | Marmot Trestles Eli... |
Warmth (25%) | |||||
Weight (25%) | |||||
Comfort (20%) | |||||
Packed Size (15%) | |||||
Features (15%) | |||||
Specs | REI Co-op Magma 15... | Feathered Friends E... | Sierra Designs Clou... | Mountain Hardwear B... | Marmot Trestles Eli... |
ISO/EN Comfort Rating | 17 F | 20 F (not EN rated) | 26 F | 15 F | 20 F |
Fill Type | Goose down | Goose down | PFC-Free DriDown | 650-fill-power down | HL-ElixR synthetic fibers |
Measured Weight | 2.3 lbs | 1.7 lbs | 1.7 lbs | 2.5 lbs | 2.8 lbs |
Total Weight | 34.3 oz | 27.5 oz | 27.4 oz | 39.7 oz | 44.0 oz |
Fill Power | 850 | 950+ | 800 | 650 | Synthetic |
Women specific features | Increased hip room, decreased shoulder room | Extra fill in footbox and chest | More insulation per square inch than men's version | Additional insulation | Women's specific fit |
Fill Weight | 23.5 oz | 17.3 oz (medium) | 14.8 oz | Unspecified | Unspecified |
Material | Pertex 15-denier ripstop nylon | Pertex Endurance UL | 15d nylon risptop | 20D Ripstop Nylon | 20-denier recycled ripstop polyester |
Neck Baffle | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
No | No | No | Yes | Yes | |
Sleeping Pad Sleeve | No | No | Yes | No | No |
Zipper Length | 61 in | 62 in | N/A | 66 in | 53/15 in |
Shoulder Girth | 60 in | 54 in | 59 in | 60 in | 58 in |
Hip Girth | 57 in | 56 in | 58 in | 50 in | 58 in |
Foot Girth | 42 in | 38 in | 39 in | 40 in | 45 in |
Stuff Sack included? | Stuff sack and storage bag included | Stuff sack and storage bag included | Stuff sack and storage bag included | Stuff sack and storage bag included | Stuff sack and storage bag included |
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Magma will keep you warm just below freezing temperatures and is roomy in the legs, but the placement of the zipper is awkward and can be uncomfortable.
Performance Comparison
Warmth
Warmth is the Magma's highest-scoring metric; it is very warm. We slept in it in the alpine of the Sierra Nevada in late September and were too hot! However, the placement of the Magma's zipper is strange. It winds from your right shoulder to the middle of your chin, so when the bag is partially unzipped, your neck and shoulder are exposed. The way the zipper is placed makes the bag feel cooler than a conventional zipper because it gapes open unless completely zipped up. Whereas with a conventional side-zip bag, you can still drape it over yourself unzipped, and it won't feel as drafty as when it's open up down your front.
Weight
In the grand scheme of things, the Magma is a relatively light bag. However, if you're looking to shave off ounces in your lightweight kit, it is almost a half a pound heavier than the lightest competitors in this review. This is a trade-off for its impressive warmth offering.
Comfort
We love how cushy and lofty the Magma's 850 fill feels. The foot and leg area feels surprisingly roomy and comfortable. Unfortunately, the shape of the zipper is uncomfortable and caused lots of tossing and turning on our pads.
When the zipper is completely closed, the bag is very warm and cozy, but some people may feel claustrophobic as the hood is a very tight fit and comes right up to your mouth. As we mentioned already, it's hard to vent and difficult for side sleepers to stay warm unless it's fully zipped up because your shoulder sticks out of the opening.
Packed Size
The Magama is super lofty and is not as compressible as the other bags in this review with a similar or higher fill power. However, it does have more fill overall, which contributes to a bulkier bag (and a warmer one!). We couldn't fit this into some of the smaller stuff sacks that came with other products.
Features
We wish the Magma had an inner pocket! This is the one feature we really like in a sleeping bag so we can stash things like earplugs, headlamps, and phones.
As mentioned, we're not fans of the shape of the zipper. We think the neck baffle is silly and gets in the way unless the bag is fully zipped up. It sticks out because it's meant to cross over where the zipper comes up. If REI just made the zipper a normal shape, then they wouldn't have to create the annoying neck baffle feature. We do like that the Magma has snag-proof zipper pull.
Value
In general, REI's products are of good value, and the Magma is no exception to this rule. We think it's a great value for a product with 850 down. However, we would still think some of the lighter and slightly more expensive products are a better value if trying to save weight.
Conclusion
If you love completely zipping up your sleeping bag and feeling mummified in there at all times, the Magma will be a super warm and comfortable choice for you. Otherwise, we found the asymmetrical zipper design problematic in that it is very uncomfortable and creates drafts in your shoulder area if open at all.
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