Feathered Friends Vireo UL Review

The Vireo UL is unique in that it has a few different design elements not found on any other sleeping bag in this review. It is the only mummy bag to forego the use of a zipper, which we somewhat lamented. No zipper meant this bag is not easy to get in or out of (can you say wriggle?), and for a bag that is designed for climbing, creates quite a conundrum as to the best way to stay tied in. Well, there is no debate, the only way to stay tied in is to run the cord out the top of this bag, but we find this to be annoying and less than ideal.

What we did like was the unique variable fill: the bottom half of the bag is rated to 25F, and the top half to 45F. The idea is to use an insulated jacket that you must carry anyway to keep you warm at night. Because it is meant to be paired with a bulky jacket, the fit in the torso is the most spacious of any mummy bag we tested, and on warm nights you can always sleep in this bag without the belay jacket. That's what we did most of the time when using it for backpacking, and we simply loved the extra space.

Performance Comparison

Warmth

As we have mentioned many times already, the Vireo UL has a variable fill of 25F on the lower body and 45F on the upper body. To be honest, observing from the outside, it is hard to discern the difference in lofting insulation between the two halves. To accomplish this, Feathered Friends uses 9.4 ounces of 950+ fill goose down, which is amongst the highest rated down of any bag we tested. The baffles are horizontally oriented, rather wide, and sewn through. Unfortunately, we noticed that down seems to be able to move around quite freely in these large and wide baffles, and toward the end of our testing period, we noticed that a few total dead spots had developed where the down had migrated out of a certain area, leaving it devoid of insulation.

While it doesn't have a hood, we still found this bag to be pretty warm. We tested it primarily while backpacking and camping out on climbing trips, and found that on nights where the low temperature was in the 40's, we still felt comfortable without needing to add our puffy down jacket.

Weight

We tested a 74 inch long Vireo UL, which is the longest size that they make. Our test model weighed in at 16.4 ounces, slightly lighter than the advertised 16.7 ounces, and the included stuff sack weighed an additional 0.8 ounces. This made it one of the lighter sleeping bags in our test.

Comfort

Since this is a hoodless mummy bag that is only meant to come up over the shoulders while being worn, the size choices are a bit short compared to most that we tested. For this test, we purchased a 74-inch bag, which was the longest option (it also comes in a 62-inch option). This length easily fits our head tester's 5'11" frame, comfortably coming over the top of the shoulders. While the legs and feet of this bag are quite narrow, the torso and upper body region are the widest and most spacious of any mummy bag tested, significantly adding to how comfortable we felt. When we didn't wear an extra jacket inside, this bag felt downright palatial! Even with the down jacket on, as it is designed to be used, the upper body is not too restricting.

With no zippers and only one single drawcord at the neck, there were virtually no features or cords that could annoy us while sleeping, and the score of 8 out of 10 for comfort was near the top of the ratings.

Versatility

With no zipper or enclosure system of any sort, this bag suffers in the versatility department. Not only is it a pain to wriggle in and out of, but it is literally impossible to ventilate on a warm night to let out some of the built up heat. Used in the mountain setting as it is designed to, this shouldn't be a problem, but if you intend to stretch this bag's usage to camping at the base of a mountain, or a simple backpacking trip, then it's a tad annoying.

The variable fill of this bag does add to the versatility a bit, as you always have the option of wearing an insulated jacket on cold nights, or foregoing any extra layers on warm nights. We also liked how the outer shell fabric is made of naturally water-resistant Pertex Endurance UL fabric, lessening the chances of water being an issue in the mountains.

Features

With very few features, there is not a whole lot to talk about here. The only feature that hasn't already been discussed is the single drawcord and buckle on the collar. We liked how the cord is made of static cord, as opposed to stretchy bungee cord, and the buckle does a fine job of holding the cord tight. Like many of the other bags, we still had the complaint that the long cord, when fully tightened, dangles in one's face and near the neck.

Value

The Vireo UL is about average when it comes to price. While we think the craftsmanship of this bag is excellent, ensuring that you get what you pay for, we have to concede that the design is a bit quirky, and probably is not ideal for very many people. Unless you are going alpine climbing and you don't mind the inconvenience of staying tied in while in this bag, we wouldn't recommend spending this much money for the Vireo UL.

Conclusion