The North Face Superlight 0

By today's standards it is not super light, but when it came out it was. Dacron weighed about 9# vs. about 3.5# for the North Face Superlight (NFSL).

In 1968, I had used a Dacron 88 bag for high country experience and never got a good night's sleep. Froze once—learned lesson.

In 1969, bought the NFSL from a local sports store that did rental toward purchase and they suggested it had maybe two more seasons left to it. Bought it for the astronomical price of $95 (New it was $299. At that time I was in 7th grade and almost couldn't afford buy it). The sports shop had suggested it might work, but dress warmly when temps started dropping.

On the trip, everyone's water bottles froze completely except mine. I had tucked mine inside the bottom of my bag. I slept warm and toasty and had to shed clothes in the middle of the night. In subsequent years it was used for four-season backpacking (didn't work well in -20°F; thermometer was inside tent with us and bottomed out at -20°F)

Continued to use the NFSL til I replaced it in 1985 while planning the California portion of the PCT.

I still have the NFSL, along with the one that replaced it and a -20° bag for winter camping. 

Background

Four-season backpacking, carried it hiking in Death Valley as well as used it on Mount San Gorgonio in mid-winter. Very versatile as a blanket or bundled up closed up.

When I bought my NFSL in 1974 it carried a lifetime warranty from NF. I sent the bag to NF in the late '70s for repair and it was returned cleaned, refilled, and repaired. Amazing! I still have this bag and only "retired" it this year.

A 45-year run for a $106 investment. Hard to beat value that has been one of the best pieces of gear I've owned.  I've always stored this bag in a large laundry bag to help keep the loft high. At the end of the season I would wash the bag by hand in a bathtub.

Since there is no one in my family who would want this old bag, I may just get buried in it along with my Stand Up Shorts and Galibier Super Guides!

Background

45 years of many adventures where this was my bed for several months per year.

Good construction, a bit tight for me. Kept me warm down to about 25F but cold below that. I went to another store and looked at another Superlight and it had probably 2" more loft than mine. I've since noticed with any TNF product with down that the loft really varies from bag to bag, or jacket to jacket, of the same model, so check the bag before you buy to make sure it has the proper loft.

Even though this bag looks good by the numbers, I can't speak very highly of its performance. Despite much effort to keep it dry, even brief contact with the moist tent floor cut straight through this bag's thin, not-waterproof-enough outshell, and went straight to the loft. With the bag only moderately damp, I was shivering in 15-20f nights, well within the bag's 0f rating. That said, i'm sure it would work well on dry approaches and powerdy dry snow, if taken care of and placed in a suffiectly dry tent.

Other than the problems with lack of waterproofness, this seems to be a good bag for the price. It has killer warmth when dry, and the fit seems good. Very lofty, especially for a bag in this price range. At just shy of three and a half pounds, I wouldn't call this a Superlight. It compresses to a fairly small package with the stuff sack included, but I feel that there is slack enough that a compression would still help significantly.

For my two cents, take the extra pound or so and buy a synthetic instead.

After reading Rich's review I thought about my North Face Chamois down bag I received as a Xmas present in 1972. Don't know what it was rated at but I slept comfortably in it at 13 degrees back in 1976 (and I am a cold sleeper)

Two years ago the baffles started to tear and the down migrated to various parts of the bag. I sent the bag to North Face to see if they could repair it. To my surprise they replaced the bag with a brand new Superlight at no charge (other than the cleaning cost of the old bag) something about the bag has a lifetime warranty. I was totally blown away. Talk about a company that stands behind it's product!!! I was very impressed with their customer service.

As for the new Superlight bag it is 600 fill down and a little heavy for my backpacking use but it is good for car camping. My 13 year old daughter has used it in temps down to the low 30s in Yosemite and has been quite comfortable in it. Nice product!

Easily the best "Value" of any outdoor product I've ever purchased.

I've had the privilege of owning the North Face goose down Superlight since 1976. It's served me well ever since then. As my body changed, and it was too tight to zip around my torso, I found it works just fine zipped to the knees and used like a big down blanket.

Utilizing an Exped down mat, I've used this 0 degree bag in single digit temps as recently as last winter. On summer trips, it makes a nice goose down pillow.

Only thing I'd change is to make it wider and use an interior material that feels nicer on the skin than nylon. But I feel I've easily got my money's worth!

This is an awesome sleeping bag. It will warm you up on the coldest of nights and will not overheat you on the warmer nights (up to about 20 to 25 degrees F). I have had zero problems with this pack except for the fact that TNF updated it with draft tubes an chevron baffeling a few months after I bought mine, but that is how it goes sometimes. Don't worry though now it is an even better sleeping bag at the same price.

One extraordinary thing about this bag is the size to which it compresses. It is so remarkable that you would have to see it to believe it. About, if not smaller, than the size of a football.

If cold weather backpacking is what you are doing then this is the bag for you; good looking, highly compressible, very warm, and backed by a lifetime guarrantee.

The North Face has excelled in the new design of this bag. The "Chevron" Baffles, Draft Tube, Outer Shell Material, and Watch Pocket are testament to TNF's return to commitment to quality and design. The construction of this bag is unparalled by any other I have seen in the same price range. The bag is highly compressable and lightweight -- plus lives up to the 0 degree rating.

I use the bag for general backpacking, as well as year-round mountaineering in the cascades. Although never put to the test in temperatures less than 10 degrees F, it has kept me toasty warm in sub-freezing temps on countless nights. A "Best Buy" for anyone looking for a quality down bag in this price range.

I highly recommend the women's Superlight North Face 0 degree sleeping bag. Very comfortable and packs well. Have never gotten cold.

The North Face Women's Superlight 600 Fill, 0 degree sleeping bag is awesome! Most comfortable and warm sleeping bag. Never have I got cold while camping, in fact I have tucked in early just to get warm!

I have used this bag for almost 3 years and have not been disappointed yet. I have used it in temperatures down to about 20 degrees and have been very warm (however I tend to sleep warm anyway). I'm pretty sure that its temperature rating is about right for me. For the price I paid for it, it was a very worthwhile purchase. I doubt that I would pay the full retail price for it, due to the fact that there are many other brands out there more well-known for sleeping bag quality and many have models that are lighter in weight with higher quality down fill than the Superlight.

I have no serious complaints with the bag. It's not as light as they would imply using the "Superlight" name but it's not heavy either. The goose down isn't the highest quality and I personally don't feel the bag keeps me warm below around 10 degrees farenheight, but it does compress well and takes up very little room in the pack. Also, I've had mine for a number of years and it has proven to be far more durable than any synthetic bags I have owned as far as loft retention goes. For the price, it's not a bad bag, but I wouldn't willingly use it at 0 degrees.

Positives:

This bag has held up well to more than 50 nights of use.

It was comfortable at 26 degrees during a week trek in July through California's Desolation Wilderness.

It was warm at 2 degrees during a two night stay at 10,400 on Mt. Shasta in November.

Compresses well and as advertised, it is very light.

Negatives:

I found this bag to be constrictive in the shoulders and hips.

I am 6' and 195 lbs. Genetics have given me slightly wider hips so that could account for that related problem.

I enjoyed this bag but have sold it and purchased SD stretch deep sleep model.

The Superlight is an honest serviceable bag for moderate winter conditions. Contrary to its name, it is not really that light for a 0F bag. It weighs only a little less than my Marmot Couloir, which is a -20F bag. It also would not be my choice to use in temps as low as 0F. I choose it for winter mountaineering in the Cascades when I expect temperatures no lower than mid teens.

An extremely light, compact, versatile bag. This would be the ideal bag for walking the Pacific Crest trail and making ascent excursions without fearing the cold. Whatever people might say about The North Face, when they say zero degrees, they mean zero degrees. No tent, no thermals, no 2-inch air pad. Just you, the bag, and the cold. Highly Recommended, long-life bag. nothing fancy. Excellent value.

I really like this bag. I have had it for a couple of years, and dragged it all around the Sierras. It has held up well, and kept me warm for the most part. I probably would only rate the bag to about 15-25 degrees.

What I really want to know is if the bag will zip into a male model? Anybody know?

I've owned this bag for 3 yrs and taken it through its paces. It is compressible, and comfortable/roomy interior, with a nice fleece inner collar and a good functional cord system. What it doesn't have is 0 degree warmth! I've never been warm in this thing below 25 degree temps.

I have owned this bag for two years now. The only words I can use to describe it is "remarkable." I could also throw in flawless. It has kept me toasty in all weather conditions. Buy it, you will never regret it.

Compact and warm bag for 3 season. Comfortable and roomy even with my 6'4" frame. A bit light on the loft, will probably send it to Feathered Friends and have some more down added.