robinljoy1868488,

In my recent review, I mentioned a 4 day backpacking trip to the mountains where I used this sleeping bag for the on a trip first time. During that trip, I was inside my REI Arete 2 tent with the raincover on (and REI Arete 2 footprint tarp underneath). I had a Thermarest Trail Regular sleeping pad I layed on, and I was wearing Filson brand 100% Merino Wool Men's Alaskan Long Johns with Filson Heavyweight 100% Merino Wool Socks. The Temperature outside was around 25 degrees throughout the night. I vented the top of the tent by unzipping its 2 zippers at on both sides of the ceiling. I even vented my sleeping bag during the night because I got too hot. For most of the night, I was adequately warm and comfortable inside the bag.

The night I tested my sleeping bag in my front yard, as I mentioned, it went down to -2 degrees outside. There was heavy snow/wind that night. I was wearing the same clothing during the night in my bag that I was going to use on my backpacking trip and I used the same Thermarest in the same tent. I stayed fairly warm and comfortable that night as I mentioned despite the frigid and windy conditions.

Pros: Love the bag. Very light and compressible. Keeps me very warm in 20-30 degree weather. Would probably be more comfortable in colder weather closer to its degree rating. Down fluffs back up evenly and robustly after compression and after a camping/hiking trip while its hung up to dry and air out. Zipper never gets snagged on the bag material due to the anti-snag liner and the zipper never comes undone while I'm sleeping. Draft collar works superbly around the neck area and along the side zipper so that no warm air sneaks out and no cold air comes in. My feet stay fairly toasty too during those chilly winter nights. This is probably one of the most cozy, soft, and comfortable sleeping bags I have ever slept in.

Cons: Condensation builds up around the head area and on different places on the bag depending on the temperature outside and how much you sweat. It's probably a good idea to vent the bag during the night so you don't get too hot and sweat too much. I believe that's what causes it. When I first bought the bag and got in it at home to test it, I noticed that tiny amount of down would be on my clothes after I got out of it. When I took it on a 4 day backpacking trip to the mountains for its initial use, after I would compress the bag during the day and move around in it a lot at night, I noticed more and more down get on my clothes. I'm not sure if there is a tiny whole in the bag where the down is leaking out or if down leakage is common for all down sleeping bags. I am going to keep an eye on it and if this problem persists and gets too bad, I am going to return it to Backcountry for a new one.

P.s. Pre-tested the bag before my backpacking trip at home in my front yard in my new REI Arete 2 tent. I used a Montbell sleeping bag cover (waterproof-breathable) to cover the bag and a Heatsheets brand emergency blanket inside the bag. The weather was -2 degrees with -15 degree windchill. Wind gusts went up to 40 mph that night. Let me just say, it was one heck of a night! Besides sweating profusely due to the emergency blanket, the sleeping bag performed outstandingly and I stayed fairly warm and comfortable throughout the night. I was very impressed with the performance of the bag after that.