accumax
FNG
Just thought I should write a bit of a review about the Taiga Works sleeping bag I purchased this summer. Taiga makes all of their down bags locally in Vancouver BC. Taiga bags are very reasonably priced compared to much of the big manufacturers out there, as they are a True "direct to customer" company. I was hoping to find a decent gear review on Taiga but I couldn't find one....so here we go!
Throughout this last spring/summer I'd spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to find the perfect sleeping bag for warmth, weight, fit, and quality. I have used a few different models of Marmot down sleeping bags in the past few years, on Mountain goat hunts and other High country hunts in northern BC and wasn't 100% satisfied with any of my bags performance. They were all just barely adequate. I spent quite a few nights just below freezing temperatures and found myself re-adjusting the hood or draft collar or moving away from cold spots. I never managed to sleep soundly and warm.
Searching for the 'perfect' bag can become quite a task with all of the options out there today. I read what seemed like hundreds of reviews and forum threads and had pretty much decided on buying a Western Mountaineering Kodiak MF Long from MEC here in BC. I called MEC up to order one and they had none in stock and weren't sure when they could get one in.
Due to a great review this summer on Rokslide, my second choice was the new Stone Glacier Chilkoot 0 degree bag. My local dealer had recently brought a bunch in, but it turns out he'd sold them all in short order.
A little discouraged, I decided to give Taiga a call in Vancouver, as I had seen their website, and their bags had made my short list. Because their prices were so reasonable, I decided to order 3 different bags and keep the one I liked the best.
I ordered a Cloud 9 MB 30 XL and a Cloud 9 MB 30 L and a Cloud 9 MB 40 L. I was really looking for a true -18C (0 degree F) that was a bit roomier than average as I'm 6'4 250 lbs and move a lot when sleeping. I phoned in and talked to Brendan at Taiga. He placed my order, and in 4 days the bags were at my house.
First impression was...WOW... these bags are much loftier than I had expected.
This is a comparison of a Marmot Sawtooth Large size next to the Taiga MB 30 L. They were both fluffed up and left to lay flat overnight. These two bags weigh within an ounce of each other (around 2 lbs 11 oz) and have almost identical room inside. The Taiga is slightly more roomy. The Marmot should be slightly less lofty as it only has 650 fill. The Marmot is rated as a 15F bag and the Taiga is rated as an 8F bag.
After a few hours of trying out the different Taiga bags I settled on the Cloud 9 MB 30 XL. It is a VERY roomy bag that is rated to 8F. The Taiga temperature rating is definitely conservative. The MB 30 XL specs are very similar in size and weight to a WM Kodiak MF Large, except there is 2 ounces less fill in the Taiga bag, and the Taiga weighs 1 ounce less overall.
In the field...
I went out for mountain goat hunt near the end September in northern BC and got to try this bag out. Well it only hovered around freezing at nights so it wasn't the best test for temperatures. Otherwise, the Taiga was super roomy, super warm, and I slept great. The only Cons I could come up with are, the hood and draft yoke isn't quite as refined as my Marmot bags. The hood wasn't near as roomy as I was used to and didn't fit my S2S Aeros inflatable pillow as well as the Marmot. I also found it odd that it had a right zip... but I figure as I am a side sleeper and sleep on my right side...it would ultimately be warmer when the mercury really drops as I would have no area with draft on the loft side of sleeping bag. The zipper is also full length around the footbox which allows you to open up the bottom end when its warm out or turn it into a quilt. It also helps compress the bag when your stuffing it in the compression sack. I unzipped the 2 way zipper at the footbox area 6-8 inches and it lets the air out much faster when your jamming it into a small/medium compression sack . It compresses well, but it is a big roomy bag so it does not compress super small by any means. I'd say soccer ball size.
I saved the best part for last! This great Taiga bag only cost me $420 CAN (roughly $315USD).
I think the Taiga sleeping bag is an incredible value. It is probably not as refined as a WM or FF, but it is very well constructed (no feathers escaping everywhere) bag. It uses certified 850 European goose down (untreated like WM and FF). Taiga has many different options for sizes and fill weights but only 1 fabric option. I never had the chance to do a water resistance test on the shell, but they have been working on sleeping bag fabrics for over 40 years and their fabric was very comfortable and didn't shed feathers.
Some of my initial concerns were looking at reviews of their customer service. They were 50/50. I chose to phone order instead of online order and I got to talk with Brendan for quite some time. He helped me through the sizing and temp ratings and said they would take bags back if they weren't used. They took both of my returned bags back...but it took between one and two months to see the credit applied to my credit card. All in all I'm very happy with the bag and my overall buying experience.
Cheers!
Throughout this last spring/summer I'd spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to find the perfect sleeping bag for warmth, weight, fit, and quality. I have used a few different models of Marmot down sleeping bags in the past few years, on Mountain goat hunts and other High country hunts in northern BC and wasn't 100% satisfied with any of my bags performance. They were all just barely adequate. I spent quite a few nights just below freezing temperatures and found myself re-adjusting the hood or draft collar or moving away from cold spots. I never managed to sleep soundly and warm.
Searching for the 'perfect' bag can become quite a task with all of the options out there today. I read what seemed like hundreds of reviews and forum threads and had pretty much decided on buying a Western Mountaineering Kodiak MF Long from MEC here in BC. I called MEC up to order one and they had none in stock and weren't sure when they could get one in.
Due to a great review this summer on Rokslide, my second choice was the new Stone Glacier Chilkoot 0 degree bag. My local dealer had recently brought a bunch in, but it turns out he'd sold them all in short order.
A little discouraged, I decided to give Taiga a call in Vancouver, as I had seen their website, and their bags had made my short list. Because their prices were so reasonable, I decided to order 3 different bags and keep the one I liked the best.
I ordered a Cloud 9 MB 30 XL and a Cloud 9 MB 30 L and a Cloud 9 MB 40 L. I was really looking for a true -18C (0 degree F) that was a bit roomier than average as I'm 6'4 250 lbs and move a lot when sleeping. I phoned in and talked to Brendan at Taiga. He placed my order, and in 4 days the bags were at my house.
First impression was...WOW... these bags are much loftier than I had expected.
This is a comparison of a Marmot Sawtooth Large size next to the Taiga MB 30 L. They were both fluffed up and left to lay flat overnight. These two bags weigh within an ounce of each other (around 2 lbs 11 oz) and have almost identical room inside. The Taiga is slightly more roomy. The Marmot should be slightly less lofty as it only has 650 fill. The Marmot is rated as a 15F bag and the Taiga is rated as an 8F bag.
After a few hours of trying out the different Taiga bags I settled on the Cloud 9 MB 30 XL. It is a VERY roomy bag that is rated to 8F. The Taiga temperature rating is definitely conservative. The MB 30 XL specs are very similar in size and weight to a WM Kodiak MF Large, except there is 2 ounces less fill in the Taiga bag, and the Taiga weighs 1 ounce less overall.
In the field...
I went out for mountain goat hunt near the end September in northern BC and got to try this bag out. Well it only hovered around freezing at nights so it wasn't the best test for temperatures. Otherwise, the Taiga was super roomy, super warm, and I slept great. The only Cons I could come up with are, the hood and draft yoke isn't quite as refined as my Marmot bags. The hood wasn't near as roomy as I was used to and didn't fit my S2S Aeros inflatable pillow as well as the Marmot. I also found it odd that it had a right zip... but I figure as I am a side sleeper and sleep on my right side...it would ultimately be warmer when the mercury really drops as I would have no area with draft on the loft side of sleeping bag. The zipper is also full length around the footbox which allows you to open up the bottom end when its warm out or turn it into a quilt. It also helps compress the bag when your stuffing it in the compression sack. I unzipped the 2 way zipper at the footbox area 6-8 inches and it lets the air out much faster when your jamming it into a small/medium compression sack . It compresses well, but it is a big roomy bag so it does not compress super small by any means. I'd say soccer ball size.
I saved the best part for last! This great Taiga bag only cost me $420 CAN (roughly $315USD).
I think the Taiga sleeping bag is an incredible value. It is probably not as refined as a WM or FF, but it is very well constructed (no feathers escaping everywhere) bag. It uses certified 850 European goose down (untreated like WM and FF). Taiga has many different options for sizes and fill weights but only 1 fabric option. I never had the chance to do a water resistance test on the shell, but they have been working on sleeping bag fabrics for over 40 years and their fabric was very comfortable and didn't shed feathers.
Some of my initial concerns were looking at reviews of their customer service. They were 50/50. I chose to phone order instead of online order and I got to talk with Brendan for quite some time. He helped me through the sizing and temp ratings and said they would take bags back if they weren't used. They took both of my returned bags back...but it took between one and two months to see the credit applied to my credit card. All in all I'm very happy with the bag and my overall buying experience.
Cheers!
