Snugpak Merlin 3 Sleeping Bag: It Doesn't Get Any Lighter
Softpak Merlin 3 Sleeping Bag red version
Choosing a sleeping bag for serious field use is an exercise in trade-offs. With increasing warmth comes more weight and bulk so that it often becomes a choice between comfort during the night versus comfort during the day when the bag is inside a pack on your back.
The two choices of sleeping bag insulation are waterfowl down and synthetic fibers. Down is nature’s perfect lightweight insulation but becomes useless when wet. Synthetic fibers are better in variety a situations, especially where moisture may become a problem, but they are many times heavier and bulkier than down. However, there is one bag on the market that offers the light weight and minimal size of a down bag but the advantages of synthetic fill: the Snugpak line of sleeping bags.
Snugpak bags are used extensively by the British military and have been gone to war in several places around the globe. The bags have been available in this country for several years and after repeatedly marveling at catalog pictures of the lightweight bags stuffed into tiny sacks smaller than a loaf of bread, we decided to take the plunge and find out the answer to the most important question: “Do they really work?”
Our test bag was the workhorse and lightest-weight bag of the Snugpak line, an olive-drab “Softie Merlin 3.” At just 27 ounces, the Merlin 3 is a general-purpose, three season bag intended for use in the majority of weather conditions down to freezing. The name Softie comes from the insulation of the same name, made by Swiss company Hardi and used exclusively by Snugpak.
Softie is a synthetic fiberfill that claims to have 30 percent more loft than comparable insulations, translating into more warmth for less weight. Snugpak then uses the insulation in a “No Stitch Through” construction system that reduces cold spots by eliminating exterior seams. The bags also feature a reflective barrier in the insulation that the manufacturer claims to add at least 15 percent more warmth with virtually no gain in weight or size. The barrier looks very similar to a lightweight ‘space blanket’ but does not affect the breathability of the bag. This layer reflects heat without making the sleeper feel they have spent the night in a plastic garbage sack.
After using the bag nearly 20 nights over a period of months in conditions ranging from a hot summer night in Shades State Park to a fishing-trip hammock overnight near Brookville Lake to the frosty bare ground campsite along the Knobstone Trail, the weight versus warmth question is settled: the Merlin bag passes the test with flying colors.
Determining the warmth rating of a bag is a subjective matter and ratings from manufacturers should only be considered as guidelines. However, the Merlin bag was tested in nighttime temperatures ranging from 75 down to 40 degrees Fahrenheit and it appears that the manufacturers suggested range of comfortable sleeping down to 41 degrees is accurate for the average person. The 30-degree “extreme” rating might indeed prove extreme without further clothing such as a stocking cap and long underwear. You would survive such a cold snap but it wouldn't be a comfortable night.
In the end, for normal Indiana temperatures other than deepest winter, the Merlin 3 is a good choice for foot, paddle or peddling Hoosier outdoors enthusiasts.
The only real concern about the bag is sizing. To save weight and bulk the bag dimensions are cut to bare minimums, leaving little spare room inside, especially along the lower chest. In fact, sleeping with your arms alongside your body is nearly impossible if you are larger than six-feet tall or over 250 pounds.
There seems to be almost an excess of space in the upper third of the bag, making it most comfortable to sleep on the side with the arms crossed in front of the chest. Indeed the bag almost seems cut for this precise position. The hood is very ample and makes it easy to adjust the bag opening for warmer sleeping conditions. The stated length is 86 inches that should fit the majority of users.
Bag construction is robust if not heavy-duty. Keeping in mind the goal of minimum size and weight, the lightweight nylon shell, line and zipper seem strong enough to stand up to long-term use provided the owner uses reasonable care. Workmanship appears impeccable. The zipper can sometimes eat the draft tube fabric in spite of the webbing liner immediately behind the zipper but this is also the case with virtually every other sleeping bag. The shell is typically available in olive and black depending on your stealth needs but there is also a red and a tan-shelled version available. The bag also comes with a well-made and easy-to-use stuff sack that compacts the whole package down to wad the size of a youth football. Sadly, our stuff sack disappeared after loaning out the bag to an unnamed offspring but it resides neatly in an old rain jacket stuff sack.
The final, and not insignificant, factor to consider is cost. At around $180-190 "on the street," these are not cheap sleeping bags but in this instance cost takes a back seat to minuscule size and insignificant weight. The Merlin bag is quite simply a professional grade tool for the person who plans on 20+ mile days on his or her feet and needs warmth with minimal weight and bulk.
Shop for the Snugpak Merlin 3 on Amazon-
Snugpak Softie 3 Merlin Olive Right Hand Zip 2 Season Sleeping Bag