ZPacks Classic Review

The Zpacks Classic is a hoodless mummy bag that also opens up into an enclosed footbox-style quilt. While it is impressive enough to be one of the highest-rated bags in our test, it also has several drawbacks, including a more restrictive fit than some other bags and slightly less-than-ideal functionality in its features. This sleeping bag is made by a small, independent manufacturer that produces all products to order, making it supremely customizable (for a price, of course). While we tested a 20F Standard girth bag, they are also available in 10F, 30F, and 40F temperature ratings, as well as in slim, regular, and broad girths. An additional feature that can also be added is a zipper draft tube. We tested this bag during many nights spent sleeping in guesthouses, in homestays, in a tent, and outside while trekking in the Khumbu region of Nepal in the early spring month of March.

Warmth

Stuffed with 13.1 ounces of light and fluffy 900-fill-power down, this is indeed a warm bag. When comparing its loft to other bags we tested, it is puffier than most. Also contributing to its warmth is the vertical box baffle construction around the torso and upper legs, as well as horizontal box baffles around the feet. Insulation sewn into box baffles means that there are no points where the material on the outer and inner parts of the bag meet, creating “dead spots,” where there is effectively zero insulation. With its high rating and thoughtful, high-quality sewing work, this was one of the warmest bags in our test.

However, there were a few things that stuck out to us as we tested this bag well below freezing, and once while being snowed on, in Nepal. The first issue is that there is no draft tube covering the zipper, although Zpacks claims this is no big deal since you should be sleeping on top of the zipper (they will also add one to your bag for $20). We also found that without a hood, the collar needs to be drawn tight to keep warm air from escaping, and the very thin bungee cord used for this purpose was not ideal. However, the result was that this bag was quite warm.

Weight

At 20.3 ounces, our Standard Long bag weighed in slightly heavier than Zpacks claimed, although the difference was negligible. The waterproof Cuben fiber rolltop stuff sack, without doubt, the highest quality stuff sack to come with a sleeping bag that we have found, weighed an extra 0.9 ounces. Compared to the competition, this bag was merely average in terms of weight, although it was still remarkably light considering its warmth.

Comfort

The most important aspect when assessing for comfort was the fit of the bag. Despite buying a “long” bag suitable for people 5'10", and our head tester being 5'11", we found that this bag was long enough and easily covered the tops of our shoulders. That said, the foot box was fairly small, and the fit overall was a bit constricting. Since it doesn't have a hood, a hat is mandatory on cold nights, but we were often more comfortable wearing a jacket with a hood, even though it meant filling even more of the valuable space inside.

One minor complaint we had regarding comfort was that the neck drawcord, when fully tightened around our neck to keep the heat in, was excessively long and dangled, often getting wrapped around our neck as we moved about in our sleep.

Versatility

When considering the versatility of a sleeping bag, we like to consider how easily it can be used in various temperatures, climates, and seasons. As a warm bag that can be zipped all the way up into a mummy, this bag is suitable for those colder shoulder seasons —- spring and fall —- or during unexpected storms. In Nepal, we were camped out in early March in this bag when a surprise downpour hit us, which soon turned into an all-night snowstorm. Suffice it to say, it was cold, and the inside of our tent was completely soaked. However, the DWR coating on both the inside and outside of this bag held up, retaining its loft and our comfort. With the ability to open up most of the way and use it as an enclosed foot box-style quilt, this bag also does a more than adequate job of ventilating on warmer nights.

With the ability to use it throughout all seasons, we graded this bag as one of the highest in terms of versatility. The only way it could score higher is if it could be opened into a full blanket and shared with two people, like some quilts we've tried.

Features

We can honestly say that if Zpacks chose to employ slightly higher quality features, this would be far and away the best ultralight sleeping bag in this review. Particularly annoying to us was the very thin, lightweight, stretchy bungee cord used as the neck drawcord. Ours did not even have a buckle to cinch the cord tight, and after using it one night by trying to tie knots to keep it tight, we eventually had to borrow a buckle from another stuff sack. The bungee cord is also not an ideal choice, as it requires pulling the cord super tight to keep it snug around your neck, and leaves a very long dangling end near your face.

We also found that the zipper was prone to catching on the inside of the nearest baffle fabric, and thought this could have been addressed with a draft tube made from a tougher material. While we didn't test this bag to failure, we suspect that one of these two features will be the first point of failure in this otherwise well-constructed sleeping bag. Even considering the super awesome roll-top, waterproof, cube fiber stuff sack that is included with your purchase, we couldn't give the features on this bag nearly as high a score as some other products.

Should You Buy the Zpacks Classic?

The Zpacks Classic has been one of the highest-rated bags in our review for several years now, packing a surprising amount of insulation and warmth into a relatively lightweight package. We used it during high-altitude treks and even snowstorms in the Himalaya and found it pretty true to its temperature rating.

The Zpacks Classic is also on the upper end of the price spectrum for ultralight bags we tested, but we feel it packs a ton of value for what you buy. Small niggles aside, such as our wish for a draft tube to be included or for the neck drawcord inside to be beefier, we think this is a bag worth spending the money on. We believe it is one of the most versatile ultralight bags available on the market today.

What Other Ultralight Sleeping Bags Should You Consider?

Our lineup also includes some other excellent hoodless sleeping bags for you to consider, all of which boast some unique attributes. The Feathered Friends Vireo UL is both hoodless and zipperless, saving even more weight at the cost of versatility. If zippers are critical, the Feathered Friends Flicker 40 UL has a full-length zipper for enhanced versatility at the expense of weight. For a comparable sleeping bag that includes a hood, the Feathered Friends Hummingbird UL 30 is luxurious.