Therm-a-Relaxation Parsec 0 Sleeping Bag Evaluate

The Therm-a-Relaxation Parsec 0 is a VERY light-weight cold-weather sleeping bag appropriate for year-round use. It’s a really heat bag with premium field baffling and 60% of the insulation positioned over the chest and 40% on the underside as a way to present enhanced heat when used with an applicable sleeping pad. It has a draft collar and zipper draft tube to carry in your physique warmth with a two-way zipper so you’ll be able to vent the bag if you happen to really feel too heat. The Parsec 0 has beneficiant girth measurement to accommodate additional clothes layers and to allow you to retailer gear inside like boot liners or water bottles which you don’t wish to freeze in a single day. Particular sleeping pad straps assist forestall you from rolling off your pad at evening, whereas exterior loops allow you to layer appropriate quilts or blankets on prime to spice up the Parsec’s temperature score so that you don’t want to purchase a separate sleeping bag for colder circumstances.

Specs at a Look

• Gender: Unisex
• Temperature Score: 0F (-18C)
• EN Examined Decrease Restrict: 0F
• EN Examined Consolation Restrict: 14F
• Insulation: 800 fill energy goose down
• Water-Resistant Down: Sure, Nikwax Hydrophobic (PFC-free)
• RDS-Licensed Down: Sure
• Development: Field Baffles
• Shell and liner: 20 Recycled Nylon
• Zipper: YKK Snag-Free, 3/4 size
• Weight: 2 lbs 6 oz / 1077g
• Down Fill Weight: 26 oz /  738g
• Size: 72 inches examined (66″, 78″ additionally obtainable)
• Girth: Shoulder (63″), Hip (58″)
• Compression Sack Weight: (included)
• Storage Bag: Included

Sleeping Bag Options

The Parsec 0 has all the customary options you’d anticipate on a premium cold-weather sleeping bag, together with a draft collar, two-way YKK snag-resistant facet zipper, zipper draft tube, taped zipper stiffeners, spacious dimensions, and a really heat hood. However a few of the issues that set this bag aside from others embrace field baffling building with lets the down loft absolutely whereas stopping downshift, a 60/40 distribution of goose down insulation with extra on the highest and fewer beneath, and equipment loops built-in into the shell that allow you to connect Therm-a-rest quilts or blankets. Whereas I haven’t used this layering performance but, it’s a really compelling function for winter use when tenting in minus 10F to minus 20F climate.

Steady Draft Collar and Zipper Draft Tube

The draft collar is a dow-filled tube that wraps below your higher again or shoulders if you happen to lie in your facet, and continues with no break to cowl your higher chest. It prevents heat air heated by your decrease physique from escaping whenever you transfer round at evening. The collar is definitely a steady extension of the zipper draft tube operating alongside the facet zipper, so there aren’t any gaps between the 2 the place leaks or drafts may happen.

You’ll be able to’t stress the draft collar to tighten it on this bag, which is a plus as a result of it makes the bag less complicated and much more comfy to make use of in comparison with sleeping luggage which have extra elaborate velcro and or cordlock tensioning, nevertheless it will also be a damaging if the bag quantity is simply too giant to create a draft-free seal. It’s simple to compensate for, nevertheless by looping a sweater or light-weight insulated jacket round your neck to create a tighter seal.

Two-Manner Zipper

The Parsec 0 has a 3/4 size zipper that ends round your knees and has two sliders. Either side of the zipper are taped with grosgrain to stiffen the zipper and forestall snags. The highest zipper has additionally a particular YKK zipper cowl designed to stop snags and whereas it’s not foolproof, it’s fairly efficient. Whereas snags are annoying, their greatest hazard comes from ripping open the shell cloth alongside the zipper and leaking the insulation. I’ve achieved it earlier than on different luggage and it actually sucks.

There’s a snap on the prime of the zipper at chin top that it’s best to shut earlier than pulling the zipper up, whenever you’re mendacity within the sleeping bag. This helps take the stress off the zipper whereas serving to it to trace extra simply. When the snap is closed it’s also possible to vent the chest space by knocking down the highest zipper whereas holding the hood snugged round your head. As acknowledged above there’s a thick draft tube operating alongside the zipper, which slides over the zipper when it’s closed, and blocks chilly air from leaking by means of the zipper and chilling you.

The underside zipper slider doesn’t have the identical YKK zipper cowl, since there may be a lot much less stress on the zipper and the perimeters keep effectively aligned. That backside zipper is nice for venting the foot space of the bag and helps lengthen the bag’s vary in hotter climate.

Pad Straps

The pad straps complement the 60/40 prime and backside distribution of the goose down within the Parsec 0 by guaranteeing the correct ulilization of an approirately rated sleeping pad. Once you sleep in a sleeping bag, the insulation beneath you’ll be able to’t lure heat air since you’re mendacity on prime of it and stopping it from lofting. Known as Synergy Hyperlinks, these pad straps are detachable if you happen to don’t wish to use them, however they do assist preserve you on the pad, particularly if you happen to roll round so much at evening.

Therm-a-Relaxation has been supplying sleeping pad straps or sleeves like these Synergy Hyperlinks with their cold-weather sleeping luggage for a few years. They use the identical strategy with their quilts, together with the superior Vesper 20, Vesper 32, and Vesper 45, which I additionally extremely suggest.

Large Girth

Dimensionally, the Parsec 0 is lower extensive so you’ll be able to put on additional clothes layers, and retailer additional gear, your boots, boot liners, or water inside with you whenever you sleep to stop them from freezing. That additional width additionally allows you to sleep in your facet or transfer round at evening with ease. If it’s a must to spend 12 hours in a sleeping bag in winter, you’ll recognize the additional room!

Mummy Hood

The Parsec 0 has a closely insulated mummy hood with a reasonably typical form that favors again sleepers. There may be an exterior cordlock that controls the scale of the hood opening and may be cinched down fairly small for max heat retention. Nonetheless, if you happen to’re a facet sleeper, the hood won’t rotate along with your head just like the jacket-style hood on the NEMO Sonic 0. Which means the within of the hood will get moist as you exhale at evening, which might get nasty and uncomfortable if you happen to’re out for a number of nights in a row and don’t have an opportunity to dry the bag out within the solar.

Exterior Chest Pocket

There may be additionally an exterior pocket on the facet of the higher chest which supplies good place to stash a headlamp so you will discover it for a nighttime rest room break. It’s fairly giant truly, nevertheless it’d be a complete lot extra handy if you happen to may entry it from contained in the bag, with out having to unzip the higher half of the sleeping bag to achieve it. I want placing my headlamp within the pocket of the hoody I put on to mattress in chilly climate as an alternative. If you happen to’re a facet sleeper or roll round at evening, I’d warning towards placing a smartphone into this pocket until it’s in a sturdy protecting case.

Comparability desk: 0-degree sleeping luggage

Advice

The Therm-a-Relaxation Parsec 0 is a cold-weather down-insulated sleeping bag with premium options together with a box-baffled building and body-mapped 60/40 down insulation. Along with being heat. I prefer it as a result of at 2 lbs 6 oz, it is without doubt one of the lightest-weight 0 levels sleeping luggage obtainable immediately, which is an actual win for chilly climate or winter use when your skin-out pack weight is edging near 40 kilos. With wonderful options and good air flow choices, the Parsec 0 is versatile sufficient to be used throughout a wider temperature vary than simply winter, ranging into autumn and spring when nights drip near freezing.

Observe: The temperature score for the Parsec 0 relies on the ISO sleeping bag temperature score customary, in order that 0 diploma Fahrenheit temperature score is nice for males and heat sleepers. If you’re a chilly sleeper or a girl, the temperature vary be nearer to 10 levels Fahrenheit. The distinction is because of the truth that girls aren’t usually as giant as males and don’t generate as a lot physique warmth.

Disclosure: Therm-a-Relaxation donated a sleeping bag for overview.

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