Portability

Although we are starting with one of the downfalls of this product, you’ll soon learn about all of the features that make up for this inconvenience. This sleeping bag is great for cold weather camping, however, it is not lightweight nor compressible.

It weighs 2.8 pounds. When it is packed and in its stuff sack, the measurements are 10” by 16”. This is bigger and heavier than most backpackers would like to carry, but the extra paneling (durability) and water repellency treatments tack on some extra weight.

Comfort

For a mummy bag, the Marmot Sawtooth is actually quite spacious. Most bags of this style don’t allow for much movement, but this bag was designed with comfort in mind. At the shoulders, there are 62 inches of girth. At the hips, you’ll have 56 inches of space. And in the foot box, you’ll have 48.5 inches of space to spread out. The bag itself is six feet long. While you still can not sleep on your side in this, you won’t feel as restricted as you do in other mummy bags.

Additionally, the materials feel soft on the skin and the zipper does not rub or irritate your skin.

Warmth

This is where the Marmot Sawtooth shines. While this bag is rated at 15 degrees, it could easily be used in colder temperatures, especially if you add a liner. The 650 fill down provides excellent warmth and the stretch tricot baffles keep it all evenly dispersed. The multi baffle hood and wrap-around foot box are ergonomically designed to keep you warm and comfortable.

For additional warmth, the two-way zipper is equipped with a draft tube that reduces heat loss. There is also a stash pocket near the foot box that is great for storing small essentials or even small heat packs (which are not included).

Now that you can see how well this product works in cold climates, let’s talk about over-heating. If you are a warm sleeper, be careful in which temperatures you bring this bag along. I do not recommend this bag for temperatures over 50 degrees.

There is a second fold-down zipper that allows you to control the ventilation and cool yourself down a bit. This zipper also makes getting in and out of the bag easier. Also, the down-filled collar has an easy-to-access drawstring which can more or less act as a thermostat. If you are freezing, you’ll want to have the drawstring pulled tightly, leaving no room for air to get in. If you start to feel too warm, release the drawstring slightly.

Materials

Marmot is known for creating efficient and strong products. The Sawtooth is no exception. This bag has a 20 denier nylon shell that is finished with a DWR treatment, making it water repellant. Oddly enough, only the top of the bag is ripstop nylon, but I haven’t come across any issues with this thus far. The interior of the bag is made from 20 denier plain-woven nylon.

One bit I always investigate is the source of the feathers. Keeping in good faith, the duck feathers in the Sawtooth are RDS down certified. This ensures the humane treatment of the ducks and each feather can actually be traced back to the animal.

The down fill of this product is also treated with Down Defender for water resistance. This helps the feathers to repel water and also to dry quickly if they do become wet. This is a great feature because typically a wet down sleeping bag is not a warm down sleeping bag.

A stuff sack and storage sack are also included. As you may have noticed from the packed size of this bag, it is not a compression bag.

Durability

As I mentioned, the 20 denier nylon materials are finished with a DWR treatment that will keep this bag in great shape for many years. The YKK zipper is anti-snag and even tucks into a zipper garage. The tabs of the zipper glow in the dark, making it easy to maneuver in the middle of the night/early morning. After many uses on many mountains and different climates, this bag continues to hold up well.

There is one small issue, but it is common for all down bags. Sometimes the feathers poke through the fabric. If you can’t resist and pull them out, you will slowly begin to lose your warm filling. This is something that naturally happens with this type of insulation. Some people say it’s best to hang the bag by the two loops when you’re not using it, instead of in the stuff sack.

On the bright side, Marmot offers a limited lifetime warranty with this product. Unlike many companies, you do not need to register your product to ensure it is covered. You buy it, you receive it, you’re covered.

But what is a limited lifetime warranty? This type of warranty covers manufacturer defects including: zipper issues, velcro issues, elastic hem problems, broken toggles, and stitching defects. Normal wear and tear, negligence, and UV damage are not covered by this warranty.

It all depends on what is most important to you when deciding between the Marmot Sawtooth and another sleeping bag. Weight? Size? Comfort? Warmth?

The Mountain Hardwear Hyperlamina Flame has a 20 degree temperature rating, great weather resistance, and synthetic fill. It weighs the same as Sawtooth and compresses down to 7” by 16” (3 inches less than the Sawtooth). This is not an UltraLite or ultra-small option, but the weather resistance is top-notch. One thing I don’t love about it is the zipper. The short top-zip design (think of a vest) can be difficult to get in and out of. It also makes it more difficult to control your temperature throughout the night.

The Western Mountaineering Alpinlite has many similar features to the Sawtooth. It is an incredibly warm mummy shaped bag with an impressive down collar. While it does offer two extra inches of shoulder room, the hip and foot area of the Alpinlite are more restricted. Perhaps for this reason, this bag is lighter and smaller than the Sawtooth. This sleeping bag weighs only 1.15 pounds and compresses down to 8” by 15”.

With so many great options on the market, it’s difficult to choose just one. If you tend to be cold, or tend to hike in extremely cold temperatures, the Marmot Sawtooth is a great option. It provides great warmth, durability, and weather resistance. However, if you are concerned about the size and weight, this is not an ideal option.

For the amount of great features, durability, and functionality of this bag, it is quite affordable. It’s also always great to know that it comes from a great company that provides a limited lifetime warranty against manufacturer defects. All in all, unless you’re traveling in the heat, or to great lengths with a backpack that’s stuffed to the brim, the Sawtooth is a great companion.