Backside Backsider X Sleeping Bag Review
The Backside may not be as popular a sleeping bag
manufacturer as The North Face or Marmot, but it is no less dedicated to the
pursuit of quality and excellence. It
doesn’t make sleeping bags any less sturdy or comfortable than more
expensive bags at the same level. Moreover,
The Backside creates products a little more affordable than the rest, and
this is without a dip in quality. The
Backside has been making tents and sleeping bags for all kinds of weather
for years. Among all the
products of The Backside, The Backsider X-Fibre 35 sleeping bag, a down fill
bag with a temperature rating of 35 degrees F, probably exemplifies the
above description best.
More experienced mountaineers or outdoorsmen might tell
you that a down bag is best for any weather, especially extreme cold.
Down offers the best protection
against wind chill and is very light and compressible. It makes for the best
insulation on earth. It is for this
exact reason that you should get the Backsider X-Fibre 35.
The Backside developed its X-Fibre
technology to compete with goose down, and it does so very effectively.
X-fibre synthetic down has the
tiniest micro fibers, making this bag feel a little softer and finer than
silk. All The Backside Synthetic Bags
have X-Fibre clusters blown into them, making them look and feel like
natural down filling. This also makes
the Backsider as lightweight as any other bag.
The most important factor however, is
that these micro fibers make this sleeping bag as warm as can be, even when
the weather is near its rating.
Other factors make this sleeping bag well worth the
price. Its contoured and ergonomic
hood is one of the best in the market as one reviewer put it.
It comfortably shapes around ones
head for all night coziness. Like all
of The Backside’s bags, this one also backs comfort with durability.
This is due to the Diamondtech rip
stop nylon shell that protects the bag against strong wind and even water.
Since X-Fibre down works well even
when wet, the Backsider is a great three season bag in damp conditions.
A lot of sleeping bags have problems with the zipper.
Some get stuck too often and others
zip down too easily even when sleeping. While
the first issue still happens from time to time, this bag’s zipper lock
prevents it from opening needlessly on a chilly evening.
Cold spots are also not a problem.
The seam construction and big draft
tubes actually help give the Backsider perfect insulation all over.
The only real problem this sleeping
bag might have is that, it could be too big for some.
If you like a snug fit without any
extra room, this bag is not for you. Some
have also complained that the texture inside is too slippery.
If you are wearing comfortable night
wear, this really shouldn’t be a problem.
A sleeping bag should perform as advertised.
The Backsider X-Fibre 35 does exactly
that. Even when nights hit the low
30’s, it performs admirably. At a
bargain price of US$60, you’d be hard pressed to find a bag that does that
just as well for the cost.
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