As part of Sea to Summit's online Sleep System (see the review here), the sleeping bag that was recommended for our gear writer Caro Ryan was the Sea to Summit Flame FmIII bag.
"Call me cynical but I’ve never really been one for ‘women’s specific’ gear. After four nights surrounded by the 850+ loft of the S2S Flame FmIII’s ULTRA-DRY down and its women’s specific mummy contouring, I’m changing my mind.
The online system had very wisely chosen the long size for me and inside I found a generous amount of room around the torso within vertical baffles, before it tapered with horizontal ones that led down to the foot box.
This room inside provides scope for extra layering (I wore a single layer of thermals) if you want to boost the rating below it’s -4c comfort level. I’m told I sleep like I’m in a coffin, so as a dedicated back sleeper (with occasional forays to the sides), I appreciated this extra torso room for elbows, which rested comfortably without feeling contained or claustrophobic.
The hood shape naturally hugged my head and needed only minimal cinching to draw it in around my face. It’s the single cinch point on this bag and doesn’t have a second cinch point around the shoulders.
The YKK flip zipper (right side opening) gives an option for cooling things down at the foot box if things heat up and is hidden within a draft tube to stop unwanted chills in the night.
I never need to wonder what goes on inside a down sleeping bag again, as the translucent 10D shell fabric offers a unique view of the RDS (Responsible Down Standard) certified filling. At 850gm (my scales), including the Ultra-Sil Nano compression sack, this bag squeezed down to 28cm long. A very good bag."
RRP: $749.