Do you like to venture out into the great outdoors in winter but hate to be cold when sleeping? Being cold while sleeping equates to absolute misery and thoughts of nothing other than a warm bed and a hot cup of tea. Thankfully, Mountain Hardwear offers up a solution to this quandary, the Phantom 0 mummy style sleeping bag. The Phantom 0 provides a snug as a bug alternative to help get you into the outdoors when most people are seeking comfort on a couch near a fireplace.
I am the perfect person to test out a 0 degree down sleeping bag because I am a cold sleeper that typically uses a 0 degree bag all year long out in Colorado. Typical zero degree bags are super warm but come with extra bulk due to the extra warmth they are designed to provide. Fortunately, the Phantom 0 weighs less than most leading manufacturers’ 0 degree bags. Mountain Hardwear states that the Phantom weighs a full pound less than its’ competitors, however, I was able to find a few that were within 4-8 ounces. Either way, Mountain Hardwear has the lightest that I found with a little research. A regular weighs in at 2 lbs., 10 oz while a long adds only 4 extra ounces.
Mountain Hardwear utilizes Superlight 15 denier fabric with touched stitching to save on weight but maintain durability. Another way in which Mountain Hardwear has saved weight is the mummy design, which also increases the warmth within the sleeping bag. I tested out a regular and found the footbox to be plenty roomy, however I could have use a tad more room in the shoulder girth area when the bag was zipped to the top. I don’t have particularly wide shoulders, but I have been known to toss and turn at night and need a little extra room. This was not a deal breaker by any means. The hips were plenty roomy (see table below for full specs for each model). The hood apparently has 6 chambers, specifics aside, the hood is fluffy and an extremely warm place to rest your head. The hood also has a two part draft collar, which was a new feature for me, that can easily be adjusted with one hand with the internal pull cord. The draft collar helps to seal out the cold air. There is also a small zippered storage area on the draft collar. The zipper is two way and is full length and a right zip, which we loved. The zipper also has what Mountain Hardwear calls a draft tube, or extra fabric along the zipper to keep air from entering via the zipper. he zipper occasionally got stuck on this extra fabric, especially when zipping from the inside. This “snagging” is something we can live with because the draft tube has its’ benefits.
When it comes to sleeping bag rating systems, the EN or European Norm, is a rating system that utilizes a rigorous laboratory testing protocol to identify the lowest outside air temperature that a standard man or woman can sleep comfortably within the sleeping bag. For the purpose of the testing, a “standard man” is assumed to be 25 years old, with a height of 1.73 m and a weight of 73 kg; a “standard woman” is assumed to be 25 years old, with a height of 1.60 m and a weight of 60 kg. The lowest outside air temp that a “standard woman” can sleep in a bag is termed EN comfort rating. While the lowest outside air temperature that the “standard man” can sleep in a bag is termed EN T limit. The EN comfort rating and EN T limit for this bag were:
EN Rating: T-Limit: 7 F / -14 CEN Rating: T-Comfort: 19 F / -7 C
According to Mountain Hardwear, the EN rating system diminishes as the temperature approaches 0F/-18C. With that said, EN ratings are provided for the Phantom 0, but there may be some wiggle room. The fact that Mountain Hardwear adheres to EN standards is very encouraging and tells us that the bags’ rating and warmth should be comparable to other manufacturers that tout the same rating.
However, I found the Phantom 0 to out perform bags of similar ratings that I have used in the past. I attributed this to the mummy cut, high loft, and added draft collar/tube. Part of my testing of this product was done on a few winter camping trips in Colorado, while the majority of testing was done out in the backyard while performing some tent testing. I slept in the Phantom 0 when temps dropped to 10 F and my body remained cozy. I kept waking up due to the city noises, not because my toes were cold!
The Phantom 0 is extremely compressible, as it uses an 800 European down fill. The packed dimensions are 8″x16″, which easily packed into my pack. The sleeping bag comes with a stuff sack and mesh sack for easy storage. The Phantom 0 has a lifetime guarantee, which is great considering the investment that you make with the purchase of a 0 degree bag.
Fortunately, Mountain Hardwear realized that women also get into the great outdoors in the middle of winter and need a super cozy bag to sleep in. The Phantom 0 also comes in a women’s specific model that has more than just girly colors added to it. The women’s model, which we were unable to test, has added insulation in the footbox and torso region, where women tend to get cold the most. The shoulder and foot girth are scaled down, as well as the inside length. For more info on the Phantom 0 and other Mountain Hardwear bags, visit www.mountainhardwear.com or www.amazon.com/mountainhardwear.
| Men’s Regular |
Loft: 7″; 19 cm.Weight: 2 Lbs. 10 oz.; 1.20 kg.Stuffed Size: 8″ x 16″; 20 cm. x 41 cm.EN Rating: 0 Degree and below not EN testedTemp Rating: 0 F (-17 C)Fill Weight: 1 Lb. 12 oz.; 794 g.Inside Length: 78″; 198 cm.Shoulder Girth: 60″; 152 cm.Hip Girth: 56″; 142 cm.Foot Girth: 38″; 97 cm.EN Rating: T-Limit: 7 F / -14 CEN Rating: T-Comfort: 19 F / -7 C
Women’s Regular
Loft: 7″; 19 cm.Weight: 2 Lbs. 10 oz.; 1.20 kg.Stuffed Size: 8″ x 16″; 20 cm. x 41 cm.EN Rating: 0 and below not EN testedTemp Rating: 0 F (-17 C)Fill Weight: 1 Lb. 12 oz.; 794 g.Inside Length: 70″; 178 cm.Shoulder Girth: 56″; 142 cm.Hip Girth: 56″; 142 cm.Foot Girth: 36″; 91 cm.EN Rating: T-Limit 7 F / -14 CEN Rating: T-Comfort:19 F / -7 C
Men’s Long
Loft: 7″; 19 cm.Weight: 2 Lbs. 14 oz.; 1.31 kg.Stuffed Size: 8″ x 16″; 20 cm. x 41 cm.EN Rating: 0 Degree and below not EN testedTemp Rating: 0 F (-17 C)Fill Weight: 1 Lb. 14 oz.; 850 g.Inside Length: 84″; 213 cm.Shoulder Girth: 62″; 157 cm.Hip Girth: 58″; 147 cm.Foot Girth: 40″; 102 cm.EN Rating: T-Limit: 7 F / -14 CEN Rating: T-Comfort: 19 F / -7 C
Women’ Long
Loft: 7″; 19 cm.Weight: 2 Lbs. 14 oz.; 1.31 kg.Stuffed Size: 8″ x 16″; 20 cm. x 41 cm.EN Rating: 0 and below not EN testedTemp Rating: 0 F (-17 C)Fill Weight: 1 Lb. 14 oz.; 850 g.Inside Length: 76″; 193 cm.Shoulder Girth: 58″; 147 cm.Hip Girth: 58″; 147 cm.Foot Girth: 38″; 97 cm.EN Rating: T-Limit 7 F / -14 CEN Rating: T-Comfort: 19 F / -7 C
Features
Premium, 800-fill down provides outstanding, lightweight warmthPerformance mummy is cut snug, for maximum warmth and minimum weightTight 5″ baffle spacing maximizes loftLightweight two-way zipper for easy entry and exitDown-filled face gasket comfortably blocks drafts at the hood openingSix-chamber hood design maintains even loft around head for consistent warmthErgonomic draft collar blocks the escape of heated air from inside the bag. The two-piece collar drapes naturally over neck and shoulders creating a soft comfortable seal. Two draw cords can snug down as needed to secure the collar.Insulated draft tube with anti-snag panel prevents cold spots along zipperComfort Footbox follows natural foot position for maximum warmth and comfortSingle-handed drawcords simplify adjustmentsNylon mesh storage sack and stuff sack included
