Nemo Siren Down Sleeping Bag: A Warm and Comfortable Hybrid Bag

Sometimes you want to head out on the trail and be able to tear up the miles, but you don’t want to carry a whole lot with you. This is known by some as minimalist camping and by others as going Ultralight. Either way, the goal is the same, to cut down the weight and the gear you take with you to just the bare essentials.

Some people will cut the handles off their toothbrush to save the few extra ounces. While some people might debate if you need a sleeping bag if going out on such an adventure you will probably want something nice and comfortable to curl up in at the end of a long day. The Nemo Siren Down Sleeping Bag is just the minimalist type sleeping bag that you would want to take along with you.

Product Specifications

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Let’s go ahead and break down some information about sleeping bags in general and while we are at it, we’ll give the details on this particular bag while we are at it.

Review

Packaging

Your new sleeping bag will come packed down in a box just bigger than 12 x 18 x 11 inches and will weigh over 4 pounds, as the sleeping bag itself weighs 2.31 pounds. Inside of the packaging, you will not only find your Aluminum and Lightning colored sleeping bag, but you will find the stuff sack as well. Once you receive your sleeping bag, you should let it air out a little before using it, so that way it can reach its maximum loft after being shipped all packed down.

Best Use

This sleeping bag is a great fit if you are looking to go Ultra-light or minimalist backpacking.  Due to the back of the sleeping bag, you’ll have to have a pad to go with it, so you won’t be able to ditch the pad to save more weight. While this sleeping bag is rated all the way down to freezing, and a touch below, it is great for colder weather.

While it might not be the choice for the harshest winter conditions, you might not be going out with a minimalist approach for those conditions. Also, since you can use it like a blanket over your sleeping pad this sleeping bag can be used even in the warmer seasons. And it can be your go-to bag for car camping style trips as well if need be. If you aren’t going out in the harshest winter conditions, this can be your one year-round sleeping bag.

Design and Durability

You have probably seen a few different types of sleeping bag on the market. The two main styles that most sleeping bags fall into, are mummy bags and rectangular bags. The Nemo Siren is somewhat of a combination between the two styles. While it is not quite the same size of the foot as the head like a rectangular bag, it is also not quite cut as slim as a mummy bag. This particular bag is somewhat of a hybrid between the two.

This bag is designed for warmth and comfort and to be able to pack down into a small size, considering that you have to use a sleeping pad for this bag. It is made to keep drafts of cold air out and keep the warmth sealed inside. Light in weight, this bag is durable, include side tie loops, collar, snaps, and is made with 850 fill power down insulation with a polyester shell.

Insulation

This bag is made with 850 fill power down clusters of insulation. This, in turn, holds in the layers of air, allowing a more natural insulation while still remaining lofty and warm. While still very light, this bag can keep you warm down to 30 degrees F, which is below freezing.

Special Features

There are always a few other things to consider when looking into a sleeping bag.  For this sleeping bag, one thing to look at is that you have the option of where to add your sleeping pad.  In most cases, people will put the sleeping pad on the ground or inside their tent and then place their sleeping bag on top of that pad.

However, the Nemo Siren is sized so that you can place your sleeping pad either on the inside or the outside of the sleeping bag. Having your pad on the inside of your sleeping bag may end up providing a more comfortable sleeping experience than most campers end up getting.

And the sleeping bag is sized to fit a large number of different pads. Another point that you may pick up on quickly when you take a look at this sleeping bag is that this bag does not have a hood on it.  Many mummy style sleeping bags have a hood that wraps around the sleeper’s head to keep their head warm.

On the other side, most rectangular sleeping bags don’t sport a hood. This means that while there are less material and so less weight, but you might need to bring a hat along to keep your head warm as well. You may also notice that this sleeping bag has no zipper to it. If you turn it over, you’ll also notice that there isn’t really a back. It features a lace up system that can close the back up over your sleeping pad.

Of course, if it is warmer you can always just use the sleeping bag like a large blanket and pull it over yourself.  While at first, you might think that this would not provide very much warmth a number of reviewers have mentioned that this is extremely warm.  The back of the sleeping bag on the top has a set of snaps that will close the bag up around your shoulders and neck to trap even more heat.

Value for the Money and Guarantee

While some sleeping bags out there cost more, they may not exactly keep you warm down to 30 degrees F like this one does. While some think it is costly, this moderately priced sleeping bag does a great job at keeping you warm and comfortable as you sleep.

The features this bag has makes it worth the money, plus it is a 5 star rated bag, so it has had a lot of people use it and come out loving it! Nemo’s guarantee policy is to repair or replace any product unless it is no longer being produced. In that case they will issue a refund, but it is up to Nemo to determine what the outcome is.

Similar Products / Competitors

We are going to go over a few product reviews that are similar to the Nemo Siren sleeping bag so you can compare them all together and see what features you like, dislike, or simply feel indifferent about. Read on below for three reviews of sleeping bags that compare to the Nemo Siren.

Western Mountaineering TerraLite 

The Western Mountaineering TerraLite is a navy blue sleeping bag that works down to 25 degrees F and costs around $500. It comes in three sizes, Regular, Large and Extra Large. The last of which can fit a person over 6 feet tall.

This sleeping bag has a Continuous Baffle Construction that goes from one zipper to the other, and includes a 3 dimensional draft tube filled with down comforting that will block cold air from coming inside of the bag.

The hood features a drawstring to cinch up at night, and it is insulated, too. This bag also features a dual zipper which lets you vent your bag or use it with just the comforter, which is a nice option when you get too warm.

The down filling has 850 + fill power and is goose down, which is known to offer maximum warmth, and will compress down so you have a small pack to add to your gear when you get up and go the next day. Users like the warmth from the goose down filling, and its ability to compress down easily.

With this price range and style, users felt they could not go wrong. Overall, this is a beloved sleeping bag by those who have used it. They also said it lasts a long time and works well in those frigid temperatures that go below freezing.

Nemo Moonwalk 

The Nemo Moonwalk is a unisex sleeping bag that fits up to 72 inches long. It has a shoulder girth of 62 inches and a hip girth of 58 inches, which is comfortable but not too confining.

This semi rectangular bag comes with a 15 liter capacity stuff sack and works down to 30 degrees F, just below freezing.

The shell is made of 20 denier nylon ripstop fabric and the lining is made of 40 denier nylon ripstop. Meanwhile, the insulation type is 700 fill power down filling that takes up 16 Oz of weight in the bag. It is not waterproof, but water resistant instead.

It does have some insulation on the underside that was replaced with a sleeping pad sleeve for the newest version. The pad sleeve will enter through the top, which helps keep it waterproof. If your sleeping bag does get wet, the 700 fill power DownTek filling will not absorb it all, but does dry 60 percent faster than regular down filling.

Users who own this sleeping bag say that it is durable, light in weight, and can take a real beating in the wild. While it does take a while to get used to not having a hood, you can still cinch up the bag and stay warm, but it does feel weird not having it around until you get used to it.

Mountain Hardwear Phantom 

The Mountain Hardwear Phantom comes in two sizes, Regular and Long, but we will mainly talk about the Regular, but both share many of the same features. This bag can handle temperatures down to 28 degrees F and has a shell made of 10 denier nylon and a lining made of 20 denier nylon taffeta.

The regular version fits up to 72 inches long and has a shoulder girth of 59 inches, long with a hip girth of 53 inches. Made with 800 fill power Q Shield down filling, the insulation only takes about 10 Oz of the weight of the bag.

This bag features a mummy cut, which keeps in more warmth, and a 5 inch baffle for the loft. It is light in weight, durable, and includes a face gasket that blocks cold air.

Also included is a 6 chamber hood design that keeps your head warm, and it includes a drawstring to cinch. The draft tube is insulated and helps to keep away cold spots. The foot box is comfortable and warm, which is what users loved most about this product.

Overview

For the Nemo Siren, the stuff sack can pack the sleeping bag into a 10-inch by 10-inch bag.  This means that your sleeping bag won’t take up all that much room in your pack. The bag itself is a mere 1 pound 3 ounces, which make it one of the lightest sleeping bags on the market today, and especially when you consider that this bag is rated to below freezing.

This sleeping bag is a great fit if you are looking to go Ultra-light or minimalist backpacking.  Due to the back of the sleeping bag, you’ll have to have a pad to go with it, so you won’t be able to ditch the pad to save more weight.

While this sleeping bag is rated all the way down to freezing, and a touch below, it is great for colder weather. While it might not be the choice for the harshest winter conditions, you might not be going out with a minimalist approach for those conditions.

Also, since you can use it like a blanket over your sleeping pad this sleeping bag can be used even in the warmer seasons. And it can be your go to bag for car camping style trips as well if need be. If you aren’t going out in the harshest winter conditions, this can be your one year-round sleeping bag.

That wraps up our look at the Nemo Siren Sleeping Bag. At just a touch over a pound, you should not have any trouble toting this sleeping bag all over with you. You can tear through the miles and still get a great night’s sleep. Also, this sleeping bag has a single length, it is made for people who are about 6 feet tall.

If you are much taller than that you might find that this sleeping bag leaves a bit too much out and exposed during cold nights. If you are much shorter you will be able to fit in this sleeping bag, but with the extra space that will now just be open air.

You will have to heat up that space with your body, so if you normally find yourself a bit chilly, having a large open area in the bottom of your bag won’t help you. Though some people have overcome this by sticking some extra clothes to fill up the space so you don’t have to heat it.

But now it is your turn. We’d love to hear what you think of this sleeping bag. Is it something that you’d be interested in?  Or are you just not that minimalist to get a sleeping bag with no back?

Tell us in the comments section below. Also, you should share this out with people on social media, you never know just when one of your friends will be in the market for a new sleeping bag.