Review of Marmot Fusion 15 Sleeping Bag
By Matt Smith

I love down. I love the way it feels, I love the way it packs, I love the ounces it shaves from my pack. However, I hate being cold and uncomfortable, a direct side effect of wet down. Marmot has introduced an industry breakthrough in the Fusion sleeping bag. The Fusion aims to capture the warmth to weight ratio of down, and the weather resistance and cost savings of synthetic fibers. How do they do this? Farms filled with acres and acres of polyester and nylon geese? Not quite.

The synthesis is achieved by placing a comfortable primary insulation layer of down on the inside of the bag, and layering Primaloft Sport synthetic insulation over the outside. After sleeping in the Fusion for several nights, in a variety of weather conditions, I can answer the question, "Is it really the best of both worlds?" Yes, and of course, no. Without question, I found the Fusion more comfortable than comparable synthetic bags. It was more wind resistant and warmer in moist climates than my usual down sleeping bag. It is lighter (2 lb. 14 oz.), packs slightly smaller, and is slightly more expensive than other synthetic bags. On the other hand, it is slightly larger, heavier, and less expensive than comparable down sleeping bags.

My conclusion is that the Fusion fills a small, but important niche in the market. For just a few dollars more, you can shed a few ounces and inches from a synthetic bag, or for a few ounces and a few inches you can shave a few dollars of your down bag.

Summary: If you can only own one sleeping bag, take a good look at the Fusion. I would recommend it for car camping, scouts, the occasional backpacker, and for the weekend warrior who wants to cut a few ounces without breaking the bank. The Fusion 15 can be found online for around $175 and is also available in a 30 degree version.

For more information contact:
Marmot Mountain Ltd.
www.marmot.com
2321 Circadian Way
Santa Rosa, CA 95407
707-544-4590
info@marmot.com

Matt Smith is the canyoneering specialist at GearReview.com, and dislikes finding fish and other such oddities in his sleeping bag.