Despite feeling luxurious, the Robens Serac 600 is not the warmest bag tested by Fiona Russell.
You know that feeling of getting into a high-quality hotel bed with a light, floaty but warm duvet? Well, the Robens Serac 600 sleeping bag is a camper’s version and did appear in our guide to the Best sleeping bag for hiking. The inner fabric feels silky although not flimsy, and the RDS-certified down is lightweight and fluffy.
Price: £276 (Available from snowandrock.com) | Weight: 1080g (short) | Materials: 600 fill power RDS-certified duck down 85/15; shell: 20D 400T nylon ripstop; lining: 20D 400T nylon taffeta | Temp: comfort -7C | Features: mummy shape, face and neck baffle, full-length insulated zip, easy-adjust hood drawcord, loft expander design for increased warmth, shark-fin foot box, compression stuff sack, mesh storage bag | Sizes: short, 200x85x53cm, body length 175cm; other lengths: 195cm | Men’s version: Yes
However, during testing I found that the Robens Serac 600 wasn’t the warmest bag, and I wouldn’t want to camp in temperatures much below 0C. The bag scores well on weight-to-warmth, although the compression stuff sack weighs an extra 87g.
I found the bag had a roomy width, especially in the upper torso area, and there’s plenty of insulation in the neck baffle. The shark fin-shaped foot area works well for those (like myself) with big feet or who move around in their sleep. If my feet are stuck in the base of the bag they usually end up chilly.
The full-length zip can be opened both ways, but it had an annoying habit of snagging on the liner fabric as I pulled it up. A Velcro top fastener prevents the zip from opening once fully zipped, which is useful. A small internal Velcro-closure pocket is useful for stowing small items.
The outer shell has a PFC-free treatment to “protect it from the elements” but this doesn’t appear to be a DWR as the bag did wet out when water was applied.
The Robens bag is a luxurious choice, but it’s designed for warm sleepers on summer nights.
