A new sleeping bag by Robens, the Serac 900, was awarded a new “Outstanding Outdoor label” by leading trade show, OutDoor by ISPO. I have tested the Robens Serac 900 during a “gamping” adventure and on a cold night in Scotland.
Robens state: “Like all new Serac models, the Serac 900 has superb insulation-to-weight ratio and provides an increased 195cm body length for comfort. It has a stretch lining designed to counter movement for effective insulation by separating inner from shell to create room in the individually filled box wall chambers for the RDS-certified down to efficiently loft while minimising internal space to be heated without compromising comfort.
“The PFC-free lining provides efficient removal of moisture. A compression stuff sack and mesh storage sack are provided to store in the best condition.”
Features of the Robens Serac 900 sleeping bag
- Size: 220 x 85 x 53 cm (LxWxW)
- Body length: 195 cm
- Four season
- Shell: 20D 400T nylon ripstop, 100% nylon
- Lining: 20D 400T nylon Taffeta, 100% nylon
- Filling: 900g RDS certified duck down 85/15, 600 FP
- Box wall construction
- YKK Auto lock, two-way zip
- Temp (Tcomfort) woman: -12
- Temp (Tlimit) man: -20
- Temp (Textreme): -43
- Pack size: 34 x 25 cm
- Weight: 1505 g
- Mummy shape
- Insulated face and neck baffle
- Full-length insulated zip baffle
- Hood drawcord with easy adjustment by touch
- Shark fin foot box with extra insulation
- Anti-snag zip guard
- Loft expander system increases insulation in the upper and bottom half of the bag
- Compression stuff sack
- Mesh storage sack
- Lining material with high moisture transport for comfort
- Hanger loops
- PFC free
- RRP: £374.99 (I have spotted this bag on sale on Amazon at £289.)
- There are other versions, such as the three-season Serac 600 sleeping bag.
On test: Robens Serac 900 sleeping bag
I tested the sleeping bag on a cold night in March during a gamping adventure. I often get cold, even in the summer in Scotland, so I always go for a sleeping bag that is a season warmer than most people recommend.
The four-season Robens Serac 900 was brilliantly warm throughout a night of cold camping. (I will be further testing it in the wilds but just now we are restricted to where we can go because of Covid-19 lockdown.)
Obviously, there is always a weight to warmth ratio to consider. At more than 1.5kg this is not a super lightweight sleeping bag. I would not, for example, pack it for an outing or event where I need to minimise weight and pack size. But for a backpacking trip in the chillier months or a car-to-camping trip where weight is less of an issue and warmth is a major consideration, I would definitely choose this sleeping bag.
While I enjoyed a toasty night in the Robens Serac 900, Hubby G slept in a larger and heavier sleeping bag that we normally use for very cold nights of camping or the campervan. The bag G slept in is a Force Ten Expedition 1300 sleeping bag (Comfort: -15; Limit: -23; Extreme: -45; length: 200cm; weight: 2250g. Read a review from a while ago. The Serac 900 is lighter and smaller than the Force Ten, yet I was perfectly warm.
The Robens Serac sleeping bag fabric is really nice to the touch. It is therefore very comfortable to sleep in. It is a roomy bag for me (I am a slim female) but I think it would still be roomy enough for an average sized man. It’s a long sleeping bag, too.
The hood is cosy and the neck baffles stop the drafts. This is really important if you are sleeping in cold and windy conditions, even inside a tent.
The extra filling at the feet area is very welcome, especially if you are like me and end up with cold feet at night.
The full-length zip works both ways so you can adjust form warmth or air circulation, as required.
A couple of criticisms include the colour – brown is boring! – and the cost: £375 is a lot to pay for a sleeping bag in my opinion, although if you need to be warm and you want a relatively lightweight bag for four season warmth you will need to pay a premium.
The down used is RDS certified duck down.
The Robens Serac 900 is a high quality sleeping that is relatively lightweight for the warmth. It is a great choice for cold weather camping. For a cheaper version that is three-season rated, check out the three-to-four season Serac 600.
Also read other recent reviews: Nemo Equipment Tensor sleeping mattress and Nemo DragonFly two-person tent.