Moonstone has long been a leader in both synthetic and down sleeping bag technology since the early 1980’s. From its roots in the coastal mountains of California, Moonstone has been dedicated to providing warm, packable synthetic sleeping bags. Wet, rainy environments are great proving grounds for synthetic insulation in sleeping bags and that’s just where Moonstone sleeping bags earned their strips.
As Moonstone evolved, they also branched out into down bags and eventually outerwear. By the late 80’s, Moonstone had a complete line of durable, quality outdoor gear. But, as we will see here, their sleeping bags are still their signature product.
Product Details
The Moonstone Delta Morpheus sleeping bag mixes the best of both worlds with a combination 650+ fill down on the top of the bag and Polarguard Delta underneath and around the toebox. The result is an amazing 3-season hybrid bag that can be used in both wet and dry climates.
Moonstone pays special attention to every detail that goes into their sleeping bags and the Morpheus is no exception. The Morpheus sleeping bag has an anatomic footbox, ground level side seams to minimize heat loss, Polarguard Delta inslulated draft tube, glow in the dark zipper pull and a comfortable fit. The outer shell is 40D Pertex Diamond Ripstop nylon with DWR waterproof finish. Combine all these features into a $180 bag, and you’ve got yourself a great value in an all-around bag for 3-seasons of adventure.
The regular size Morpheus weighs in at 2 lbs. 11 oz. and can stuff down to a compact 9.5″ x 11.5″ size with the included stuff sack. Also a nice touch, Moonstone includes a large storage bag to keep your bag in between adventures so that the insulation doesn’t lose its loft. Speaking of insulation, the Morpheus is rated to a solid 20 degrees–just enough to cover chilly early spring nights and frosty late fall mornings.
Performance
My early camping days were spent in the wet Cascade Mountains in Washington State. As a kid, I was convinced by my friends and eager REI employees that I’d never have a down-filled sleeping bag. Back in those days, DWR finishes weren’t even around and once a down bag got wet, it made for a cold, wet and miserable night. Though waterproof finishes have improved the usability of down bags in wet environments, you still have to be selective and careful not to expose it to alot of water overnight. And, with the advent of lightweight, packable synthetic insulation, you don’t give up much by just sticking with a synthetic bag.
My little synthetic-filled happy place would be turned upside down when I heard about the Moonstone Morpheus sleeping bag. I was immediately drawn to it–synthetic insulation on the bottom to keep you warm even when wet, and super soft down insulation on top so you have a comfortable feel only down can provide. It seemed like the perfect combination… I was sold.
The Morpheus is very packable and is easily swallowed into the sleeping bag compartment of my expedition pack (necessary when you have to haul around your gear and extra gear for 10 Boy Scouts) with room enough to stuff my REI Clip Tent in as well. After using nothing but a 100% synthetic bag all my life, I was looking forward to sleeping in the Morpheus.
The late spring night at 6500 ft. in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains was a comfortable 40 degrees and perfect for the Morpheus. I’m 5’11 and fit perfectly into the Regular with not much more room to spare. I instantly noticed the roomy footbox and the soft down on top of my body–it was easy to get comfortable in the Morpheus. Shoulder room is great for my 180 lb. medium frame and I was quickly able to find comfortable, non-claustrophobic positions on my back or side. The cozy, down-filled head pocket is just the right depth and provided just the right coverage to surround my head and zip up the bag around me for a warm night sleep.
In the morning, the bottom and top of the footbox were damp from kicking the side and bottom of the tent all night, but no worries… it’s synthetic. I stayed warm and dry all night long.
The Skinny
I was completely impressed with the Moonstone Morpheus sleeping bag from the instant I looked it over. The concept is sound–synthetic insluation where you need it and down where you want it–and the design execution is typical Moonstone quality. Everything about the Morpheus is just right. No worries if the bag gets a little wet on the bottom, it will still keep you warm. And, nothing beats the feel of down after a long hike. If you’re on the fence between synthetic and down, go right down the middle with the Moonstone Delta Morpheus and get the best of both worlds in one, durable sleeping bag!
Visit Moosejaw.com to purchase the Moonstone Morpheus Sleeping Bag.
2 Comments
This Moonstone sleeping bag looks to have all the features to make it a winner. Does anyone know if you can pick them up in the UK? I’ve not heard of them over here.
Moonstone is out of business, so the only way to find one would be on the used market or random closeouts still available in some backwoods warehouse. Best of luck!