The North Face Women's Blue Kazoo
Lightweight and comfortable, packs small.
Pros
- Easy-operating zippers, even with gloves
- Roomy at the shoulders
- Fabric feels soft and warm on inside
- Packs small, and is lightweight
- Hood snugs down well, and the baffles at neck and zipper keep out cold.
Cons
- Doesn't seem to keep me warm like the older models below about 40 degrees.
- Loses feathers more easily than other manufacturer's bags.
- A little narrow in the footbox
I bought this bag to replace my VERY old (one of the originals) Blue Kazoo bag, which had weathered the Long Trail, PCT, and CDT, along with many shorter adventures. It was a trusty friend.
I found the new one to be adequate, but nothing great for the price. Has some nice features, listed in the pros, but overall I found it to be less than I expected given the quality of the original and the price. I had big cold spots when it went below about 40 degrees, which made it necessary to put more clothes on; something a 15-degree rated bag shouldn't need.
Out of the box, it was losing feathers, and I find several every morning I use it. Draft baffles work well, and keep air from entering at neck and zipper areas. You can squash this puppy down to nothing for the trail—a nice feature. I have wider shoulders, so the little extra room in that area is nice for me. The down is supposed to be water repellant—it seemed to not bog down from high humidity.
Overall, I'd rate it only average.
Background
I used it for one extended trip of seven days, then traded my daughter for her Marmot bag as I was going to be hiking the Long Trail SOBO at the end of August and didn't want to be cold. It went down to 30 degrees some nights on the trip, and I ended up wearing extra clothes even with a bag liner added.
I've been backpacking/hiking/camping in all four seasons for over 40 years, and have owned many bags—REI, Early Winters, and even a homemade one. Like I stated in the review, my old Blue Kazoo was ancient, and I used it for several years.
Source: bought it new
Price Paid: $180
All Blue Kazoo versions
In addition to the 1 women's review above, there are 20 reviews for other versions of the Blue Kazoo. Read all reviews »
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Specs
Regular | Long | ||
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Price |
MSRP: $299.95 Current Retail: $179.99-$309.95 Historic Range: $137.37-$310.00 Reviewers Paid: $180.00 |
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Temp Rating |
15°F / -9°C |
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Fill |
700-fill ProDown |
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Weight | 2 lbs 4 oz / 1030 g | 2 lbs 9 oz / 1160 g | |
Stuffsack Size |
9 x 17 in / 22.9 x 43.2 cm |