The Nemo, Women’s Riff 15 is a cosy bag from Nemo, with a comfort rating of -9 degrees Celsius. It’s got a high fill power of hydrophobic down, so works even with some condensation or dampness. The footbox shell material is waterproof, which is a nice touch, as I often find my feet touch the tent walls and get damp. It also adds a bit of warmth too. The baffles run vertically around the bag, which stops the fill dropping down the sides, but it also means that there isn’t body mapped insulation.
Rating: 4.5/5 | Price: $399 | £399.99 | Available from: Alpine Trek | Weight: 1503g for regular, 103g compression sack | Fill: 800 FP hydrophobic RDS down | Shell: Nylon with waterproof and breathable footbox | Zip: 2-way full length, zipper plough on main zip | Length: 168cm for regular | Rating: Comfort -9c | Sizes: Regular & long | Men’s version: Yes
More info: www.nemoequipment.eu
The zip is two-way and full length with a ‘zipper plough’ on the main zip, that helps avoid fabric being caught in it. Be warned that if the bag is completely unzipped, trying to get the sides zipped back together again can be fiddly and stiff, partly due to that zipper plough. To ventilate there are ‘thermogills’ – two zips that expand the front of the bag and open space between the baffles.
The hood is a decent size, and comes with a built-in pillow pocket, where you can stuff clothes or an actual pillow, to keep it in place through the night. There’s a drawcord for cinching the hood around your face, with the stopper on the outside of the bag. On the bottom of the hood, there’s an extra filled flap, which folds up and can be used like a blanket for ultimate cosiness! The draft tube covers the zip and runs the full length of it. An external pocket near the zip is big enough to take a phone.
The bag is advertised as a spoon shape, which differs from a mummy shape with wider areas around the elbows and knees. It’s designed for comfortable side and front sleeping, which it delivers, and there’s room to move around at night without getting tangled up in the bag.
It comes with a mesh storage sack, and a compression bag, which packs the bag down well. It’s a great bag with some really nice features, which do add to the weight of the bag a little.
