Rei Lumen Review

The REI Lumen is good for use in almost all temperatures, but if you test it against cool and damp conditions such as Washington’s coastal trails, it really shows its worth. However, the bag’s heftiness brings down the joy derived from its great performance. Out of all the bags that we’ve tested, this one is the second heaviest, behind the Big Agnes Lost Ranger. It’s also disappointing in terms of compactness.

Full Review Rei Lumen

Compressibility of Rei Lumen

The synthetic polyester bag, owing to its insulating capability, stays warm even when damp. However, it’s not so great when it comes to compactness. It can come down to an eight by 15-inch sack.

Warmth of Rei Lumen

Although the Lumen is comfortable-fit, it leaves a few air pockets from where cold air could flow through. The foot area was a little too spacious, which could cause your feet to get cold. I liked how spacious the torso area was. However, some testers felt the overall width was too great for 3-season backcountry use. The bag, with its synthetic material, did live up to its reputation of insulating heat even when it was being dampened. The hood is cinched comfortably, helping seal in body heat.

Features of Rei Lumen

A few testers who appreciated being able to have a tiny torch or headlamp nearby throughout the night gave the narrow pocket around the neckline modest praise. I particularly like how the drawcords are distinguishable: The cinching cord is round, while the releasing cord is flat. This makes it simple to find the correct cord at night.

The Lumen has a full-length zipper for easy access and breathability, and the backing tape works well to keep snags at bay.

Overall Comfort of Rei Lumen

The Lumen provides uninterrupted sleep due to its comfortable fit. I moved from my side to back to my stomach all night without ruining my sleep. Some people, however, consider the generous cut to be a little too generous. I really liked the shoulder area width, but Lumen could do better with the foot box. It gets a bit too cold because of the spaciousness. The hood cinches securely and comfortably but can open wide enough should you require a pillow.

Durability of Rei Lumen

The ripstop nylon shell withstood extensive use and abuse on a range of surfaces with no noticeable effect. The anti-snag backer tape prevents any tearing while operating the zipper. This bag is designed for long-term use.

Value of Rei Lumen

Even though the bag is a bit hefty, its durability and overall performance more than compensate for the $159 price point.

Customer Review:

The REI lumen works great in place of a down bag in damp conditions. It provides great warmth and contains just the right features at the right price. The REI lumen provides the warmth and compactness of a down bag and defensive ability against the wet weather of a synthetic bag. Hence, it’s highly recommended.

I have two versions available of this bag: regular and long. The above review belongs to the regular one. The two versions offer the same features and have the same features. Differ from each *Reviewer note: I have the “regular” and “long” versions of this bag. This review pertains to the “regular” version. However, the two versions only differ in terms of dimensions and weight. All other features and temp ratings are the same.

I got this bag so I could have another addition to my collections which contains my Nemo Astro Insulated Lite 20r as well. Cold weather here is usually accompanied by a downpour, so carrying this bag feels safer. This bag and my REI HALO +25 have a lot of similar features too.

This bag is a great heat trapper, just like the HALO +25 down bag. The bag’s insulations work so well that it feels as if the bag is generating heat and not just insulating it.

I haven’t used this bag in very lower temperatures which could test its limits, only right at freezing. Considering I was kept pretty warm by the bag, I believe it would work great in lower temperatures as well.

Out of all the bags that I own, this is the only one that matches a down bag in terms of being comfortable and warm.

Pros

• Provides great warmth
• Just the right features
• Not too expensive
• Not as heavy as synthetic bags usually are
• Generous cut allows relaxed shoulder movement
• There are no zipper snags!!
• EN-rated.
• Nylon stuff sack and a cotton storage bag.

Cons

• No more available
• Lack of compactness folds into a hefty sack.