If you’re looking for one sleeping bag to do it all, it’s tough to beat the value of the REI Magma 10 (and Magma 17 for women). The Magma is constructed with high-quality materials, has an excellent warmth-to-weight ratio, will keep you comfortable into sub-freezing temperatures, and comes at a surprisingly reasonable price in the world of premium down sleeping bags. For warm summer nights, the Magma will likely be overkill (we like quilts for those trips), but when temperatures drop, you’ll be happy to have the toasty warmth of the Magma.
Quick Specs – Magma 10
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Weight: 1 lb. 14 oz.
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EN Lower limit rating: 10°F (men’s) & 3°F (women’s)
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EN Comfort rating: 22°F (men’s) & 17°F (women’s)
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Down Fill: Water-resistant 850 fill goose down
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Dimensions: 72 in. long x 60 in. shoulder girth
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Packed Size: 7.5 x 15 in.
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Sizes: Men’s & Women’s, Long and Regular
Pros
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Lightweight
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Very good value
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No snag, full-length zipper with draft tubes to contain warmth
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Good warmth-to-weight ratio
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Comfortable ergonomic hood and footbox design
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Neck collar helps contain body heat
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Made with water-resistant down
Cons
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A bit heavy, bulky, and warm for summer use
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Though a great value buy, still more pricy than heavy/bulky budget options
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No small stash pocket for earplugs or electronics
REI Magma Photo Gallery
REI Magma Specs
PRICE – For the quality of materials and warmth-to-weight ratio, we think the REI Magma is one of the best value sleeping bags on the market. REI is able to keep prices down by selling mass production products directly to the consumer with no middleman. The Magma still isn’t cheap, but it’s a great deal when compared to sleeping bags of a similar quality. Also, down products can last for decades if taken care of properly.
WEIGHT – Weighing 1 lb. 14. oz (men’s regular) and 2 lb. 4 oz. (women’s regular), the REI Magma has a very good warmth-to-weight ratio among sleeping bags and will keep you comfortable into sub-freezing temperatures. If you primarily backpack in warm summer weather, the weight and temperature rating of this bag may be a bit much (we like quilts for those trips), But if you’re looking for a bag that can do it all and will rarely feel too heavy or bulky, the Magma is an excellent fit.
WARMTH – The Magma has an EN “lower limit” of 10°F for the men’s version and 3°F for the women’s version, but don’t use those as your main guide. We find that EN “comfort” ratings tend to be a much more realistic measurement for the lowest temperatures you should plan to encounter. The EN comfort rating for the men’s Magma 10 is 22°F, and 17°F for the women’s Magma 17. This means the Magma will keep you warm into sub-freezing temperatures, which is really solid, and will allow you to use the Magma on a wide variety trips, even really chilly ones. Just don’t expect to be kept warm down to the lower limit ratings (10°F or 3°F), because you’ll be in for a very chilly night.
DOWN FILL – The 850 fill power goose down in the Magma strikes a good balance between weight and cost. The water-resistant treatment of the down will help keep your bag from soaking through if it gets wet and will help it dry out quicker too. That said, we always recommend heavily protecting your sleeping bag to avoid contact with water altogether.We use a 13L S2S eVAC Dry Sack dry bag when we pack the Magma in our backpacks and rely on trusty waterproof shelters to keep it dry at night.
COMPRESSION – For its warmth rating, the Magma compresses down very small into an included stuff sack with packed dimensions of 7.5 x 15 inches (photos in the gallery above). If you’re looking for the smallest possible pack size, you could pair the Magma with a compression stuff sack and cinch it down even smaller. Some of the leading competition might pack a tad smaller, but the Magma is still very good in this arena.
MATERIALS – The interior fabric on the Magma is soft and comfortable against the skin. The exterior fabric is fairly thin in order to keep weight to a minimum. We think the Magma is durable enough to withstand the rigors of the trail, but like all lightweight backpacking gear, you’ll want to treat it with care. If you do develop any small rips or tears, Tenacious Tape will work well to fix them quickly.
SIZE OPTIONS – The REI Magma is offered in both men’s and women’s versions. The women’s bag has some extra down fill to boost it’s warmth, because women often sleep about 10 degrees colder than men. Both bags are offered in regular and long sizes.
ZIPPER – We love how easily the no-snag zipper slides on the Magma and consider this a big win compared to the competition. The zipper runs the full length of the bag and allows you the option to open the Magma up and drape it over you on warm nights. There’s a draft tube (down filled tube) that runs the full length of the zipper to help keep heat in and minimize cold spots.
HOOD & DRAFT COLLAR – The ergonomic hood fits the head very well and has two cinch cords to tighten it close to your face on cold nights. The hood section has a substantial amount of down, ensuring your head will stay toasty warm too.
FOOTBOX – The ergonomic footbox is roomy, comfortable, and has plenty of down to keep your feet warm.
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you’re looking for a high-quality down sleeping bag to cover a wide range of backcountry trips, the REI Magma is an excellent choice. The Magma will keep you warm into sub-freezing temperatures without weighing down your pack or stretching your wallet. While not cheap, the REI Magma has a very reasonable price tag for a sleeping bag with it’s specs. In fact, we think the REI Magma may just be the best value sleeping bag on the market.
More information
Check out our Best Sleeping Bags post to see how the REI Magma stacks up against the competition.
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We purchased the REI Magma with our own funds and we are under no obligation to give it a positive review. Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission if purchases are made through those links. This adds no cost to our readers and helps us keep our site up and running. Our reputation is our most important asset, which is why we only provide completely honest and unbiased recommendations.