Feathered Friends Flicker 20
Most ultralight sleeping bags are one-trick ponies. A full-length center zip and other features boost the Flicker’s versatility.
Brand: Feathered Friends Gear Reviews
Model: Flicker 20 Sleeping Bag
Fill
Premium 900-fill goose down makes this bag extremely lofty, warm for its weight, and super-packable (9.5 by 5 inches). It’s also rare: The 900-fill is in short supply because there are few geese big enough to produce the large clusters needed for this fill weight.
Baffles
The continuous horizontal baffles wrap around the entire bag (there’s no seam or wall along the side to separate the baffle, like you see in traditional bags), allowing you to fine-tune the insulation. In quilt mode, it’s best to spread the down from end to end to avoid any cold spots. In the mummy configuration, move the center zip to the side (like a traditional bag) and shift the down by lifting the bag on one side and shaking it until all the down migrates to the far end of the baffles. This puts down only on top of the bag (similar to the design of backless sleeping bags), keeping the feathers from getting compressed underneath you. Downside: This can create cold spots for side sleepers or those who routinely toss and turn.
Zipper
The unique, full-length (78-inch) center zip instantly transforms the Flicker from a hoodless mummy to a quilt. “One night I was sharing a blanket with my honey by the campfire, and the next weekend I was bundled up in a mummy bag in sub-freezing temps in Arizona’s Glen Canyon,” says one tester. Ding: The zipper is snag-prone due to the lack of backing.
Footbox
A drawcord around the footbox cinches tightly to create the mummy shape, but in quilt mode the foot end is wide enough to cover two in a pinch (just be prepared to spoon).
Hammock Lovers
Side loops let you secure the Flicker as an underquilt, which means it wraps around the outside of the hammock and doesn’t get compressed underneath your body.