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Gear Reviews

Technicals Catalyst 550

£140.00

LFTO rating
Owners' rating

The Catalyst 3-season down sleeping bag is designed for Blacks’ in-house range Technicals. It’s not a bad price, and the bag is a nice, simple design, with good fill power. All the necessary features are present, including a baffle that can be sealed around the neck plus one either side of the zip for maximum draught exclusion. The fabric on the baffles is protected from snagging by strips of tape, and as a result the zip runs fairly easily. Inside there is a good-sized zipped pocket, perfect for keeping essentials close by at night. Attempts have also been made to solve a few issues such as static, through careful choice of fabric. Basically this bag is a good all-rounder. But the anti-static and DWR treatments on the inner fabric make it feel odd against the skin. The fit is also a little vague, with the hood and body of the bag feeling really roomy. It also has the worst stuffsack here. Lab testing showed the bag to be nowhere near as warm as the maker suggests.

Size: 200x80x28cm
Outer fabric: superlight 100% nylon shell
Inner fabric: DWR + antistatic polyester ‘warm feel’ lining with wicking finish
Insulation: 700 fill power Polish goose down
Construction: box wall
Packed size: 44x16cm
Weight: 1202g
Made in: Poland
Stores in the UK: 110

Verdict: Good for backpacking in warm summer weather as it is not very warm, but it is lightweight.

Users' Overall Rating (1 review)

Not as bad as you may think!

Clem Simms

User's Overall Rating

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Performance
Build quality
Value for money

I got this bag a few years ago after years of nagging by my friend to get a down sleeping bag. I had a Blacks Gift Card given to me and decided to use up the credit on this. I was sceptical as Technicals is blacks own range however it was the only one that seemed to do what i was looking for. I have to say that I have not been disappionted by this product. Its first major tests was in the lake district in February, the outside temp was -6 and I have to say that the bag did really really well. I was warm as toast! I slept well and felt energised for the next day. Whilst I wouldn't consider taking this sleeping bag anywhere near the extreme rating I have found that it performs time and time again for any trip in this country.

(Written by: Clem)

01 July 2009 17:14