The NEMO Siren is a lightweight 30 degree down sleeping quilt that’s perfect for three season backpacking and camping. With 10oz of 850 fill down stitched into a 10D nylon ripstop shell, the total weight for the NEMO siren is only 19oz. That 30 degree rating is well deserved, too, because I’ve tested the Siren in near freezing temperatures and have remained toasty each night. In this review, I’m going to cover the build quality, details, functionality, and performance of the NEMO Siren.
As an avid backpacker, I’m always looking for new ways to optimize my kit and lighten my load. Switching to a lightweight quilt has definitely helped me do that, but my search for a quilt actually began for a different reason. I have pretty broad shoulders that make most mummy style bags feel like a straitjacket. Outside of nights spent in subfreezing temperatures (like trekking in Peru), I’d leave my mummy bag unzipped so that I could sleep comfortably. After doing some reading online, I found that most people with my build were opting for lightweight quilts. With the NEMO Siren, I’ve shaved almost a pound off of my base weight, while getting to sleep just as comfortably as I did with my unzipped mummy bag in temps down to 30 degrees.
Buy at: Amazon| REI | Backcountry
Build and Details:
The first thing I noticed when I held the NEMO Siren was just how light it is. The mummy style bag that I used previously was just over two pounds. That’s actually pretty light for a 23 degree bag, but this NEMO quilt is on a different level. 19oz is super light! The Siren also packs very small. In the provided stuff sack, the Siren measures around 11in x 8in, with a volume of around 3L. The interesting thing is that the stuff sack NEMO provides is probably too big for this quilt. I was able to use a smaller stuff sack I own to minimize the pack space required to carry the Siren. The NEMO Siren uses a square baffle design to keep the 850 fill Power Down in place.
*Never store your down bags or jackets in a stuff sack when they are not in use. The more you keep your bag or jacket in a stuff sack, the quicker it will lose it’s loft. I like to air dry my bags in the sun for a few hours after I get home, then I hang them in the closet inside of a garment bag on a hangar.
The NEMO Siren is 71″ tall and built for a person with a max height of 6ft. I’m just under 5’11”, and the Siren fits my body perfectly. On a recent overnight mountaintop outing, I was able to get my frame all the way under the quilt for maximum insulation. The shoulder girth is 53″, the hip girth is 48″, and the knee girth is 39″. I have big thighs and legs overall, and the lower half of this quilt is very comfortable for me.
Function and Performance:
The NEMO Siren has a laced synch cord system for using the quilt with a sleeping pad on the inside. The shape of the Siren is cut like a mummy bag, so keep that in mind if using an internal sleeping pad. My Therm-a-Rest Neoair Trekker has a square shape and did not fit well. The Siren fit my Therm-a-Rest Neoair Xlite like a glove. When sleeping with a pad inside of the Siren, it takes up quite a bit of volume and left me feeling constricted. For those with a smaller frame, this might be a nice option, but for me, it was a tight squeeze. I love how my pad and bag were linked as one unit though, and how the lacing, neck buttons, and synch cord around the head let me really lock myself in when needed.
Almost all of my use with the NEMO Siren has been with my sleeping pad under the quilt like I do with a traditional bag. Using the Siren like this makes me feel like I’m sleeping with a blanket in the comfort of my own bed. When the temperature gets cold, I’m able to clasp the neck buttons and tighten the synch cords for maximum insulation.
Buy at: Amazon| REI | Backcountry
Closing Thoughts:
The NEMO Siren is a very versatile 3 season bag that holds it’s own in temperatures down to 30 degrees. At 19oz, the weight savings alone makes this quilt worth considering for any backpacker looking to shed some base weight.
The NEMO Siren retails for $369.95 and can be purchased using the links provided in this post.
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Thanks for taking the time to review the quilt. I’ve been looking for something like that for a few years. Great review. Brick
Thanks for reading, Brick! After using the NEMO Siren, I don’t know if I’ll ever go back to a full zip bag.
When you use it on top of the pad, do you still use the laces to keep it closed? I turn over a lot, so my experience with the Tango Solo (only 46: wide) is drafts. With the Siren is there enough space to roll around without allowing drafts in or rolling quilt with you, exposing the the open back? (brrr!)
Not usually, but that opens things up to a draft. I’m a hot sleeper so I don’t mind. When it gets really cold, I will use the laces, but then it feels like a mummy bag.