Reviews You Can Rely On

Marmot Lithium Review

An excellent choice for cold weather sleeping in dry conditions
gearlab tested logo
marmot lithium sleeping bag cold weather review
Credit: Marmot
Price:  $579 List
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Manufacturer:   Marmot
By Jeff Rogers ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  May 5, 2023
62
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#10 of 13
  • Warmth - 20% 7.0
  • Weight - 20% 7.0
  • Comfort - 20% 5.0
  • Packed Size - 15% 7.0
  • Weather Resistance - 15% 5.0
  • Features - 10% 6.0

Our Verdict

The Marmot Lithium is a bag for those who bivy less or if going lightweight is a higher priority. Overall, the Lithium is one of the warmest we tested in our Cold Weather Down Sleeping Bag Review, even without a dedicated neck baffle. It is not the most weather-resistant. We feel this bag is a great match for a backpacker who likes to use a lightweight waterproof shelter. This way you can enjoy the weight savings without worrying about getting wet.
REASONS TO BUY
Warm
Comfortable hood
Ultra light shell fabric
REASONS TO AVOID
Neck baffle integrated with zipper baffle (not a true neck baffle)
Low weather resistance
Editor's Note: We updated this review on May 5, 2023, to share information on updates to the Lithium bag.

Compare to Similar Products

 
marmot lithium sleeping bag cold weather review
This Product
Marmot Lithium
Awards  Top Pick Award Top Pick Award Best Buy Award  
Price $579.00 at REI
Compare at 2 sellers
$600 List
$590.00 at REI
$680 List
$480.00 at Backcountry
Check Price at Backcountry
Compare at 2 sellers
$319.00 at REI
Compare at 2 sellers
Overall Score Sort Icon
62
75
73
62
59
Star Rating
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Bottom Line If you sleep in a tent to keep your bag dry, this is the one for youThis lightweight sleeping bag comfortably cradles you with warm, lofty downExcellent for moving in the mountains in cold weather, this model is lightweight, packs small, and stays true to its temperature ratingThis budget bag offers protection from the elements via a large draft tube and plush draft collarFor those who expect to sit out a storm and play cards or want an inexpensive throw bag for car camping, this is an economical option
Rating Categories Marmot Lithium The North Face Infe... Mountain Hardwear P... Mountain Hardwear B... Marmot Never Summer 0
Warmth (20%)
7.0
8.0
8.1
7.0
6.0
Weight (20%)
7.0
8.0
8.0
6.0
6.0
Comfort (20%)
5.0
7.0
6.0
6.0
6.0
Packed Size (15%)
7.0
6.0
8.0
5.0
5.0
Weather Resistance (15%)
5.0
9.0
6.0
7.0
6.0
Features (10%)
6.0
6.0
8.0
6.0
6.0
Specs Marmot Lithium The North Face Infe... Mountain Hardwear P... Mountain Hardwear B... Marmot Never Summer 0
Measured Weight (size Regular) 2.90 lbs 2.68 lbs 2.68 lbs 3.13 lbs 3.19 lbs
Fill Weight 27.8 oz 29 oz 29.6 oz 35.0 oz 36.2 oz
Type of Down Fill Goose Down Down RDS Certified Goose Down RDS Cert/Fluorine Free Down Down
Fill Power 800+ 800 850 650 650
Material Weight (excludes down filling) 14.1 oz 13.9 oz 13.3 oz 15.1 oz 14.9 oz
Temperature Rating 0°F 0°F 0°F 0°F 0°F
Pocket Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Shoulder Girth 61" 64" 58" 62" 62"
Hip Girth 56" 60" 52" 53" 57"
Foot Girth 42" 44" Not listed Not listed 48.5"
Shell Material Pertex 20D 100% nylon ripstop 15D recycled nylon, 30D nylon taffeta 10D Nylon Ghost ripstop, DWR finish 20-Denier ripstop nylon 20-Denier ripstop nylon
Continuous Baffle No Not listed No Yes Yes

Our Analysis and Test Results

Marmot Lithium
Marmot Lithium
The Lithium we tested is shown on the left, followed by the updated Lithium on the right.
Lithium Updated
Marmot updated the Lithium bag with their ExpeDry water repellent technology, which is designed to protect against moisture and decrease drying time if your bag gets wet. We're linking to the updated bag, but the remainder of our review pertains to the previous model.

This is a seriously warm bag packed with high quality 800+ fill down. It does not have a waterproof fabric or treated down. So this is a traditional style sleeping bag that belongs in a tent rather than a snow cave or bivy under a tarp during the winter months. With that said, it packs in a solid amount of warmth for being only 2lbs 9oz. This bag also packs quite small, and this is due to the lack of a few features, as well as a thought-out minimalist design from the start.

Performance Comparison


marmot lithium sleeping bag cold weather review - the marmot lithium 0f lofts extrmely quickly and is as light as a...
The Marmot Lithium 0F lofts extrmely quickly and is as light as a feather. If you are sleeping in a 4 season tent and do not touch the tent walls, the ultralight fabric is perfect.
Credit: Jeff Rogers

Warmth


Sleeping in the Marmot Lithium is a great experience. The bag kept each tester warm and the hood was plenty comfortable. We did notice that the zipper baffle and neck baffle were integrated into one. This is clearly a weight savings measure and did not insulate as well as two dedicated zipper and neck baffles. Another thing to note on warmth is the existence of a second left-hand side zipper. The idea behind the second zipper is to allow you to do tasks while still in the bag. However, if the secondary zipper baffle is not laid flat against it, cold will seep in. Our testers only experienced this once in a handful of nights sleeping out.

Weight


The Marmot Lithium weighs in at 2lb 9oz on our scales. This is quite the low weight for a 0F sleeping bag and is a credit to the bag's ultra-light face fabric and minimalist baffle design. In fact, when we were taking pictures of this bag on a windy summit, the bag almost flew away! Marmot includes a stuff sack that is ultralight material as well. Overall, this bag is light enough for any human-powered cold weather mountain excursion.

marmot lithium sleeping bag cold weather review - here we are trying to get a side profile photo of the marmot lithium...
Here we are trying to get a side profile photo of the marmot lithium to show its loft, a slight gust of wind picks it up! You can see how truly light the fabric and materials of this bag are. Don't worry, it didn't blow completely away!
Credit: Jeff Rogers

Comfort


This is where the bag really shines. It blends a slightly tighter cut and a feature set that allows you to be more comfortable while in the tent. The second zipper can be undone, and you can sit in the bag with both of your arms out and your upper body (and even head if you want) inside the bag. This allows you to do all of the different tasks in the AM while still cocooned in fatty goose down. Brew up, pack up and then emerge from the sleeping bag ready to move. The comfort this bag provided was excellent was catching some sleep too, we just wish it had a dedicated neck baffle as well.

Packed Size


The Lithium is a very compact sleeping bag when packed. Either just stuffing it first into your pack or using a compression sack, the bag easily fits into our testers 45L ski pack for an overnight.

marmot lithium sleeping bag cold weather review - we compressed this bag as much as we could, and it stuffs down to a...
We compressed this bag as much as we could, and it stuffs down to a very pack-friendly size
Credit: Jeff Rogers

Features


Again, the feature set on this bag is excellent. The second zipper that allows you to stay in the bag and still do camp chores is a welcome addition. It also features a small zippered pocket for storing small items while you sleep. The hood is one of the best we tested, and easily swallowed up the smallest grapefruits and largest watermelon heads among the tester group. This allowed everyone to really maximize the warmth of the bag, and it ranks highly among our features metric because of this. What detracts from the bag is the lack of a dedicated upper neck baffle. This slightly reduced warmth as well.

marmot lithium sleeping bag cold weather review - tester marina shirokova testing out the bag's comfortable hood.
Tester Marina Shirokova testing out the bag's comfortable hood.
Credit: Jeff Rogers

marmot lithium sleeping bag cold weather review - the lithium can seal up very tight, one of our favorites features of...
The Lithium can seal up very tight, one of our favorites features of this bag.
Credit: Jeff Rogers

Weather Resistance


The Lithium is not a bag you want to sleep out in the open with, especially if there is significant precipitation in the forecast. We love this bag for any time we use a dedicated winter tent or full coverage tarp system. With that said, it has a very effective DWR and works well to shed light moisture. The Pertex Quantum that makes up the shell fabric is 20d, which is a bit heavier than some ultralight bags and is indeed windproof. With such a great face seal, you can get by in windier pyramid tents and such without much hassle.

marmot lithium sleeping bag cold weather review - marmot lithium membrain hood
Marmot Lithium Membrain Hood
Credit: Max Neale

Value


A quality bag, the Lithium is a great value. It's ideal for winter camping and packs extremely small. If you find yourself venturing into really cold temps, there are better values out there, but in the Rockies, it provides plenty of warmth and a great feature set for the money.

Conclusion


The Marmot Lithium is an excellent bag for winter camping. It has a slightly tight cut and second zipper which allows you to stay in the bag while doing AM camp chores. The lack of a dedicated neck baffle did reduce its warmth metrics, but with such a perfectly executed hood, it still scored high marks in comfort and features. Buy this bag if you frequently camp in a tent while overnighting.

marmot lithium sleeping bag cold weather review - marmot includes a nice storage sack with this bag
Marmot includes a nice storage sack with this bag
Credit: Jeff Rogers

Jeff Rogers