You can buy an expensive bag if you think it will make you more hardcore, but I will gladly tell everyone how hardcore you are if you pay me to do so. I was on a budget so I figured I would go with a less expensive bag. I got in the bag, tried to zip it and the zipper tore immediately.
The Deer Hunter simply cannot provide the same comfort level as cotton materials found on the Redwood. As anticipated, the Alps OutdoorZ Redwood handily outperformed all the rest, followed closely by the Teton Polara 3-in-1 and REI Siesta Hooded. When comparing the warmest bags side by side, the Redwood led in warmth. It is incredibly cozy, and we found it a challenge to want to unzip and get up for the day after sleeping in it — so consider yourself warned.
It did not even get down to 40, more like upper 40s at the most and probably low 50s when I used it. This sleeping bag I always sleep in @ night @ home because I like it better than a regular blanket. Backpacking Light community posts are moderated and here to foster helpful and positive discussions about lightweight backpacking. Please be mindful of our values and boundaries and review our Community Guidelines prior to posting.
Our testing confirmed that shelling out three figures will generally get you a higher-performing bag. Most of the top bags we reviewed all fit in this price profile. In general, more warmth (i.e., more insulation), more features, and more comfort (i.e., higher quality materials and typically more spacious dimensions).
If you need more room than the Polara offers, the Big Agnes Echo Park 20 is much more spacious. If not, stick with the Polara’s versatility of offering three bags in one. Traditional camping sleeping bags are known to be a little big-boned, so packed size was not a complete deal-breaker for us. However, space is rarely unlimited, so we rated each bag according to its stowed size. We also factored each bag’s packed weight and the overall ease of stuffing it into its stuff sack.
We inspected everything from the zipper function to how well they rolled up. Generally, bags with the coolest additions received the best scores. However, even basic bags have features that are ozark trail chair often missed, like recycled materials, cool colors, or unique insulation. I bought the zero degree bag and nearly froze to death. Day one, night one…the zipper tore and cord in hood broke.
We combined all of our data to determine the most comfortable contenders. I used this bag two nights last weekend and found it was too cold on its own—lowest temp was 51 degrees each ozark trail canopy of those nights. The bag uses Climatech fill, a down alternative, making it very light. The roomy bag, 33 inches wide by 75 inches long, rolls up to a compact 14 by 8 inches.
The Siesta Hooded is available in standard length and long lengths, but it does fall a bit short in width. Some of our larger-bodied testers felt a more spacious design would offer more comfort. However, all measurements aside, this 20-degree bag is really cool — in a good way. If you want a more woodsy look, the Teton Sports Deer Hunter sports a hood and a more traditional lumberjack vibe. The bag is very lightweight and comes with a compression sack.
You can find two single bags to zip together for a wider two-person system at a lower overall cost, but then you’ll be sacrificing the excellent features this bag offers. The taffeta fabrics are very silky and ultra-soft but also seem prone to snags and small tears. Additionally, we feel the built-in individual quilts could be a bit wider. However, this double bag is better than other two-person models we’ve tested in the past and currently. The REI Co-op Siesta Hooded 20 is a great hooded option if you’re sleeping single.
I had to add a fleece sleeping bag for more insulation. I used this bag from February of 2002 to June of 2002 on the Appalachian Trail, and I still have it. The first night out it was less than 14 degrees F, and I had at least 50 nights under 40 degrees F. I can’t say I was warm, but I wasn’t shivering, freezing, or cold either, although I did wear 2 layers of clothing.