I also spoke with Jeremy Cronon, the expedition equipment lead and outfitting manager at NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) Rocky Mountain, and Austin Robbs, director of equipment and accessories at Patagonia. It was in the comfort category that the Coleman Brazos started to show a few weaknesses. The tricot knit liner isn’t particularly elegant and in fact is a bit of a debris magnet. In the end, the Brazos scored the lowest for comfort out of all the bags we tested. That being said, we feel they are still a great choice for young kids (who sleep through most anything) or teens (who don’t sleep and will most likely be around the campfire all night). We feel it would be great for kids or teens, both of which tend to be hard on shoes, clothes, cars, and just about everything else.
Browse through a wide collection of sleeping bags and find the perfect pick. Similar to The North Face’s One Bag above, Big Agnes’ Lost Ranger 3N1 uses an innovative layering system for adapting to shifting conditions. In this case, you get two down-filled bags (the One Bag has a synthetic outer bag and down midlayer) that can be paired together on cold nights or separated in warmer temps. At 2 pounds 13 ounces all in, it adds up to a highly versatile system that crosses over nicely for backpacking, too.
As we touched on above, temperature ratings tend to be fairly generous and often require adding a sizable buffer to ensure you’ll stay warm throughout the night. For those who run cold or simply want to bring their bag into lower temperatures, adding a sleeping bag liner can help keep you cozy without breaking the bank. Liners are made of soft materials like fleece, wool, polyester, or silk and typically add around 5 to 15 degrees to the warmth rating of your bag. They also serve as a barrier between you and your bag’s interior, which can help boost lifespan (you can wash the liner after use rather than getting your bag dirty). Liners typically cost between $30 and $60, and a couple of our favorite options are Sea to Summit’s Thermolite Reactor for mummy bags and their Silk-Cotton Blend Liner for rectangular models. To be clear, liners are totally optional and not everyone needs one, but they do offer added warmth and comfort and help keep your bag in good shape.
Both bags weigh less than 3 pounds, compress reasonably small for stuffing into a pack, and offer enough warmth for most three-season adventures. Coleman doesn’t provide the bag’s weight, but I weighed it in its compression sack at 4.2 pounds using my kitchen scale. Even though that’s only an extra few ounces, when you’re hiking over challenging terrain, you start feeling that added weight very quickly.
Extremely comfortable and wide enough to turn around in without getting tangled. Looks good after first wash and fits in front loader washer-dryer. Mummy bags typically have a ¾-length side zip that requires some wriggling to get in and out of and can’t be opened up completely should you want to zip the sleeping bag together with another compatible bag. Not only is it easy to create a large and comfortable space for two if you zip it to another bag, but unzipping the bag on its own opens it up for use as a blanket. And if the bag has a tough exterior shell, you can use it as an outdoor picnic blanket in a pinch. Kelty’s popular Cosmic Down 20 has been a mainstay in their lineup for years and remains a popular choice among campers and backpackers alike.
You will love this extra layer of comfort between you and your sleeping pad when you are in your family tent. Meant for 30- to 50-degree nights, this rectangular bag is roomy in the legs and supremely comfortable. It is fleecy coleman chair soft inner lining and it rolls up and ties with attached cords. That said, the all-in-one answer comes with some compromises. In the end, the temperature rating does have value and you should use it as a basic guideline.
This bag should last you for many years, and to ensure it does, it comes with a 5-year limited warranty against manufacturer defects and workmanship. “No-Snag” patented zipper plows fabric away from the zipper to prevent snags. Added “Thermolock System” reduces heat loss through the zippers.
The Big Bay also has a cinchable hood, no-snag zipper and plush collar, plus it allows for foot ventilation, just like the Forte. Anytime a company adds features or upgraded components to a sleeping coleman canopy bag, it adds to the cost. When you’re new to camping, the goal is to find a sleeping bag that has the features you need and none of the ones you don’t, which is what the Big Bay offers.
For starters, you get a respectable weight of 2 pounds 10 ounces, which is the lightest three-season option on our list (Kelty’s own Galactic 30 below weighs around the same but is far less versatile). Along with a healthy dose of 550-fill down, the bag offers cozy warmth and good compressibility. And considering the typical price of a down bag, the Cosmic Down’s $165 MSRP really stands out. My daughter had a big sleepover party and one of her guests borrowed it for the party. She told me the next day that it was the most comfortable sleeping bag she had ever used. She said lots of the girls were sitting on it with her during the movie because it was so comfy.
But in the end, we don’t see the zipper-less concept completely taking over the market. Put simply, the in-and-out convenience and ability to use the bag as a blanket with a full-zip sleeping bag is the better answer for most campers. Each year we add a few new pieces of camping gear to coleman sleeping bag make our trip more comfy. This year, I focused on finding the perfect sleeping bags for camping. Our kids already had sleeping bags but my husband and I didn’t. We just used bedding from home but I don’t like lugging that around and it doesn’t pack up as conveniently as sleeping bags.