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AND THE WINNER IS...
Marmot Fusion 15 $189
A bold new bag stuffed with down and synthetic fill, combining the strengths of each.
Why It's Cool: Marmot claimed it in the lab, and we confirmed it in the field: The Fusion is warmer than a synthetic bag with the same measured loft. Why? The PrimaLoft PL2 synthetic outer layer maintains its insulation chutzpah even when condensation forms beneath the shell fabric—a common occurrence that degrades a down bag's efficiency. An inner layer of 600-fill down envelops you in Mother Nature's own warmth >> Zounds, it's less than 200 bucks! >> Total weight for this 15-degree bag is an easily hefted three pounds three ounces. >> External moisture rolls off the DWR finish on the nylon shell—fabric that might infect your dreams with its cool, almost-three-dimensional grid pattern. >> Super-stiff zipper guards banish those aggravating midnight hang-ups.
Hmmm... As a hybrid it is—inevitably—neither as light as an all-down bag nor as inexpensive as an all-synthetic model. >> I'd like to see a fatter down collar on a 15-degree sack.
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Slumberjack Super Guide +30 $69
IT stuffs into a six-by-16-inch sack that won't elicit a funny look from the down crowd.
Why It's Cool: DuPont's Thermolite Extreme insulation is a melange of three different fibers; the end product compacts well and has a high warmth-to-weight ratio. It also has a soft hand, eliminating the "boingy" feel of some synthetics. >> At only two pounds eight ounces, it's barely heavier than some down bags in its class. >> Slumberjack didn't sacrifice room for weight: There's a capacious 66 inches of shoulder girth, and 64 inches at the foot. I could sleep knees-up with no problem.
Hmmm... Scratch that rainforest jaunt—the Super Guide's shell isn't water-resistant. >> After a night with the mercury at the freezing point, I found the 30-degree rating a bit optimistic. Call this a solid 40-degree performer. |
Kelty Light Year 3D $90
This 45-degree bag is a perfect choice for summer outings.
Why It's Cool: You won't sweat a night in the Light Year, and you won't sweat carrying it, either: At one pound 13 ounces, it weighs less than a quart of Gatorade. Yet the Light Year is huge—I could practically play Frisbee inside. Big campers will appreciate the wiggle room. >> To save weight, the main zipper is only half-length, but a clever separate zip at the bottom allows you to cool your heels. >> Polarguard 3D insulation means the Light Year is simple to wash and dry, nice for a bag you might be climbing into while you're still sticky from exertion. >> A draft tube over the zipper and a well-shaped hood preserve body heat; loops on the underside allow you to secure your sleeping pad to the bag.
Hmmm... Should you decide to push the temperature rating, be aware that the quilt stitching means lost heat. |
Sierra Designs Mojave +15 $159
If we awarded a "Most Versatile Design" prize, we'd wrap the Mojave around it.
Why It's Cool: On its own, the Mojave is a fine 15-degree bag filled with Polarguard Delta insulation. But zip on the optional Delta Lid ($69)—an extra top layer—and the bag will keep you cozy all the way down to zero, significantly expanding your capacity for outdoor adventure. >> With the full-length zipper open, I didn't overheat through a warmish October night in the desert. Zipped up and with the lid attached, there was nowhere within 1,000 miles of me cold enough to test its lower limits. >> At two pounds 15 ounces (20 ounces more with lid), the Mojave won't weigh you down, whether you're backpacking among the cactuses or freeheeling in Yellowstone.
Hmmm... There's no insulated collar. >> With the lid attached, the Mojave is pretty bulky when stuffed. |
Big Agnes Gilpin $219
Agnes packed enough 650-fill down into her Gilpin to keep you feeling comfy—and thrifty—on ten-degree nights.
Why It's Cool: Realizing that much of the insulation beneath you simply gets compressed into uselessness, Big Agnes left it out, substituting a sleeve to insert a sleeping pad that matches your conditions. Back-packing? Slide in an ultralight air mattress. Car camping? Hell, go with that fat foam Posturepedic. >> The Gilpin incorporates a "draft wedge" of down that seals the interface between bag and pad, so there's no heat loss around the perimeter. >> A down yoke nestles around your neck, eliminating drafts there, too. >> Total weight is a competitive two pounds eight ounces.
Hmmm... The Gilpin's hood is too small, and no good at all if you stuff a jacket or camping pillow into the built-in pillow pocket. |
WesternMountaineering HighLite $220
At just one pound, the HighLite is the four-minute mile of sleeping bag design.
Why It's Cool: This 16-ouncer will keep you warm on 40-degree spring nights and saddle you with about the same burden as a can of beans. >> It even manages to squeeze in a hood! >> The 850-plus down maximizes the HighLite's efficiency, and the vertical seams are baffled to help maintain loft—though the horizontal seams are sewn through, which quickly reveals cold spots if you push the temperature rating.
Hmmm... Those sewn-through seams prevent you from shifting feathers to the bottom of the bag to adjust the warmth. >> An unavoidable side effect of such weight savings is a snug fit: There's plenty of shoulder room, but not a lot at the feet. |
REI 700 Down EL $249
Such a deal! For 250 bucks you get a durable bag filled with high-quality, 700-fill-power down.
Why It's Cool: REI piled on the features, including a proper head-hugging hood, an excellent down collar that I could easily snug from inside, and a full-length zipper. >> Unlike bags that sacrifice durability to save weight, the 700's ripstop shell fabric is sturdy enough to stand up to serious abuse. And the water-resistant laminate underneath shrugged off condensation and drips. >> Interior room is generous, with 60 inches of shoulder girth and 41 inches for your feet. >> Tight, five-inch baffle spacing controls the down to maintain even loft. >> The silky Pertex lining is a delight to spend the night with.
Hmmm... I'd prefer double-zipper draft tubes on a 10-degree bag. The 700 has just one. |
GoLite Feather $249
This feather skimps on bulk, not warmth.
Why It's Cool: With its gossamer Pertex Quantum shell fabric and cloudlike 700-fill-down innards, the two-pound six-ounce Feather looked ready to levitate off my sleeping mat. Yet it was comfortable on a brisk, near-20-degree night in Arizona's Catalina Mountains. >> The shell fabric weighs only .9 ounce per square yard—you can see the down plumules through it—yet it has a water-resistant coating to fend off moisture. >> Although the Feather is mummy-shaped, there's plenty of room inside. >> Nice, fat down collar. Yum!
Hmmm... A quarter-length zipper saves weight and eliminates a potential line of heat loss, yet it also restricts versatility: The Feather was comfortable at its rated 20 degrees, but too warm at 50. That short zipper also means that getting in and out of this bag is a bit like removing a sausage from its casing. |
Mountain Hardwear Spectre SL $350
How do you eliminate a zillion leak-prone needle holes? Eliminate the sewing machine.
Why It's Cool: The Spectre offers an extremely weatherproof shell that reliably sheds the most insistent drizzle—Mountain Hardwear's own Conduit SL laminate is windproof, yet highly breathable. >> Inside is enough super-premium 800-fill down to keep you toasty at the Spectre's rated 25 degrees. >> Mountain Hardwear's attention to detail is evident throughout this two-pound 12-ounce welded-seam bag: I loved the down collar, which can easily be snugged to conserve core warmth while leaving the hood loose. >> There's enough space here for squirming, with 61 inches of shoulder girth and 38 inches of foot room, without compromising insulation efficiency. >> With its impeccable construction and silvery-green hue, this is one handsome bedmate.
Hmmm... The Velcroed storm flap can make for fussy zipper operation. |
Exped Icebird $399
If your idea of "three-season" camping is early spring in the Tetons, shack up with the the Exped Icebird, which will cover you clear down to a frigid five degrees.
Why It's Cool: Don't want to tote the extra weight associated with a super-warm bag? You don't have to: At a meager two pounds six ounces, the Icebird barely tips the scales. Exped does its thing with premium 700-fill goose down and the finest shell fabrics, including an ultralight, .9-ounce-per-square-yard Pertex Quantum Ripstop nylon. >> I found the Icebird a perfect fit for heat conservation, with just enough room—66 inches at the shoulder—to move around, but no wasted space to heat. >> Tasty design touches include a full-length zipper and a hood that cradled my entire head in warmth. >> The Icebird disappears into its handy inner chest pocket—no stuff sack needed.
Hmmm... Even an ultralight five-degree bag should have a down collar. |
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