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My son is looking for a sleeping bag. I use a quilt, and have not been keeping up on the latest (if any) sleeping bag trends. He needs something for a person 6’2″, budget up to $300, (but he is a college student, so cheaper is better) down prefered, 15F rating, he says weight not a big issue but always lighter and smaller is better. I have told him if he thinks he needs to use it that cold his pad is likely the weak link, but let’s ignore that for the moment.
thanks!
The only new “trends” in the past few years with sleeping bags are: more accurate warmth ratings (standardized at least), more duck rather than goose as insulation, and most big manufacturers are coating the down with a polymer with supposedly enhances water resistance. I think costs are quite reasonable for what you can get.
For $300, you ought to have some nice choices. Your son will want a M’s<span style=”text-decoration: underline;”> long</span> bag for his height. I really like REI’s bags (the Radiant and Igneo), and the best bang for your buck is the Kelty Cosmic Down 20 at $170 for a long. It packs up to the size of a big football!
The nice thing about the new EN temperature rating system is that it puts the manufacturers on a level playing field as far as testing. The temperature rating on the bag should be a pretty good estimate of how cold that bag will be comfortable. In other words, a 20 degree bag should keep you warm down to 20 degrees. (Of course, everyone is different, so there is latitude for layering up in the bag, or even going with something not as warm if you run hot.)
Your son should have no trouble finding a bag that meets his criteria. Have fun!
REI has their Labor Day sale going right now. This is a good deal:
https://www.rei.com/product/110922/rei-co-op-magma-10-sleeping-bag-mens
That REI Magma 10 is truly a beautiful bag, and best in class for warmth:weight:cost. At that sale price it’s a steal. The son might want to crawl into it first, as the cut is definitely streamlined.
Thanks for the feedback all. My son is pretty lean and has been thus far in his life, so I am imagining a long will work for him. This is the sort of item I didn’t find somehow when browsing the REI sale, glad you all were able to. :-)
Another trend is sleeping bags that are more like home beds or quilts, such that the experience is more being “under” rather than “inside of” (like with a traditional sleeping bag). Some have large openings on top with a blanket-like cover.
One “trend” if you want to call it that is towards the use of overquilts to extend a bags temperature rating downwards, even those of us who can’t get quilts to work overquilts seem to present fewer comfort issues. Well this is true for myself anyway
As Brad mentioned earlier, the REI Magma 10 is a steal at this sale. It’s absolutely what I would pick up to meet those requirements.
I agree, good bag for a good price. I actually think my son thinks he needs a warmer bag than he does, and the magma may be too much for most of his use. But better too much than not enough, there are creative ways around that.
I have sent him the info and now I am looking forward to seeing if he continues to look or buys one.
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Brynje Mesh BaselayersBrynje baselayers use open mesh construction to move moisture away from the skin, create insulating air pockets, and help regulate body temperature across changing conditions and activity levels.
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