Added up, the Siesta is comfy, well appointed, and a fantastic value. Weighing 2.3 lbs, the Galactic is a very lightweight bag among the rectangular, traditional car-camping models. It’s not exactly built for backpacking, but it also packs down small enough that we would certainly consider it for short hike-in campsites.
It’s lined with cotton flannel and enveloped in a cotton canvas shell. It’s also very spacious, eliminating the claustrophobic feeling of narrower bags on the market. The Deer Hunter is constructed of synthetic fabrics that are silky smooth and comfortable, but there is a distinct difference between the two bags. The Deer Hunter simply cannot provide the same comfort level as cotton materials found on the Redwood.
Once you have that number, it’s a good idea to build in a little buffer (we like an extra degrees) to avoid getting cold. And keep in mind the temperature rating is closer to a survivability rating rather than being comfortable and warm. Other factors to consider are your age—people typically don’t sleep as warm the older they get—and whether you are a cold or warm sleeper. Most campers stick to the warmer months for their coleman sleeping bags outdoor adventuring, and as a result, most of the sleeping bags on this list are rated in the degree range. 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.
It’s not cheap outfitting an entire camping setup, and for those who plan to add backpacking into the mix, the cost can get out of hand quickly. If this sounds like you, choosing a crossover camping/backpacking bag is a viable way to save. A few models above can pull double duty for both activities with few compromises, including the NEMO Forte 20 and Kelty Cosmic Down 20.
It is important to consider the temperature rating, especially when camping in cold weather. It is advisable to understand what the temperature ratings mean for each. For convenience and ease of storage, the sleeping bags feature a stuff sack and elastic straps so you can bundle them into a manageable coleman cabin tent compact size. The Coleman Big Bay 20° is rated for a lower temperature limit of 20 degrees Fahrenheit, which seems about right based on my experience. Wearing long johns and wool socks, I crawled into the Big Bay, napped on a cot in 32-degree weather and found it comfortably warm.
Looking at the modest price tag of the Brazos, we expected to be quite underwhelmed by its performance. However, its warmth ratings outperformed several of the more expensive bags. Additionally, despite its basic design, the Coleman Kompact also lived up to its cold weather coleman cabin tent rating. We were also very impressed with the Kelty Galactic — its warmth-to-weight ratio, in particular. The Galactic is one of just a few down-insulated car-camping bags on the market. Its feather interior makes it the lightest bag we tested, yet one of the warmest.
It doesn’t pack down as small as many modern, mummy-shaped backpacking sleeping bags, and it also lacks some of the extra features often provided by car-camping bags. That said, this down-filled sleeping bag packs up small and is lightweight enough for short hike-in trips with ample warmth per ounce. The Kelty Galactic 30 takes the best features of the high-performance mummy and the traditional camping sleeping bag and blends them into one. Its rectangular shape is wide and non-restrictive, and it’s loaded with 600-fill down. These two features offer a near-perfect bag for campers desiring better-performing down insulation minus the cocooning nature of narrow mummy-shaped bags. The Galactic kept us warm down to 30 degrees F, and maybe a touch colder.