

We’ve selected the 650 #1 because of its reasonable price and three-season rating, but if you want to upgrade to a warmer bag, or you want to shave off a little weight with the help of a higher fill power, you’ve got those options. The whole Down Hugger line uses a mix of goose and duck down and comes in a variety of fill powers, fill weights, and two lengths: regular and long. The zippers include anti-snag covers, which have worked well so far in our testing.
#PATAGONIA BLACKHOLE ZIP#
The bag comes in either a right or left zip configuration, which means a couple could buy two and zip them together. That’s not great for a dedicated backpacking bag, but for weekend hikers who take only a few longer trips per year, it should be fine. Compressed, the Down Hugger measures 8.6 liters, and 7.5 by 14.8 inches. The Down Hugger felt loftier than any other bag we tested it envelopes you the minute you’re inside. The bag’s 650-fill-power down accounts for nearly half of the bag’s total weight (2 pounds 10 ounces), and this shows. As with the Swallow, the Egret is backed by Feathered Friends’s lifetime warranty. It is billed as a women’s bag, but we think the bag’s extra insulation makes it a good fit for anyone who sleeps cold. Thoughtfully constructed, the Egret is made with top-quality materials resulting in a simple, proven design that works in all conditions. Like the Swallow, the Feathered Friends Egret YF 20 is a high-end bag that is, nonetheless, a rare find for its price. All Feathered Friends products come with a lifetime guarantee and are made with certified RDS down. It’s not an ultralight bag, but its 900-plus fill-power down (more about fill power later, but in short, this means the bag is very lofty and therefore both lightweight and warm) is a rare find for below $400 and makes it light enough to carry easily on long-distance trips. It is rated to 30 ☏ and offers a looser fit for wide bodies, making it a good buy for larger people. This bag is simple and unadorned yet filled with top-quality down. The lightweight Swallow YF 30 Sleeping Bag is a solid choice for people who bring a sleeping bag with them often while hiking or traveling. A lifetime warranty covers manufacturer’s defects but not normal wear and tear. It’s worth noting, however, that this is a much warmer bag than many of the others we tested at times it was too warm. It is EN rated to 15 ☏-and after many cold nights of sleeping under the stars, our testers found that number to be accurate. The Teton also has thoughtful features, like a pocket within the bag to store electronics. It’s warmer and slimmer than the Montbell Down Hugger, but it’s also among the softest, warmest bags we tested: The fluffy insulation feels plush and almost overstuffed it swaddles you while you sleep. We didn’t notice any fraying during our testing period, either-but should you experience any manufacturing defect, the bag is backed by Montbell’s lifetime warranty.Īnd though it’s billed as a women’s bag, the Marmot Women’s Teton is a good fit for any narrow-bodied person who gets cold at night. The bag’s shape and diagonal baffles made it feel far roomier and more accommodating than most of the traditional mummy bags we tested.

It’s rare to find a comfortable down bag that costs less than $300, yet the Down Hugger was softer and had more loft than some bags that cost $100 more. If you already know you want to work a lot of backpacking into your camping habits, you’ll need a lighter, more stuffable bag than the REI Co-op Siesta 25, and we think the unisex Montbell Down Hugger is the best choice for people with broad shoulders and narrower hips who tend to get hot at night, as well as for people who move a lot in their sleep.
