Sleeping Bag
Hyke&Byke Eolus 30 Degree 800 Fill Goose Down Sleeping Bag
Amazon Price: $139.97
This was my first bag, and overall I have been very happy with it. I’ve spent many nights in the woods with this sleeping bag, and would definitely recommend.
What I like about this sleeping bag:
It is very hard to beat the combo of weight and price on this bag. It weighs about two and a half pounds and stuffs into a compact bundle. I think it is great value at $140.
The bag is comfortable to sleep in. The improved zipper is a big upgrade (the previous models had zipper snag issues). The material is soft, and is great to sleep on.
What I don’t like about this sleeping bag:
Not much to dislike about this bag. The only minor complaint I would have is I flip and flop a lot when I sleep. Because of that, a mummy bag is challenging to sleep in. By that, I mean there isn’t much room to wiggle in the bag. I end up waking up about once a night twisted and tangled and I have to unwind myself. This is a me problem though, not a sleeping bag problem.
Final Thoughts:
It is a 30 degree bag, which means you won’t die if you sleep in it at 30 degrees. I have spent plenty of nights in it in the 20s with my sleep quilt (next item listed) tucked inside. It is a bit chilly, but not terrible.
This is still my go-to bag for nights between 40 and 60 degrees. The only reason I purchased the other two items is I sleep in temperatures both hotter and colder than this, and needed proper equipment for those climates.
Amazon link to Hyke&BykeEolus 30 Degree 800 Fill Goose Down Sleeping Bag
Horizon Hound Down Camping Blanket
Amazon Price: $65
I highly recommend this quilt. I exclusively use this during the warmer summer months and couldn’t be happier the product. I have comfortably slept with just this quilt and no shirt in night temperatures as low as sixty degrees.
What I like about this sleep quilt:
The thing is super lightweight. It weighs about a pound and stuffs into a sack which is smaller than a camp meal. It eliminates the need to bring a sleeping bag during the summer months saving that weight and space.
As mentioned above, I am a restless sleeper. This makes a quilt perfect for me. It gives me the freedom to move, but still keeps me covered and warm.
The material is very comfortable. To be honest – it is extremely comfortable. I often pull out these blankets for the kids on road trips or if we are outside on a cold day watching a ball game because they are so comfortable and warm.
What I don’t like about this sleep blanket:
I could see some people preferring to have a sleeping bag because of sleeping in shelters on the trail. A sleeping bag would do a better job keeping the critters and creepy-crawlies off of you. That said, I rarely stay in shelters so I don’t have that issue. I have stayed in shelters with my quilt though and did not have any issues.
Final Thoughts:
This is a must-have for every backpacker. I highly recommend.
Amazon link to Horizon Hound Down Camping Blanket
Nemo Disco 15 Sleeping Bag
REI Price: $299.95
I liked the two sleep options above – combining my Hyke&Byke bag with my quilt. When it got cold, I would put on extra clothes, wrap myself in my quilt and stuff myself into my bag like a sausage. All of this was ok – except for all the added weight.
Carrying extra clothes and the quilt was a couple of pounds for both me and my son. Further, since I’m always hiking with a nine-year-old I am super concerned with him getting cold. Because of that, I would carry my military-issued wool blanket and wrap him in that at night. That thing is heavy as hell. All this means that I end up carrying 10+ extra pounds along with the additional volume.
On top of that, while it was passable I wasn’t as warm as I wanted to be at night. I decided I was going to bite the bullet and get a cold weather option.
What I like about this sleeping bag:
I chose the Disco because it meets my requirements for weight – it weighs under three pounds. It has a cold rating of 15 degrees, but I don’t ever see us camping when it was that cold.
This bag was specifically made for people like me who toss and turn when they sleep. It has a spoon shaped design that gives me extra room to be comfortable. The fabric is very comfortable. The bag feels like it doesn’t have enough fill to keep you warm at low temperatures, but it certainly does.
I also like how it has a place in the mummy head for my pillow. I end up losing my tiny camp pillow every night because of my tossing and turning. Because the bag has a pocket for the pillow, it is always where I need it to be.
What I don’t like about this sleeping bag:
It is a bit on the pricey side. However, I plan on having the bag for years so I was ok with splurging.
I do wish they came in different color options. My son and I have the same color bag, and I have to mark mine to tell them apart. The last thing I want to do is crawl into his grubby bag. I prefer to sleep in my own stink…
Final Thoughts:
If you are a serious about camping, I think you need to have a few different options for when the temperature changes. This is a great bag for cold weather temps and I highly recommend.
REI link to Nemo Disco 15 Sleeping Bag