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The outer shell uses a 30-denier recycled polyester rip-stop material with an inner lining made of 20-denier recycled polyester taffeta. It does a good job of suppressing the moisture that often forms inside the tent, which I discovered after one night of testing. The filling is what Nemo calls Zerofiber insulation, which is made with 100 percent post-consumer recycled content fiber. The Zerofiber bag is remarkably compact — this is the most compact bag I’ve tested in this thermal range — and retains its ability to trap warmth even when wet.
What I like most about this bag, and almost all Nemo sleeping bags, is the wider cut across the torso and down to the knees. Like the Therm-a-Rest Questar bag above, this bag is almost a hybrid of a mummy bag and your dad’s 1970s square sleeping bag. This means that this bag is spacious. The downside is that there’s more dead space for your body to heat, but as someone who sleeps warm anyway, I’d take the extra room.
Specifications:
- Temperature rating: -20°F / -7°C
- Comfort rating: 30°F / -1.1°C
- Fill: Synthetic
How to choose the perfect sleeping bag
A sleeping bag is usually one of the most expensive pieces of camping equipment you will buy. If none of our picks catch your attention, here are some general guidelines.
How will you use your sleeping bag?
Are you car camping? Hiking through the PCT? Have you been out overnight in the August heat? Are you planning a winter ski tour in the Karakoram Himalayas? The right sleeping bag for you depends on how you’ll be using it, especially the temperatures at which you plan to camp or backpack, and how you sleep — hot or cold in between.
Unfortunately, there is no perfect sleeping bag for all climates. If you encounter a wide range of conditions at your camp, I would consider two bags. Get a nice pack for cold conditions and a cheaper, lightweight synthetic packing bag for summer use.
As with most things in the outdoor world, you’ll pay more for lightweight materials, so if you don’t need them because, say, you’re just car camping, don’t pay extra for a lightweight pack. Maybe you don’t even pay for the bottom bag. Synthetic bags are generally the best budget sleeping options for those camping in hot weather.
By the same token, if you’re primarily a summer hiker, doing the Appalachian Trail in sections, you won’t need a zero degree pack. Determine your use and then find the sleeping bag that suits you. Also take the temperature rating with caution. Everyone sleeps differently. I always sleep warm, which means I don’t need a 0 degree bag in anything but the harshest of situations. My colleague Adrienne So is almost the opposite and uses a 0 degree bag in 40 degree weather. None of us are “right”, we’ve just learned to make choices about how we sleep.
Types of sleeping bag insulation
There are two types of insulation used in sleeping bags today, down and synthetic fibres. Come down Primarily of geese and ducks. Synthetics range from nylon to polyester. Insulation works by creating pockets of air, either through a feather structure or a synthetic fiber structure. These pockets of air then trap your body heat, keeping it close to you and keeping you warm. The higher the altitude – the more pockets of air – the warmer you are and the lower the temperature rating of the sleeping bag.
In most cases, a down sleeping bag is the best option. It’s warmer for the weight, packs smaller, and is lighter. Where down fails is when it gets wet. Wetting is usually useless, as all the air pockets that trap heat are gone. Synthetics, on the other hand, retain more warmth when wet. No one wants to sleep in a wet sleeping bag, but if you think this is a possibility, a synthetic sleeping bag is the perfect solution.
