The best summer bag for the buck, and I highly recommend for scouts for its multiple use in spring, summer, fall, and on backpacking trips (compact, lightweight). Agree with earlier review that temp rating is a little lower that it really is. A lot of folks write off Coleman – let’s be honest – their products are really hit or miss. (I’ve seen above freezing bags around 1.5 lbs) and perfect for summer or spring/fall in the south. But it’s really closer to a 45 degree bag unless you sleep with your clothes on.
The Nemo Forte is a more luxurious-feeling synthetic sleeping bag—the fabric is more supple and the insulation loftier—but the Big Bay doesn’t feel as slick as many bags around the same price do. It’s a little slippery on the inside, which makes getting in and out easy, but the outside isn’t slick, so it doesn’t slide around on a cot, sleeping coleman sleeping bag pad or air mattress. The Big Bay also has a cinchable hood, no-snag zipper and plush collar, plus it allows for foot ventilation, just like the Forte. I love my memory foam mattress at home so I knew I would love the Coleman memory foam sleeping bag. This synthetic sleeping bag has a layer of memory foam for luxurious camping comfort.
And considering the typical price of a down bag, the Cosmic Down’s $165 MSRP really stands out. You don’t need to wash your sleeping bag after every camping trip, but you should clean it once or twice a year, depending on how much you use it. Using a front-loading washing machine (never use a top-loading agitator-style machine), wash your sleeping bag with a small amount of mild liquid detergent on a warm, gentle cycle and rinse it with cold water.
In both tests, the Brazos placed in the middle of the pack. Another option is the Canyon 15, which is more coleman air mattress like a 25 degree bag. It’s a little bigger, but I picked it up for about $75 and it’s pretty snuggly.
Both bags weigh less than 3 pounds, compress reasonably small for stuffing into a pack, and offer enough warmth for most three-season adventures. Coleman doesn’t provide the bag’s weight, but I weighed it coleman air mattress in its compression sack at 4.2 pounds using my kitchen scale. Even though that’s only an extra few ounces, when you’re hiking over challenging terrain, you start feeling that added weight very quickly.