We feel the Brazos is relatively durable, fairly warm, and quite inexpensive. Durable zippers and a draft tube allow for easy entry and exit. Outside fabric is too silky, making bag hard to roll tight and get back into carry bag.
Some bags, like The North Face’s One Bag, feature unique warmth-tailoring systems that allow you to customize the amount of insulation depending on conditions. To be sure, most of these additions won’t be deal-breakers for many, but they can be helpful in deciding between similar models (and we’ve called them out in the write-ups above whenever possible). Feels more like a medium weather sleeping bag, may be too much sleeping bag for some. Might not be suitable for serious campers who need something more heavy-duty. Big and tall design can accommodate most people up to 6-foot 5-inches. Features warm cotton canvas cover, heat-locking flannel liner, and matching flannel pillow.
As we touched on above, temperature ratings tend to be fairly generous and often require adding a sizable buffer to ensure you’ll stay warm throughout the night. For those who run cold or simply want to bring their bag into lower temperatures, adding a sleeping bag liner can help keep you cozy without breaking the bank. Liners are made of soft materials like fleece, wool, polyester, or silk and typically add around 5 to 15 degrees to the warmth rating of your bag. They also serve as a coleman chair barrier between you and your bag’s interior, which can help boost lifespan (you can wash the liner after use rather than getting your bag dirty). Liners typically cost between $30 and $60, and a couple of our favorite options are Sea to Summit’s Thermolite Reactor for mummy bags and their Silk-Cotton Blend Liner for rectangular models. To be clear, liners are totally optional and not everyone needs one, but they do offer added warmth and comfort and help keep your bag in good shape.
This bag should last you for many years, and to ensure it does, it comes with a 5-year limited warranty against manufacturer defects and workmanship. “No-Snag” patented zipper plows fabric away from the zipper to prevent snags. Added “Thermolock System” reduces heat loss through the zippers.
A final shape worth mentioning is the semi-rectangular bag, which—as the name implies—shares commonalities with both rectangular and mummy designs. In terms of dimensions, they’re typically roomier than standard mummy bags (particularly at the shoulders and hips) but not overly generous like some rectangular models. All in all, semi-rectangular bags typically offer a good mix of comfort and weight, shaving away excess material while still providing enough space to roll around during the night. For instance, Nemo’s Disco 15 and Forte Endless Promise 20 have roomier fits than most traditional mummy bags, with a noticeable boost in space around the knees and elbows.
Backpacking sleeping bag features integrated packing system and is easy to roll up for storage. Great for camping in temperatures as low as 0 degrees Fahrenheit. If you expected this budget bag to skimp on the bells and whistles, well, you’d probably be right. However, it does come with a comfort cuff for your head and an internal stash pocket for your cell phone. Still, we would have preferred if the pocket could be closed with a zipper rather than Velcro, but that might be just us splitting hairs. You snugglers out there can also use the anti-snag zipper to join two of these sleeping bags into a double bag.
The sleeping bag itself also has roll-control fasteners that hold the bag straight as you roll it up as well as no-tie cords to keep the whole package together, making packing up a breeze. When you think of budget-friendly camping gear, there’s one name that’s hard to ignore. For the casual, budget-conscious camper who simply needs a sleeping bag that’s insulated enough to handle at least three seasons, the Coleman Brazos may just fit the bill. At only $35, it’s inexpensive enough that you can buy a set for the whole family. However, we just had to know if this rectangular sleeping bag was more than just a good deal—was it also a worthwhile purchase? It’s also not a do-it-all kind of sleeping bag, as it’s more built for a night of car camping or even a kid’s sleepover party.