Backpacker Magazine – March 2008

March 2008 Sleeping Bag Review: Three-Season Sleeping Bags

by: The Backpacker Editors, Photos by Sethhughes.com

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GoLite Adrenaline 20

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Macpac Sanctuary 500 Light XP

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Feathered Friends Hummingbird Nano

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Mountain Hardwear Spectre SL 20

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Big Agnes King Solomon

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Big Agnes Skinny Fish

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Exped Woodpecker

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Kelty Foraker 15

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Lafuma Pro 950

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Mammut Ajungilak Kira

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Marmot EcoPro 15

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Marmot Pinnacle

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MontBell Super Stretch Down Hugger #1

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Sierra Designs Trade Wind 15

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Sierra Designs Verde 20

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The North Face Fission

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Western Mountaineering Apache Super DL

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Mountain Hardwear Ultramina 15

Best All-Around
GoLite Adrenaline 20 The world consists of two kinds of people: side-sleepers and back-sleepers. Yet most sleeping bags are made with the latter in mind, and the former end up in a tangle of nylon. This 20°F, 800-fill down bag is made with a half-length center zip, which reduces weight and bulk and pleased both back- and side-sleeping testers. During a week in the Tetons with lows in the mid 20s, our tester reported, "The bag was plenty warm when I wore just a light base layer. When weather was warmer, the half-length center zip ventilated just fine, and it was easy to reach when I was semi-conscious." Waterproof/breathable Pertex Endurance protects the hood and foot against condensation. $325; 2 lbs. 1 oz.; 20°F

Best Buy
Macpac Sanctuary 500 Light XP If you covet the performance of a weatherproof, premium down bag but think the price is out of range, put this bag on your to-snooze list. It's stuffed with 750-fill feathers and covered with a waterproof/breathable shell. Our tester cocooned inside for nine straight hours on a night in the mid-20s and reported no cold spots (though he said all but the warmest sleepers should consider the bag's 10°F rating optimistic by about 5 degrees). So where's the tradeoff? Interior space. Don't expect to roll around much in this slender sleeper. Bonus: It comes with a seam-taped, roll-top stuff sack. $275, 2 lbs. 4 oz.; 10°F

Top Ultralight
Feathered Friends Hummingbird Nano Ounce for ounce, this is one of the warmest bags we've ever tested. The trim, high-lofting 850-fill mummy lived up to its 20°F rating despite its summer-sack proportions: "It stuffs so tiny I could throw it into my hydration pack as an emergency bivy for long trail runs," one tester said. The microfiber Nano cover doesn't totally block wind, but it repels light rain and tent condensation thanks to an effective DWR treatment. Cool feature: the snap hood closure, which never scratched faces or worked loose. Sizing note: The narrow cut is best for slender folks. (The Egret is the women's version, and Feathered Friends bags are available in numerous zipper and fabric options.) As tested: $334; 1 lb. 10 oz.; 20°F