ALPS Mountaineering Fusion 40°F
Most versatile budget bag
Brand: ALPS Mountaineering
Model: Mountaineering Fusion 40°F
For restless campers in warm climates, the Fusion might be the missing piece to the sleep puzzle. This zipperless bag has a 600-fill down top that’s unattached on three sides, allowing for prime temperature regulation: Fold it open during warm evenings, as one tester did on James Island in South Carolina, then when temps cool, tuck it in and secure it with the toggles (they’re a bit futzy, though). A synthetic bottom maintains warmth underneath you even when compressed, and along with the hydrophobic down (a rare combo at this price point) hoards heat in wet weather and kept us warm down to 40°F despite being soaked. “It poured the first night and there was condensation in my tent, but I stayed warm and dry,” our tester said after a wet night on James Island. The Fusion packs to just bulkier than a football. Drawback: Fit was tight for larger testers. $150; 2 lbs. 2 oz.; 40°F; one size