Big Agnes Buell 30

In a world of expensive bags with highly engineered materials and space-age construction, the Buell 30 is a reminder that simple works. Side sleepers found it roomy enough to toss and turn without letting in drafts, yet they had no problem packing it down. “It compressed to 8.5 by 9.5 inches, which offered plenty of extra room for the rest of my gear in my 58-liter backpack,” says one tester who used it on multiple hikes through Louisiana’s Kisatchie Hills Wilderness. Basic synthetic fill, a ripstop shell, and the absence of welding and complex baffling keep the price affordable. But for $110, our tester stayed warm as long as temps were above 30˚F. “The draft collar is extremely comfortable and contoured well to my neck,” he says. “It kept heat in and cold out.” Bottom line: no nonsense comfort for less than 3 pounds.bigagnes.com