Sierra Designs Zissou Plus 4 Season

Our take If warmth-per-dollar is your primary concern, this is your bag. In lieu of a traditional baffle structure, it has 4-inch-tall sidewall baffles that minimize shifting down and give the bag more of a structured shape. Testers said this construction created “a force field of warmth” since it makes the bag more rigid than normal, allowing the Zissou to stand up on its own. That also makes it easy to rotate inside the bag in the middle of the night. An oversized, triangular draft collar fully seals in warmth. “I found it way easier and more comfortable to tuck this around my neck instead of cranking down on drawcords to try and get the hood opening as small as possible,” a tester says. Tradeoff: Although sub-$300 is a heck of a deal for a down bag at this temp rating, the extra material and 700-fill duck down increase weight and bulk.

The details A 15-inch zip on the opposite shoulder of the primary zipper allows you to flip the top down like a blanket, which testers appreciated in moderate temps. And mobility is great, thanks to the 62-inch shoulder and 58-inch hip circumferences. “I could easily change my shirt and pants without leaving the bag,” says a tester.

Trail cred “I don’t mind carrying the extra weight,” says a Utah tester. “When I unexpectedly ended up in single-digit temps in the Sawatch Range, I was thankful to be cozy in this bag instead of shivering like my tentmate.”