The BACKPACKER Sleeping Bag Water Torture Test

We go above and beyond the regular gear testing rigamarole. We'll simulate a thunderstorm, go for full submersion, and then, a cold–weather test...in a beer fridge.

In this trilogy of videos, Shannon Davis worms inside three waterproof sleeping bags for the ultimate insulation test.

Part 1: Simulated Rain Smackdown

In this gear test, Shannon Davis jumps in three sleeping bags and we hose them down to see how each one handles high-force rain.

Part II: Full Submersion

Yeah, we know you probably won’t ever get fully submerged in a raging river while in your sleeping bag, but that’s not good enough for us.

Part III: The Beer Fridge

Frigid temperatures are hard to find in the middle of the summer (when we shot this video) so after soaking these bags, we chilled out at a local liquor store. See which bag kept the cold out best.

When you buy something using the retail links in our stories, we may earn a small commission. We do not accept money for editorial gear reviews. Read more about our policy.