Big Agnes Torchlight Camp 35°F

Updated December 3, 2024 05:45PM

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Specs

BACKPACKER Gear 360 Review

The synthetic Torchlight Camp 35°F is warm, adjustable, and inexpensive, three qualities that should make this bag attractive to a wide range of campers. Its most notable feature solves a problem common to all mummy-shaped bags: While they’re efficient at trapping heat, they can feel tight, especially in moderate temperatures. The Torchlight Camp’s design allows you to adjust the bag’s roominess, a comfort boost any type of sleeper—side or back, restless or calm—will love. Zippers on each side of the bag, separate from the main open/close zipper, “release” more material and expand the bag from a classic mummy shape to a roomier silhouette when they’re unzipped. The zippers offer a full 10 inches of adjustability, increasing the circumferences of the chest and the hips from 60 to 70 inches and 54 to 64 inches, respectively. So, while the Torchlight Camp offers an exceptionally roomy sleep experience, it packs smaller than you’d expect for a bag of this volume. (Due to the synthetic fill it’s still the size of two soccer balls when compressed, though, so is best for car camping or short backcountry overnights. The Torchlight Camp also weighs just under 3 pounds.)

Unzipping the sides doesn’t release any heat, and the Torchlight Camp’s water-resistant synthetic fill does its job (its EN comfort rating is 35°F). On a 40°F night we spent camping on the Hoback River in Hoback Canyon, Wyoming, we expanded the bag to its full size and remained comfortable throughout the night. “I’m the most restless sleeper I know, and I was able to twist and turn to my heart’s content,” our tester says. The Torchlight Camp’s polyester taffeta lining—along with the shell, it has a PFC-free DWR—provides a silky sleeping surface, and we found that the hood cinches down nicely to seal out drafts. Bonus: At only $160, this bag offers superb bang for your buck. It also comes in both men’s and women’s versions, and in two lengths for each of those. The Torchlight Camp is also available in a 20°F version for $20 more.

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Reader review: Felix Belanger

I used this bag during an unseasonable spring heat wave in Quebec, but that made the versatility all the better. On a trip where I camped near Mont-Saint-Hilaire, I aired the bag out fully and the fabric remained soft and breathable, which was nice when temperatures didn’t dip below 60°F. I think it would be perfect for chillier nights, though. The hood was just the right size, and my head never slipped out. I was able to get the bag into my pack for the biking portion of the trip, although it was a little big for taking out for more than a few days if you have a lot of other gear, I think. Overall I like the roominess and would definitely take the bag on more camping adventures.