The Great Sleeping Bag Sleep-Off

GoLite Adrenaline 20º

$325 USD*

http://www.golite.com 

Weight 1 lb. 14 oz.

Temperature 20º F / -7º C

Three-season bag

Available in women’s and men’s versions GoLite’s Adrenaline 20º offers serious warmth in an ultra-light, down-filled package. This bag is so light that it was hard to imagine it would provide enough warmth for spring and fall camping in our cool Canadian climate. On this test day, the bag performed well as the mercury dropped into the single digits overnight. This bag is equipped with ingenious waterproof AridZone™ hood and foot boxes to keep you dry, as well as an insulated draft tube in the hood and zipper. A baffled hood with drawstring is a great feature for cold nights. In short, you’d be hard pressed to find a lighter bag on the market that matches the Adrenaline’s performance. *At press time a Canadian dollar price was not available for this product. GoLite bags are new to the Canadian market and will be in stores this July. 

Kelty Forecast 20º

$175

http://www.kelty.com 

Weight 3 lbs. 13 oz.

Temperature 20º F / -7º C

Three-season bag 

For those who feel the need to walk even more gently on Mother Earth, the Kelty Forecast 20º is a sturdy, well-equipped bag that is also environmentally friendly. It is actually insulated with recycled fibres and has a recycled polyester shell. The Forecast is certainly comfortable enough, boasting a nice cushion and a zippered foot vent (great if you like to stick your feet out of the blankets). The ground level side seams will help keep the chill to a minimum, and the top baffle collar on the hood keeps your head warm.  

The North Face Twin Peaks BX

$170

http://www.thenorthface.com  

Weight 5 lbs. 13 oz.

Temperature 20º F / -7º C

Three-season bag 

The North Face Twin Peaks BX is a high-performance bag built for two. It’s plush, snuggle-worthy and the tapered cut is designed to keep you both warm. It even has the cutest little room divider that has the dual purpose of trapping warm air between sleepers and keeping your bed-hogging partner in line. This bag has a full-length draft tube. Weighing in at almost six pounds, this bag is best suited for car camping or for short (no doubt, romantic) backcountry jaunts.  

Sierra Designs Cochise 30

$140

http://www.sierradesigns.com 

Weight 3 lbs. 1 oz. (long 3 lbs. 4 oz.)

Temperature 30°F / -1°C 

Suited for warmer temps, the Cochise is a wonder! It is constructed of Sierra Designs “Flex” material. If you move around a lot in your bag as I do, there is a lot more give as the fabric tends to move with you and keep the warmth in, instead of creating little air holes that fire warmth right out of your bag. I was surprised by the warmth and efficiency of the bag. The shell is mini-rip stop nylon so it is soft but super strong. And, the Cochise actually has an elongated foot box to provide that extra little bit of comfort. At around 3 lbs., the Cochise is a solid all-around bag. 

Marmot Helium 15

$369USD

http://www.marmot.ca  

Weight 1 lb. 15 oz.

Temperature 27.7F / -2.4C 

An award-winning bag brought to you by the fine folks at Marmot Mountain Ltd. A serious sleeper, this bag is very tapered and very comfy and packs down to the size of a small Chihuahua. It matches the GoLite bag at just two pounds. The fill is goose down, hence the efficient warming. On the Helium, there is also a roomy foot box, and an insulated draft tube. The hood is wild with baffles and down, six chambers apparently, but whatever it is, it works and it is comfortable. It is actually constructed the same way as the hood of your winter jacket, which should give you an idea of the coverage and warmth. The shell is ripstop nylon for toughness. It is actually suited for cooler weather than others tested. It feels warm and as though it could handle even more frigid temperatures.    

Storing your sleeping bag

Before storing, make sure your bag is dry. Do not store your bag in its compression sack. Store lying flat under your bed (optimal), hanging in a closet (folded in half over a heavy duty plastic or wood hanger) or loosely in a large cotton storage bag. The key goal is to maintain as much of the sleeping bag’s loft as possible. 

Cleaning your sleeping bag

Fill your tub with water and mild camp soap. Fully submerge the bag in the tub and hand wash. Rinse the bag well (this may take several attempts). If you’ve got a line, you can hang your bag outside to dry. Go out and shake the bag a few times as it dries to avoid clumps of filling. Otherwise allow the wet bag to drip dry; then place it in dryer on a low setting with a couple of tennis balls. This will help redistribute the filling. Be sure to check the label on your sleeping bag before placing it in the dryer.