Backpacking sleeping bag features integrated packing system and is easy to roll up for storage. Great for camping in temperatures as low as 0 degrees Fahrenheit. If you expected this budget bag to skimp on the bells and whistles, well, you’d probably be right. However, it does come with a comfort cuff for your head and an internal stash pocket for your cell phone. Still, we would have preferred if the pocket could be closed with a zipper rather than Velcro, but that might be just us splitting hairs. You snugglers out there can also use the anti-snag zipper to join two of these sleeping bags into a double bag.
Colorado-based Kelty has been in the camping business for a long time, and we like what they’ve come up with in the Galactic 30. What makes this bag unique is its combination of quality 550-fill-power down with a rectangular shape. Most traditional camping bags stick to synthetic fill for coleman chair cost savings, but lofty down clusters offer a premium feel and warmth that polyester just can’t match. And as we’ve come to expect from Kelty, the Galactic is solidly built and priced pretty affordably at $170, which is around $30 less than REI’s similarly intentioned Hunkerdown above.
A bag in the 3- to 4-pound range can be used for backpacking, and these models are often more comfortable to sleep in, but they also take up more space and add weight to an already heavy pack. Anything above 4 pounds is generally best for car camping and recreational use. The Big Bay is best suited for car camping, road tripping, backyard sleepovers and other adventures where you don’t need to carry it that far. At less than 5 pounds, it’s not overly heavy, and it packs down to a decent size using the compression sack, but the size and weight will take their toll if you’re hiking into camp. If you want to try backpacking, you can get away with hauling the Big Bay for an overnight hiking trip, but you wouldn’t want to take it too far.
As I was testing, I considered qualities like comfort, warmth, design features, ease of use, durability, packability and versatility. Mummy sleeping bags trim away material in the shoulders, hips, and feet for a shape that mimics your body. The advantage of having a tapered cut is there is little extra space for cold spots to creep in. And with a quality hood cinched around the top of your head, you can really maximize the temperature rating potential. If you find yourself at higher elevations or in colder temperatures, a mummy bag is a great option.
Tumble dry on low heat in as large a dryer as possible (high heat can burn the fabric or insulation). You can toss in some tennis balls to help fluff it back up, but make sure your bag is completely dry before storing it away. When not using the Big Bay sleeping bag, store it in a large, breathable bag. Keeping it compressed in the stuff sack for long periods can reduce the loft of synthetic insulation and cause the bag to develop cold spots. I’m a journalist who writes about outdoor and fitness gear for several publications, including Outside, Forbes and the REI Co-op Journal. You can read my in-depth review of the best sleeping bags, including the Coleman Big Bay 20° as the best value for car camping and general use.
In the event you wish to send a product back to us, you may return most unused items for a refund or exchange, minus shipping, within 90 days from the date of purchase unless noted below under exceptions and exclusions. Refunds are issued to the original form of payment, unless returned in store where some exclusions may apply. The polyester face fabric is durable, so it doesn’t need to be treated as delicately as some premium bags that require special care. You can wash the Big Bay in a front-loading washing machine on gentle with mild liquid detergent and run it through a low-heat dryer cycle. I’ve laundered the Big Bay once, and the insulation has stayed in place.
This bag will stand up to their spills, mistakes, and overall mistreatment. And if it doesn’t withstand it all, you’re not out a ton of cash. This bag is also perfect for anyone on a budget or someone who doesn’t want to worry about the care that is necessary for more expensive bags.
We take day hikes and do outdoor activities from our drive up camping spot in the Smoky Mountains. Therefore, I was looking for sleeping bags for camping that offered comfort. I also wanted them to keep us comfortable in cold weather down to degrees. For having a knit liner and far from space-age insulation, the Brazos still managed to come in at a reasonable 4.1lb, which is just a hair lighter than its main competitor on our 2021 list, the $45 Kelty Callisto 30. Packed size, i.e., compressed volume is pretty much negligible with this bag; it’s simply not built for backpacking but rather for camping. That being said, the bag comes with a stuff sack that does a decent job of keeping everything together.
However, close-fitting mummy bags, like those designed exclusively for backpacking and alpine pursuits, can feel claustrophobic for most people because there’s not a lot of room to toss and turn. The open footbox design adds space, and the bag has enough room for me to side sleep and bend my knees. I tested the Coleman Big Bay 20° against 12 other sleeping bags for an in-depth sleeping bag roundup and awarded it the best value sleeping bag at $120. This mummy-style bag will keep you toasty warm without feeling restrictive, like some sleeping bags that taper in drastically at the feet. It’s also got a handful of features like a no-snag zipper and plush draft collar that add to its appeal. It’s a suitable choice for someone who wants to start camping but doesn’t want to shell out a ton of money for a more performance-oriented sleeping bag.