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 coleman canopy money for a more performance-oriented sleeping bag. If you’ve ever had a pad deflate or slept directly on the ground in cold weather, you know firsthand the importance of an insulated pad beneath you.
It’s a little slippery on the inside, which makes getting in and out easy, but the outside isn’t slick, so it doesn’t slide around on a cot, sleeping pad or air mattress. The Big Bay also has a cinchable hood, no-snag zipper and plush collar, plus it allows for foot ventilation, just like the Forte. The compromises in choosing the cheaper fill type are relatively minimal for camping. With a car or camper to transport all of your gear, the larger stuffed size and extra weight are much less of a concern than when your sleeping bag has to be crammed into a pack and carried on your back. And should the insulation get wet, synthetics continue to keep you warm, unlike down feathers. For a full explanation of the two insulation types, see our article on down vs. synthetics.
I’ve laundered the Big Bay once, and the insulation has stayed in place. This bag should last you for many years, and to ensure it does, it comes with a 5-year limited warranty against manufacturer defects and workmanship. We believe in offering the very best value, quality, and selection. 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.
To be clear, liners are totally optional and not everyone needs one, but they do offer added warmth and comfort and help keep your bag in good shape. For campers looking for a sleeping bag that can pull double duty on the occasional backpacking trip, we like Nemo’s Disco. With a 14-degree temperature rating, sub-3-pound weight, and decently packable build (it even includes a compression stuff sack), the Disco is fully serviceable for short forays into the backcountry. Just as importantly, it’s supremely comfortable for camping thanks to its unique “spoon” shape, which resembles a mummy bag but with a noticeable boost in space around the knees and elbows. This makes it less restrictive inside, particularly for side sleepers and those prone to tossing and turning.
It’s constructed with lightweight Coletherm® hollow polyester insulation to help keep you warm from top to bottom. An adjustable hood and special quilting construction surround your coleman canopy head and body to help eliminate potential cold spots. The Thermolock™ draft tube blocks heat loss through the zipper, and a box-shaped foot gives you extra room to move your feet.
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. The Coleman Big Bay 20° is rated for a lower temperature limit of 20 degrees Fahrenheit, which seems about right based on my experience. Wearing long johns and wool socks, I crawled into the Big Bay, napped on a cot in 32-degree weather and found it comfortably warm.
And if the bag has a tough exterior shell, you can use it as an outdoor picnic blanket in a pinch. Some bags, like The North Face’s One Bag, feature unique warmth-tailoring systems that allow you to customize the amount of insulation depending on conditions. To be sure, most of these additions won’t be deal-breakers for many, but they can be helpful in deciding between similar models (and we’ve called them out in the write-ups above whenever possible). Anyone have any experience wit coleman sleeping bags, as a budget option? We don’t camp a lot, but we live in CA, so being forced from our home is always in the back of our mind (earthquake, fire, etc). When it comes to packed size, the Brazos lands right in the middle out of all of the bags we tested.
That’s not always feasible when camping, but sleeping in a clean base layer or pajamas increases your bag’s longevity. During a warmth test we conducted during a very chilly evening in Bryce Canyon National Park, we were shocked to find that the Brazos held its own when it came to insulating. For the extensive sleeping bag review, I also interviewed experts who could speak to what makes a great sleeping bag and how to choose the right one for your needs. I talked to an assistant professor at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), Preeti Arya, who’s an expert in technical fabrics and sustainability. I also spoke with Jeremy Cronon, the expedition equipment lead and outfitting manager at NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) Rocky Mountain, and Austin Robbs, director of equipment and accessories at Patagonia.