When I found my perfect picks, Coleman provided samples in order to facilitate review. The Big Bay is a mummy-style sleeping bag, starting wide at the shoulders and tapering around the feet. Mummy bags are becoming more popular because they’re lightweight and packable, and they’re easier for your body to heat up and keep warm (a sleeping bag is not inherently warm—your body heat gets trapped inside). 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.
In terms of dimensions, they’re typically roomier than standard mummy bags (particularly at the shoulders and hips) but not overly generous like some rectangular models. All in all, semi-rectangular bags typically offer a good mix of comfort and weight, shaving away excess material while still providing enough space to roll around during the night. For instance, Nemo’s Disco 15 and Forte Endless Promise 20 have roomier fits than most traditional mummy bags, with a noticeable boost in space around the knees and elbows. Kelty’s popular Cosmic Down 20 has been a mainstay in their lineup for years and remains a popular choice among campers and backpackers alike. For starters, you get a respectable weight of 2 pounds 10 ounces, which is the lightest three-season option on our list (Kelty’s own Galactic 30 below weighs around the same but is far less versatile).
For those looking to travel fast and far, or for those traveling into alpine terrain, a lighter-weight bag makes that possible. 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.
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.
That being said, we feel they are still a great choice for young kids (who sleep through most anything) or teens (who don’t sleep and will most likely be around the campfire all night). We don’t suggest the Brazos for colder weather, however, for normal late Spring and Summer camping, this bag will hold its own when it comes to keeping you warm… as long as you can fit in it. The Coleman Sacks jacket is made from a Vintage coleman chair or similar vintage bag. This jacket has an oversized bomber jacket fit with meticulous craftsmanship. For web orders returned in store, please take the item in original packaging, along with invoice to any
Camping World retail locations for a refund or exchange.
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.
Our top pick in this category is REI Co-op’s Siesta Hooded 20, which replaces the Siesta 25 for 2023. For a reasonable $139, you get a high-quality bag with a useful 20-degree temperature rating, which is great for three-season car camping in a variety of conditions. Added up, the Siesta is comfy, well appointed, and a fantastic value. Turn your next adventure into a luxury trip with the Coleman® Silverton™ 25 Sleeping Bag, a mummy-style bag that can help keep you warm in temperatures as low as 25°F.
But in the end, we don’t see the zipper-less concept completely taking over the market. Put simply, the in-and-out convenience and ability to use the bag as a blanket with a full-zip sleeping bag is the better answer for most campers. Drifting off to dreamland is better than even when you have one of our Coleman (R) sleeping bags! 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.
Below we rank our top picks for 2023, and if you need some background information, our comparison table and buying advice dive into topics like fill type and temperature rating. To complete your camping kit, we’ve also tested and written about camping mattresses and camping tents. Our annual family camping trip does not involve hiking and then camping so we weren’t looking for tiny sleeping bags. We take day hikes and do outdoor activities from our drive up camping spot in the Smoky Mountains.