More Bag For Your Buck

Three cozy sacks with price tags that won't keep you up at night.

By Kari Bodnarchuk , Dan Nelson, Jack Igelman, September 1, 2002

EMS Timberline 25°
An efficient cut and dream-generating loft strike an attractive balance between weight and warmth.

"Crawling into this bag was like rolling up in a luxurious, fluffy duvet," said Kari about this bundle of high-loft Polarguard HV synthetic fill. Jack and I agreed, giving the 25°F rating a thumbs-up. In fact, I slept comfortably during midwinter outings in the Cascades, even when temperatures dove into the teens.

Our fit comments were split. Jack's 5'10" frame fell between the regular (83 inches) and long (90 inches) sizes; he found the regular too snug in the shoulders. At 5'4", smaller Kari had too much excess space to heat in the regular. But I found the size long fit my large frame (6'1") well-wide enough for my big shoulders without being drafty. The Timberline's single hood drawcord is efficient, but it leaves a long dangling cord that can be an annoyance when the hood is drawn tight. The bag's zipper guard eliminates snagging, but there's only a modest draft tube that doesn't always lie smoothly, making you vulnerable to chill breezes. On the bright side, the shell was tops in this group at repelling condensation. The Timberline was less bulky than the L.L. Bean (right), and the puffy fill retained its loft over a season of use and launderings.

$75
Weight: 3 lbs. 7 oz.

Contact: Eastern Mountain Sports, (888) 463-6367; http://www.ems.com/.

L.L. Bean Base Camp Classic 20° Mummy
This puffy bag is great for hikers who don't mind carrying extra fluff for extra warmth. First, the bad news: The Base Camp is the bulkiest and heaviest bag we tested. Now, the good news: Stuffed full of Polarguard Classic, the bag should keep warm sleepers comfortable down to 15°F.

With a little pushing and prodding, I loaded the Base Camp into my pack and skied up to the High Hut just south of Mt. Rainier, where I dozed in cozy comfort even as frigid winds swirled around me. The long (88 inches) size was a tad short for me, but Jack felt fine in the regular (82 inches). We all liked the bag's generous cut throughout its length. The nylon taffeta liner material was also more comfortable on skin than the others.

The hood of the Base Camp features dual draw cords-one on each side-that allowed for a snug, custom fit around our heads and faces. But the long, dangling drawcords tickled my face all night. The loft of the bag proved nearly as durable as the Timberline's.

$79
Weight: 4 lbs. 1 oz.

Contact: L.L. Bean, (800) 809-7057; http://www.llbean.com/.

Slumberjack Denali Ultimate 20
This easy-packing bag stuffs surprisingly small, but thin insulation makes it best for warm sleepers and summer travel.

Considerably lighter than the other two bags, and about half the size when stuffed, the Denali Ultimate was the most packable bag in the test. The reason? Its Thermolite Extreme synthetic fill doesn't puff up like traditional insulations, which helps compressibility, but the lack of loft limits warmth.

Testers were split on just how low this bag can go. Cold-sleeping Kari deemed this a summer-only bag, while Jack was comfortable down to 40°F, and I stayed cozy in near-freezing temps in Olympic National Park. I'm a consistently warm sleeper, though, and even I think the 20°F rating is generous by 10 to 15 degrees.

We all liked the amply cut hood, which fits well and adjusts easily with a single drawcord. Side-sleepers like me will like the location of the zipper near the top of the bag's sidewall. When I rolled on my side, it didn't pinch against me. The zipper is backed with a wide, well-filled draft tube-effective at keeping out drafts, though it frequently snagged in the zipper teeth.

The long (90 inches) size was a touch short for me, and Jack (5'10") once again fell between the regular (84 inches) and long; 5'4" Kari was just fine in the regular. The generous fit around the shoulders and hips gave us plenty of wiggle room without excess bagginess. After repeated laundering and extensive use, the Ultimate showed no signs of wear.

$79
Weight: 3 lbs. 1 oz.

Contact: Slumberjack, (800) 233-6283; http://www.slumberjack.com/