Big Agnes - Spike Lake 15

I use a Big Agnes Spike Lake. It doesn’t compress as much as a higher fill power, but it was relatively cheap, stays warm, and is well made. May be hard to find, but I think there are some new ones out there still.

We have one of these from Big Agnes. Works pretty well, although when my daughter got big enough, she could roll the whole mat over. I think it's this one: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InhGM1Y2ksM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InhGM1Y2ksM)

I went rei big Agnes, but I also have 2 (20 year old) down bags that I put inside each other that can keep me just as warm and combined they are as small and light as big Agnes but with down moisture is the enemy and in winter there is plenty so there is that

A Big Agnes sleeping bag with down that fit me correctly. I was iffy on the price at first, but it turns out I had basically used ill fitting, non insulated sleeping bags for years of wilderness camping. Getting a good nights sleep anywhere, especially away from home, makes a huge difference.

I got a big Agnes bag that has an extra zipper kind of like carry-on luggage. Makes it somewhat adjustable - roomy most of the time but when I really need the warmth it’s more snug.

Budget is a factor, as well as intended use (backpacking vs ultralight speed hiking) Down will be lighter (and more expensive) than synthetic fill I have a Nemo bag and a few different thermarest pads depending on the season I also have a couple Big Agnes (they are great for bigger people) bags, but they do not have any fill on the bottom, instead they rely on the sleeping pad. There's a whole interesting theory about this design if you care to research it! You can talk to the folks at Hiker Direct and they are big supporters of scouting. We've got folks that have really good luck with Nemo, Kelty, Hyke and Byke (online sales only), and some others, too. GearLabs reviews is pretty thorough if you want to really dive into the numbers and test process before you buy.

Big Agnes bags have a pocket on the bottom for the pad to slide into and stay in place.

The first question is always which fill material, down or synthetic? But the answer to that question also depends on the use case(s). This is BsA scouting, so backpacking is a thing. And in backpacking weight and space are always the biggest concerns, and the fill material of your bag will have a big impact on both. General rule of thumb: - down pros: warmer, lighter, packs smaller; cons ineffective when wet, expensive - synthetic pros less expensive, stays warm when wet; cons heavier, bulkier, So it’s all a tradeoff. For my scout kids, until they legit start backpacking, I went with budget synthetic from Hikers Direct which, if you don’t know, is a special scout branded portal for Alps Mountaineering - a middle of the road but respected gear company for the good price/quality value. WHEN they are ready for backpacking, I will prob get one good 0 degree down bag they can trade off using. For myself, I am almost as tall as your son, it’s all about light weight, warmth, comfort, and moderate price. I mean there are bags that tick all the boxes but they are $500. My personal sweet spot is Big Agnes. They have extra large bags, both down and synthetic. But they have innovative pockets to hold the ground mat. By sweet spot I mean buy used on eBay or rei resale. I bought a lightly used BA bag on eBay for a big discount. Used “tech wash” followed the directions and threw it in the drier with tennis balls and it came out beautiful, good as new, tons of loft. Full disclosure I have not tried most of the other brands, including REI but I would trust that brand. Oh, important. Does he sleep on his side or back? Would a mummy style work for him, because I require the rectangular foot box to give me some room to move around. Edit: more info on Hiker Direct. Create an account to access the site. For role or position it’s ok to put “troop parent” if you don’t hold an actual leader position. Basically, HD is almost the entire Alps Mountaineering website offered to scout families at about 40% discount! Edit 2: more on HD. They have sales often, with even steeper discounts. I’m talking like decent sleeping bags for $30-50! And I really like their tents. Their Lynx 2 is almost the perfect youth scout tent. Good quality, pretty durable, and costs about $100 on sale (or maybe less?).