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 a Big Agnes something or other 15 degree down bag we bought for around $300...10 years ago. It's great, although more like a 30 degree bag. Size / weight is about equal to two sleeping bags. We also tried out Feathered Friends' Spoonbill which is well out of your price range but might be interesting to look at to see how an actually warm two person bag looks.

 So the problem with any normal two-person sleeping bag is that there's an air gap between you if you don't sleep snuggled up.  The Big Agnes we have has a small flap that covers that up. We have also stuffed clothes in between us when it was colder. That works for 15 to 20°, but not colder. The reason I said the spoonbill was interesting is that it has individual draft hoods for each person so you share warmth but actually can't cuddle. 

I read the comments about enlightenment equipment, then went to the site, damn, they are too expensive. I looked for a quilt I would like, 1000$ no thanks. Personally I have Big Agnes and they are high quality, in my experience, and cheaper. I have a -15 degree down sleeping bag from them thats going on about 12-15 years. If my bag falls apart, I'll just stuff it and sew it back up.

Check out the REI outlet online. The last bag I got there was from lightweight Big Agnes, and the discount was 40%. Great backpacking bag so far!

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

If your biggest concern about a sleeping bag is room for your legs to move without feeling constricted, I would try out Nemo or Big Agnes sleeping bags. Both tend to have wider profiles. Definitely go for a bag that is rated at least 10 degrees lower - preferably lower - than the temps you expect to sleep in. Theres multiple problems with layering with clothing like this, one of which is not the warmth specific factor but the breathability. One or two layers is one thing, but with all the listed clothing and then something like the picture on top, you’re going to build up humidity near your body you can’t get rid of, and you’ll become even colder. Next, a sleeping bag basically creates a warm pocket of air around you. The insulation in the bag helps create and maintain this pocket. The more compressed this insulation, the worse it performs. With layering clothing, you compress the insulation, making it less effective. On top of that, insulation is minimal if not nonexistent at the seams. Some puffy jackets and “extreme temp” clothing gets around this by minimizing seams but there’s almost always a few somewhere, which means no air pockets and no warmth. If I could recommend the best case scenario for you, it would be this: find a sleeping bag you can tolerate rated to a temp appropriate for your conditions, 15F at a minimum, best scenario a 0F. Dress in only your smartwool layers, and make sure you have a good pad/sleep set up underneath you. Sources: avid outdoorsmen, backpacker in sub 20 degree temps, and former REI employee who specialized in camping gear.

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.

Just wanna say I respect the lack of overpriced fancy gear and I respect making it work for as long as you did! As much as I am “anti gear, pro getting out there”, a lightweight Big Agnes sleeping bag will roll up to about 1/8th the size of a rolled up Coleman. Mine has lasted me for 7 seasons so far no problems

I have a Big Agnes bag. It allows me more movement as the back is where the sleeping pad goes and it’s more “bed like”.

I have a Big Agnes bag. I find that it’s got enough room but it can get cool, so I bring a Nalgene filled with hot water inside it for extra warmth

I got my Big Agnes down bag used from REI and it was cheap. It's kept me warm at 12-15f several times.