Kelty - Cosmic Down 20

Kelty Cosmic Down 20F is a great “budget” bag that has yet to let me down in the cold. It’s almost too warm.

If you're spending $200 on a sleeping bag, figure out your needs. Do you need 0°?. Like others said it's 4lbs. That's really heavy for a down bag. The purpose of down is that it's very warm for is low weight. 4lbs is car camping weight, not backpacking. If you're looking for a three season bag that is dependable and high quality, go with the Kelty cosmic down 20. It's high quality, $200 and under, sold at REI so you get a 1 year no questions return policy, and it's half the weight. https://www.rei.com/product/231267 Cosmic 20 Sleeping Bag - Men's #REIapp

Kelly cosmic down 20f, not under 80$ tho, if your short you can get the women’s one at backcountry for like 110$.

Also have this Kelty bag and was pleased with its performance this spring. I do have the eco version of it as it was at sierra for a solid deal. With temps down in the low 40’s upper 30’s, I was warm with layers on.

First, I would say used higher end gear is in many cases better than new cheap gear. r/ulgeartrade is your friend and so is eBay and facebook marketplace. Second, the used versions of these will probably be better than new what you have… Naturehike 65L 40.96oz $120 -> this is really big, I bet you can get away with 55L if you really want to go UL -> you can get a used kakwa 55 for like $150, just make sure you get the right size Featherstone 20 Pad 26.3oz $109 -> neoair nxt, 16oz, three season all day, I got used on Facebook marketplace for $100 Ampex 2p 64oz $170 -> noooooooo. Used xmid 2p same price. Much better, half the weight at 32oz, if you want new than lanshan 2 Kelty Cosmic 20 Mummy 39oz $180 -> if you want to go UL, need to get comfortable with quilts -> new $230, used probably $180 -> https://hammockgear.com/product/burrow/

I have the kelty cosmic down 20 and it it fantastic. Also about half the price of the ones you mentioned.

I second the Kelty Cosmic 20. Great lightweight down bag for the price!! I’m from SLC and camp/backpack in the Uintas constantly and it has never let me down and always been warm enough (even in a hammock)

My first budget backpacking sleeping bag was a Kelty Cosmic 20. It was way heavier than I expected. A friend let me use their Naturehike Sleeping bag (not sure on specific type) and it was way lighter and more compact. I still use the Kelty for car camping, but it no longer goes on backpacking trips with me. My next upgrade will be an ultralight quilt. I got a used Gossamer Gear pack 55L off eBay that I love! I started with a Naturehike CloudUp 2 tent which was fine for the price, I have since upgraded to a Tarptent Double Rainbow (also used on eBay). Depending on the distance and weather, I will still take the Naturehike tent sometimes even though it is heavier. I like that you can use it without the rain fly on a nice night and just have the mesh top so I can see the trees and stars. My first pad was a Klymit pad from Amazon for $40. It works fine for warm weather. I upgraded to an Exped Duo 3R last year since I now usually backpack with my daughter or girlfriend and a 2P pad seemed easier. I also have two Nemo Switchback pads that I will carry on some hikes. I put them under my pad in the tent to prevent any punctures in my Exped and to give a little more insulation on colder nights. They are also great to pull out and use as a pad around camp when we are lounging before going to bed. Unfortunately, UL gear and spending an arm and leg kinda go hand in hand. All of my inexpensive gear was great to get me started, but over the last few years, I have been replacing them with lower weight, higher quality, and hence more expensive options. Along with being heavier, the cheaper stuff is just, cheaper. The biggest thing I have noticed is the zippers don't glide as easy on my cheap gear. This can be a huge annoyance when trying to zip your tent or bag.

As others have said, 80 dollars is a pretty low budget. If you want lightweight and compact you’ll probably want down, but the best budget-friendly, three-season down bag I know of is still around 180 dollars new (Kelty Cosmic 20). You might check out REI Resupply for gently used gear to get the price down a bit. Unfortunately, down is just expensive and backpacking gear in general is expensive. :-(

Holy bageebus that's a 3lb sleeping bag. That is ludicrously heavy. Even the Kelty Cosmic 20 at $169 is 2lb 3oz. But beware the temperature ratings -- you want that 20F (+/-5F) to be closer to the "comfort" rating while the Kelty is rated at 20F but in fact has a "Lower Limit" of 21F. Get a down bag if you can. You don't need synthetic in the Sierra in summer. If I'm staying below about 10000' in elevation and it's July or August and the weather all looks very warm I *have* used a 30F but in general I use a 20F all summer long.