Kelty - Cosmic Synthetic 0

Sitting pad: Get a CCF pad and cut it to size if you're short. That gives you a sleeping pad and sitting pad. Light and packable sleeping bags are expensive. You'll have to do some research on this. The most suitable I've found on Amazon is the Kelty Cosmic Synthetic 0 for my uses, but it's not very packable or light. Naturehike makes decent tents. There are a lot of good sun hoodies out there. I would recommend just going by both the product and seller reviews. Socks: I prefer Smartwool over all other brands. I prefer the way they do their cushioning, and they fit me very, very well. I've also had better luck with them than Darn Tough. Darn Tough does have a lifetime warranty, but I feel weird about sending in used socks, hence I never utilized that warranty. Switching to Smartwool has been a godsend. Other items: Compass of quality, such as the Cammenga 3H or Suunto MC-2. Rite in the Rain. Pace count beads. Multi-tool. Sewing kit with good thread. Gear repair items, like Gear Aid patches or Aquaseal SR. A stash of snacks and electrolytes. Outdoor Research Ferrosi Hoodie.

For casual three-season camping around 0°C, synthetic’s way easier on the wallet. Marmot Trestles or Kelty Cosmic Down alternative bags hold up fine, and you don’t freak out about melting water or sweat ruining insulation.

I picked up a Kelty cosmic down a number of years ago. Fairly basic but it was down and a decent weight.

First - are you positive you want to zip together with your partner? I did your same plan \~15 years ago. Got 2 bags and zipped them together. It was cute. At first. Then we soon became cramped / cold. We almost always preferred to be in our own bags vs. zipped together. After the novelty of zipping together wore off - it really wasn't useful. Just saying... don't spend the extra money / effort or limit your options for this feature if you don't really need it. If you still want the zip together bags - you are looking for sleeping bags that have 'left' and 'right' zippers. Buy one left and one right. At 15F nights - you want a 5F or 0F rated sleeping bag. Or a 15F bag plus a liner for the colder nights. Are you sure you want a traditional mummy bag? I personally prefer down quilts. They pack smaller and are more comfortable than my mummy bag. They also work well when 2 people are together. Snuggle under the blankets, but then go into your own cocoon for the night time. **What is your budget?** It looks like Mountain Hardware does mens zippers on left and womens zippers on the right. * [https://www.rei.com/product/235362/mountain-hardwear-bishop-pass-15-sleeping-bag-womens](https://www.rei.com/product/235362/mountain-hardwear-bishop-pass-15-sleeping-bag-womens) * [https://www.rei.com/product/235363/mountain-hardwear-bishop-pass-15-sleeping-bag](https://www.rei.com/product/235363/mountain-hardwear-bishop-pass-15-sleeping-bag) Nemo does the same: * [https://www.rei.com/product/228439/nemo-disco-15-endless-promise-down-sleeping-bag-womens](https://www.rei.com/product/228439/nemo-disco-15-endless-promise-down-sleeping-bag-womens) * [https://www.rei.com/product/251886/nemo-disco-15-endless-promise-down-sleeping-bag-mens](https://www.rei.com/product/251886/nemo-disco-15-endless-promise-down-sleeping-bag-mens) This is a unique option too: * [https://www.rei.com/product/231206/sea-to-summit-ascent-15f-sleeping-bag](https://www.rei.com/product/231206/sea-to-summit-ascent-15f-sleeping-bag) The North Face Cat's Meow was the one I had with L/R zips. But it looks like they took that feature away. I was also going to recommend the Kelty Cosmic Down as a cheap/budget option - but they also look to only sell right zip bags.

Ouch, you are in a tough situation. You need a small sleeping bag, but have a low budget. Basically anything you buy is going to take up half your backpack. Your tent and sleeping pad will most definitely need to be strapped to the outside of your pack. 35L pack is really a limiting factor. Sure - the Nemo Disco is a fine sleeping bag. Better than the Forte for sure. The Kelty Cosmic is popular because it's cheap. If you can afford more, like the Nemo - go with that. I'd skip the 'zip together' feature. Don't limit yourself in that way. It sounds cute - but in practice joining 2 bags is not comfortable / warm. At least over the 18 years I've been with my GF. Hard to say more without knowing what brands you have a pro deal with and what temperatures you'll need to use the sleeping bag in (temp rating 15/20/30/40F?)

Can you add more specific details? You have this labeled as 'travel' - but ask about camping gear. I assume you are asking about the 'wilderness' type of backpacking - right? What is the low temps you plan to sleep in? You say no snow - but 'colder temps' - a number would help. What is your budget? Do you have $500 to spend? $5000? You say 'wreck bank account - but everyone's bank account is different size. How old are you? Man or Woman? (many packs and sleeping bags are gendered) Do you already have a good sleeping pad? This is also critical to a good / warm night sleep. Do you already have a tent? Sure - Kelty is a find budget getting started brand. They make an okay Cosmic down sleeping bag that's popular for wilderness backpacking. I wouldn't go for their backpacks really. Here are some default recommendations from Amazon: * [https://www.amazon.com/Kelty-Sleeping-Backpacking-Recycled-PFAS-free/dp/B0CSPFW5Q1](https://www.amazon.com/Kelty-Sleeping-Backpacking-Recycled-PFAS-free/dp/B0CSPFW5Q1) * [https://www.amazon.com/Osprey-Atmos-Backpacking-Backpack-X-Large/dp/B09JXQDZG5](https://www.amazon.com/Osprey-Atmos-Backpacking-Backpack-X-Large/dp/B09JXQDZG5) * [https://www.amazon.com/Therm-Rest-Original-Ultralight-Camping/dp/B00453NA1E](https://www.amazon.com/Therm-Rest-Original-Ultralight-Camping/dp/B00453NA1E) * [https://www.amazon.com/Therm-Rest-Ultralight-Backpacking-Sleeping/dp/B0CS4NHPVP](https://www.amazon.com/Therm-Rest-Ultralight-Backpacking-Sleeping/dp/B0CS4NHPVP)

Then I'd say the new REI Radiant 20. It's a mostly down bag, but with synthetic in the footbox to accommodate sweat and if it gets wet in the night from rain (because most people stretch out and end up putting their feet against the tent wall which might have condensed). The Kelty Cosmic is a close second.

kelty cosmic down, featherstone, decathalon all make good bidget bags under 2kg

Kelly cosmic down bags are amazing bang for buck. REI has generous return policies as well, so if you get into a bag you don’t like, you have the option to return it for a year. More expensive bags/huge discounts don’t necessarily mean they are going to fit your needs. I currently sleep in the Big Agnes Lost Ranger, which is a 3in1 sleep setup. It is a quilt and a sleeping bag, which means you can sleep with just the quilt, just the bag, or if it’s cold enough you can nest the sleeping bag inside the quilt. It’s on the more expensive side, but it could be beneficial looking into a similar setup. I would however recommend investing in a nice sleeping pad that has a decent R value. I currently sleep on the Big Agnes Rapide SL Insulated (regular) and I LOVE IT. it comes in all different types of widths and lengths. I’ve slept on it for 2+ weeks in the Yosemite side country and I’ve never had a single issue with it. long story short, i’m a huge fan of the Kelty Cosmic Down line. there are also a few REI branded bags that may be worth looking at.

2nd the Kelty cosmic, it was my first bag and been a lot of my friends as well. It’s not the best bag by any means, but for the money it’s the best I know of unless you can find something used or super on sale

There's tons of great bags out there for 3-season camping. Sea to Summit, Nemo, and REI make good mid range options, among many other brands. For high end bags, people generally recommend Western Mountaineering and Feathered Friends. At the entry level, the Kelty Cosmic down is hard to beat.  Use:  Think about what you are using it for and what you want to prioritize. If you are backpacking it's a good bag with some trade-offs but for car camping you may want a more robust or more comfortable option.  Temperature rating: You should consider what temperature rating you want, most people need at least two different rated bags to camp all year. Common choices are 15-30F for warmer months and 0F and below for colder months. If a bag is too warm, you will sweat into it all night so you shouldn't just buy a 0 and use it all year. This is usually a survival rating, not a comfort rating. Women's bags tend to have more fill at the same rating as women sleep colder on average so you can add or subtract 5 degrees for sex-specific bags.  Fill power:  Fill power is a major factor when it comes to packability and weight. This refers to how much the down expands, or fills, when it is decompressed. A fill power of 650 is considered low end, 850 (like the spark) is midrange-high end, and over 950 is the top of the line.  Fabric:  The denier of the fabric will affect weight as well. This is a trade-off where lower denier fabrics (10 and below like the Spark) are lighter, but less durable than thicker ones.  Style: Many backpackers use a quilt instead of a sleeping bag. This is basically a bag with no back or hood that attaches to your pad to prevent drafts from coming in. The logic here is that the down you are laying on does nothing to insulate you as it's compressed so they save weight by not including it. They also make it easier to adjust your temperature as you can stick a leg out or open the foot box. Personally, I find them more comfortable than bags as they are much less constricting. There are many good quilt brands out there, garage grown gear is a good site you can compare a few options on if this is a route you want to go.  Size:  A sleeping bag shouldn't be too long or wide to reduce excess air inside the bag. This means bigger people often can't fit in narrow backpacking bags. Ideally you should try it out in a store to see how it fits. Some people who are more active sleepers prefer the Nemo "spoon shape" bags or semi rectangular bags over traditional mummy bags like the Spark. The REI backpacking bags come in 9 sizes: three lengths with three widths each.  TLDR:  The spark is a fine lightweight bag, if a bit pricey, but for you to not regret buying it, know what your other options are, and plan to use it for the specific use cases it is intended for.

A backpack of course along with a sleeping pad (insulated if going in cold), sleeping bag/quilt, tent. These are your big 4. A budget setup would be something like: Tent - Lanshan 2 or one of the Naturehike tents or featherstone granite - around $150 If you have the money I would get a Durston Xmid, it's pretty bomb proof and is around $330, amazing tent Sleeping bag - Kelty cosmic down - on sale for $135, Paria thermodown - on sale for $150 Sleeping pad - Paria recharge insulated - $100 or REI Helix backpack - Granite Gear crown 2 used to be found under $100 (I have one and paid $70 on sale), maybe the Decathlon MT100 or one of the REI coop bags. I'm not 100% sure what is considered the best budget one these days After the big guys above you will need: Cooking system - I use the Firemaple 600ml pot ($20) and a cheap amazon stove that fits the pot's cutouts but they sell their own for like $20 I think it's called the Greenpeak Water filter - I have a sawyer mini but if I got one again I'd get a platypus quickdraw on sale now for $30