NEMO - Forte

I’m a stomach/side sleeper and love my Zenbivy quilt+sheet and their matching pillow system, but it’s quite an investment for a casual camper. I’d recommend looking for a cheaper quilt or even a rectangular sleeping bag on Amazon or Decathlon if you’re not looking to spend a lot. I was really unhappy with my spoon shaped Nemo sleeping bag. Even though it’s wider than a traditional mummy bag, it was still restrictive. There are a lot of other spendy quilt brands out there and most have already been reviewed on r/ultralight.

There’s a disco 15! Besides, I believe Nemo lists the riff as a slightly more narrow fit than the disco. I have a synthetic forte 20 which is similar to the disco and can’t imagine going with anything slimmer in the shoulders.

I’ll be the dissenter - I hated my Nemo Forte 20 (W’s long). We’re the same height and around the same weight and I found it too narrow in the shoulders and despite the spoon shape, I could not rotisserie comfortably. I didn’t find it warm, either, and experienced huge cold spots down the side opposite the zipper on a 35° night. I replaced it on a whim with a Zenbivy core bed and love it. The sheet keeps the quilt in place while I spin and the pillow pocket lets me throw my arms up while keeping them covered. The quilt is wide at the top and can tuck around me like a regular comforter. Super warm too.

Nemo Equipment men's and women's zip together and the Disco line (I think that's the one that's down, not synthetic) is very compressible. They're also spoon shaped for side sleepers. I have one that I'm not longer using since I went to quilt life. I have zipped the men's Disco with a women's Forte with zero issues at all! It's this one (https://www.rei.com/product/163032/nemo-disco-15-sleeping-bag-mens (Torch/Stormy Night) and if you're interested in buying, I'd be happy to list it on r/geartrade for you (to go through a slightly more vetted process). EDIT: added more info

I have the Nemo Forte 20 in Long (I’m 6’6”), I got it on clearance at REI, and it’s the same shape. Fantastic bag, and pretty good price point.

I like my Nemo Forte. Spoon shaped for extra room in the shoulders and knees with a mock quilt around the neckline. Edit: I prioritize comfort over weight, so I sized up in length for my bag and length+width for my sleeping pad. Never been comfier.

Depending on your specific needs for temps, weight, and filling I'd recommend, Nemo's Rift, Forte, or Tempo bags. They have a "spoon" shape (extra space around knees and elbows and tapers around the waist and feet) rather than mummy shape. They're designed to feel less restrictive and I've found them to be so. Of course the bag will take up a bit more space than a mummy bag, but it's better than a regular rectangle bag. I have the Tempo and I think it's good for regular backpackers and I really like it. They're common at REI too so you may be able to try it out.

I have the Nemo forte and it's pretty good, definitely miles better than any other sleeping bag I've tried. It's not perfect though. It's fairly heavy and quite a large pack size as it's synthetic and doesn't compress very well. I have an alpkit quilt for summer and I prefer to use that whenever the weather permits.

Kelty cosmic down or a Nemo Forte. I have the cosmic for me, Wife,  my oldest, and youngest. The middle liked the Nemo colors more some got that for him. I like the cosmic for the light weight and good packability. The cosmic has some sweet heat vents, isn't down (doesn't pack as small but better performance if it gets wet/damp). Both have a zipper pocket anf good space. I'm 6', the rest of the family is shorter so they fit fine. Youll need a long version regardless. 

I’ll second the cut of the Nemo “spoon” bags—way more comfortable than a mummy. I’ve also found that looking for mummy bags with a wider shoulder girth helps (I’m not too big, but I’m a side sleeper and I toss and turn). For example, I bought a 10F down bag from Feathered Friends with a 64” shoulder measurement and that made a huge difference. What’s the range of overnight temps you’re sleeping in, and what are typical temps during the time of year when you camp most frequently? What’s the R-value of your sleeping pad? What are you wearing for sleep clothing, and are you wearing a hat? What’s your budget? You can potentially cut some cost and weight by going with a 15F or 20F bag, but that depends on the rest of your sleep system. If you’re already using an insulated sleeping pad and are still cold, a lighter bag might not be an option. If you don’t use an insulated sleeping pad, though, that’s an upgrade you can make that’ll help with warmth. Ditto for thinking about what you’re wearing to bed. My apologies if this is all stuff you’ve already considered, but having a little more info might help others make recommendations here.

Quilts, semi rectangular bags (Sea to Summit Trek and Ascent Down) or the Big Agnes Sidewinder series are what you want. The Nemo Spoon series of down bags are also quite roomy. I sleep on my side. I use Hammock Gear Econ Borrows most of the time and I have a Marmot Col -20F bag for anything 20F and below.

Also a side sleeper and I have been a fan of the Nemo spoon bags

I like the spoon shape of the Nemo bags. And, I’m currently using a wide deluxe pad from Big Agnes.

Which 2 in 1 are you referring to? The ones that come to mind would exceed your budget, but examples help.  What temperature are you expecting at night?  Mainly, I would suggest finding an insulated sleeping pad with a stated R-value. Depending on how cold it will be, the R-value changes (higher R for colder temperatures). For sleeping bag, add at least 10°C, so for example, if you expect overnight temperatures around 5°C, find a bag rated for -5°C.  I have a Nemo Quasar insulated pad in the double width (I move a lot), and a Nemo sleeping bag (in their "spoon" style because I can't sleep in a mummy style bag). 

I vote for Nemo bags. I have 2 and love them. Perfect for side sleeping.

Nemo for sure

Spoon shape is great, arm zippers in the boost just seem drafty.

Check backcountry and steapncheap. I got 2 500$ Nemo bags for 200$ a couple years ago.

Nemo sleeping bag with REI 2.5 self inflating sleeping pad works for me.

Never tried a quilt, but as a fellow side sleeper I LOVE my Nemo sleeping bag. Can't believe I ever tried to use a mummy bag.

Love my Nemo down bag. Love.

I have a Nemo down sleeping bag. It’s a mummy but the shape is roomier so I can flip around onto my side or stomach. There are “gills” in case you need to cool down a bit. Hood is very puffy. I’ve used it in autumn (Ontario) with thermal liner when outside temp was just above freezing and I was warm and slept great. Also used it in the Maritimes in summer (strong cool winds and heavy rain) and it was fab too. The bag is very cosy and I really love it.

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.

I want a rumpl down blanket! It looks like a lifetime buy. I have a Nemo sleeping bag. Light and great quality. Recently I have been seeing great things coming from them. Pricey though. My Pendleton’s would agree with using wool. I prefer white fuel stoves and lanterns. Coleman of course.

Nemo bags are extra roomy yet pack down tiny. Love mine wouldn’t use anything else

We use nemo sleeping bags. They have male/female mummy bags with zippers on opposite sides. They can be used solo or in tandem. Other commenters are right, when cold it’s much more cozy to use them solo without the gap between shoulders

Nemo sleeping bags are designed to zip together, highly recommend. I like having the option to conjoin if it’s cold out, but sometimes like to unzip in the middle of the night and have my own space

I had the same problem. Bought a Nemo something which had a wide center. It helped but I still couldn’t sleep. I switched to a quilt that strapped around a pad (enlightened equipment I think) and it is an absolute game changer. Super roomy and very warm. I mean I still don’t sleep but it is no longer because of the sleeping bag.

I have a Nemo bag and pad and have been quite happy with them both. Particularly if you're a side sleeper or otherwise restless, the Nemo spoon-shaped bags are great. They're not the lightest but they're light enough if you need that comfort. I suggest adding the Big Agnes Rapide to your list of potential pads.

I agree that quilts are probably one of the strongest directions here. If you can stand sleeping bags then lots of Nemo bags have a spoon shape that really lets your shift your legs around which as a side sleeper I really liked.

Go to REI, invest your money on a good Nemo brand sleeping bag. You’ll be thankful for many many years and if anything happens to it you can return exchange at REI for years. If you haven’t already sign up for a REI co op membership and get your % back on your purchase.

My order of preference, without prying more info out of you would be: 1. Magma 2. Radiant 3. Nemo … anyone giving you numbers after the name of the bag is guessing because you never mentioned what temperature rating you need and what geography we are talking about. In terms of r-rating we would need to know what mattress pad you are shlepping too…