NEMO - Forte Endless Promise Men's Synthetic Sleeping Bag 20℉

Not to convince you otherwise, I had the same problem, but like the sleeping bag. Nemo spoon shape was the answer for this side sleeper. Got the Forte 20.

I have the Nemo and cannot recommend enough. The extra room makes a huge difference for comfortable sleep and it keeps you nice and toasty. I have the Nemo Forte 20 and have used it comfortably in single digits multiple times- just don’t forget a bandana/scarf for your face!

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?)

I’ve got a Nemo Forte mummy bag that’s lasted me several years. It’s been heavily abused and other than a spot where my husky decided to attack my feet on our first camping trip, it’s still in great shape. I probably paid around $80 to $100 at an REI garage sale and still love it because it has vents to help regulate the temp, has a little extra room to adjust my knees and elbows because I’m a side sleeper and the hood/top section holds a pillow or extra clothing to turn into a pillow. Only downside is that it’s geared towards more petite people as I think the max height recommended is around 5’5”, anyone else is going to be sleeping outside of the bag.

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.

For clarity - The Riff (and Disco) are down. While the Forte and Tempo are synthetic. Their spoon/peanut shape is definitely very popular with side sleepers, or people who sleep angular or toss and turn. Much more forgiving than a regular mummy, without the draft issues of a quilt. Recommend people getting into quilts, to buy a wide one. This will help mitigate drafts. You mention REI, all of their sleeping bags now come in "wide" versions. Still a mummy for the most part, but about 5" wider than a regular mummy. Their Magma is an excellent bag, as is their Magma quilt, but it's only rated to 30 degrees.

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. 

You got me thinking. I might be safer to just get the Nemo then. Realistically, I doubt I will be outdoors below -20C. At least with the Nemo, it’s pretty versatile

Thanks for the feedback. I’m leaning toward the NEMO -20°F now. A few people told me to go with a -40°F to be safe, but I’d like a bag I can actually use across different conditions. I just don’t want to make the mistake of choosing the wrong one, since this is basically a lifetime purchase, at least I hope. I’m using the Tensor All-Season pad, which I believe is around an R-value of 5.5. Definitely could go higher

I got the Nemo -20!! Went on sale so I had to grab. thank you for everyones help