Radiant 20 Sleeping Bag

REI Flash 55 - $140 (30% off) REI Radiant 20 (if you want sleeping bag instead of quilt - $140 (30% off) If you need a sleeping pad too, REI Helix at $120 is also not a bad deal; I agree with the person above who said Big Agnes Rapide is another great choice, $150 for the regular wide right now. The other people’s advice about shop re/supply for a tent is solid - as long as you know how to inspect for quality (make sure rain fly is in good shape). But if you want something new, REI TrailMade 1 will be cheapest right now at $125, if you are small enough to fit in a 1 person comfortably. Swap out the included stakes for lightweight ones. Half Dome is heavy but more comfortable. So — yup could be looking at $525 or so if you are buying 4 major items (backpack, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, tent), and you already have $400 in gift cards. Not a bad way to start at all.

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.

I think your thought process is great. As a greenvest, my advice is always to use what you’ve got, then upgrade when you feel comfortable doing so. To your other concerns: Weight/packed size — Go to REI and ask to put them both in a compression sack. That’ll give you a good sense of that compressed volume and weight in the hand. Water resistance - Down and outer fabrics have come a long way since the old days, so they hold up to condensation and a little rain pretty well. You don’t want to dunk a down bag in a lake, but you also wouldn’t want to do that with a synthetic. It’d be a cold, uncomfortable night either way. Couple other thoughts: - The Radiant is comfort-rated to 25F, the Trailmade to 31F. So not only is the Radiant one pound lighter, it’s a fair bit warmer. - Down will last longer than synthetic — a lot longer if you take proper care of it. We’re talking decades. Synthetics tend to degrade over time, shed microplastics and lose their temp rating. They also get stinkier.

You don't need to upgrade since you have a serviceable bag for 30\* temperatures that you don't hate, but in my opinion it would still be really worth it to get the Radiant. The trail made works and is effective safety equipment, but you start getting a nice bag at the radiant level. It's still a "backpacking mummy" shape, but it's the roomiest cut we have in that category. The material is better and feels much nicer on your skin. It's more than a few degrees warmer, and the 600 fp down will last for ages with basic maintenance. The down is treated to be hydrophobic (pretty much all down these days is) so it isn't easy to saturate unless you fall in a river and don't bother getting out for a couple minutes. The face hole-lining and the top of the footbox incorporate synthetic insulation just in case since those are frequent moisture areas. It packs up smaller and is about a pound lighter. It's a compelling buy at $200 and IMO a no-brainer at $140. You don't get perfection in a $200 bag - tbh I still like my roomier Nemo bags better. But the Radiant is fantastic and you would notice a serious difference from the trail made. If you have the cash and think a warmer, more comfortable bag would help you sleep better while you're trying out new things, I would definitely recommend it.

IF you can afford it. And IF you see a need for it, the answer is yes. The Radiant is a terrific bag for the cost. But I'm not really reading that in your post, and the Trailmade is an okay bag that likely suits your needs, and may for a couple years. Despite working for REI, I'm also wary about hyper consumerism driving everything. I agree with the others posts. Use what you already have first, upgrade when you feel comfortable doing so, or really have a true need for an item. If you have plans for a few backpacking trips, can really see the weight difference being a factor, then go ahead and pull the trigger. Otherwise, you're probably fine just saving your money. I personally like having both a synthetic and down bag. But I use down almost always. What of it's a wet trip? It actually takes quite a bit to get a sleeping bag wet, especially if you keep it in a dry bag, and only use it in your tent. You'd need to be somewhere like backpacking the Olympic Coast in spring, or in tropical downpours and humidity, where after a while the moisture gets into everything. And that takes a while.

That one looks cool! Kelty also has a 550 down bag called Cosmic 20 for around $189, or REI makes a 20 degree called the Radiant 20 (I have this bag and so far love it.) Only thing is it’s a bit over the $200 mark ($209-$219 for medium to long lengths.)

I absolutely love my REI sleeping bag. It’s very cozy and warm. It’s held up for years and is still going strong.