Kelty - Cosmic 20 Series

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)

Gnarly! Sounds like some top tier "type B" fun. Early on in backpacking, after several uncomfortable, borderline worrisome nights sleep in my 20°f Kelty bag I learned the advertised temperature ratings of sleeping bags are actually the "survival rating,", meaning you won't lose any appendages to the elements. The comfort rating is always significantly warmer than the survival rating and you often have to research equipment in advance to find thst figure. I'm PNW-based, and personally, fall-winter I use a rei magma down 15 bag & neoair xtherm pad. I might not ook like Jeremiah Johnson all bundled up but I sleep like a baby. Risking death chasing the bushcraft aesthetic in a cold, damp environment isn't worth it if you lack the ability or materials to craft an adequate sleep system.

Yep, mines done 10 years in all seasons. Not as warm as it used to be (stored a lot compressed) but it’s still a go to for me.

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.

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.

Bit of long read for those who are interested in the best budget set up I’ve found for comfort/space/weight. Breif overview; Naturehike Cloud Peak 2 Kelty Cosmic ultra 20 Bestway Alpinelite sleeping mat Nature hike down pants Fire Maple FMS300T stove Trekology Trek-Z poles Mini reviews below. Just had a brilliant weekend around Buttermere. Managed to put a few bits of new kit through testing and due to it all performing/holding up, ended up having the best couple of nights I’ve had since taking up the hobby.. We bagged the usual suspects of Red pike, High stile and High crag. We ended the first day at Seat and took an absolute battering by the wind from Stepping foot onto Dodd, until we landed at Seat. It was a rough night of wind and rain, but the tents held up well and the rain stopped in time for us packing away The second day was a lot easier going, with a gentle stroll back to Buttermere, a re-supply and a pub meal in Keswick, then I headed solo to Honister for a steady bimble up to Fleetwith Pike. The beauty spot at Fleetwith was already claimed by a family whose kids looked absolutely ecstatic to be there, I really hope they had a great night! I moved onto Black Star and pitched, nicely tucked away and happy with the alternative spot. There’s not much room for a tent on the top but with a careful bit of jigging about, I made it work and had an excellent night. Gear; I swapped out my well used Banshee 200 for something that I could actually sit up in and cook in without laying in cramp. I ended up with the new budget favourite, the Naturehike Cloud Peak 2. Despite its flaws, there’s plenty of mods to improve it and the main criticism of the zips snagging was easily cured with silicone spray. Even in the 40mph gusts, they didn’t cause any more grief than any other tent would. One day I might be able to afford the Hilleberg Soulo, but until then, I can just pretend in this. It really is a great tent for the money! The sleeping bag was my next step to upgrading gear. I purchased the Kelty Cosmic Ultra 20 when it was on sale for £110. This has definitely made the biggest difference in pack weight/space after switching from my Synthetic North Face Eco Trail 20. It got down to lows of around 6c and I was comfortable in just shorts and a t shirt, even a little too warm at times! It packs down really well and held me (I’m 50” around the chest for reference) quite comfortably. To lay my sleeping bag on and rest my tired 18 stone ass upon, I went with the hyped Bestway mat (wide). I didn’t have high expectations but for less than £40, it was worth a punt, since I’ve managed to have every mat (4 in total) fail on me and ruin more than a hand full of camps. It held up and didn’t loose any air on either night! I did feel a cold spot on my hip but since I’m a side sleeper and the mat isn’t particularly suited to those, I can’t really complain. It was really warm and doesn’t make as much noise as i expected, in fact, it was really quite quiet. It wasn’t as comfortable as the Trekology UL80 but it’s nowhere near as thick. All in all, a great bit of kit and I really recommend it as a good budget mat. Just make sure the rubber disk on the one way valve is centred or it WILL leak. Naturehikes down pants do the job. Warm, comfortable, highly packable. They could do with a longer length drawstring though! Another good value buy for the frugal campers that would like to enjoy a little luxury of being warm and comfortable. The FMS300T stove and cheap titanium pot, combined with a 100g canister saved me over half a kilo of unnecessary weight coming from the OEX Tacana while only costing an extra minute of time to boil some water. Well built, simple, small and light. Perfect for dehydrated meals and a cuppa. May take a while for you guys who like a steak though! Last, but by no means least. The Trekology Trek-Z poles. If you haven’t used poles and are considering it, just do it. I’m fairly fit late 30s and in the gym 4 days a week, but I still wheeze up the inclines and I find absolutely no enjoyment in enduring those tough energy sapping climbs, when I’m red faced and gasping for o2. Poles made the direct route to Red Pike more of a pleasure than a pain. Ascents are easier in general and descents are easier on the knees. The poles were easy to adjust, have metal clips and although are tad heavy, felt sturdy with my weight bearing down on them. They come in a storage bag and fit nicely in the stick slings on my pack when partially collapsed. I will absolutely not be leaving these behind on my future peak walks. They’re a game changer. I hope this post can help someone who is looking into the budget end of wild camping, I’ve been at this for a few years now and whilst not a seasoned veteran, I know I like my gear to last and be reliable whilst also returning a reasonablet length of service. I believe I’ve just about got it right with my current set up (although the Osprey pack will be going soon in favour of a Seirra Designs Flex Capacitor).

Like mentioned, they don’t have a 4 season do all specification. It’s like trying to find a winter coat that can also be a summer jacket. Hopefully my failings in buying a bag for the first time will aid you! I bought a synthetic The North Face eco trail as my first and as warm and comfortable as it was, carrying it and packing it sucked. Always go down filled, a -7c bag will take up massive amounts of space and weight if it’s synthetic, a down bag of the same rating will knock off a good 30-35% of the space and weight. I’ve just spent two consecutive nights in - [this](https://www.outdoorgb.com/p/kelty-cosmic-ultra-20%C2%B0-800-dridown-sleeping-bag---long/?currency=GBP&country=GBR&SelectedBundle=214395&SelectedItem=987465&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD_euQeU-vVn0B3toBfC8t1rXeZde&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItaaDkIqhjAMVdJFQBh2I5BnWEAQYASABEgKG3_D_BwE) - and it’s been a fantastic bag, albeit a little too warm for this weekend in the Lakes! Good luck, there’s plenty of great help in this sub and YouTube. Maybe also look at quilts.

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

Kelty Cosmic 20 is the typical response for budget, good and light enough for most. Marmot Trestles Elite Eco 20° Sleeping Bag is a synthetic bag that's very similar in size, weight and warmth to the Kelty but might be cheaper depending on where you're located.