Sleeping Bags and Quilts
Feather Friends Tanager 20° (19oz)
Price- $489 Regular width, 68"
Weight- 19oz (537g) Regular 68"
This is my (Moose's) go-to bag for almost all my backpacking, excluding the coldest winter trips. They call it a "hot sack"—it's essentially a zipperless sleeping bag, which reduces both weight and bulk. It has a thin 7-denier shell and a 10-denier liner. With the exception of one snag from my running shorts pocket zipper (self-inflicted), I've never had any issues relying on these thinner materials. Stuffed with 12.7oz of 950+ fill power goose down, this bag has kept me comfortable cowboy camping under the stars down to about 17° with light leggings and a down jacket. I love this bag and have learned to accept being called an inchworm as I wriggle in and out of it sans zipper.
(It's the vibrant green bag in this photo on the Tonto trail in Grand Canyon National Park on the Hayduke.)
The Good- The zipperless design cuts down on both weight and bulk. It’s incredibly warm (comfortable down to 17° with a down jacket and minimal layers) thanks to the 12oz of premium 950+ fill power goose down. It also boasts exceptional durability, holding up very well after 3,000+ miles of thru-hiking and over 200 nights of use.
The Bad- If you're a hot sleeper, the lack of a zipper makes it challenging to ventilate on warmer nights (above 50°F). Wriggling in and out can feel slightly awkward at first, and the thin 7-denier shell is susceptible to the occasional snag.
The continuous baffles around the body allow the down to shift around. You can use this to your advantage and have a "cool side" and a "warm side" to the bag but sometimes it just leads to voids in the down which can cause noticeable cool spots.
Enlightened Equipment Enigma 20° (short, regular width 18oz, 950 fp down)
Price- ~$320 (Varies heavily by down fill and customizations)
Weight- 18oz (20° short/regular width, 950fp) / 16oz (30° short/regular width, 850fp)
This is Bug's favorite quilt. She first got the 30° for our Pacific Northwest Trail thru-hike in 2019 and never regretted the transition from a tradition mummy sleeping bag to a quilt. She's a warm sleeper and loves the freedom to ventilate the quilt on warmer nights and to clip the straps on the back for cooler ones.
The 30° Enigma Quilt was also used on our hike of the Grand Enchantment Trail across Arizona and New Mexico, but she did find cowboy camping in the teens and low 20s to be a little chilly, leading to her purchase of the 20°. This new quilt has almost 13 ounces of 950 fill power down and has kept her warm during snow storms on the North Kaibab Plateau in Arizona and frosty desert nights in Utah. She loves the sewn footbox of the Enigma model, but Enlightened Equipment offers two other variations and endless customizations.
(Seen above in Steven's Canyon, UT. No tent, no problem, it's probably just a passing shower anyway.)
The Good- The quilt design provides excellent freedom to ventilate on warm nights while the pad straps lock in heat for cooler ones. The sewn footbox effectively keeps drafts out. The 20° version features highly compressible 950 fill power down that stands up well to cold and frosty conditions, and EE offers endless sizing and fabric customizations to dial in your perfect setup.
The Bad- After much contemplation Bug's could not come up with any critics for this quilt. Ad that's after hundreds of cumulative nights!! Now that's an endorsement!
REI Magma 17° (~2lbs 10oz) (new models available)
Price- $399 (For the updated Magma 15° model)
Weight- ~2lbs 2oz medium
This was my first quality down bag and it actually performed really well. I used it for the entire 1,200-mile Pacific Northwest Trail in 2019, and a minimum of another 1,000 miles of hiking. I actually combine this with a lighter quilt for use as a winter bag, into temps that sometimes dip below 0°F. Is it the lightest? No, but it's well-stitched and the 850 down is still pretty good quality and highly compressible. If you want a traditional style mummy bag with a big draft collar at a slightly less expensive price, this is a great option.
The Good- Great overall value for the price point. The 850 fill power down is highly compressible and the traditional mummy design features a large draft collar to trap heat. It’s highly durable (surviving the PNT and beyond) and versatile enough to be layered with a quilt for sub-zero winter camping.
The Bad- At 2lbs 2oz, it's definitely not the lightest option on the market. Additionally, the specific 17° version is an older model and has been replaced by newer versions in REI's lineup so I can't speak to the performance of the updated bags.
