I bought this back in May at the BROverland Expo because I found an amazing deal on it. I’ve used it a few times since then and I can say that, so far, it is more than living up to my expectations.
Big Agnes has a line of sleeping bags that they call their “sleep system” bags. The bags have no insulation in the bottom but instead have a pocket for a sleeping pad. This allows for two things: you cant slide off your sleeping pad in the middle of the night, and the bag can pack down smaller because it has less material to compress. I was more interested in the smaller pack size, I’ve always wanted to carry a nice warm down bag with me but they just take up too much space. What I didnt realize when I bought it was how much I would come to appreciate the sleeping pad sleeve.
I’m a side sleeper so I never really get a great night of sleep while camping. Because of this I toss and turn all night and always wake up freezing my butt off with my sleeping pad in another area code. Having the pad stuck to the bag means it cant run off in the night leaving me alone to evaluate my choices in life. I also opted for a bag in the long and wide size so I can freely spin around in the bag all night and never get tangled up. Having free range of motion all night and not being able to lose the sleeping pad has translated to a much better night of sleep while camping now. Also its a high quality down filled bag so I actually stay warm now.
The one other feature I’d like to point out is the side zippers. The bag has a high quality YKK full length zipper down each side and they are all the way down at the ground not right at your side. This means you don’t have any cold spots from the zippers. It also feels more normal….your blanket at home hangs over the side of the bed just like this. It’s kind of hard to understand without just trying it but what I can say is it makes the bag feel much bigger without actually having more material. If you want to you can open the whole thing and lay it over you like a blanket with an attached foot box or the zippers are double zips so you can open the bottom for some air flow.
I also bought the Big Agnes Q-Core SLX pad at the same time. Its a really nice sleeping pad but nothing out of the ordinary. The two pair perfectly though. I’ve been using them in the hammock and the tent with great success both ways.
Final thoughts: This is by far the best sleeping bag I’ve ever owned.