WIRED has updated its sleeping bag recommendations, adding Nemo’s Disco 15 as its pick for side sleepers while removing a sold-out Marmot bag and a discontinued Rab model, according to the publication’s gear guide.
The list is aimed at the usual outdoor mess: backpackers counting ounces, families camping near a car, warmer-weather hikers, kids, active sleepers and people who want a sleep system instead of a traditional mummy bag. WIRED says its editors independently choose featured products, though it also discloses that it may receive compensation from retailers or purchases made through its links. Commerce journalism, in other words, still has a checkout lane.
The top backpacking pick
WIRED names the Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass 15 as its best sleeping bag for backpackers. The publication says the bag hits a useful compromise: warm enough for shoulder-season nights, compact enough for a pack and not as expensive as some high-end down bags.
The Bishop Pass 15 weighs 2 pounds, 5.4 ounces, according to WIRED. Its construction includes 650-fill-power down inside a 20-denier water-resistant ripstop nylon shell. WIRED’s tester reported using it for more than two weeks in temperatures ranging from 28 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. In warmer conditions, the tester used it unzipped as a blanket rather than as a sealed sleeping bag.
The bag’s listed temperature rating is 15 degrees Fahrenheit, with a comfort rating of 26 degrees, according to the guide. WIRED singled out its draft collar and face gasket, saying the design helped retain heat around the head well enough that the tester did not need a hat. The tradeoff is space: WIRED says the bag is narrow, which helps efficiency but will annoy anyone who sleeps like they are fighting a bear in slow motion. The zipper also drew a minor complaint for not pulling as smoothly as others, though WIRED said it did not snag much.
Car camping and modular sleep
For car camping, WIRED recommends the REI Co-op Siesta Hooded 20. The publication’s reasoning is blunt: if a car is nearby, weight matters less and spending a fortune makes less sense. The Siesta uses a rectangular shape rather than a mummy cut, giving campers more room to move.
WIRED says the Siesta is made with recycled polyester materials and polyester insulation, with a softer lining than many bags in the guide. It carries a 20-degree rating and includes a hood, a feature WIRED says is unusual for a rectangular bag and useful on colder nights. Its zipper setup includes a full-length zipper for opening the bag into a quilt and a second partial zipper for ventilation. WIRED also notes that two current Siesta bags can be zipped together, unlike earlier versions.
WIRED’s all-in-one sleep-system pick is the Zenbivy Bed 25 Degree Sleeping Bag and Quilt System. The setup combines a sheet, hood and quilt-style top layer, which can be arranged loosely in warm weather or zipped into a mummy-style configuration when temperatures drop. WIRED says the sheet uses 50-denier polyester pongee, while the top quilt uses 20-denier nylon.
Other category winners
The guide’s remaining picks include the Sea to Summit Spark 15 as best ultralight bag, Nemo Disco 15 for side sleepers, Therm-a-Rest Questar 20 for active sleepers, REI’s Magma 15 for spring and fall trips, Therm-a-Rest Vesper 32 as best quilt, REI Kindercone for kids and Nemo Forte 20 as best synthetic bag.
WIRED says Adrienne So and Martin Cizmar contributed to the guide. The publication also points readers to related gear coverage on sleeping pads, tents, camp stoves and camp cooking equipment.
This story draws on original reporting from WIRED.
