The Coleman Big Bay 20° is rated for a lower temperature limit of 20 degrees Fahrenheit, which seems about right based on my experience. Wearing long johns and wool socks, I crawled into the Big Bay, napped on a cot in 32-degree weather and found it comfortably warm. For anything colder than that, you’ll need extra layers as well as a beanie, or you’ll want to consider another bag altogether. Most recreational campers won’t be sleeping in temperatures that low (it’s already transitioning into winter for me at that temperature), so this bag is practical for most people’s needs. Coleman doesn’t provide the bag’s weight, but I weighed it in its compression sack at 4.2 pounds using my kitchen scale. Even though that’s only an extra few ounces, when you’re hiking over challenging terrain, you start feeling that added weight very quickly.
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At less than 5 pounds, it’s not overly heavy, and it packs down to a decent size using the compression sack, but the size and weight will take their toll if you’re hiking into camp. If you want to try backpacking, you can get away with hauling the Big Bay for an overnight hiking coleman air mattress trip, but you wouldn’t want to take it too far. It’s much smaller than a traditional rectangular bag—especially one that’s fleece-lined—so it stows better in a trunk, and you don’t lose out on comfort. When not using the Big Bay sleeping bag, store it in a large, breathable bag.
We found it easier to just keep the bag unrolled and randomly shove it into other places in our camp kit. Bursting at the seams, this bag’s packed size when we did commit to the bag is 16.5 x 10 inches. In the end, the Brazos scored the lowest for comfort out of all the bags we tested, mostly due to its smaller size and fabrics.
That being said, we feel this is still a great choice for young kids (who sleep through most anything) or teens (who don’t sleep and will most likely be around the campfire all night). Create room for two to stay warm on an outdoor trip with this Coleman sleeping bag. The Coleman Brazos 20 Degree Sleeping Bag is a comfortable entry-level rectangular bag, for camp or cabin.
Keeping it compressed in the stuff sack for long periods can reduce the loft of synthetic insulation and cause the bag to develop cold spots. For web orders returned in store, please take the item in original packaging, along with invoice to any
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However, close-fitting mummy bags, like those designed exclusively for backpacking and alpine pursuits, can feel claustrophobic for most people because there’s not a lot of room to toss and turn. The open footbox design adds space, and the bag has enough room for me to side sleep and bend my knees. Coleman Sun Ridge sleeping bags are designed for outdoor camping in moderately chilly temperatures. The Coleman Big Bay 20° mummy bag emerged as the best value pick in my sleeping bag review, and the Nemo Forte Synthetic Sleeping Bag (available in men’s and women’s) was given the top overall spot. The Nemo Forte is a more luxurious-feeling synthetic sleeping bag—the fabric is more supple and the insulation loftier—but the Big Bay doesn’t feel as slick as many bags around the same price do. It’s a little slippery on the inside, which makes getting in and out easy, but the outside isn’t slick, so it doesn’t slide around on a cot, sleeping pad or air mattress.
The full-cover construction locks in the heat by eliminating quilting cold spots, making it perfect for extreme weather sleeping. You’ll stay comfy with lightweight Coletherm® hollow polyester insulation and the Thermolock™ draft tube helping to keep your body heat in the bag. The soft flannel lining and pillow gives you extra warmth and comfort from head to toe, while the Comfort Cuff™ design makes sure you only have soft fabric around your face while you sleep.
The hood is the nicest add-on because it helps retain heat and adds comfort. It’s cinchable, with a simple nylon cord and plastic toggle that aren’t that fancy but get the job done. The nicest comfort touch is the added fleece in the footbox; it adds a touch coleman air mattress of coziness to an already plush and comfortable bag. To crown the Big Bay the best value sleeping bag, I tested it against 12 other models, including mummy bags, rectangular bags, odd-shaped bags and synthetic and down bags (and a combination of the two).
If you want to use the Big Bay to test out backpacking on a one- or two-night trip, it’s manageable. If you plan to camp a lot and see backpacking in your future, the Nemo Forte is a worthy upgrade for a synthetic sleeping bag. If you plan to camp a few times a year, and mostly at campsites, the Big Bay will save you money and keep you as warm.