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 Big Bay also has a cinchable hood, no-snag zipper and plush collar, plus it allows for foot ventilation, just like the Forte. The compromises in choosing the cheaper fill type are relatively minimal for camping. With a car or camper to transport all of your gear, the larger stuffed size and extra weight are much less of a concern than when your sleeping bag has to be crammed into a pack and carried on your back. And should the insulation get wet, synthetics continue to keep you warm, unlike down feathers. For a full explanation of the two insulation types, see our article on down vs. synthetics.
You can read my in-depth review of the best sleeping bags, including the Coleman Big Bay 20° as the best value for car camping and general use. 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. The Big Bay is also available in a Big and Tall Contour version for $130, which is a few inches taller and broader in the shoulders, hips and feet, so it’s not quite a mummy bag and not quite a rectangle. I didn’t test the big and tall version, but the hood design, insulation, draft tube, neck collar and zipper are all the same. Sleeping bags inherently are barebones, but we’ve seen an uptick in available features on many mid-range and high-end models of late.
Our top pick in this category is REI Co-op’s Siesta Hooded 20, which replaces the Siesta 25 for 2023. For a reasonable $139, you get a high-quality bag with a useful 20-degree temperature rating, which is great for three-season car camping in a variety of conditions. Added up, the Siesta is comfy, well appointed, and a fantastic value. Turn your next adventure into a luxury trip with the Coleman® Silverton™ 25 Sleeping Bag, a mummy-style bag that can help keep you warm in temperatures as low as 25°F.
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Tumble dry on low heat in as large a dryer as possible (high heat can burn the fabric or insulation). You can toss in some tennis balls to help fluff it back up, but make sure your bag is completely dry before storing it away. The Coleman Big Bay 20° coleman canopy 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.