Big Agnes Blackburn SL Sleeping Bag

www.bigagnes.com, two pounds, 13 ounces
When you’re camping in winter, a nice warm place to rest can be hard to come by. That’s why I love the Big Anges Blackburn SL down sleeping bag. As the temperature dropped into the single digits I found myself happy to crawl into this zero degree-rated bag. The Blackburn utilizes vertical baffles that run the full length of the bag to great effect. Only moments after crawling into this bag you feel toasty warm. Big Agnes does some clever things here, starting with the integrated pad sleeve; instead of adding insulation to the bottom of the bag that just ends up getting compressed and becomes useless, the Big Agnes system relies on the sleeping pad to provide lower insulation while you sleep. This also cuts down on the weight and packed size of the bag. But if you go from a 1.5-inch-thick, self-inflating foam pad to a three-inch pad, you’ll definitely lose room inside the bag. This bag has a few other trick up its sleeve. The drawstring around the face closure is stretchy shock cord, so as you move around inside the bag the opening can flow and move with you. The top of the bag boasts a pillow stuff sack, perfect for their $30 inflatable Air Core Pillow, or for a rolled-up fleece. And the horseshoe-shaped draft collar tucks comfortably around your neck to keep the warm air in and the cold air out. You can choose between two lengths (regular and long) and which side on which you prefer the zipper. The rectangular fit further enhances the loose feel of the bag; if you hate feeling trapped in mummy-style sleeping pads, but worry about sacrificing warmth by introducing “empty spots” in a more traditional rectangular bag, the Blackburn is the perfect solution to truly comfortable cold-weather slumber.
-Chris Boyle