Coleman Brazos Sleeping Bag Assessment

Backside Line

When you’re in search of an unfussy, inexpensive sleeping bag with out sacrificing consolation, the Coleman Brazos 30 matches the invoice. This one steals the present in the case of finances buys on our greatest sleeping baggage for tenting information. Its gentle inside, versatile design, and really low value makes it a lovely entry-level bag for automotive campers, discount hunters, and anybody needing a number of baggage with out breaking the financial institution.

Senior Gear Analyst Ian Krammer has examined this bag over 20+ nights. From quick, dry summer season tenting journeys within the Colorado Rockies to late-fall journeys to the Utah desert, our testing finds it’s very best for heat, delicate climate within the 40s and above. The Brazos’ large, rectangular design gives loads of room to roll over. A two-way zipper runs from the highest of the bag to the underside nook for air flow – plus it transforms right into a blanket. This one even has a small inside stash pocket for a chapstick or headlamp.

However, the Brazos has some notable downsides. It’s heavy and hulking in comparison with different artificial baggage, and its stuff sack is just not our favourite. We discover particles sticks simply to its inside material. Regardless of zipper plows, the zippers are inclined to catch on the liner. We don’t suggest it for actually chilly adventures – the Brazos lacks a hood and barely-there draft tubes do little to dam chilly air. However for such a particularly low value, the Coleman Brazos gives precisely what we want for a gentle night time beneath the celebrities: consolation and ease.

Consolation

The Coleman Brazos 30 proves you don’t want bells and whistles to remain cozy when tenting. The mixture of an opulent tricot material liner and thick artificial insulation makes for a surprisingly cozy really feel that’s inviting and heat. For lively sleepers this bag has loads of room to maneuver round, too, due to the Brazos’ roomy rectangular form. Gear Analyst Ian Krammer tends to shift round fairly a bit through the night time, switching between his again, facet, and stomach. He had no bother rolling over, as this mannequin permits for straightforward motion irrespective of your most popular sleeping place.

The Brazos has an L-shaped zipper that totally unzips on one facet and the underside, reworking the bag right into a blanket. We love this design for cold nights across the fireplace. You may also zip two Brazos baggage collectively for shared heat with a associate – or a canine bff.

That stated, the Brazos earns solely common scores for consolation. The principle cause is because of the tricot material liner – it collects particles and hair like a magnet. Ian set this bag on the bottom whereas pitching his tent and it instantly picked up twigs, pine needles, and dust, and we bumped into the identical concern with canine hair. Cleansing it looks like a chore. Fortunately, the bag is totally machine cleanable (entrance loading, over-sized washers solely) serving to eradicate many of the lingering grit.

The tricot additionally tends to catch on baselayer supplies together with nylon, cotton and polyester. Ian finds there’s loads of room to roll over, however the tricot can transfer towards garments inflicting static electrical energy and snagging. We grew accustomed to this sense, however it could miss the mark for those who’re delicate to textures.

Heat

The Brazos 30 is reliably heat. When you’re tenting in temps between 40ºF and 70ºF, the Brazos will get the job finished. Our testing finds Coleman’s artificial fill retains heat in addition to any bag on our record, making it a strong selection for reasonably chilly situations. Throughout three 40ºF nights on a visit to Lake Metropolis, Colorado – a small city buried deep within the distant San Juan Mountain Vary – Ian stayed heat and content material with none points.

The Brazos is just not water-proof, although the artificial fibers nonetheless saved us heat when the bag received moist. On a very dewy night time in Colorado’s Misplaced Creek Wilderness, Ian’s bag absorbed many of the moisture. Nonetheless, the bag stayed impressively heat, even because the water soaked in. It additionally dried shortly – inside 2 to three hours.

We additionally admire the two-way L-shaped zipper. The footbox unzips so we may stick our toes out and funky down. The Brazos converts totally right into a blanket, plus you’ll be able to zip two baggage collectively to create a double-wide sleeping bag and share heat.

Nonetheless, we don’t suggest the Brazos under 40ºF. Ian’s examined this sleeping bag to its absolute restrict on snowy journeys all the way down to freezing (32ºF), however it required base and mid layers in addition to a really heat sleeping mattress. The Brazos doesn’t have a hood, and there’s no cinching mechanism across the neck to entice heat, which may make for a drafty expertise. Final, Coleman advertises a draft tube alongside the zipper, however it’s very minimal and doesn’t forestall the chilly from seeping in. Maintain the Brazos for laid-back, mild-weather adventures the place chilly temperatures and moist situations aren’t a priority.

Packed Dimension

The Coleman Brazos 30 has a big packed dimension of about 12 inches by 19 inches. It additionally weighs practically 7 kilos, making it one of many heavier one individual artificial sleeping baggage we’ve examined. The thick insulation does nicely when it comes to heat, however it doesn’t compress nicely, leading to a cumbersome bundle. That stated, the Brazos isn’t that a lot larger than the competitors. We’ve at all times discovered a spot in our gear closet or trunk for this one, and it’s nonetheless pretty simple to maneuver between automotive and campsite.

Our greatest gripe with the Brazos is that it’s robust to pack up. The included stuff sack is small, so mashing the bag again inside requires muscle and endurance. The stuff sack has a lengthwise zipper on the surface to assist compress the width of the bag by a couple of extra inches, however it’s much more difficult to shut.

This bag additionally options Coleman’s “Fast Wire” system, with two cords on the underside of the bag. One twine creates a loop, and the opposite is a standalone with a plastic hook on the finish. When the bag’s rolled up, connect the hook to the loop – though we discover the Brazos is much more unwieldy packed this fashion. Our answer? Use the fee financial savings to purchase an inexpensive mesh laundry bag for storing the Brazos.

Options

The Coleman Brazos 30 is a minimalistic design, however it does have a couple of standout options. The small pocket with a hook-and-loop closure on the within of the bag is ideal for retaining small necessities shut at hand if you’re sleeping, like a lighter or headlamp, although it’s a bit tight for many telephones. The L-shaped zipper permits the bag to be remodeled right into a blanket or zip along with one other Brazos. Whereas it doesn’t have an adjustable hood, the roomy inside makes it really feel comfy and spacious, permitting for a comfortable night time beneath the celebrities.

On the draw back, the Coleman Brazos 30 lacks many of the luxurious options we see in larger high quality baggage. It doesn’t embody a neck cinch twine, zipper storage, or hook-and-loop closure on the neck to forestall the zipper from coming undone when shifting at night time. The Brazos lacks a hood and it’s draft tubes are extraordinarily slim. We additionally discover the zipper system could be finicky and may catch on the liner.

Nonetheless, the Brazos proves that having fun with the outside doesn’t have to come back with a hefty price ticket. It delivers all the important thing options we count on from a sleeping bag: heat, consolation, and flexibility for night time after night time of sleep open air..

Ought to You Purchase the Coleman Brazos 30F?

The Coleman Brazos 30 is ideal for budget-conscious campers who need an inexpensive, easy bag for mellow summer season journeys. Its spacious rectangular design gives additional room to maneuver round. When you’re a first-time camper or solely enterprise out a couple of instances a 12 months, the Brazos is a sensible, low-cost possibility for staying heat in temperatures as little as 45ºF. The power to unzip the bag partially for air flow, or all the best way right into a blanket, makes it a flexible decide. It’s additionally a great possibility for households or {couples} who wish to share area, since two baggage may also be zipped collectively. The soft lining is gentle towards the pores and skin, and a small stash pocket is useful to maintain monitor of little gadgets within the night time.

Nonetheless, if you need high-end options or light-weight portability, the Brazos misses the mark. Its cumbersome dimension, heavy weight, and difficult packing course of aren’t an amazing match if you need a extra streamlined possibility. The tricot liner material tends to gather particles and dust, and the exterior material is just not water-proof. This mannequin additionally lacks a hood, draft tubes, and a cinching mechanism, which may make it really feel a bit drafty and chilly.

That stated, Coleman is king in the case of finances merchandise, and the Brazos is a positive bag for infrequent campers, mellow adventures, and worth consumers. When you don’t wish to spend an arm and a leg to sleep exterior, that is the one.

What Different Tenting Sleeping Baggage Ought to You Take into account?

Hike over to our greatest tenting sleeping baggage record to see how the Brazos compares to the competitors. And contemplate these different choices: 

The North Face Wawona 20 Assessment: The Wawona can also be rectangular and has a wrap-around zipper and a soft material inside. Nonetheless, it weighs much less, is way simpler to pack, and is extra sturdy and comfortable – however prices extra.

REI Siesta Hooded 20 Assessment: The REI Hooded 20 is our prime decide – it has an enormous spacious inside, clean material, and a cinchable, large hood. This one’s received the next price ticket, however it’s value it for superior heat and high quality development.

Teton Sports activities Celsius XXL 0F Assessment: The Celsius is an enormous, soft, tremendous heat bag with budget-friendly pricing and an oblong form. It’s a major step up when it comes to sturdiness and luxury, and now features a hood.