Kelty Cosmic Down 20 Sleeping Bag Evaluate

Backside Line

The Kelty Cosmic Down 20 (males’s / girls’s) is a comfortable, reasonably priced, no-frills mummy sleeping bag. Because of fluffy down insulation, this one has a stellar warmth-to-weight ratio, making it a standout on our greatest sleeping luggage for tenting information. Senior Gear Analyst Ian Krammer used this bag to remain heat for 14+ chilly nights when automotive tenting excessive within the Colorado Rockies, however he’s additionally backpacked over 150 miles with it, together with a 30-mile loop in Utah’s Canyonlands Nationwide Park.

We love the sleek, cozy inside, and the down heats up impressively quick. The mother design, with a slender footbox and hood, traps warmth effectively. Kelty makes use of extremely waterproof and quick-drying nylon for the outside, good for damp and humid situations. We additionally love its giant stash pocket – which many mummy luggage don’t provide – for straightforward entry to necessities.

Nonetheless, this bag’s slender match may not be one of the best if you happen to want extra room to unfold out. It’s additionally a bit on the heavy facet for a down bag. We don’t thoughts for automotive tenting, however it’s a bit a lot for long-distance backpacking versus different down luggage. Moreover, there’s a big value hole between the lads’s and ladies’s variations, with the latter costing considerably extra. For campers searching for moderately priced heat in an ultra-portable package deal, the Cosmic Down 20 is a stellar bang to your buck.

Consolation

The Kelty Cosmic Down is a snug mummy bag with soft cloth, thick draft tubes, and a extremely adjustable hood. We’re keen on the plush 20D nylon taffeta liner cloth for an excellent clean and comfortable really feel. Mixed with the thick, comfortable draft tubes alongside the facet zipper and neck, this bag is straightforward to sink into after a protracted day of taking part in exterior.

The slim-fitting mummy form is simply roomy sufficient to modify from again to facet pretty, and the ergonomic, rounded footbox means we have been in a position to transfer our ft simply with out problem. We additionally like that the hood is very adjustable due to a single, easy cinch twine. It’s spacious for many backpacking pillows, with loads of room to bury our heads in addition to sit up with the hood nonetheless on.

Nonetheless, if you happen to’re a automotive camper or are staying largely within the frontcountry, the largest draw back of the Cosmic Down 20 is its mummy form. This design is superior for conserving most warmth within the backcountry, however it’s not as cozy in comparison with an enormous, rectangular bag. In the event you have a tendency to maneuver round lots if you sleep, otherwise you’re a stomach sleeper, the mother design can really feel constricting. That mentioned, if you happen to’ll be backpacking too, or just want a snugger match, the Cosmic Down 20 could also be precisely what you’re searching for.

Heat

The Kelty Cosmic Down 20 expertly balances weight and heat. Our testing finds the 550-fill down insulation stored us toasty heat to 30°F, however it weighs solely two and a half kilos for the lads’s and three and a half kilos for the ladies’s. We want the 20° for its versatility, however it is available in a 0° model and 40° model for any season. This bag stored us cozy and cozy throughout a four-day automotive tenting journey to 12,500’ Stony Move in Colorado’s San Juan Vary, the place we handled rain, robust wind, and obtrusive solar. It’s additionally achieved the job on a bone-dry backpacking journey right into a distant a part of Canyonlands Nationwide Park in early December.

Kelty retains weight to a minimal utilizing down feathers and a light-weight however hardy 20D nylon materials for the within and out of doors. This development gives tons of heat, however nonetheless rolls up very small in comparison with luggage made with artificial fill and heavier supplies. The pretty cosy mummy design additionally reduces extra materials. It actually shines between 30°F and 60°F. That mentioned, if it’s too heat, merely unzip the two-way zipper for extra breathability.

It’s value noting the ladies’s bag is notably costlier as a result of it has a better fill weight in comparison with the lads’s. The lads’s Common has a fill weight of 16.4 ounces, whereas the ladies’s has 29.06 ounces – so the ladies’s weighs and prices extra, however will really feel hotter by way of the chest and hips than the lads’s.

Down requires a bit extra upkeep to retain its heat than artificial luggage. To take care of its heat and fluffy properties, you’ll want to sometimes wash your bag with down-specific detergent, retailer it long-term in a unfastened mesh bag, and preserve it dry to take care of its properties. These are straightforward steps, however this can be a draw back if you happen to received’t be backpacking, or if you happen to’re solely automotive tenting a couple of instances a 12 months and like simplicity.

Packed Dimension

The Kelty Cosmic Down 20 shrinks down the smallest of any mannequin on our information. It weighs solely 2 kilos, 7 ounces for the lads’s and three kilos, 4.8 ounces for the ladies’s – so it’s a terrific selection for each backpacking and restricted trunk house. The down insulation and thinner, lighter nylon materials instantly contributes to the extremely small packed sizes – a mere 8 by 13 inches for males’s and ladies’s.

However if you happen to’re searching for the lightest gear, these specs may miss the mark. People who need small, ultralight gear for each backpacking and automotive tenting might need to preserve wanting. If that’s you, take a look at our backpacking sleeping luggage checklist to scale back your pack dimension and weight even additional.

Because the feathers can get mashed and damaged over time, you’ll need to preserve the Cosmic Down in a mesh storage sack when not in use. This retains the insulation gentle and fluffy and prolongs the standard, efficiency, and sturdiness of your bag over time. Sadly, Kelty doesn’t embrace this, so we extremely advocate choosing up a giant, breathable mesh sack for long run storage.

Options

The Kelty Cosmic Down 20’s function set is straightforward and acquainted. The ergonomic mummy design is slim with a soft hood just-roomy-enough footbox. Its waterproof shell gives added safety in opposition to condensation and moist situations. The 2-way zipper is useful for air flow. Not all mummy luggage have an inner stash pocket, however we love that the Cosmic Down 20 does – and it’s zippered. This pocket is a bit shallow for bigger telephones, however it works effectively for preserving a chapstick or headlamp shut at hand with out objects falling out and disappearing into the folds of your bag. 

Nonetheless, that’s all there may be to this bag. It doesn’t have a pad attachment sleeve, outsized hood, extra pockets, a mesh storage bag, or fancy bells and whistles. That mentioned, the essential design works for us – it’s unsurprising, but in addition heat, snug, and packs small.

Ought to You Purchase the Kelty Cosmic Down 20?

The Kelty Cosmic Down 20 is a good 3-season bag for automotive campers, occasional backpackers, and people on a price range who nonetheless desire a high quality down bag. Its combo of reasonably priced value and a excessive warmth-to-weight ratio makes it a terrific selection if you need a great worth with out compromising heat. The mother-style design helps retain physique warmth, and a sturdy, waterproof shell ensures safety in opposition to humidity, making it good for automotive tenting in a wide range of situations. We additionally recognize the small packed dimension, giant, soft hood, snag-free zipper – and the zippered stash pocket to corral little objects. The Cosmic Down proves {that a} high quality down bag doesn’t have to interrupt the financial institution.

Nonetheless, it isn’t one of the best for folk who prefer to unfold out, because the slender mummy match might miss the mark, particularly if you happen to’re solely automotive tenting. The load is fairly low for automotive tenting and shorter backpacking journeys, although it’s not appropriate for longer-distance backpackers counting each ounce. Moreover, this bag has a really giant hole in value – in addition to weight – between the ladies’s bag and the lads’s bag. That mentioned, the ladies’s has extra down. Regardless of these drawbacks, the Kelty Cosmic Down 20 stays a superb selection for automotive tenting or a couple of days out on the path, providing nice heat and soft consolation in a sturdy design that packs small.

What Different Tenting Sleeping Luggage Ought to You Contemplate?

See our information to one of the best tenting sleeping luggage and learn how the Kelty Cosmic Down 20 compares to the others. And when you’re right here, contemplate these different high picks:

Mountain Hardwear Bishop Move 15 Evaluate: The Bishop Move 15 is one other mummy bag made with high-quality down and options wonderful packability. It weighs half as a lot and is hotter than the Cosmic Down however prices extra.

NEMO Disco Limitless Promise Evaluate: The Disco shares the identical high quality down insulation and comfortable, heat really feel because the Kelty Cosmic Down 20. Nonetheless, it’s considerably pricier, chillier, and weighs lower than half as a lot.

The North Face One Bag Evaluate: The North Face One Bag is pricier, lighter, and gives three temperature scores. This bag is ideal for campers keen to pay a premium for superior versatility.