Backside Line
The REI Trailmade 20 is a comfortable, no-frills mummy bag on the prime of our greatest tenting sleeping baggage information. Its time-tested design, inclusive sizing and low value makes it a bullseye for summer season campers. Senior Gear Analyst Ian Krammer has totally examined the Trailmade 20 on dozens of journeys, the place its clean zipper, ergonomic footbox, and delicate materials supply a straightforward night time’s sleep in numerous climates.
With a compact measurement and pretty low weight, this mannequin’s an affordable selection for shorter backpacking journeys the place a bit of additional weight isn’t a dealbreaker. It dovetails effectively with different REI Trailmade objects too, together with the sleeping pad and tent, making the Trailmade line a very good place to begin for entry-level tenting and budget-conscious consumers.
However the Trailmade 20 has some drawbacks. Its slim design isn’t the perfect when you’re solely automobile tenting and like extra space to unfold out, although it’s does are available broad in each measurement. We discover the lengthy hood cinch toggles dangle in our faces at night time. Lastly, the 20°F temperature ranking can really feel extreme in hotter climates.
Nonetheless, this factor is an superior worth at $100, and it’s one in all our prime picks this yr for many campers.
Fast Specs

REI Trailmade 20
Most Inclusive & Accessible Tenting Sleeping Bag for All Shapes & Sizes
CleverHiker Ranking:
4.6/5.0
Value:
$100
Temperature Ranking:
21°F
Weight:
3 lb. 4.6 oz.
Fill Sort:
Artificial
Professionals
- Reasonably priced
- Obtainable in six totally different size & width mixtures
- Clean, two-way zipper
- Correct temperature ranking
- Snug materials
- Recycled fill and shell supplies
- Smaller packed measurement
Cons
- Common width is slim by the legs
- Cinch toggles dangle near face
- Exterior stash pocket could not work for everybody
- No mesh storage sack

Consolation
The Trailmade 20 has all of the consolation options we wish in a high quality mummy bag. Our favourite factor? There’s a measurement for everybody because of REI’s inclusive choices, together with quick, common, and lengthy, plus broad for every size. We additionally discover the ergonomic footbox provides a bit extra room for stressed ft to maneuver. Take note this mannequin is a traditional mummy form, which suggests it might really feel a bit tight at common width. We extremely advocate the broad model.Â
This material makes for a severely cozy – and quiet – sleeping expertise, with no obnoxious crinkling or rustling if you roll over within the night time. Senior Gear Analyst Ian Krammer is a giant fan of the delicate polyester lining, because it has the texture of a blanket relatively than a sleeping bag. We additionally just like the Trailmade’s contoured hood with two totally different cinch toggles. One tightens the neck, and the opposite handles the hood to dial in the perfect match for you.Â
Nonetheless, the mum design can really feel restrictive when you’re tenting principally in heat climate and eliminating chilly spots isn’t a giant deal. It does are available a wide range of sizes, together with broad, though when you actually need extra room to roll over, think about a rectangular-shaped bag as an alternative.
Moreover, our testing finds the cinch toggles are likely to flop on our face at night time. They’re situated to the aspect of the hood for simple entry when contained in the bag, which is good – however this induced them to land on our heads and necks. That is minor stuff, although – total, the Trailmade is a comfortable bag we attain for all summer season lengthy.

Heat
In terms of heat, the REI Trailmade 20 delivers. Ian’s rigorous testing finds REI’s consolation ranking of 31°F is spot on. From a fall automobile tenting journey in Utah’s Goblin Valley State Park to early spring tent tenting at 12,300’, the Trailmade is a wonderful possibility right down to the low 30’s. It’s a stable performer from spring till fall in most situations.
The comfortable mummy form and ergonomic footbox trapped our physique warmth successfully and stored us heat. The thick draft collar minimized warmth loss round our necks, and the broad draft tube blocked the chilly alongside the zipper. We additionally appreciated the 2 cinch cords for a good match within the chilly, and the two-way zipper to vent warmth from the underside of the bag when it’s heat.
It’s artificial insulation is nice at retaining heat when moist. In Colorado’s Sand Dunes Nationwide Park, Ian camped beneath a tarp throughout a rainstorm, and a nook of the Trailmade 20 acquired soaking moist. He finds the DWR coating was pretty waterproof, and the artificial insulation stored him heat all through the night time when water penetrated. The subsequent day, it dried absolutely inside 3 hours.
Nonetheless, you’ll wish to keep within the 30-60°F window. It’s just too heat above 60°F. On the flipside, 31°F was our restrict for chilly. Baselayers and a high-R-value pad helped when it was freezing, however when temps dropped into the 20’s, we had been shivering

Packed Dimension
This one earns increased scores for packability from our testers – it’s very simple to hold between automobile and campsite, and it’s not a nasty selection for backpacking, both. The Trailmade 20 packs right down to solely 10 inches by 13 inches. That’s one of many smallest on our checklist. It matches neatly right into a gear closet, trunk, or the underside of a backpack.
The conscious building is why it’s so small: recycled polyester material and artificial insulation are nonetheless bulkier than down, but it surely’s nonetheless very compressible. The Trailmade can also be on the lighter aspect in comparison with many baggage we’ve examined, tipping the scales at 3 kilos, 4.6 ounces for the Common.

Options
The REI Trailmade 20 has a easy however efficient characteristic set that’s practical within the discipline. Ian’s favourite factor is the only exterior zippered stash pocket. We not often see exterior pockets on baggage, not to mention with zippers and zipper toggles. This design retains necessities shut at hand with out falling out, and we like that it matches most telephones.
The sleek two-way zipper has a cloth storage on the prime to dam the zipper tabs from touching our faces when the bag is closed up all the best way. REI additionally features a single gear loop on the hood to hold the bag when not in use or for drying and the double cinches and huge, camp pillow-compatible hood are the cherries on prime.Â
This bag is an element of a bigger line of tenting and mountaineering merchandise within the REI Trailmade assortment. It’s a very good place to begin for funds customers, first timers, and occasional campers. Think about the Trailmade Backpacking Bundle, which features a tent, pad, and the Trailmade bag for lower than $400.
That stated, now we have a couple of complaints. The only aspect zipper works effectively, however doesn’t lengthen previous the footbox. There’s no hook-and-loop closure tab on the prime to maintain the zipper from unzipping once we transfer at night time. The exterior pocket isn’t for everybody – this design is a little bit of a trouble, because it requires unzipping and reaching out of the bag to entry small objects, which was a bit annoying. Nonetheless, this one has all of the options we wish in a easy bag.

Ought to You Purchase The REI Trailmade 20?
The REI Trailmade 20 is an easy mummy bag for the lots. Its reasonably priced price ticket – plus the size and width mixtures – make it some of the accessible and inclusive fashions on our checklist. Options like a two-way zipper, double drawstring hood, and a zippered exterior stash make this one aggressive with pricier, premium sleeping baggage. The temperature ranking is correct, too, making it an incredible selection for nights between 30°F and 60°F. It’s mild sufficient to hold for brief backpacking journeys, however simply as cozy if you’re inside strolling distance of your car.Â
There are a couple of downsides, significantly in relation to match and design. Like most mummy baggage, this one is a bit slim by the legs, which is likely to be uncomfortable for campers who prefer to unfold out at night time. The cinch toggles are near the face, making them awkward to regulate and a bit obnoxious when sleeping. The exterior zippered stash pocket design may not be everybody’s favourite, because you’ll have to succeed in out of the bag to entry it.
We discover few faults with the Trailmade. It’s an superior worth for shorter backpacking journeys and automobile campers. At this value, you may simply outfit a gaggle of three for the worth of 1 premium bag. For those who’re on the lookout for stable consolation, dependable heat, and a very good packed measurement, the Trailmade 20 is made for years of use on the path and automobile tenting.

What Different Tenting Sleeping Baggage Ought to You Think about?
Take a look at our information to the perfect tenting sleeping baggage to see how this one measures up in opposition to the competitors. And if the Trailmade 20 caught your eye, think about these different prime picks:
Mountain Hardwear Bishop Cross 15 Overview: Just like the Trailmade 20, the Bishop Cross 15 presents a cosy mummy design and cozy material for cooler climate tenting. Nonetheless, it’s made with 650 fp down as an alternative of artificial insulation, so it’s lighter, quieter, and hotter – although it prices extra.
REI Siesta Hooded 20 Overview: This REI mannequin is our primary choose – it has the identical temperature ranking because the Trailmade, but it surely’s cozier and roomier because of the oblong form. It’s heavier and prices extra, however when you received’t be backpacking, this one is hard to beat for consolation and worth if you’re close to your car.
The North Face Wawona 20 Overview: The Wawona 20 shares the easy options, heat ranking, and low price ticket with the Trailmade 20. It swaps the hood and tight footbox for a comfortable rectangular form, so it’s heavier and bigger, however we extremely advocate this one as an incredible different for frontcountry tenting.
