Blog

Big Agnes Sleeping Bag Buying Guide

Posted by Mark Richardson on Mar 18, 2024

Big Agnes Sleeping Bags

V Notch and Pluton

Minimalist

Big Agnes make these two specialist bags ideally suited to Mountain Marathons and Ultralight Backpacking and because not everyone likes Down the V Notch is a synthetic option which nonetheless only weighs 582 grams.

Both are ideal as a summer bag and despite being described as minimalist they both have a reasonable feature-set.

 

Greystone

Lightweight

A warm and cosy down bag that goes a long way to reduce cold spots and drafts from entering the bag. It’s a generous-sized bag with plenty of room to toss and turn without the bag feeling constrictive. The Greystone has a nice well-fitting hood, an oversized interior anti-draft collar and an insulated tube along the hood, which all increase the bag's warmth, and prevent cold air from entering the bag.

 

Anthracite

Synthetic Version of Greystone Bags

You get inevitable trade-offs with synthetic bags, which will perform well in damp and humid conditions for a start, but also, you are getting a good, trail-ready bag at a very reasonable price.

 

It’s a generous-sized bag with plenty of room to toss and turn without the bag feeling constrictive. The Anthracite has a nice well-fitting hood, an oversized interior anti-draft collar and an insulated tube along the hood, which all increase the bag's warmth, and prevent cold air from entering the bag.

 

Lost Ranger UL 3N1 Series 

2 Bag System that Combines to give you 3 Options.

We are stocking the UL versions of the 3N1 bag systems, its a good option if you anticipate camping across the seasons. While there are other options to achieve the same goal, such as adding a quilt to your existing sleeping bag, none are as elegant as the Big Agnes version.

 

King Solomon

Double Bags for Couples

The King Solomon double sleeping bags are an alternative to zipping two bags together, and, being designed for couples to use its a much better solution if you share a bag often. For example the side zips allow you to fine tune your own side ventilation and the pad securing system keeps the pads in place. We also like the pillow keepers, there's nothing worse than your pillow going walkabout.

 


Big Agnes Quilts

Kings Canyon UL Synthetic Quilt

The Big Agnes 2020 Kings Canyon UL Quilt is a versatile and extremely packable. The versatility of the synthetic insulation allows a much wider use around camp. The insulation is provided by quality Primaloft Silver, so the quilt will provide insulation even if it gets wet.

 

There is a a pad sleeve at the bottom plus loops and shock cord to attach the quilt to a mat. You can add insulation to the mat, use it as a quilt to sleep under on warm nights, or for additional warmth over a sleeping bag when the temperature gets cool.

 

Fussell UL Down Quilt

The Fussell quilt is filled with 850 fill power, DownTek treated feathers, so the bag will repel some water and dry quickly if it gets wet. The polyester shell has also been treated with a DWR coating to help protect the down from dampness. The lining inside the quilt is incredibly soft and feels lovely next to the skin.

 

If you haven’t tried a quilt before; I suggest trying one in warmer months when you don’t need a full-on traditional sleeping bag. The amount of movement and ventilation quilts facilitate make them perfect for warmer climates. However, should the weather take a turn, you can cinch the bag in, like a hoodless sleeping bag. You could incorporate a quilt in your preexisting sleep set-up in the winter, turning your 3 season bag into a four-season set-up.

 


On this post we look at the Big Agnes sleeping bags that we stock and tell you a bit about them so you can choose the best one for you.