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Warning: That cheap sleeping bag rated for 20 degrees is lying to you
I read a report last month from a lab in Minnesota that tested those budget sleeping bag temperature ratings. Turns out most of them use the "survival" rating, not the "comfort" rating. My buddy almost got hypothermia on a trip near Lake Superior in April because his $40 bag said 20 degrees but he was shivering all night at 32. I checked my own bag after that and found the same trick - the fine print says "survival" while telling you a way lower number on the front. Now I only trust bags that list an ISO or EN rating separately for comfort and survival. Has anyone else nearly gotten burned by this or found a brand that actually tells the truth?
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sanchez.julia1d ago
That "survival rating" trick is how they sell bags that'll barely keep you alive, not warm.
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the_elizabeth1d ago
Mountain Hardwear's -20 degree bag (the Lamina) has a standard "comfort" rating of 7 degrees and a "lower limit" of -13. That's a 20 degree gap between what the EN standard says is comfortable and what they claim it'll keep you alive in. So if you're buying a bag based on that survival number, you're basically okay with being cold and miserable the whole time as long as you don't literally die. The rating game works in your favor if you know to look for the "comfort" or "EN comfort" number instead, which is what most casual shoppers don't realize.
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