How to Choose Sleeping Bags for Backpacking

Cold day at the crag? You'll still sleep cozy in the women's Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass 0 sleeping bag. And when you're ready for the next adventure, this light, warm bag packs down small and fast.
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View the Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass Product LineView all Mountain Hardwear Backpacking Sleeping BagsBest Use | Backpacking |
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Temperature Rating (F) | 0 degrees (F) |
Temperature Rating (C) | -18 degrees (C) |
Weight | Regular - Right Zip: 3 lbs. 2.8 oz. Long - Right Zip: 3 lbs. 7 oz. |
Shell | 20-denier ripstop nylon |
Zipper Location | Right |
Insulation Type | Down |
Fill | 650-fill-power fluorine-free down (80% down/20% feather) |
Fill Weight | Regular - Right Zip: 2 lbs. 3 oz. Long - Right Zip: 2 lbs. 6 oz. |
Lining | 30-denier plain weave nylon |
Sleeping Bag Shape | Mummy |
Fits Up To (in.) | Regular - Right Zip: 68 inches Long - Right Zip: 72 inches |
Shoulder Girth (in.) | Regular - Right Zip: 60 inches Long - Right Zip: 62 inches |
Hip Girth (in.) | Regular - Right Zip: 50 inches Long - Right Zip: 53 inches |
Stuff Sack Size | 9.5 x 17 inches |
Stuff Sack Volume | 16.2 liters |
Compressed Volume | Regular - Right Zip: 11.7 liters Long - Right Zip: 11.8 liters |
Gender | Women's |
Sustainability | Down certified to the Responsible Down Standard (RDS) |
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I like the rich raison color with the beautiful blue lining. The fabric is good quality and I love the double zipper feature. It is very convenient to be able to vent my feet during the night. The bag feels plenty roomy and not constricting like a traditional mummy bag. I am only 5"3', but there is plenty of extra room in the toe box for someone taller to use this bag. It kept me plenty warm at night. Though, I have only used it in summer, so temps did not drop below 35. It definitely feels much warmer than my 15 degree bag. It packs down pretty small given the temperature rating. I am impressed with this bag so far and will probably opt for this bag when the temperature will be at or below freezing overnight.
I love that this bag has a 2-way zipper, I am generally cold at night when camping, but often half of me is hot and the other is not, I've not owned a bag before that had the option of opening at the bottom and the top, which is great for those warmer nights! I also really appreciate how soft the inside of the bag is, the inner lining is very silky and comfortable to sleep in. I'm not sure how I feel about the draft collar, but I appreciate what they were going for. I usually feel cool air in my bag and the draft collar does prevents this, although it is going to take some getting use to because if feels a bit restrictive. I almost wish it could be detached. Although the bag fits snuggly to your body, I was able to rotate at night inside the bag pretty easily, I generally sleep on my stomach and my side so being able to move inside the bag without leaving it is something I look for.
This cozy sleeping bag has some great design details. This foot box allows for my feet to be in a comfortable and natural position without feeling restricted and the face gasket serves to keep one warm and sealed up. The zipper pulls are easy to use even when wearing gloves and the internal stash pocket is handy for keeping a few key items (e.g. flashlight) close at hand. The only improvement I’d like to see (and only reason I didn’t rate a full 5 stars) is the inclusion of expander zippers; the sleeping bag was a bit snug for my preferred fit through the hip & shoulder areas.
I had the opportunity to review the Mountain Hardware Bishop Pass 0 degree bag. It is filled with 650 responsible down which is a decent fill weight for a winter bag. This mummy style bag has a nice plush collar that keeps out drafts and wide enough to fit my pillow. I tend to turn around inside my mummy bag and I felt like I could still do that without twisting up the bag. The regular length is 68" long. Since I am 5'4", this length is perfect for me, but I would size up to the long length if you're over 5'5". Especially with winter bags, I appreciate having a few extra inches to pull up the bag around my hips and torso to get a bit cozier. The shoulder width is comfortable for my broad shoulders and the square toe box has plenty of room for my feet to move around. The tag on this bag does not describe comfort vs. survival temperature rating, so I will add 15 degrees as my minimum rating to this bag just to be safe. I won't be able to prove that rating until winter, but I was certainly toasty when testing it out during a brief cold spell in the mountains when it got down to 30 degrees. I also appreciate the small inside pocket for storing my phone (prevent it from freezing too!) and the smooth, large zipper that extends all the way down.
This sleeping bag has ruined me for other sleeping bags. It feels so high quality and nice while still being pretty lightweight. I thought it would be a perfect sleeping bag for cooler weather, but I was so excited to test it out, I took it on a summer camping trip where the lowest it reached was 45. I was surprised that I kept relatively cool, but cozy. Excited to take it out this fall. Honestly what set this sleeping bag apart for me from other high quality sleeping bags is its design. It felt like it was made to fit a woman and is incredibly cute! I know this isn't important to everyone, but it's important to me. The cute color and sleek design added a dash of fun and joy to my camping gear. The attention to detail is evident and makes it a visual treat, while still being a highly practical piece of outdoor equipment. I would highly recommend this to anyone in search of a sleeping bag that doesn't compromise on either coziness or style.
This bag is a great addition to my gear for when a 20 degree bag just doesn't cut it. I used it on a rainy and colder night towards the end of camping season in Washigton and it was honestly probably overkill and I slept with it unzipped for a portion of the night. I run cold and this bag keeps me plenty warm and is also very comfortable. It is much more bulky and heavy than my usual backpacking bag, but that makes sense given the added warmth. I love that it comes with a storage sack so that I don't have to store it compressed and it was easy to get into the stuff sack too. It does have a cozy fit and I imagine it could feel a little snug for some, especially if you tend to move around a lot. It's fluffy bag, which makes it super comfortable. The draft stops are a great feature. I also love the little pocket inside. The material is soft to the touch, yet feels resilient and like it will last for years to come. Overall, a great bag.
I was thrilled to get a cool enough night to try out this bag in the White Mountains during the New England summer. It was extremely cozy and while I used it mostly unzipped with lows in the 40s, it is going to be great for winter backpacking and hut stays. I took it out in the backyard to get some photos in good lighting. I am about 5’ 8” and the length was perfect; there will be plenty of room to add a warm water bottle in the winter. A very tall woman might wish for more length. The width, however, was a little narrow for me, as you can see by the zipper tension in the photos. I have wide hips and wear a size 12-14 pants. If you wear a bigger size, you’ll probably want to look at a different bag. Ease of zipper use was great, and the hood is going to be perfect for very cold nights with its easily adjustable opening. I can move my arms inside very easily with my relatively narrow shoulders; if you have wide shoulders, I’d try before buying.
Used 7 times at 8 F degrees - 20 F degrees. Above the R Value 7 sleeping pad. 0 degree means, it's a temperature that you're not going to die. At 8 F degrees, I am perfectly warm wearing underarmour, socks, beanie and inside the sea-to-summit liner. Any Temp above that just remove layer like liner, socks. Two bags come with to hold the sleeping bag. Both are better quality than Nemo but the compaction bag does not have the strap so it is not a true compaction bag. After about 20 - 30 min out of the compaction bag, it's back to being fluffy. Zipper snagged couple times. Nemo zipper better The zipper snagged couple times lightly even though it has anti snag thing. I zip slpeeing
I'll preface by saying that I tend to sleep pretty warm, but this sleeping bag kept me nice and cozy in 20-30 deg F temperatures. While definitely much larger than my 15 degree down bag, it compressed better than I expected to. In the compression sack that comes with it, it gets down to about 9" diameter x 10" long cylinder. This is too much volume for my smaller overnight packs, but it easily fit in my larger pack. The added features are nice touches, but nothing too out of the norm. The zipper slides smoothly and the loop is easy to find in the dark. I do dislike that the zipper can be fully undone at the bottom, but I guess this will allow you to attach it to other sleeping bags. The hang loops are really neat and great for long-term storage, and there is a pocket inside the bag for keeping small items safe and easy to reach.
Received this product in August so haven't yet been able to test in the field (do not recommend 0 degree bag in 90 degree weather) but can't wait for winter to fully try this out! Bag is about 0.5lbs lighter than my current 0 degree bag. Stuff sack comes with the bag and does a good job packing it down. Bag lofted well & quickly after 24 hours in the stuff sack. Regular length just fit me. Specs say it fits up to 172cm, but I'm 168 cm (~5'6) and there wasn't much space left. Good room in the toe box. Dual zippers worked well with no catching.