Press the bag down, and see if it springs back up quickly. If not, you will probably have loft problems later. Gently pull the inside of the bag away from the outer covering. If you hear small tearing sounds, you can be sure the baffles are not going to hold up for long, and you'll end up with a bag that has all its insulation clumped into one place. Most important, clean your bag as recommended.
Nothing is harder on a sleeping bag than dirt and oils, no matter how well it's constructed.
Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our All The Reviews Reviewed chart. Grey Fox, Mountain Equipment TDS Sleepwalker, Marmot Massif, Integral Designs Andromeda Strain, Sierra Designs Sandman. In this report, we mainly deal with mummy-style bags for backpackers, which are lightweight and compact for carrying purposes. His extensive outdoor experience, combined with an honest journalistic sense, has enabled his small site to compete with bigger players in this category. Backpacker Magazine does its usual huge and comprehensive review, covering hundreds of models.