Big Agnes Encampment Sleeping Bag: 15 Degree Climashield HL - 2008 BCS

This sleeping bag is nice and warm. I love the integrated sleeping pad idea. Keeps me on the pad even though I move around a lot when I sleep. The bag is nice and warm. Only downside is it's a little too big for backpacking. It's not extraordinarily heavy, it just doesn't pack down all that small.

I decided it was time to invest in a smaller size sleeping bag to backpack in. I have the Big Agnes insulted pad so I thought this would be a good fit and read about the extra room for people who move around a lot while they sleep.

I couldn't sleep well at all...no matter how tired I was from all the hiking. The idea of having your body laying flat on your pad with barely any material is not comfortable...and at night, it was so cold!! The temperature was about 25 degrees outside so I didn't think I should have froze to death at night in this bag!!
I returned this bag and just want to say to you to save your money and invest in another bag if you want to backpack and sleep warm at night. I will never buy another Big Agnes sleeping bag after this experience. In fact, I am thinking of using Velcro to my next sleeping bag and sticking it to the pad so I won't roll off. No more Big Agnes for me. The liner between the sleeping bag and the pad should be more than just a piece of sheet! How uncomfortable it really was!!

Like most all Big Agnes bags, this is good for us big guys. Comfortable for warm sleepers and side sleepers like me. My only complaint about BA bags is the 20 inch pad size limit, though I have used a larger pad out of pocket and it works fine.

As others have mentioned, this bag is a great choice. I'm a side sleeper that tosses from side to side during the night and the only thing I've ever dreaded about backpacking is sleeping. I couldn't ever get comfortable - and the bag would always get wrapped up.

The Big Agnes Encampment (and the Lost Ranger if you want a down version that is a little lighter and more packable) has solved the problem. When matched with a pad, the bag provides a ton of room - especially down by the feet. It also allows me to roll from side to side while everything stays in place - just like my bed at home. I also enjoy the integrated pillow holder - very handy.

The only downsides? The zipper does get caught fairly easily - like a lot of bags do. If you know it can happen and use it carefully it isn't an issue. I also agree that the temp rating is a little optimistic - I'd rate it more at 25-30.

Overall, though, this is the best sleeping system on the market, hands down. When paired with the Big Agnes insulated core sleeping pad (the MOST comfortable pad I've ever used), I can now sleep nearly as well as at home. Thanks Big Agnes!

Good ol American ingenuity at work here. No sliding off the pad in the middle of the night. (Where is there a level piece of ground out on the trail?). I have the air mattress from 3 years ago, and I think the temp rating on the new one is better than the one I have. My first experience in cold weather was, shall I say, COLD! Next trip I brought an emergency space bag and slid the mattress into it. Man, that did the trick! The space bag is only a few ounces, but it sure keeps the heat in. I have the long version, and it is really too big for me (I'm 6 ft.) It does take a little time to warm up that much space inside. The weight is a little more than I like for long backpacking trips, especially with the air mattress. Probably best for an occasional overnighter where weight isn't so critical. Very comfy bag. Well made, zippers are great, ready for years of camping.

This was my first "real" sleeping bag. I'd never liked mummy sacks and I always slid off of my pads and bruised my ankle bones. After a lot of consideration and many naps in demo bags, I decided that the big agnes system was for me. I can't take it anywhere without someone commenting on how cool it is that the pad goes into the bag. I bought a cross mtn too for summer and layering. I've used it for both and loved it. I got my sister and her husband and my girlfriend these same setups for XBox last year and they all love them. Hi Ya!

i was looking for a bag larger than the the typical "mummy" bag...yet did not want to carry a lot of extra weight. this bag fits the bill. it is relatively lightweight (just over 3 lbs for the large size) , yet stuffs nicely in compact stuff sack, or the bag compartment of my back pack.

i used a liner, and it kept me warm in the upper 20's...not entirely convinced it would keep my comfy at 15 degrees without the liner. i believe this is a function of the extra room in the bag. just be aware of the temperature rating, and how it is metered.

the price is right as well since it is synthetic. down bags will always be lighter, warmer, and more expensive...but for the price, and the ability to let it get wet....this is the schnitzel! i love it.

I love the room this bag gives me. I toss and turn all night and now I stay with my pad! The only drawback is the pad width. On my back my arms hang over into the space where the insulated side of the bag begins. The way to solve that and add more insulation is to lay some clothing on either side of you and in the morning your fresh clothes for the day are toasty! Bag and air mattress pack up nice and small.

Love the bag ! Im 6ft 7in at 270lbs and this bag fit perfect. I really like the sleeve to hold the sleeping pad . I use the bag while car camping so size n weight are not an issue to me. Did keep me warm and when my wife tried it I had a hard time getting my bag back.Thanks again backcountry and thanks to others who did their reveiws to help me buy. I would recomend this bag

I've had the opertunity to take this bag all over the world, from the deserts of the Middle East to the heat and hummidity of the US southern states. It is durable, comfortable, and stuffs down to a nice, small size.

I LOVE my encampment, and it's been so good to me. I'm a restless sleeper and the sleeve system and roomy back are great.

However, the roominess can keep you colder (more space that you have to heat), and if you don't get the insulated pad, the bag WILL NOT keep you warm down to its 15 degree rating. (This can be remedied with a silk blanket though.)

This bag is the best of what I was looking for.

I wanted a synthetic bag, because down is got only by plucking live birds or killing them...something I wasnt ready to sacrifice for lighter weight

So then I was in a tough situation, because synth bags are known for bulk and weight. The staff at backcountry.com helped me find this.

The longest bag is very warm when paired with the 15* diversion sleeping pad and it packs down to about 12 by 8 inches in a stuff sack (you will need a compression sack to compress it down to a manageable size).

For its degree rating and quality, it was the smallest pack and wieght size I could find, exactly what I wanted.

There is almost enough room in one to fit a cozy couple, and when my girl got a matching bag to zip into mine, we had more room than we thought we could for camping.

Im stoked with this bag.

- Sam
(Student Wildlife Biologist, Naturalist)

I bought this bag after doing a lot of looking around, I thought that being a big agnes bag that the temp rating on it would be accurate. I do like the bag alot and the features about the bag and the pad system. But when its 25 deg and your freezing your butt off I dont think that it is a good comfort rating of 15 deg. Maybe I'll get a down bag next.

Though its rated 15 degrees, this bag is useless without the right sleeping pad.

unlike other bags, this one let me actually fit inside it and not be stiff like an actual embalmed Mummy. Plenty of room for us bigger guys. Slept in it with my hammock a few nights and kept me too warm, was in desert climate where in dropped in the high 40's and then went up to the mountains of New Mexico around 7000 ft elev. and used it there too in my hammock. Great buy for the bigger guy.

I'm 5'9" with a 54" chest so I was looking for a bag that can allow me to fit in it and roll around at night. The encampment works pretty well with the long length and the built in pad system I can roll without getting wrapped up in the bag. I can't wait to buy the wedge by Big Agnes so I can add another 8" to the girth of the bag. Definately the right choice for me. The tent I slept in last weekend is old and collects condensation so although the temp was in the low 50's (usually perfect temp for sleeping in my skiveys) I was damp and cold - I doubt any bag would have kept me warm but I do plan on getting an over bag for November/December camping.

The Big Agnes bags are great! Lots of room to move around compared to other bags. Price is good on these. Havent used below 30 but at 35 -40 these are really warm no need for extra layers .Very cozy
Pad sleeve is great if you havent tried this type of bag it is a great design holds pad in place no matter how much you toss and turn the bag and pad are allways where it needs to be.

Decided to give the Big Agnes system a go and figured this bag was a relatively cheap way to start. Love they system, the bag was of a nice quality, though it is nowhere near 15 degrees...was cold at around 25 degrees in the N.Georgia mountains (and yes, I was using the insulated BA pad). The stuff size would be manageable at 15 degrees but at 25 degrees I'm not so sure. Probably best for car camping.

Had this bag for a little over 2 years now. Used it multiple times in 3 season camping in western parts of Virginia. Very comfortable and very warm bag. Used it in temps down to 22 degrees and stayed very warm. Would recommend for a friend to buy.

just used this bag on a 4night camping stay in Moab.. pretty happy with it but not totally impressed.. good = roomy , temp rating is accurate, comfortable, sleeve for sleeping pad is great ... bad = zipper , pretty much got stuck every time I used it .. tricky little bugger , suggest patience

I bought this bag in a big hurry AND because my son bought me one of the Big Agnes sleeping mat that fits into the bag for my birthday. I should have bought the down bag (in my haste to buy I thought that I did). We camped in the Boundry Waters and it was around 30 degrees at night and I was very cold! I thought that maybe is had been packed for so long that it needed to be left out for a while, so I did in hopes to to get the stuffing to expand. When I returned home I put it into the dryer with some tennis balls and have yet to try it again. I will say that it is made incredibly well and the bag/mat combination is just great, no more turning and falling off the sleeping mat because it fits inside the bag. I really want to like this bag, but again I probably should have bought a Big Agnes down one!

Temp rating is way off when I was camping in 15 deg weather and had an inside bag liner and from the knee down I was frozen to the point that I could not sleep any more. I would rate this bag temp in the 30 deg range

This bag and the Big Agnes system was very appealing storefront for me but has not lived up to it's expectations. The bag is very roomy and cold (i use the insulated air pad) it does not keep me warm much past 25 deg, and since below 32 deg is a popular nighttime spring and fall temp unless I am in a tent with my friends it is a restless cold night. not to mention if you do warm up and move to a different part of the roomy bag, it is a huge cold spot! So strike 1 temp not true to rating. Next, the Big Agnes system is a great idea, and if you have trouble staying on your sleeping pad especially when you are on a slight slope, it works fantastic! But, there are more negatives than positives here. The comfort is low since you can't wrap the bag around you and curl up with it, you are forced move around without the bag inside making dead air spaces in between your side sleeping spooning position and the bag making it cold once again. Next is maybe a personal qualm since maybe not everyone experiences this, but for a young college student before and after trips I find my self often crashing on peoples couches before a big trip on on the way home and being excited to sleep in a warm house for the night. This bag design sucks for this, since there is only insulation on 3 sides and your 4th side if you are sleeping on a couch or bed and not using a insulated pad is cold. All in all... don't be fooled by Big Agnes there product seems catchy and smart but I have found otherwise :( wish I could say better but I will not be getting another Big Agnes in the future which is sad since they are a local CO brand.