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With soft breathable silken lining, The North Face Cat's Meow 20-Degree Sleeping Bag keeps you cozy and warm on those spring nights and crisp fall dawns. Pack this synthetic mummy bag into your backpack and hit the trail. Overlapping shingle construction eliminates cold spots by evenly distributing the synthetic insulation, keeping you warm throughout all your three-season mountaineering adventures. A no-snag zipper column prevents you from spending a ridiculous amount of time trying to zip up the Cat's Meow Sleeping Bag, and the one-hand pull cord quickly adjusts the hood, so you can hop in and get warm quickly. Store your watch in the head-level zipper pocket and wake up on time for your first ascent. Not only do you get a stuffsack with your Cat's Meow Bag, but The North Face also included a nylon mesh bag to help preserve the insulation's loft during long term storage.
Bottom Line: For your three-season backpacking trips, The North Face 20-Degree Sleeping Bag is simply the Cat's Meow.
I used this bag in mountains of western NC during snow/ice storm. Bag performed well but would prefer a little more compressability. Temp down 0 degress and bag was fine with lite silk liner not toasty but ok.
How do you unzip two bags zipped together...we ended up with these from an auction...they still have tags on but are zipped together...do not know how to unzip them.
If they don't unzip all the way, send them out to TNF warranty. They'll take care of it for you. Don't force them to the point that they break, because then the damage won't necessarily be warrantied.
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The cat's meow comes with a really nice, durable, ripstop nylon compression sack, so there's really no reason to upgrade unless you want waterproofing.
If you want a waterproof one and are willing to spend the money, I'd highly recommend the Sea to Summit eVent Compression Stuff Sack. Its an extra $35, but they're absolutely sick. You'll want the 15L.
I have highly enjoyed the Cat's Meow for almost 2 years now. I bought synthetic to save $$$ and in case I was fool enough to get the bag wet while out in the wilderness. More specifically I decided on 20 degrees to keep the pack size down while keeping me warm to most temps I'd be out in, and if I were to go dead of winter 0deg F I'd probably just add merino longjohns and be set. I've been down to upper 20's low 30's and never even had to crank down the hood. I'm 6'1" and the fit on the Long was perfect.
Finally, I'm surprised someone who refers to a company as "Consistently over hyped, over priced outdoor poser shreck." would go ahead and purchase said company's product--but to each his own I guess. Perhaps the reviewer who was freezing his hind end off forgot to put a pad down--it's not going to matter what the temp rating on your bag if you don't lay down a pad. I don't buy simply for label, and certainly wouldn't on an item which is going to be in the tent 90% of the time anyway. I bought Northface for what I have felt have been consistent products without huge price tags. The Cat's Meow has worked well for me!
I have this sleeping bag, and I *LOVE* it. However, I seem to have lost the stuff sack for it. Does anyone know what size compression sack I need to buy for this bag? Thanks!
Any medium size compression stuff will work. It might even afford you a bit of extra room for another small item or two. The stuffed size is 8x17 inches.
This bag is a pretty good one if you need a bag to get the job done. I still prefer down bags but this one is super cozy and I think it's improperly named... it should be the Cat's PURRRRR.
I was reading reviews of this bag somewhere and he said his feet got hot and there wasn't an opening for them. Does this bag only have zipper pulls at the top?
Yes, there is another zipper at the foot end of the bag, however, it is about 7-9 inches or so up from the end of it. So if you're already in the bag, it might be a challenge getting your feet out; since it is a mummy bag it doesn't allow your knees to bend much while zipped in... But yes. It does have two zippers. One at each end. And BIG plus, I have never had either of them snag on the bag material!
Thanks Stephen...so I understand there's not a zipper all the way down. However is there another zipper pull wherever the zipper does end? So you can open it from both ends?
If your feet get hot in a sleeping bag that is a good thing vs. the other way...cold feet. You can do a few things to alleviate hot feet...open bag all the way and wear over you like a blanket with feet out, bring a lighter weight, cooler bag. Keeping feet warm is vital in cold conditions, so most bags do not have zippers all the way down to the feet. This would add a lot of weight and make the feet area colder.
The good features on this bag far outweigh the bad. The liner fabric is soft and the fill is lofty, and it comes with both an excellent (if overkill) compression bag as well as storage sack. Quality craftsmanship can be seen in the seams and smooth moving zipper. Glow in the dark zipper pull, small item storage pocket near top and mateability with the women's Cat's Meow are all convenient. If style matters to you, it is worth noting that the bag is aesthetically pleasing, with a welded pocket and slightly iridescent fabric.
The bag does fit true to size, although barely (I am 6'0" and i can just stretch out in it). My first qualm is that the bag is almost too narrow. I am slender and used to mummy bags, but this is the tightest sleeping bag I own. This does make it warmer for the weight, but if you are a wider person or want room to wiggle, look elsewhere. A second more serious problem is the face cinch. The cordlock is sheathed in fabric to keep it from rubbing your tender skin, but this makes it difficult to tighten.
As far as temperature rating, I will simply give you my experience. In dry, 31F lows, I was comfortable, in a midweight baselayer with wool socks and no hat. The bag was fully zipped but not cinched and I was in a tent, on a Neo-air. I sleep warmer than average.
All in all a high value sleeping bag. I would recommend it especially to those who are not confident in their ability to baby a down bag or live in humid but chilly climates.
If you get want to zip two of these together, is it a problem if one is long and one is regular? Assuming one bag was a left zip and the other a right zip.
I couldn't go with just four stars, but I would really give this a four and a half. This is a wonderful bag. Best I've owned. (And we're talking about 7 or 8 quality, top brand bags.) It's very warm, excellent for those cold Michigan fall nights, and does very, very well with keeping the dew on the outside of the bag in the cool Texas mornings. Overall this has to be my favorite bag I've ever owned. And not as expensive as some others that I'd deem not quite worthy of four stars. Great bag!!
I've washed my Cat's Meow several times following the instructions provided on the website and I've never had any problems with it. Just make sure you use a front loading washing machine.
this bag should be called "the cats a@@! i have used this bag in temps down to freezing and i only had my boxers on. my wife is somewhat of a cold sleeper and she wears only light weight thermals to bed. would recommend this bag to anyone.
Great this s the bag for you. I think the reviewer that complained it's a 30 degree bag was being generous! I'd say more like 40 degrees. If you get it = you better get used to sleeping in your coat - oh yes and bring along a scarf and mitts to sleep in as well. What a scam calling this a 20 degree bag. Then again what do you expect from The North face? Consistently over hyped, over priced outdoor poser shreck.
--I'm surprised someone who refers to a company as "Consistently over hyped, over priced outdoor poser shreck." would go ahead and purchase said company's product--but to each his own I guess.--
Just thought it'd be helpful to link that comment from my original review to its inspiration.
I have a North Face Chamois that I purchased in 1986 & it is as warm today as it was when I procured it. As long as you take good care of your sleeping bag & have it cleaned when necessary, depending on usage, once every two years should be fine.
This is a good sleeping bag for your impending Appalachian Trail venture.
I purchased this sleeping bag about a year ago and have used it on several occasions now, it has worked great. It is definitely a warm bag, not the best for summer use, but it is great the rest of the year (I just use a hammock in the summer anyway). The size fits me great(6', 200lbs). A solid choice if you camp in the fall, winter, or spring.
I had this bag till I returned it, it's not a warm bag at all, I suggest you look at the Mountain Hardwear Lamina 20 degree bag available on this site, much warmer and much better material (more comfort). If weight is an issue look into the ultralamina series. Again this bag will disappoint you, when you are freezing your cahones off in the Alaska wilderness. In my opinion you can't do much worse than this bag if you need to stay warm. If it's 45 degrees at night I suppose this bag would be fine.
I have used this bag extensively and i really can't come up with anything bad to say about it. I have used it in dry cold weather, wet and warmer and wet and freezing. The bag does its best when you sleep like you should in a light polypro layer and nothing else. It really traps heat well. Honestly can't think of anything bad. Just enough room in the regular for a skinny 6'2" guy as well.
Perfect bag at a very fair price. You ever buy something and think the price is too high for the value? Well not this Cats Meow. I have been using this bag for over a year now and it performs perfect from the Sierras to the Andes, even in a pretty nasty hotel where there was no way I was climbing in between the sheets of the bed. Last spring I was caught out in a very cold 5 degree night, even with fleece top and bottoms on I felt the cold, part of the fun is having to suck some up once in awhile. A few other nights I experienced a low of 15 and I was fine, I do run a bit warm and I eat right before going to sleep. At around 40 degrees it does get a bit warm. Overall this bag is comfortable, sturdy, well made, priced well, and does what it is supposed to do.
Cant speak from experience, but the long will accomodate someone who's 6' 6", albeit a snug fit. Backcountry has other bags that offer the same temp rating with more room and are comparable in weight and price. TNF's Mammoth, Big B, and Kelty's clear creek are a few to check out.I can only speak for myself with this bag, but i am 6'2" 175 and the regular does fine for me. Not a hugely active sleeper though, so i don't know exactly what you should do. Anyway, the two inch gap for me works.I am 6'6" well actually I am 6'5.75" but who is counting, and the bag fits me great. It couldn't be any smaller but it is super easy to keep warm.
This bag, in my opinion, is one of the top 3-season sleeping bags available. it has all sorts of benefits and great features, and a minimal amount of poor qualities. The good: Very warm, I have used the Cat's Meow in 15-20 degree weather, without too much of an issue. I was a little chilly, but that's to be expected when you're using it below it's temperature rating. Also, it's fairly light, and has a synthetic fill, so I don't have to worry about water ruining this beauty. All of this, and at a fair price. My only complaint is that the main zipper is prone to snagging, but that's not a big deal (to me).
What is the biggest quality sleeping bag that is under 5 or six pounds with a good synthetic insulation such as climashield prism? I bought a Equinox and I litterally cant zip it up. I had no idea that regulars were that small.
I've put over 200 days in this bag over the past 5 years (it was an older version). I've taken it on a month kayaking trip in SE Alaska, and its been on a two week backpacking trip in SE Utah, and those are just a few of the trips its been on. I've slept outside at 12,500 ft in Colorado in september, and i've actually been able to sleep. Mine has floated in water, and i still slept in it that night and i was able to sleep. It's still got a few more warm weather trips left in it, i just need something a bit more warm. Never ripped or tore. Pretty damn good for a hundred dollar bag.
I use this for all my colorado backpacking trips and I've slept warm every time I use it. It is the perfect bag for people like my who hike in colorado over the summer.
Uh, ok, so a Left and a Right will zip together. But what does it mean that "...it will zip up with any other bag too"? Could one get a Left Mens Long and zip it to a Women's Long (which I assume is a Right zip)? How would that work with the different lengths? Or should one simply get a Left and Right Men's Long and let the lady have a little too much length when not zipped together? Inquiring minds.....
suprisevalley -- I measured about 16" from the bottom of the bag (Long) to the start of the zipper. You do end up having separate foot boxes--since the zipper ends at the hood technically you have separate headroom as well. As to temps when zipped together, this will be opinion, but zipping the bags together isn't something you do to be functional. It's a fun here and there feature for when you're feeling snuggly. Think of it as being in bed but instead of having the openings of the sheets on the sides of the bed, where you can pull them back if you're too warm, the opening is in the middle between you and your partner. It limits what you can do to regulate that heat and really given it's two mummy bags, when zipped together it's either lay there shoulder to shoulder, or spoon. (Back to back perhaps if you're fighting, but then you wouldn't probably zip together in the first place.) The wife and I have combined bag-forces a few times, but mostly keep our bags close, but separated.
Long answer short: the only time you would zip two bags together for function over fun would be perhaps in a hypothermia skin-to-skin situation.
How far down do the zippers go on these bags? i.e. when you zip your sleeping bags together do you have separate foot boxes? Also, how is the temperature with two people in a giant 20 degree bag? I feel like the combined body heat would make it much warmer and possibly too warm, have you had any problems with this? Thanks a lot for your help.
Well, I purchased two men's long, one left zip and one right zip. They zip together amazingly well and the two of us are toasty and happy. ---------------I have a mens long and my wife has a womens long, and even with a slight length difference we can zip them together fine.
Instead of using marmot helium in show/freezing rain tried this bag because of wet weather. Great construction, comfortable bag but not up to sub-freezing weather. ended up with everything in pack on to stay warm at 20 degrees. Like bag just won't use below 30...
Just make sure one's a left zip & the others a right. Also the teeth of the zippers have to be the same & all mfg's are not standardized, e.g. Talon, YKK, etc.
I tested mine on two cold nights, it was OK but not great down to 30F, and much too cold at 22F. I am seeing insulation compression on the bottom after those 2 nights, so I seriously question the durability of the fill material.
The bag is of excellent quality, great materials and strong zippers. I used the pocket for my watch and mp3 player and mini LED flashlight.
I bought a right and left zipper versions so my wife and I could have the option to combine them. I prefer a bag with a squarer foot box, so I opted to buy the Big Agnes Ripple Creek to replace this. Again, nothing wrong with this bag, it was just "too mummy" for me. Now, my wife uses both bags and the dogs end up with her at night. The dogs give it a rating of: Two Paws Up!
Pros: Price, fairly light, packs to a reasonable size
Cons: might be a little tight
I bought this bag when I was on a budget try to outfit my self for a back packing trip on a budget. I haven't bought a replacement. Its a nice bag that Ive slept in just underwear down to around 30. I woke up in the morning and I could see my breath, was warm with the hood pulled. It is a bit tight on the sides though, but its not meant to be a king sized bed. I like it a lot but can't give it a 5. Bonus points for the mesh bag and compression sack included. I certainly feel like Im getting my moneys worth.
I tested mine on 2 cold nights. It was adequate down to 30F, but not warm enough at 22F. I am also seeing insulation compression on the bottom after only 2 uses. Fill weight and pack volume are similar to competitors 30-35deg bags, and I guess it should be no surprise that it performs like one.
I have used this bag for two years and it has performed wonderfully. Great packability and comfort that are tough to rival. Plenty of room to move and no cold spots. What more can I say!
This sleeping bag is a pretty good bag but the only thing I didnt like about it was the shape of it. Im a bigger guy and it really makes you sleep in an awkward position because of how it is tapered in right at the hips. The bag does a great job of keeping you warm but I would recommend many other bags before this one especially if you want something a little more spacey
I agree. I'm actually pretty thin, but I can't curl up in this bag AT ALL. Changing in here is difficult too for the same reason; you can't get your knees up high enough to reach your feet. I still really like the bag for its warmth, but it is definitely a drawback.
My wife and I have been zipping together our Cat's Meow sleeping bags for years now and loving them but, living in Southern California, we hadn't tested them out in very cold weather. On a recent Yosemite trip we finally had the chance, and they peformed great. The weather never got out of the low 30s at night and even when a pretty serious rain/snow storm started, we were cozy. I don't know if it'd peform as well in anything much colder, but on that trip, I was definitely appreciating this sleeping bag.
I've used this down to 35 degrees and its works pretty good. Drys out fairly quickly when wet. I've used it for everything from 35 degrees to 65 degrees and its held up pretty well over 30 nights or so of use. I always store it hanging or in its oversized loose nylon mesh bag. Insulation has held up well so far.
At 65 it is definitely on the warm side with just boxers on. Gotta keep the bag unzipped and my arms out or I'd be sweating. At 35 I can still use it with just boxers on but its zipped up all the way. Since the review I've used it on a few 15 degree nights and I needed light long underware and a beanie on to stay warm enough. I was using it with an air mattress all the time, so it'd probably be warmer with a closed cell foam mattress.
I haven't had the bag very long I just bought it this year I have tested it a couple of times at 30 degree and I was toasty warm and I have a problem with cold feet . If I could change something about this bag it would be packing size I tour on a bike and I need to save all the space I can . I thank this bag was a good buy I would recomend it.
I've owned this bag a few years and taken it on mainly summer trips, some with nighttime temps in the mid 30's. Always slept like a baby in it. Haven't had a cold night yet, but I've never really tested the limits. It's not the lightest bag for the rating, but it's reasonably priced, durable, and plenty roomy (I'm 5'11" 165lbs and I have the regular, although they probably change the cut every year). The synthetic fill is good insurance on rainy coastal trips.
First off I am not a big fan of TNF brand gear since they got bought out by vanity fair. But, all that aside I was impressed by this bag. I took it on my month long NOLS trip to Baja where it performed really well. I slept with no tent or tarp, just on top of a sleeping pad and this did a good job of keeping me warm, (I know that you are thinking Baja can't get that cold) it got into the 30's some nights and this kept me toasty, except for when the winds really picked up. what impressed me most was the durability seeing as I was sleeping on sharp rocks and sea shells that sometimes would puncture my foam sleeping pad this bag never got a snag or tear. The stuff sack and mesh storage sack it comes with are nice touches. If you are an active sleeper I would recommend getting the expander wedge to go along with it.
This is a great bag that will keep you warm in most situations. I never had an issue and the bag compresses well. It's my go-to bag for camping on the East Coast and Europe.
I have used a cats meow bag for 8+ years at temps below 20F (nothing below 0) and never had any problems with it. A little narrow at the bottom, though I have never used another bag, so I have point for comparison.
i have this bag for allmost 3 years ... what can i say ? i have been using this bag in the himalaya ,patagonia ,sinai in the desert ,israel and this bag kept me warm . there some times i had to had some more layers on my body when it froze but on the other hand when i was in mid TEMP and i just need some cover i used it .
I used this bag in mountains of western NC during snow/ice storm. Bag performed well but would prefer a little more compressability. Temp down 0 degress more...
I've used the bag down to 0 degrees F with a thin fleece liner and it was just right. The velcro near the head does a good job keeping cold air ou more...
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