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Sleeping Bag, Value Down

Kelty Cosmic Down 20

A hundred bucks actually buys you a heck of a lot more than you might expect: The Kelty Cosmic Down 20 has a few frills tucked into its no-frills price. There’s a full-length tube of down behind the zipper to guard against drafts, an insulated hood with elastic to cinch it tight, and a down collar. Oh, and a full-length zipper and European standard comfort rating of 32 degrees. So where are the cut corners to reach that awesome price? The 550-down fill doesn’t loft as well as spendier 800 fills. And the size regular claims to fit someone up to 6’0” comfortably, but 5’10” is more like it ($110; www.kelty.com).

—Steve Casimiro

Photograph by Kelty

Ultimate Hiking and Camping Gear Guide

See the season's best outdoor gear for hiking and camping, featuring backpacks, shoes, tents, sleeping bags, jackets, GPS, and more.

June 3, 2011
Travel with National Geographic