REI Trailmade 20 Sleeping Bag Evaluate

Backside Line

The REI Trailmade 20 is a comfortable, no-frills mummy bag on the high of our finest tenting sleeping luggage information. Its time-tested design, inclusive sizing and low value makes it a bullseye for summer time campers. Senior Gear Analyst Ian Krammer has totally examined the Trailmade 20 on dozens of journeys, the place its easy zipper, ergonomic footbox, and delicate materials provide a simple night time’s sleep in several climates.

With a compact measurement and pretty low weight, this mannequin’s an inexpensive selection for shorter backpacking journeys the place a bit of additional weight isn’t a dealbreaker. It dovetails nicely with different REI Trailmade objects too, together with the sleeping pad and tent, making the Trailmade line a very good place to begin for entry-level tenting and budget-conscious patrons.

However the Trailmade 20 has some drawbacks. Its slender design isn’t one of the best in case you’re completely automobile tenting and like more room to unfold out, although it’s does are available in vast in each measurement. We discover the lengthy hood cinch toggles dangle in our faces at night time. Lastly, the 20°F temperature score can really feel extreme in hotter climates.

Nonetheless, this factor is an superior worth at $100, and it’s certainly one of our high picks this yr for many campers.

Consolation

The Trailmade 20 has all of the consolation options we wish in a top quality mummy bag. Our favourite factor? There’s a measurement for everybody because of REI’s inclusive choices, together with brief, common, and lengthy, plus vast for every size. We additionally discover the ergonomic footbox provides a bit extra room for stressed ft to maneuver. Take into accout this mannequin is a traditional mummy form, which implies it could really feel a bit tight at common width. We extremely suggest the vast model. 

This material makes for a significantly cozy – and quiet – sleeping expertise, with no obnoxious crinkling or rustling if you roll over within the night time. Senior Gear Analyst Ian Krammer is a giant fan of the delicate polyester lining, because it has the texture of a blanket quite than a sleeping bag. We additionally just like the Trailmade’s contoured hood with two completely different cinch toggles. One tightens the neck, and the opposite handles the hood to dial in one of the best match for you. 

Nevertheless, the mum design can really feel restrictive in case you’re tenting principally in heat climate and eliminating chilly spots isn’t a giant deal. It does are available in quite a lot of sizes, together with vast, though in case you really need extra room to roll over, contemplate a rectangular-shaped bag as an alternative.

Moreover, our testing finds the cinch toggles are likely to flop on our face at night time. They’re positioned to the facet of the hood for straightforward entry when contained in the bag, which is sweet – however this induced them to land on our heads and necks. That is minor stuff, although – total, the Trailmade is a comfortable bag we attain for all summer time lengthy.

Heat

In the case of heat, the REI Trailmade 20 delivers. Ian’s rigorous testing finds REI’s consolation score of 31°F is spot on. From a fall automobile tenting journey in Utah’s Goblin Valley State Park to early spring tent tenting at 12,300’, the Trailmade is a superb possibility all the way down to the low 30’s. It’s a stable performer from spring till fall in most situations.

The cosy mummy form and ergonomic footbox trapped our physique warmth successfully and stored us heat. The thick draft collar minimized warmth loss round our necks, and the vast draft tube blocked the chilly alongside the zipper. We additionally appreciated the 2 cinch cords for a good match within the chilly, and the two-way zipper to vent warmth from the underside of the bag when it’s heat.

It’s artificial insulation is nice at retaining heat when moist. In Colorado’s Sand Dunes Nationwide Park, Ian camped below a tarp throughout a rainstorm, and a nook of the Trailmade 20 bought soaking moist. He finds the DWR coating was pretty water-proof, and the artificial insulation stored him heat all through the night time when water penetrated. The following day, it dried totally inside 3 hours.

Nonetheless, you’ll wish to keep within the 30-60°F window. It’s just too heat above 60°F. On the flipside, 31°F was our restrict for chilly. Baselayers and a high-R-value pad helped when it was freezing, however when temps dropped into the 20’s, we have been shivering

Packed Dimension

This one earns greater scores for packability from our testers – it’s very simple to hold between automobile and campsite, and it’s not a nasty selection for backpacking, both. The Trailmade 20 packs all the way down to solely 10 inches by 13 inches. That’s one of many smallest on our checklist. It matches neatly right into a gear closet, trunk, or the underside of a backpack.

The conscious development is why it’s so small: recycled polyester material and artificial insulation are nonetheless bulkier than down, however it’s nonetheless very compressible. The Trailmade can also be on the lighter facet in comparison with many luggage we’ve examined, tipping the scales at 3 kilos, 4.6 ounces for the Common.

Options

The REI Trailmade 20 has a easy however efficient characteristic set that’s useful within the subject. Ian’s favourite factor is the only exterior zippered stash pocket. We hardly ever see exterior pockets on luggage, not to mention with zippers and zipper toggles. This design retains necessities shut at hand with out falling out, and we like that it matches most telephones.

The sleek two-way zipper has a material storage on the high to dam the zipper tabs from touching our faces when the bag is closed up all the way in which. REI additionally features a single gear loop on the hood to hold the bag when not in use or for drying and the double cinches and enormous, camp pillow-compatible hood are the cherries on high. 

This bag is a component of a bigger line of tenting and climbing merchandise within the REI Trailmade assortment. It’s a very good place to begin for price range consumers, first timers, and occasional campers. Think about the Trailmade Backpacking Bundle, which features a tent, pad, and the Trailmade bag for lower than $400.

That stated, we’ve got a couple of complaints. The only facet zipper works nicely, however doesn’t prolong previous the footbox. There’s no hook-and-loop closure tab on the high to maintain the zipper from unzipping once we transfer at night time. The exterior pocket isn’t for everybody – this design is a little bit of a trouble, because it requires unzipping and reaching out of the bag to entry small objects, which was a bit annoying. Nonetheless, this one has all of the options we wish in a easy bag.

Ought to You Purchase The REI Trailmade 20?

The REI Trailmade 20 is a simple mummy bag for the plenty. Its inexpensive price ticket – plus the size and width combos – make it one of the crucial accessible and inclusive fashions on our checklist. Options like a two-way zipper, double drawstring hood, and a zippered exterior stash make this one aggressive with pricier, premium sleeping luggage. The temperature score is correct, too, making it an amazing selection for nights between 30°F and 60°F. It’s mild sufficient to hold for brief backpacking journeys, however simply as cozy if you’re inside strolling distance of your car. 

There are a couple of downsides, notably in terms of match and design. Like most mummy luggage, this one is a bit slender by the legs, which is likely to be uncomfortable for campers who wish to unfold out at night time. The cinch toggles are near the face, making them awkward to regulate and a bit obnoxious when sleeping. The exterior zippered stash pocket design won’t be everybody’s favourite, because you’ll have to achieve out of the bag to entry it.

We discover few faults with the Trailmade. It’s an superior worth for shorter backpacking journeys and automobile campers. At this value, you possibly can simply outfit a bunch of three for the value of 1 premium bag. For those who’re searching for stable consolation, dependable heat, and a very good packed measurement, the Trailmade 20 is made for years of use on the path and automobile tenting.

What Different Tenting Sleeping Luggage Ought to You Think about?

Take a look at our information to one of the best tenting sleeping luggage to see how this one measures up towards the competitors. And if the Trailmade 20 caught your eye, contemplate these different high picks:

Mountain Hardwear Bishop Cross 15 Evaluate: Just like the Trailmade 20, the Bishop Cross 15 presents a cosy mummy design and cozy material for cooler climate tenting. Nevertheless, it’s made with 650 fp down as an alternative of artificial insulation, so it’s lighter, quieter, and hotter – although it prices extra.

REI Siesta Hooded 20 Evaluate: This REI mannequin is our primary choose – it has the identical temperature score because the Trailmade, however it’s cozier and roomier because of the oblong form. It’s heavier and prices extra, however in case you gained’t be backpacking, this one is hard to beat for consolation and worth if you’re close to your car.

The North Face Wawona 20 Evaluate: The Wawona 20 shares the easy options, heat score, and low price ticket with the Trailmade 20. It swaps the hood and tight footbox for a soft rectangular form, so it’s heavier and bigger, however we extremely suggest this one as an amazing various for frontcountry tenting.