My first two sleeping bags were both the Suisse Sport Summit 5 Mummy Bag from Big 5.
I purchased the first one sometime around 2014, and took it on a few trips to Yosemite before giving it to one of my unhoused neighbors.
I had gone on a walk around the block to buy a drink, when I ran into my neighbor, who told me she was cold.
My car wasn’t running at the time (so I couldn’t go camping anyway), and I had free heating included with my apartment, so I decided to give her my sleeping bag.
I know she’s gotten good use out of it, because I’ve seen her out there using it.
When I realized that I was going to be unhoused again, one of the first things I did was drive back to Big 5.
Incidentally, this was the only bedding I used at the homeless shelter– I refused to use the bedding that was assigned to me, which looked like it had been found in a field.
This sleeping bag normally sells for $99, but both times that I bought it, it was on sale for $39. It goes on sale for that price at least a few times per year.
It’s rated for zero degrees (Fahrenheit), but, since it’s a unisex bag, a female needs to add at least fifteen degrees to that.
I would definitely not use this bag by itself in zero degree weather. The lowest I would use it by itself would be about forty degrees.
For really cold nights, I use my Nemo bag inside of this bag. When I was camping in snow, I also added a wool blanket and foot warmers.
After several months of use, both sleeping bags offer a similar amount of warmth.
This is not a lightweight bag, but I love how comfortable and cozy it is. My favorite feature is the cinchable hoodie, which I’m able to cinch snugly around my face.
However, this can get annoying in summer, because it’s not detachable. If you try to tuck it down, it bunches up under the neck.
I also love the tiny pocket near the top of the zipper, which is just big enough to fit my Bluetooth ear buds.
The bag is compressible, and comes in the included compression sack. But, even when it’s fully compressed, it’s still significantly larger than my Nemo bag.
The bag is made of one hundred percent polyester. I’m not sure what the technical washing instructions are, but I’ve had good luck with washing mine in a big machine at the laundromat.
It also has loops at the bottom so that it can be hung upside down from a clothesline.
The one thing I did not like about this bag is that, compared to the Nemo, the compression sack is harder to use.
The straps have to be threaded through on all four sides, whereas the Nemo has buckles on two sides.
Overall, you get what you pay for, and I’ve definitely gotten my forty dollars worth out of this bag (twice).
Camp Host Diaries 