Campmor Down Sleeping Bags

[Don]

Does anyone have any experience with the down sleeping bags sold by Campmor under the Campmor label? I'd like to hear about the quality of the bags.

Thanks

[2Ply]

I've been using the 20 degree bag for over a year and no problems so far. ;)

[Blue Jay]

Campmor's stuff is usually very good. It's like supermarket store brands. Often it is made by a name brand like NorthFace or Marmot, only they put the Campmore Label on it. Another example is Eastern Mountain Sports hiking poles are made by Komperdell. You get the same quality without paying the big price for the label.

[kank]

Campmor down bags are often considered the best valus in down sleeping bags. No, the down isn't the ultra-high fill power found in expensive bags and will therefore weigh slightly more to achieve the same warmth, but you are getting a good bag for your money. When people ask about down bags and they can't afford (or don't want) the big boys (800FP WM, Marmot, etc), they are generally pointed towards the Campmor bags. I have no personal experience with them, but I haven't heard a single complaint.

[MedicineMan]

second the vote on the Campmor bags, have two of their rectangular down bags (the red skin ones) and use them paddle camping out of the yaks...very nice bags. La Aqua Na carries one on AT section hikes and uses it in the hammock...two will zip together nicely, very warm for the weight too.

[stranger]

I worked for Campmor for about 10 years and Blue Jay is correct in saying that Campmor Products are made by other proven manufacturers.

For example Moonstone made our Gore-Tex Jackets for a few years, Equinox makes some stuff for them as well. Unfortunately I do not know who makes their bags these days, but they are well made and very reliable. Unfortunately Campmor only warranties "their" products for a year, but in a sleeping bag a warranty is rarely relevant as most damage to sleeping bags is due to poor care by the user.

I believe they are 100% Goose Down, 550+ fill and have continuous baffles...and for just over $100 that is pretty good.

[jigsaw]

its a great bag for 110 bucks. ive been using mine for five years with no problems. packs down pretty small to.

[yogi clyde]

How accurate is the temp rating?

[johnbean]

What kind of water resistance does the Campmor bag have?

[rumbler]

I used the Campmor 20 degree bag on my thru-hike. I'm a cold sleeper, but I thought the bag didn't come anywhere near the 20 degree rating. I remember sitting out a storm in Maine, holding my bag up and seeing what I felt was damn little down in the baffles, with plenty of barren spots.

In fairness, it never really recovered from when I washed it in Virginia, even though I washed it per convention. For $100 it got me thru my hike, and I didn't toss it at the end. Just wasn't as comfy or as warm as some bags of other hikers that I ended up coveting as I slid further and further into late fall hiking.

Don't count on it being waterproof. It is light, and it compacts very well. And while my down ended up getting clumpy - again, probably because I screwed the pooch when I was washing it - the fabric itself was very durable. One of the few pieces of equipment that I never repaired.

If you need an inexpensive bag, it probably is a very good choice. If you think you will be hiking in 20 degree weather, at least get a liner, and if you are hiking in early spring or late fall my advice would be to think about getting another bag. Being cold at night sucks.

I groove on Campmor, and have plenty of stuff from them. Right now their special discount page is my homepage. But their sleeping bag is really high on my list of things to replace. And that's even after I got the smell out of it!

[stranger]

I think it's important here to bring up the subject of caring for any down bags. As mentioned earlier if you wash the bag inappropriately the down will most likely never recover. It's vital to use a non-detergent soap when washing a down bag, then dry it properly...make sure you break up all the clumps (pref by hand) and make damn sure that bag is rinsed completely before drying it. Soap residue will damage down just as dirt and grime does. If you wash the bag with a detergent soap it will remove the Lanolin (natural oil) from the down and the bag will never be the same.

When I wash a down bag I put it in the largest front loading machine I can find with Tectron Pro-Wash, then run it through again with no soap, then spend a few hours drying it at a low heat setting.