I’m looking at two bags. Both Kelty Cosmic down bags. One is the 20* and the other is a zero degree bag. Does anyone have any personal reviews of these bags? We currently use the intermediate cold weather army bags, the black ones. I know they will keep everyone warm but trying to get something that will be lighter, smaller packed and just as warm.

Just bought one a few weeks ago. Haven't tried it out yet. I'll know more about it in 6 more weeks.

bombinbrian: "I’m looking at two bags. Both Kelty Cosmic down bags. One is the 20* and the other is a zero degree bag. Does anyone have any personal reviews of these bags? We currently use the intermediate cold weather army bags, the black ones. I know they will keep everyone warm but trying to get something that will be lighter, smaller packed and just as warm. "

I bought a couple a few years back for my 6 and 8-year-old daughters. The Kelty bags work great! We had several nights below freezing on fishing opener last year and the girls slept really well. I served as sherpa as we also carried in fleece blankets for them to put over the air pads and they slept in merino pajamas too, but I think the bags did their job in the cold.

The sleeping bags are light, pack down nicely, and have served us well. I would buy them again if I had a need.

I have two. I believe they are the 40 degree versions. I have moved on to using a quilt the last few years but the Keltys never gave me any problems. Good quality for the price.

I have a Kelty Cosmic 20 and for me it's good down to about freezing. When I was 30 or 40 years old it might have been good to 20 . . . some people think so. Know thyself.

A 20 degree bag is good enough for most of the season, depending on your sleeping pad. If it gets down to about 40 at night, then you should be fine. Maybe you need to throw on some long underwear or a hat if it gets down to freezing. If you want lighter and smaller, the 20 degree option is just fine.

As for the Kelty brand, I don't know too much about their sleeping bags, but their product line tends to be a decent budget tier option. I wouldn't buy their tents myself, but I do have one of their tarps that I'm happy with. Cost with sleeping bags comes down to a few specific features. Down, shell/liner, and stitching. More expensive bags use better down which insulates better so it is lighter and packs smaller. 500 is on the low end and 800 or higher is high end. The material used on the shell and liner varies in weight and durability. Usually this is not a huge factor but switching between the heavier and lighter material can make a difference. The stitching, or design, is how well put together it is. Quality zippers is one of the big ones. Foot boxes that actually have room for your feet is another. There are many small details about these bags that can make a difference and it costs money to have a design team that considers all those details.

Overall, I'd say that this is definitely a cheaper sleeping bag with 550 fill power down and the heavier nylon that is used, but the design looks decent for the price. It's better than a polyester bag. I don't know if I'd trust the down to retain it's fluff on longer trips, as in a week or more, but it should be fine in the summer or for shorter trips.

If you were considering going with the 0 degree to compensate for the quality or how it might start to lose fluff after a couple nights, I'd recommend just getting a better sleeping bag instead. The 0 degree bag looks pretty big in the stuff sack.

My wife and I each have one of these in the 20 degree model. Bought them 7 years ago and they have been great. They have gotten lots of use and still look great, zippers smooth and good loft.
I live in Alaska and have two bags, a -40 down bag I use for winter camping and the 20F Kelty for everything else including chilly fall and spring trips. I chose the 20F over the 0F because I wanted a smaller bag for backpacking. I’ve found that if I need a little more warmth I can adjust for comfort by wearing a hat or socks. Adding a little extra fat in your supper can really make a difference too.
Having a good pad is key too.
I’ve found this bag to be a good fit for me. Good value, easy to pack, warm enough for chilly seasons but also good for summer use.

To the op I saw that Sierra Trading in Woodbury had quite a few of these last weekend….

I have the Kelty Cosmic 20 and I love it! I got it in 2017 and since then it has had 700 miles worth of backpacking trips and 1,150 miles of canoe trips! (50 and 20 day trips) The last trip I went on it got down to 27 and I was still toasty. I have used a liner for most of its life and I always make sure to air it out after a trip and never store compressed. GREAT BAG

PortageGold: "I have the Kelty Cosmic 20 and I love it! I got it in 2017 and since then it has had 700 miles worth of backpacking trips and 1,150 miles of canoe trips! (50 and 20 day trips) The last trip I went on it got down to 27 and I was still toasty. I have used a liner for most of its life and I always make sure to air it out after a trip and never store compressed. GREAT BAG"

Impressive! Lots of stories to tell from your journies, I'm sure.

I'll add after A1t2o's post that when I bought mine years ago there was only one and it was 800-fill down, which apparently is now a model called the ultra.

I may make a run to Woodbury!!! Thanks

I have 40 & a 20 degree Kelty comic down bags and I love them But they're the only down bags I've ever had, so I don't have anything to compare them to.

Check out the hyke n byke Eolus, 800 fill 0* bags for like 200$. They compress down to nothing and weigh like 2lbs. I own the 0* one and it was warm in the low 20s last fall

bombinbrian: "I may make a run to Woodbury!!! Thanks"

Be forewarned My wife went back to Sierra this morning and every down back in the store is gone

They are good for the price. There are better bags as far as weight and warmth but they will cost more. They are a good introduction to down, or for people on a tight budget. They are well made and accurately rated imho.

I went ahead and pulled the trigger on two, one for me and one for the boss. I’ll take bag liners for her to add some warmth if needed. I did get the newer versions so I’m hoping they work out

I have two of the 20 degree bags.

Wearing long underwear top & bottom & stocking cap & socks I am warm into the mid-20's at night...

The 20 degree bag should be usable for most of three seasons. Wear a cap and socks, long johns if it's really cold. You can also get a bag liner which ads several degrees of warmth and helps keep that bag clean much longer. When it's warm out, you can unzip and just sleep in the liner. My whole family has gone to down bags with liners - very comfortable!

There's lots of good ideas above. See what would work best for you.