Big Agnes Lost Ranger +15 Sleeping Bag - Regular

Comments about Big Agnes Lost Ranger +15 Sleeping Bag - Regular:

I really have a hard time in mummy bags. This bag is perfect since it is a semi Mummy bag shape. I love the extra room that allows me to toss and turn.

Comments about Big Agnes Lost Ranger +15 Sleeping Bag - Regular:

I just took this bag through 50 miles of the John Muir Trail. I've never had a bag that packs so easily, was this light, AND kept me this warm.

Additionally, the bag doesn't make me feel claustrophobic like so many other mummy bags, as it has extra room around the shoulders.

Kept me warm on the cold nights, and didn't have me cursing every step when carrying it all day. I couldn't ask for more!

Comments about Big Agnes Lost Ranger +15 Sleeping Bag - Regular:

I just purchased this bag and took it in late September on a four day 25 mile backpack into the Sawtooth mountains. The price was great, as I got it for about $60 cheaper on REI's Labor Day sale. We were above eight thousand feet every night. I don't know how cold it got, but I don't think it ever got below freezing.I love the concept of having a sleeve for your mattress. This worked out great for me. I tend to toss and turn throughout the night. The bag stayed put while I tossed and turned, so I didn't end up with a bag all twisted around on me, or me falling off the pad several times in the night.My Thermorest mattress is too wide for the sleeve, but I was still able to force it in there so that there was a slight bow to my mattress, which I actually kinda liked.I never had a warmth problem with this bag. I'm guessing temps at night were in the low thirties and I just slept in my boxers and T-shirt. No beanie, no socks, no gloves, and I was comfortable and warm. It's the best sleeping I've had in the mountains.The bag compresses great! Using a compression sack ( I bought separately ) I got this bag down to the size of a football. I also love the little chamber for a pillow it has. The hood pulls up over your face if you want, and the bag is nice and roomy for bigger guys like me, who like to sleep on the move. = )I will never go cheap again on a bag. This purchase greatly enhanced my outdoor experience. I used to dread nightfall in the mountains, now I look forward to climbing into my snug Big Agnes bag.

Comments about Big Agnes Lost Ranger +15 Sleeping Bag - Regular:

My husband and I purchased the men and women's version of this Big Agnes 15 degree bag specifically because we need colder weather bags. We both already have 32 degree bags which are great for warmer conditions. Last night my husband used his brand new Lost Ranger. We were sleeping in the back of our Honda Element on Thermarest prolite pads which were lying on a carpet, the temperature was between 40 and 45 and he was cold! We are disappointed. We've been so happy with our Big Agnes tents we reflexively assumed their name on anything was (like GE in the 50's) a 'stamp of approval'. I'm so glad we discovered this mis-advertised product now in relatively benign conditions rather than 5 miles from the trailhead in a 20 degree snowstorm! Needless to say, both bags are being returned today. I'm going to now read the reviews before I buy rather than after.

Comments about Big Agnes Lost Ranger +15 Sleeping Bag - Regular:

If, like me, you toss and turn a lot when you sleep, you will appreciate the spaciousness of this bag. You can turn from side to side and, if you don't have a pad inserted into the bag, you can even bend your knees within the bag. It's extremely light and compact, though maybe no more so than other down bags these days. This is a minor point, but I also appreciate the built-in pillow case, which rests inside the hood or can be folded out. If you fold some extra clothes up and put them inside, it does a good job of keeping them all together to act as a pillow. A note on size: I'm just over 6' and it fits me fine. Any taller and you'd have to go the next size up. That said, I have some issues with the bag, hence my 3-star rating.

As you may have gathered, this bag has no insulation on the bottom. Big Agnes theorizes that by slipping your pad into a sleeve on the underside, it will do the work of insulating for you. That, however, has two unfortunate effects:

1) The bag is spread out from one edge of the pad, up to your body, and then back down to the other edge. This creates a lot of dead air space in the bag, making it drafty.

2) It's hard to bend your knees upward if your pad is inserted into the built-in sleeve, especially if you have a thermarest, which doesn't bend easily.

To remedy both of these issues, I have tried just sleeping on top of the pad. This allows the bag to fall over your body as it should, plus it makes it easy to bend your knees inside. However, if it's relatively cold out, you will definitely feel the effects if you slip off the pad slightly or your bag rotates a little. If you're a restless sleeper and wanted the bag for its spaciousness, you are now in a catch-22. It's a nice idea, but doesn't really work. (See my note at the end on how this might be fixed.)

Another major point is the warmth of the bag itself. As I said, I have tried using the bag as instructed (pad inserted) and just lying on top of the pad. In either case, the idea that this is a 15 degree bag is preposterous. I had to wear several layers just to stay warm inside a tent when the temp was about 30 degrees. A liner would obviously help, but defeats the purpose of getting a roomy bag like this.

Final complaint: the zipper sticks all the time. The material is, thankfully, quite tough, so you can pull it out of the zipper without ripping. But even taking the utmost care to line everything up perfectly, while zipping up within the bag, you'll get a couple of snags.

BOTTOM LINE

If you plan to use this bag in warmer temperatures (i.e. 40 degrees and up), you'll get by and probably even enjoy the roominess. (In spite of my complaints, I still love that aspect of it.) It's light, compact and decently priced, but not fit for cold temperatures.

Note on design modification:

This bag could be drastically improved by sewing 3 straps (elastic, perhaps?) to the bottom to hold your bag in place. Forget the built-in sleeve. Just a strap at around chest level, one at the hips, and one at the feet. Further, if you make the straps connect to your bag more to the center of the underside, it won't stretch your bag out to the edges, thus allowing it to fall more naturally over your body. And of course, you'd be able to bend your knees! An easy modification, though I haven't tried it. Maybe Big Agnes will next time around.

Comments about Big Agnes Lost Ranger +15 Sleeping Bag - Regular:

I have spent about 30 nights in this bag now, and have been very happy overall with the comfort provided by the integrated pad system (love that insulated aircore pad!). The ability to roll around at night with no restrictions is wonderful!

The only drawback is that as others have noted, the 15 degree temperature rating is too optimistic for many of us. I recently used the bag when the overnight temperature dipped to 34 degrees inside the tent, and I was chilled enough that I had to put on an extra layer. I am also noticing that the down appears to have shifted away from my torso toward the sides of the bag; the insulation is markedly thinner over my hips and shoulders. I have tried to redistribute the down back to where it belongs; next trip will tell if that worked.

This bag is great for restless sleepers who feel constricted by conventional mummy bags, but Big Agnes makes other bags that might be better for temperatures below 35 degrees.

Comments about Big Agnes Lost Ranger +15 Sleeping Bag - Regular:

I tend to get cold when I sleep (a "cold sleeper"). I used this bag in 35 degree weather and my feet and head stayed warm enough but my legs and arms got cold, esp. when sleeping on my side, even though I used a cap, long sleeves, longjohns, and wool socks. I've used a silk liner other times, which definitely improves the warmth. (And it probably would have remedied my cold on that night except I forgot that the liner was, in fact, stuffed at the foot of the bag, which probably explains why my feet stayed warm!)

PROS
Lots of room to move around

You don't slip off the sleeping pad (but see below)

Lightweight considering how large it is

There is plenty of room for a pillow inside the bag.

When sleeping on my back, the draft collar seemed to work well.

With a compression sack, it packs to the size of a football (or maybe two canteloupes?). With the supplied stuff sack, it still easily fits in my lower pack compartment.

CONS
Whenever I sleep on my back, my arms slide off the edges of the Thermarest and lie on the ground, because the bag is wider than the pad. Can't say my elbows necessarily get cold, but it feels like they're exposed to the ground (even though there is insulation beneath them). I kept wanting to pull my arms in closer (folded on my chest) but they kept sliding all the way off the edges. One time I remedied this by wedging myself between a pile of clothes and my backpack!

I got cold at temperatures below 40 degrees.

On warmer nights (45+) I could sleep with the bag simply lying on top of the pad, as I didn't need the wraparound insulation. This can, however, leave your sides exposed if you roll over, but on warm nights, that's not so bad.

If you lie on your side, the bag does not turn with you, making it difficult to keep the opening cinched down tight around your face. You end up with your nose or mouth halfway in and halfway out of the opening!

It is a bother to insert the pad and then remove it if you want to use the pad for a chair. Inserting the pad into the bag's sleeve is not the easiest task, esp. if you have a crowded tent. It is probably simpler to insert with a partner assisting.

The bag weighs the same or more than a normal down bag that really does keep you warm at 15 degrees.

BOTTOM LINE
This is a decent, very roomy bag that keeps you warm despite the excess air space, esp. if you use a liner. You'll have to decide if you are bothered by having your elbows slip off the edges. On warm nights, you can sleep on your side easily enough if you leave your head outside the bag.

Comments about Big Agnes Lost Ranger +15 Sleeping Bag - Regular:

I agree that the rating is a little proud. I sleep cold, and so would expect to be chilly at 20degrees in a 15 degree bag, but I have found it difficult to make it through 30 degree nights in this bag.That said, I think the idea is the coolest thing since sliced bread. I was leary about buying the bag as I had never heard of the brand, but I was sold on it in the store by its roomy-ness, and it's light-weighted-ness. I am all about shedding a couple of pounds when I backpack (not so I can carry less weight, but so that I can carry more other stuff). Yup...I'm that kitchen sink guy.I've used the bag several times now in the Mojave Preserve in the winter and I supplemented the bag with a coolmax liner that (supposedly) adds about 8 degrees of warmth. As I said, I sleep cold, so with the 15 degree bag and 8 degrees of coolmax, along with a light fleece and a warm ski hat, smartwools and silky long johns, I found it a little chilly at 15-20 degrees. I would have expected about 10 more degrees out of that setup.I haven't had any issues with down loss or rips in the pad sleeve, but I've only had the bag around 5 months, which means about 5-6 trips so far. I'll post again if the sucker rips,[...].The integrated pad system is the only way I will go from now on. I love the bag and the whole setup in general. My wife is envious of me every night we camp out.

Comments about Big Agnes Lost Ranger +15 Sleeping Bag - Regular:

When I backpack I like to go as light and take as few things as possible, but I can't for the life of me get a good night's sleep in a standard sleeping bag and pad combination. The integrated sleeping bag and pad system is really effective for warmth and comfort. It isn't just a gimmick. I'm 6'0" and 175 lbs. and the bag is just right for me. If I was any taller though I would need the long version of the bag.

This sleeping bag gives plenty of room to lay on your side and if you purchase the insulated pad by Big Agnes (which I highly recommend) you can sleep with your arm underneath your head, which is the contorted way in which I sleep. It is really nice to not have your bag slipping off of the pad all night. I also like that for how much comfort the pad provides, it rolls up so small. It makes it much easier to pack inside your pack rather than on the outside.

I agree with another reviewer though, it isn't as warm as the +15 degree rating, at least not without having additional clothing on. I tried sleeping in just light shorts on a trip on the Colorado Trail in late September and I was very cold with temperatures right at 15 degrees. Once I put on my long underwear and top and a good pair of socks I was fine. If you are fully covered in thermal clothing than the 15+ degree rating will hold.

Comments about Big Agnes Lost Ranger +15 Sleeping Bag - Regular:

I bought this bag after camping in the Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks with a borrowed synthetic mummy bag. I'm 5'10", 155# male. Because of neck problems I prefer to sleep on my side--and preferably with my arms around a pillow. The regular mummy bag was too confining and very uncomfortable for me. When turned on my side there wasn't enough room to "hug" a pillow--too tight. Also not enough room to bring my legs up.

When shopping for my own sleeping bag after that trip, I discovered Big Agnus' wider bags. I bought the Lost Ranger to save weight (vs synthetic) and it's 15-degree rating. Sleeping in the is bag is very comfortable for me. I can turn on my side and bring my knees up. The built-in sleeve / pad system means I don't roll off the pad either. A great idea that works.

Has other small features that I appreciate like the built-in pillow. When I'm undressing at night, I stuff some cushy clothing (like fleece jacket) in there to create a pillow. It also has the hood and a some down filled flaps/pads that go over the shoulders instead of having a straight opening. Hard to describe. Maybe these features are common with new bags. I stopped going camping for many years and am still amazed at how much camping gear has improved.

The only problem I've noticed was loss of down when removing the pad from the sleeve. I'm using Big Agnus insulated pad. I ignored the problem after using the bag while camping again this summer in the Sierra Nevadas and Olympic National Park. Last month I spent a week in Big Bend area of Texas. I spent one night on the South Rim of Chisos Mountains and was a little cold sleeping in my thermal wool underwear. The temperature probably dropped to around 30.

The down loss definitely contributed to this. I found tears at the side seams in the sleeve. Perhaps the lining doesn't hold up to the air pad being inserted and removed repeatedly. If so this is a design flow. I returned the bad to REI and they replaced it with a new Lost Ranger. I'll monitor the new bag for any rips in the lining. Previous post mentioned having a seamstress reinforce the stitching. Any luck with that? Has anyone else experienced down loss?