How to Choose Sleeping Bags for Backpacking
Sale Ends Sep 1
NEMOÂ Forte 20 Endless Promise Sleeping Bag - Men's
Sale Ends Sep 1
$149.89 – to $164.89Save up to 25%
Enjoy a blissful night asleep on your side with the NEMO Forte 20 Endless Promise men's sleeping bag. Upgraded vents keep you comfortable in a range of temperatures and let you fine-tune from within.
Key Details
Fill
Synthetic
Weight
Regular - Left Zip: 3 lbs. 7 oz.
Long - Left Zip: 3 lbs. 11 oz.
Compressed Volume
Regular - Left Zip: 9 liters
Long - Left Zip: 9.7 liters
Temperature Rating (F)
20 degrees (F)
- 3-season synthetic bag for the backcountry
- As part of the NEMO Endless Promise™ collection, this bag is designed using a single material family for easier end-of-life recyclability
- Endless Promise is a NEMO commitment to reduce resource consumption, keep gear out of the landfill and help preserve our planet for future adventures
- All Endless Promise products are painstakingly designed to be monopolymer in order to be easily, fully recyclable (inquire with NEMO for recycling details)
- Made with a suite of recycled fabrics and material, including a bluesign®-approved shell and a recycled liner
- Made with bluesign®-approved 30-denier 100% recycled polyester ripstop and 20-denier 100% recycled polyester taffeta
- Fabrics offer a buttery-soft, ultra-plush sleep experience
- Filled with Zerofiber PCR™ synthetic insulation, made from 100% postconsumer recycled content
- Zerofiber PCR insulation packs down small, maintains its loft, and provides warmth even when wet
- Upgraded Thermo Gill™ vents feature a multistage zipper system that extends the comfort range
- Classic Spoon™ shape continues to be a game changer for side sleepers, offering more room at the knees, elbows and shoulders for a less-constricted feel
- Blanket Fold™ external draft collar dramatically blocks cold air or releases warmth and mimics the tucked-in comfort of your bed at home
- Integrated pillow pocket
- Patent # D804,780; patents pending
Imported.
Temperature ratings are intended as a guideline to help you compare products, rather than a guarantee of warmth, since many different factors contribute to your comfort while you sleep. Backpacking bags are typically rated for temperature according to an independent testing protocol—currently International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 23537, though some older items followed European Norm (EN) 13537. Testing is based on a person wearing one base layer and a pair of socks, sleeping on an insulated surface with a minimum R-value of 5.38.
Each bag then gets 2 ratings: the Comfort rating is the lowest temperature at which the bag will keep the average "cold sleeper" comfortable, and the Lower Limit rating is the lowest temperature at which the bag will keep the average "warm sleeper" comfortable. Some brands determine their own temperature rating by aligning to the Comfort rating for women’s bags, to the Lower Limit rating for men’s bags, or somewhere in the middle for nongendered bags.
View the NEMO Forte Product LineView all NEMO Backpacking Sleeping BagsEach bag then gets 2 ratings: the Comfort rating is the lowest temperature at which the bag will keep the average "cold sleeper" comfortable, and the Lower Limit rating is the lowest temperature at which the bag will keep the average "warm sleeper" comfortable. Some brands determine their own temperature rating by aligning to the Comfort rating for women’s bags, to the Lower Limit rating for men’s bags, or somewhere in the middle for nongendered bags.
| Best Use | Backpacking |
|---|---|
| Tested Lower Limit | 19 degrees (F) - ISO |
| Tested Comfort | 30 degrees (F) - ISO |
| Temperature Rating (F) | 20 degrees (F) |
| Temperature Rating (C) | -7 degrees (C) |
| Weight | Regular - Left Zip: 3 lbs. 7 oz. Long - Left Zip: 3 lbs. 11 oz. |
| Shell | 30-denier recycled polyester ripstop (bluesign® approved) |
| Zipper Location | Left |
| Insulation Type | Synthetic |
| Fill | Synthetic |
| Fill Weight | Regular - Left Zip: 2 lbs. Long - Left Zip: 2 lbs. 14 oz. |
| Sleeping Capacity | 1-person |
| Lining | 20-denier recycled polyester taffeta |
| Sleeping Bag Shape | Semirectangular |
| Fits Up To (in.) | Regular - Left Zip: 72 inches Long - Left Zip: 78 inches |
| Shoulder Girth (in.) | Regular - Left Zip: 59 inches Long - Left Zip: 66 inches |
| Hip Girth (in.) | Regular - Left Zip: 54 inches Long - Left Zip: 60 inches |
| Stuff Sack Size | 9 x 11.5 inches |
| Stuff Sack Volume | 12 liters |
| Compressed Volume | Regular - Left Zip: 9 liters Long - Left Zip: 9.7 liters |
| Gender | Men's |
Buying Advice
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Most Helpful Favorable Review
Great bag
Camp Pickle2 years ago
Received free productTook this camping last weekend in Idyllwild. Temperatures were ~50 (F). My overall summary of the sleeping bag is that it is warm, incredibly comfortable, but bulky.
This is a 20F bag, so it was definitely overkill for the 50F weather at night. I left the bag unzipped and was still quite warm in it. The bag had zippers to help vent heat, as well as smaller zippers that helped vent out some heat. This helped since it was a pretty warm night.
The bag was soft with a lot of cushioning, and also had enough space that I felt that I could move around. The hood felt nice and cushioned; with an extra scarf-like layer that could keep my head warm if needed.
The reason I don't give this bag a 5-star review is the size, and weight.
Even without weighing it myself, it was clear that this bag was heavy. This limits the functionality to car-camping and makes this a non-contender for backpacking.
Even with the compression sack, the bag was still quite bulky and would not be comfortable carried for a long time.
Camp PickleReceived free product
San DIego
5 people found this review helpful
Most Helpful Critical Review
Junk zippers, will not hold up to real field use
JBob139 months ago
Zippers stuck on first use, ripped shell, so fragile was worrried to further damage on first use with Boy Scouts. returned and had two managers try to get me to try and keep because of price point. For this level gear shouldnt have to worry about damaging by just using zippers and regular gentle use. Not gear that would last which is a shame at this price point
JBob13
MD
4 people found this review helpful
Customer Images
Daniel
Received free product
Great Bag With a Few Quirks
2 years ago
First, let me say that this bag is very comfortable. Every time I got in I felt very cozy and it was hard to get out in the mornings. The material feels silky and soft against the skin without immediately inducing sweating. The engineering of the bag also allows you to move around a bit while sleeping, as I tend to do. That being said, while there is room to shift a little bit, you may need to adjust the bag as necessary to remain comfortable around your body—it is a mummy bag, after all. I run pretty hot and was able to use this bag in the mid 40s with just a base layer on. The pillow pocket is very handy and was able to fit my Nemo Fillo in just fine. The loft is awesome on this bag, as well. The "Thermo Gill" technology is an interesting concept and while I do believe the vents allow heat to escape, I am unsure how noticeable it is. I also found the zippers to be a bit cumbersome. The Thermo Gill zippers were easy to open but took a few attempts to close. The same can be said for the entry zip. It's a beefy zipper (which I like and am thankful for) but it did seem to catch on the fabric easily. Finally, the "Blanket Fold" draft collar did not lay flat and would fall on my face with just a little jostling of the bag. I can see this feature being really handy when temps are lower, but it just felt like a nuisance to me. For these reasons I deducted one star. Overall, this is a very nice bag that I plan to use whenever I can on solo trips or when not with my partner. I believe the previous version of this bag could be zipped together but it is unclear if that feature was carried over to the current model.
Age:25–34
Weight:200–225 lbs.
Height:6'0"
Yes , I recommend this product
Camp Pickle
Received free product
San DIego
Great bag
2 years ago
Took this camping last weekend in Idyllwild. Temperatures were ~50 (F). My overall summary of the sleeping bag is that it is warm, incredibly comfortable, but bulky. This is a 20F bag, so it was definitely overkill for the 50F weather at night. I left the bag unzipped and was still quite warm in it. The bag had zippers to help vent heat, as well as smaller zippers that helped vent out some heat. This helped since it was a pretty warm night. The bag was soft with a lot of cushioning, and also had enough space that I felt that I could move around. The hood felt nice and cushioned; with an extra scarf-like layer that could keep my head warm if needed. The reason I don't give this bag a 5-star review is the size, and weight. Even without weighing it myself, it was clear that this bag was heavy. This limits the functionality to car-camping and makes this a non-contender for backpacking. Even with the compression sack, the bag was still quite bulky and would not be comfortable carried for a long time.
Age:25–34
Weight:150–175 lbs.
Height:5'7"
Yes , I recommend this product
Zack
Absolutely not
4 months ago
The only “endless promise” this sleeping bag offers, is that the zippers will %100 get stuck in the extremely thin and delicate fabric. The first time trying to close the zippers for the vents, they both got deeply stuck in the fabric. Keep in mind that this was in my house with warm hands. Try zipping one of these back up at the store before buying to see what I am talking about. I don’t think the people who designed this even tried their own product out before putting it on the shelves.
No, I do not recommend this product
Jason Li
Received free product
Atlanta, GA
Bomb Proof Camping Bag
2 years ago
It might not be a backpacking sleeping bag, but it is certainly one heck of a camping sleeping bag. While I am mainly a backpacker, I can appreciate the design and comfort of this sleeping bag. While testing out the bag, it was cozy yet roomy. The feeling I had while napping in the bag was almost the same as having my comforter's weight laid on top of me. The gills help regulate the heat of the 20-degree bag. One thing I would have liked is a zipper at the foot box for airflow, but that’s not a big deal. The zipper system was virtually snag-free. Out of the 30 times I got in and out of the bag, the zipper only snagged once. Now, going back to how roomy this bag is, while I carry a down-filled bag when backpacking, I would prefer a synthetic material if weight wasn’t a problem. It gives me peace of mind that I can easily throw this in a washer when it’s dirty without worrying about the down clumping and being ruined. I would recommend using this bag on an extra-wide pad or air mattress in general to make full use of the space. On another note, a 40-degree rated version of this bag would be amazing to crash at a friend's house. In summary, I’m really looking forward to camping with this bag in the upcoming cooler weather. It just does its job too well in this warm weather.
Age:25–34
Weight:200–225 lbs.
Height:5'11"
Yes , I recommend this product
JBob13
Maryland
Junk zippers, will not hold up to real field use
9 months ago
Zippers stuck on first use, ripped shell, so fragile was worrried to further damage on first use with Boy Scouts. returned and had two managers try to get me to try and keep because of price point. For this level gear shouldnt have to worry about damaging by just using zippers and regular gentle use. Not gear that would last which is a shame at this price point
Age:45–54
Weight:225–250 lbs.
Height:5'6"
No, I do not recommend this product
Brycemv
Oregon
Heavy, but a goodie
1 year ago
It’s pretty heavy for a 20 degree bag, but it sleeps wonderfully. Comfortable materials, and it has those great thermal vents that you can zip/unzip as needed (makes a huge difference actually
Age:25–34
Weight:150–175 lbs.
Height:6'0"
Yes , I recommend this product
Bobby
Received free product
Columbus, OH
Excellent bag for shorter trips!
2 years ago
Excellent warmth and fit, the thermal gills were great when I used this in late spring/ early summer while camping in southern Ohio woods. The spoon shape really does help in finding a comfortable sleep position as it’s not as restrictive in the hips and knees. The storm collar was great for preventing drafts in the cool nights/ early morning. The loft added a lot of comfort to my sleep pad. The bag is definitely not the lightest of sleep systems, so if you’re trying to be weight conscious for longer hikes/ thru hiking, you may want to look into a lighter weight options. For car camping/ overnight/ short trips, I didn’t have an issue with the extra weight. The only other real issue I had was that the zipper tended to stick, which may be solved after breaking in a bit more.
Age:35–44
Weight:200–225 lbs.
Height:6'1"
Yes , I recommend this product
Carlos
Massachusetts
Cozy but spacious
1 year ago
First time buying a sleeping bag for camping and it was nice and cozy. I’m 5’8” 235pd and I was able to turn inside the bag from either left or right shoulder; I was pretty impressed! In addition it felt quite spacious on my feet as advertise!
Age:45–54
Weight:225–250 lbs.
Height:6'5"
Yes , I recommend this product
Misty
A little bit of everywhere
Great sleeping bag
1 year ago
Great sleeping bag. Warm and side sleeper!! Very comfortable and used it in Alaska…in the summer but it was still cold and rainy
Age:45–54
Weight:175–200 lbs.
Height:6'2"
Yes , I recommend this product
Burgoyneboysmama
Montrose CO
Great bag, like sleeping on a cloud
2 months ago
Super comfy sleeping bag, like sleeping on a cloud. Just to heavy for me for backpacking so we did return them. Everything about the bag is great, just need something for warmer temps and not at heavy to carry
Age:45–54
Weight:100–125 lbs.
Height:5'5"
Yes , I recommend this product
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