Kelty Ignite DriDown 20-Degree Sleeping Bag

Being that the sleeping bag is one of the most important purchases you make for backpacking, I spent a lot of time reviewing my options. There are so many bags on the market that narrowing it down can be tough. I had a budget of only a few hundred dollars, so I was limited to the middle of the range quality-wise. I had closely considered a couple others but ultimately decided on the Kelty Ignite DriDown 20 due to the good reviews and features offered. This is the first down bag I have had, so my review may be a bit biased, but this sleeping bag seems like one of the best in its price range. It packs down relatively small and fits almost perfectly into the bottom compartment of my Osprey Aether 70. This bag is a bit heavier than some being that it is a lower fill (600 fill I believe) but not so much that it was off-putting. I am by no means an ultralight backpacker but weight is obviously a serious consideration with any purchase. I chose to cut cost a here, being that the price to weight ratio seems to be the highest when it comes to sleeping bags. A small cut in weight always seems to come with a hefty price hike.Anyway, I was looking for a very versatile bag that could perform well in at least three seasons. I have only used it down to around freezing, so I can't speak for the lower end at which it is rated, but at 32 degrees I was plenty toasty and even had to vent my feet some. Granted I am a fairly warm sleeper, but this bag greatly exceeded my expectations. I have another bag rated at 40 and when the temp dropped to around 50, I could already feel the chill seeping in. This bag offers a draft tube along the zipper and a draft collar around the neck opening and both contribute quite a bit to keeping the cold air out of the bag. The hood seems to be very warm as well, though it didn't get cold enough to require it's use. It does make a great pillow though, which is something I didn't expect. The only downsides to this bag for me was that the zipper didn't operate as smoothly as I had hoped and that it is a little narrow at the shoulders. The zipper doesn't snag too often, but takes it a little bit of effort to zip and unzip this bag. It didn't feel as sturdy as I would have liked, but I think it will hold up fine regardless. I have a stocky build and this sleeping bag is tighter than I expected at the shoulders, so get the long size (which I purchased) to give you a couple more inches of leeway if you're worried about this.Overall, this sleeping bag is an excellent purchase for the money and I am very happy that I eventually settled on this one. There are obviously much nicer bags out there, but I truly believe this is the best in its price range. If you're looking for a moderately priced sleeping bag that gives you the performance and features needed for a good night's sleep on those chilly nights, I highly recommend the Kelty Ignite DriDown 20!

Warmth wise, it held up in 10-20 degree weather with snow and freezing rain. Actually felt pretty hot in it.Big negative - it is way too "snug" for me. I'm 6'1" and weigh 180 lbs. I ordered the Long size and my feet hug the bottom and my head is at the very top. Makes it feel way too tight when you are in it. I ended up selling this one and getting the Nemo Salsa. I move around too much in my sleep so I don't like feeling restricted

I was really nervous about the size of this, as I wiggle a lot in my sleep, hate sleeping bags, am 5'9 with big hips, and nearly every review said it fit "snug" and was "not for wigglers".I didn't find that to be the case at all. I could turn, wiggle, and twist to my heart's content. The zippers do stick if you're not careful, so just keep that in mind. It is WARM! So warm! I used it with the Klymit Insulated Static V Sleeping pad, and I was actually so hot wearing a tank top and yoga pants that I had to unzip the side about half way. And it was 30 degrees outside!It's super lightweight, packs down to the size of a football or so, and is so cozy. The water resistant down is also a lifesaver. Definitely worth every penny.

Really good quality. I should have listened to the other reviews though, and got the long size. I'm 5-11, 150 lbs, and i barely fit in the regular (that's the only reason i rated it as 4 stars instead of 5). It will do, especially since it's dridown for only $173, but next time, i'm buying a long. By the time i received this bag and tested out the length, they had increased the price of the long size by $60 bucks.... really???The zipper does snag easily but just take care when you zip it and you'll be fine. The bag itself is plenty warm. I had to remove some layers while i was testing it because i was getting too hot. Foot box is a little small but not too bad. I'll be backpacking with this, not luxury camping. It packs down pretty small, about the size of 1.5 - 2 american footballs in the bag it comes with. but you can compress it down to even smaller than a football and wrap it with paracord, so it should fit in almost any internal frame sleeping bag compartment. And since it's down, it fluffs back up when you take it out the the bag.All in all, good buy, just get the long if you're an adult.Update: the price returned to normal on the long so I returned the regular and got the right size. Much better, and I didn't notice any difference in pack size. 5 stars now

had to buy a new one after one trip

I had bought one at REI, tried it, and like it before I ordered this from Amazon for my son. It was 40usd cheaper than when I bought at REI and for a slightly longer bag. However, i was very disappointed when i put the 2 side by side. The one from Amazon is on the right side. It has darker color (I dont mind) the shell fabric is much thicker and rougher, giving you this cheap plastic feeling... (for this, I do mind), and the amount of down is much less than the other one. When i first touched the bag there is a lack of softness that prompted me to pull my bag to compare, and they are totally different quality. Enough sad, requesting for a return...

I cannot say enough good things about this bag. It may smell a bit funny at first, because duck down, but really - you are just going to smell it up anyways. Very cozy, a little too cozy for some. I'm 5'5" and 150 and it was almost a tight fit. The dri down does seem to work for a time, but the bag will lose loft after a few night in the cold damp winters. It will dry out quickly in direct sunlight and beat the loft back into it.Used this bag for a southbound thru-hike on the AT. A little warm during summer and not warm enough for the Smoky Mountains during winter. I was comfortable in the mid teens with this bag, in combination with a Thermarest Traillite. Needed a fleece liner for anything below.I packed it into a 13L dry bag with plenty of room to spare. Packs down really well, maybe a bit bigger than a football. Great sleeping bag.