REI Halo 25 Review

Likes

The Halo 25 is a high quality affordable three-season down bag. 750-fill down make the bag light and compressible. A full-length anti-snag zipper, the burliest of any bag tested here, prevents accidental midnight snags. This bag also has an external zipper pocket keeps a watch, headlamp, or glasses close at hand during the night. The Halo has the best price to weight ratio of any down bag tested here. Its an excellent value.

Dislikes

Unfortunately, the Halo has an odd fit thats similar to the Valandre Bloody Mary. The bag is small and constricting in the legs and feet, yet quite spacious around the chest and shoulders. This leaves your feet a bit cramped and your upper body swimming in space. The result is a less efficient and less comfortable bag for those who dont have broad shoulders. When the temperatures dropped we found that this extra space around the chest and neck let in chilly air. This problem was exacerbated by the fact that the Halo does not have a neck baffle. The bag also leaked down more than all other bags tested, a likely result of the average quality workmanship (REIs excellent warranty should remedy this). Despite these drawbacks the Halo is an excellent buy for those seeking a small and light three-season bag for backpacking.

Best Application

Warmer three-season activities.

Value

Cold sleepers and backpackers who frequently extend their three-season trips into lower temperatures will want something warmer, but everyone else should pick up the Halo and pocket the savings. This is the best value for a higher quality down bag.