Big Agnes Husted 20 Review

Although the Big Agnes Husted 20 is heavy and doesn't pack as small as we would like, there are still a lot of things that we love about it. Its comfort and warmth are notable just two reasons why our testers think it's one of the best budget backpacking sleeping bags. Big Agnes also offers the Husted 20 with the zipper on the right or left side which gives you the option of zipping two bags together for a shared outdoor evening.

Performance Comparison

Warmth

This bag contains 30.5 ounces of Fireline Pro synthetic insulation. That's an awful lot of fill that equates to more than the total weight of some other backpacking sleeping bags. It's also one of few budget sleeping bags to include an anti-draft collar to prevent heat from escaping out the hood on cold nights. We think a collar like this is borderline essential for a cold-weather bag like the Husted 20.

With these features, it receives a 19°F EN lower limit temperature rating. Our testers believe this rating is accurate compared to other bags. This level of warmth might actually make it too warm for most summer backpacking applications. However, it's a cozy choice for high elevation adventures or the colder temps of spring and fall.

Weight

The considerable amount of insulation that the Big Agnes Husted 20 uses to achieve its impressive warmth also increases its overall weight. On our scale, a size long weighed a whopping 3.14 pounds. That makes it one of the heavier bags in the budget category and more than double the weight of the best premium down bags that provide similar warmth.

These premium bags, however, can cost almost four times as much. The comparison nonetheless highlights the Husted's rather disappointing warmth-to-weight ratio. The included stuff sack adds a meager 1.6 ounces to the actual packed weight. However, we recommend buyers also purchase an aftermarket compression sack to achieve a more convenient packed shape. One of these aftermarket compression sacks will likely weigh a similar amount.

Comfort

This sleeping bag is advertised with slightly narrower dimensions than many budget sleeping bags. Surprisingly, however, none of our testers mentioned this narrowness during our comfort testing. We suspect Big Agnes may choose to be more conservative with the advertised dimensions than other companies. It is a tapered mummy bag, however, if you know you like lots of legroom consider an hourglass-shaped competitor.

One aspect of comfort that our testers raved about is the softness of interior polyester taffeta fabric. This fabric feels supple and soft yet it doesn't attract dirt or plant debris like a similarly soft flannel lining. It's unusual to find such a comfy lining on a budget bag. We are also big fans of the clever hood drawcord. This drawcord is threaded beneath a clever strip of fabric that redirects the cord away from your face.

Packed Size

The Big Agnes Husted 20 comes with a simple nylon stuff sack that is a strangely narrow cylindrical shape. At 20 inches in length, this shape won't fit horizontally across the bottom of many backpacks, which is certain to frustrate some people and make packing your backpack more difficult.

Using an aftermarket compression sack, we were able to pack it down into a more convenient shape that measured 13.4 liters in volume. This figure makes it one of the bulkier budget sleeping bags we've tried but it could still be suitable for backpacking if you have a large backpack. If you are considering the Husted, recognize that an aftermarket compression sack would make packing this sleeping bag much more convenient.

Versatility

This bag's synthetic insulation can retain more warmth than down insulation if it gets wet. Try to avoid that, however, because sleeping in any bag is going to be miserable when it's wet regardless of whether the insulation still traps some heat.

The full-length zipper offers a clear advantage over shorter zippers in terms of versatility. It allows you to open the bag more to let excess heat escape on warmer nights. Our testers also appreciated the passive draft collar in colder temps because it effectively trapped their body heat and prevented it from escaping out the hood. When you combine these features together, you get a sleeping bag that's suitable for a wider temperature range.

Features & Design

Although the Big Agnes Husted 20 is just a simple mummy bag, there are a couple of subtle design features that we like. The zipper has a great Y-shape anti-snag slide with convenient pull tabs on both the inside and outside of the bag. This largely prevented snags and made it easier to open the bag in the dark of night.

As we mentioned above, the hood drawstring is threaded beneath a piece of fabric to keep it out of your face and it adjusts with a low-profile spring clamp. The draft collar is also cleverly stitched on either side to keep it securely in place. One thing the Husted 20 is missing, however, is a stash pocket. We usually like these pockets for keeping a headlamp or smartphone handy and the batteries warm.

Value

The reason many people shop for a budget backpacking sleeping bag is so they can get a good deal. And the Big Agnes Husted 20 seems to present one of the best deals out there. It offers 20°F warmth and exceptional comfort at a bargain price. Our testers also believe the quality of its materials and construction feels noticeably higher than other similarly priced bags. Even though we have some concerns about its weight and packed size, we still think it's an awesome value. Just be aware that you will probably want to also purchase an aftermarket compression sack to make packing this bag more convenient.

Conclusion