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The North Face no longer makes this version of the Homestead Twin.
REASONS TO BUY
Very roomy
Lightweight
The stuff sack functions as a backpack
Fun color schemes
REASONS TO AVOID
Not for colder temps
Very bare bones design
The North Face Homestead Twin 40 is one wide sleeping bag. Touted by the manufacturer as the largest single bag on the market, we concur. Measuring in at just a spider's eyelash wider than a twin bed, its roominess and silky lining, made it difficult for us to get up in the morning. On the other hand, we didn't sleep in long on colder mountain evenings. If you buy it, stick to warmer sleeping temps.
It's not the warmest bag we tested, but you may not need something that will get you through a winter in the Arctic. The North Face Homestead Twin 40 has enough insulation to keep you warm in the Summer months in temperate climates. It's a perfect bag for warmer camping, whether that pertains to the outside temps or the temps inside your RV.
Performance Comparison
Not just for kids, this bag's massive 78-inch circumference will accommodate most body types. Its regular length will accommodate up to 6ft. 6ins, and it also is available in a long version.
Credit: Jason Wanlass
Warmth
Are you sleeping in a heated camper trailer? If you're not, you may not have an enjoyable night in this bag, unless you're in a tent on the beach in Hawaii. Out of the all the bags we reviewed, it scored dead last for warmth. However, this isn't necessarily a drawback. This bag was never destined for a two-month stint at Everest Base Camp. The Homestead 40 is exactly what it should be: A fun bag for warmer-weather camping, sleepovers, heated camper trailers and backyard campouts.
This bag is great for warmer nights and lounging about on cool (not chilly) mornings. It's thin, so bring a sleeping pad.
Credit: Jason Wanlass
Comfort
Roomy. Roomy. Roomy. The manufacturer touts this bag to be the “largest one-person bag on the market.” We haven't verified their claim, but we can say that we were very impressed with the overall size of this bag. Measuring in at a width of 40 inches it provides ample room for nearly any body type. The Slumberjack Country Squire is wider, at 42 inches.
Wide load! Measuring 40 inches this bag is very roomy. This photo shows how it's far wider than the orange Kelty Callisto or blue Teton Polara.
Credit: Jason Wanlass
The silky nature of the bag's polyester interior allows for the twisting and turning of even the busiest sleeper. But its thin insulation does land it near the bottom of our list for a natural pillowy feel. You'll want to pair it with a sleeping pad, camper bed or a luscious, green, backyard lawn.
We loved the backpack stuff sack. It even has its own pocket for keys, a wallet or cell phone.
Credit: Jason Wanlass
Features
Scoring relatively high in the features metric, this bag doesn't come with a lot of extras at first glance. One thing we thought was kind of cool is the bag's stuff sack doubles as a simple backpack with its own storage pocket.
So why did it score higher than average? We look at many things in our features testing including ease of washing, warranty, and water resistance. This bag scored high in those areas but did produce lower scores in areas like draft tubes along the zipper, shoulder baffles, and zipper function. Overall, this bag is fairly bare bones, but it is part of the manufacturer's Homestead collection, so there are several colors and prints available. The collection also offers matching tents, tots, canopies and more for shoppers who are into matchy-matchy stuff.
The Homestead shoves easily into its stuff sack, which is perfect if you're 3 years old.
Credit: Jason Wanlass
Packed Size
We rated this bag well for packed size. It is easy to pack, compact, lightweight, can be carried easily, and in a pinch could double as a backcountry bag if the temps are favorable. We love the backpack stuff sack, which could double as a very simple daypack for a short, basic weekend camping trip.
Best Applications
After using this bag for weeks, we feel it is a great bag for summertime, backyard campouts, sleepovers and warm weather or heated-trailer camping. If you're headed out for a summer weekend at Lake Mead, Nevada or any other warm destination, this bag will serve you well. It fits a great niche for simple, basic camp gear.
Rated as a 40-degree bag, we feel the Homestead suited for warmer temps. That didn't stop us from taking it up to 9500 feet above sea level and using it to hang out on some granite slabs for lunch.
Credit: Jason Wanlass
Value
This bag is a little overpriced. It's within a few dollars of the much larger and warmer Teton Sports Celsius XXL 0, as well as other bags that are warmer and stouter. However, the Homestead Line does offer a certain style, and the manufacturer does use 30% recycled material in its insulation.
We spent several nights testing the Homestead in the higher altitude campgrounds of Bryce Canyon National Park, where nighttime Spring temps got down to 30-40 degrees.
Credit: Jason Wanlass
Conclusion
The manufacturer never intended this bag to make its mark on polar expeditions. This is strictly a warm-weather bag with minimal features. Still, we enjoyed using the bag and really like its generous size. We also give props to the manufacturer for using 30% post-consumer recycled material in its Heatseeker™ Eco synthetic insulation.
The Homestead (right) is perfect for backyard sleepovers or summertime camping.
Credit: Jason Wanlass
Other Versions and Accessories
This bag is available in regular and long lengths. It also offers a warmer 20-degree version. Additionally, the Homestead Twin is available in four different colors and prints. The North Face Homestead Collection consists of more than sleeping bags with matching tents, canopies and more.
