Coleman Brazos Sleeping Bag Evaluation

Backside Line

If you happen to’re in search of an unfussy, reasonably priced sleeping bag with out sacrificing consolation, the Coleman Brazos 30 suits the invoice. This one steals the present in relation to price range buys on our greatest sleeping baggage for tenting information. Its gentle inside, versatile design, and really low value makes it a sexy entry-level bag for automotive campers, cut price hunters, and anybody needing a number of baggage with out breaking the financial institution.

Senior Gear Analyst Ian Krammer has examined this bag over 20+ nights. From quick, dry summer season tenting journeys within the Colorado Rockies to late-fall journeys to the Utah desert, our testing finds it’s excellent for heat, gentle climate within the 40s and above. The Brazos’ broad, rectangular design presents loads of room to roll over. A two-way zipper runs from the highest of the bag to the underside nook for air flow – plus it transforms right into a blanket. This one even has a small inside stash pocket for a chapstick or headlamp.

However, the Brazos has some notable downsides. It’s heavy and hulking in comparison with different artificial baggage, and its stuff sack is just not our favourite. We discover particles sticks simply to its inside cloth. Regardless of zipper plows, the zippers are inclined to catch on the liner. We don’t suggest it for actually chilly adventures – the Brazos lacks a hood and barely-there draft tubes do little to dam chilly air. However for such a particularly low value, the Coleman Brazos presents precisely what we want for a gentle evening below the celebs: consolation and ease.

Consolation

The Coleman Brazos 30 proves you don’t want bells and whistles to remain comfortable when tenting. The mix of a luxurious tricot cloth liner and thick artificial insulation makes for a surprisingly cozy really feel that’s inviting and heat. For energetic sleepers this bag has loads of room to maneuver round, too, because of the Brazos’ roomy rectangular form. Gear Analyst Ian Krammer tends to shift round fairly a bit through the evening, switching between his again, facet, and stomach. He had no hassle rolling over, as this mannequin permits for simple motion regardless of your most well-liked sleeping place.

The Brazos has an L-shaped zipper that absolutely unzips on one facet and the underside, remodeling the bag right into a blanket. We love this design for cold nights across the fireplace. You can too zip two Brazos baggage collectively for shared heat with a associate – or a canine bff.

That mentioned, the Brazos earns solely common scores for consolation. The principle motive is because of the tricot cloth liner – it collects particles and hair like a magnet. Ian set this bag on the bottom whereas pitching his tent and it instantly picked up twigs, pine needles, and filth, and we bumped into the identical concern with canine hair. Cleansing it appears like a chore. Fortunately, the bag is absolutely machine cleanable (entrance loading, over-sized washers solely) serving to eradicate many of the lingering grit.

The tricot additionally tends to catch on baselayer supplies together with nylon, cotton and polyester. Ian finds there’s loads of room to roll over, however the tricot can transfer in opposition to garments inflicting static electrical energy and snagging. We grew accustomed to this sense, however it might miss the mark in the event you’re delicate to textures.

Heat

The Brazos 30 is reliably heat. If you happen to’re tenting in temps between 40ºF and 70ºF, the Brazos will get the job finished. Our testing finds Coleman’s artificial fill retains heat in addition to any bag on our listing, making it a strong selection for reasonably chilly circumstances. Throughout three 40ºF nights on a visit to Lake Metropolis, Colorado – a small city buried deep within the distant San Juan Mountain Vary – Ian stayed heat and content material with none points.

The Brazos is just not water-resistant, although the artificial fibers nonetheless stored us heat when the bag received moist. On a very dewy evening in Colorado’s Misplaced Creek Wilderness, Ian’s bag absorbed many of the moisture. Nonetheless, the bag stayed impressively heat, even because the water soaked in. It additionally dried shortly – inside 2 to three hours.

We additionally admire the two-way L-shaped zipper. The footbox unzips so we may stick our ft out and funky down. The Brazos converts absolutely right into a blanket, plus you may zip two baggage collectively to create a double-wide sleeping bag and share heat.

Nonetheless, we don’t suggest the Brazos under 40ºF. Ian’s examined this sleeping bag to its absolute restrict on snowy journeys right down to freezing (32ºF), but it surely required base and mid layers in addition to a really heat sleeping mattress. The Brazos doesn’t have a hood, and there’s no cinching mechanism across the neck to lure heat, which may make for a drafty expertise. Final, Coleman advertises a draft tube alongside the zipper, but it surely’s very minimal and doesn’t stop the chilly from seeping in. Hold the Brazos for laid-back, mild-weather adventures the place chilly temperatures and moist circumstances aren’t a priority.

Packed Measurement

The Coleman Brazos 30 has a big packed dimension of about 12 inches by 19 inches. It additionally weighs almost 7 kilos, making it one of many heavier one particular person artificial sleeping baggage we’ve examined. The thick insulation does properly when it comes to heat, but it surely doesn’t compress properly, leading to a cumbersome bundle. That mentioned, the Brazos isn’t that a lot larger than the competitors. We’ve all the time discovered a spot in our gear closet or trunk for this one, and it’s nonetheless pretty simple to maneuver between automotive and campsite.

Our greatest gripe with the Brazos is that it’s powerful to pack up. The included stuff sack is small, so mashing the bag again inside requires muscle and endurance. The stuff sack has a lengthwise zipper on the surface to assist compress the width of the bag by just a few extra inches, but it surely’s much more difficult to shut.

This bag additionally options Coleman’s “Fast Twine” system, with two cords on the underside of the bag. One wire creates a loop, and the opposite is a standalone with a plastic hook on the finish. When the bag’s rolled up, connect the hook to the loop – though we discover the Brazos is much more unwieldy packed this fashion. Our answer? Use the associated fee financial savings to purchase an affordable mesh laundry bag for storing the Brazos.

Options

The Coleman Brazos 30 is a minimalistic design, but it surely does have just a few standout options. The small pocket with a hook-and-loop closure on the within of the bag is ideal for holding small necessities shut at hand whenever you’re sleeping, like a lighter or headlamp, although it’s a bit tight for many telephones. The L-shaped zipper permits the bag to be reworked right into a blanket or zip along with one other Brazos. Whereas it doesn’t have an adjustable hood, the roomy inside makes it really feel snug and spacious, permitting for a comfy evening below the celebs.

On the draw back, the Coleman Brazos 30 lacks many of the luxurious options we see in larger high quality baggage. It doesn’t embody a neck cinch wire, zipper storage, or hook-and-loop closure on the neck to stop the zipper from coming undone when shifting at evening. The Brazos lacks a hood and it’s draft tubes are extraordinarily slim. We additionally discover the zipper system could be finicky and might catch on the liner.

Nonetheless, the Brazos proves that having fun with the outside doesn’t have to come back with a hefty price ticket. It delivers all the important thing options we count on from a sleeping bag: heat, consolation, and flexibility for evening after evening of sleep outside..

Ought to You Purchase the Coleman Brazos 30F?

The Coleman Brazos 30 is ideal for budget-conscious campers who need an reasonably priced, easy bag for mellow summer season journeys. Its spacious rectangular design presents further room to maneuver round. If you happen to’re a first-time camper or solely enterprise out just a few instances a 12 months, the Brazos is a sensible, low-cost choice for staying heat in temperatures as little as 45ºF. The flexibility to unzip the bag partially for air flow, or all the way in which right into a blanket, makes it a flexible choose. It’s additionally a great choice for households or {couples} who wish to share house, since two baggage will also be zipped collectively. The soft lining is gentle in opposition to the pores and skin, and a small stash pocket is useful to maintain observe of little objects within the evening.

Nonetheless, if you need high-end options or light-weight portability, the Brazos misses the mark. Its cumbersome dimension, heavy weight, and difficult packing course of aren’t an important match if you need a extra streamlined choice. The tricot liner cloth tends to gather particles and filth, and the exterior cloth is just not water-resistant. This mannequin additionally lacks a hood, draft tubes, and a cinching mechanism, which may make it really feel a bit drafty and chilly.

That mentioned, Coleman is king in relation to price range merchandise, and the Brazos is a advantageous bag for infrequent campers, mellow adventures, and worth buyers. If you happen to don’t wish to spend an arm and a leg to sleep exterior, that is the one.

What Different Tenting Sleeping Luggage Ought to You Contemplate?

Hike over to our greatest tenting sleeping baggage listing to see how the Brazos compares to the competitors. And think about these different choices: 

The North Face Wawona 20 Evaluation: The Wawona can be rectangular and has a wrap-around zipper and a soft cloth inside. Nonetheless, it weighs much less, is far simpler to pack, and is extra sturdy and cozy – however prices extra.

REI Siesta Hooded 20 Evaluation: The REI Hooded 20 is our prime choose – it has an enormous spacious inside, easy cloth, and a cinchable, broad hood. This one’s received a better price ticket, but it surely’s price it for superior heat and high quality development.

Teton Sports activities Celsius XXL 0F Evaluation: The Celsius is an enormous, soft, tremendous heat bag with budget-friendly pricing and an oblong form. It’s a major step up when it comes to sturdiness and luxury, and now features a hood.