Budget Gear Review: Coleman Crescent 15 Degree Sleeping Bag

The Coleman Crescent is a 15 degree synthetic sleeping bag that you can pick up on Amazon.com for $54.99, and was the first sleeping bag I purchased when I started backpacking. It's still in my gear collection, and it still gets used. I've grown very fond of this bag over the years. 

The first thing I noticed when I pulled it out of the box is how sharp it looks. It's just a nice looking bag. I love the blue and black color scheme, and the Coleman lantern logo in the center. In fact, one of the reasons I bought this bag was because it was a Coleman. At the time, before I ever heard of Marmot or Big Agnes or Western Mountaineering, I thought Coleman was the top-of-the-line maker of sleeping bags. But unlike other budget gear I've purchased, the Coleman Crescent did not disappoint at all.

The best part about this bag is that it's warm. I can't say if it's true to the 15 degree rating or not, but I can say that I've never been cold in this bag. The first year I had it, I used it a lot for backpacking in the summer and fall in Washington and north Idaho, but since then I mostly use it for car camping, and it always keeps me warm. I've even lent it out to friends on the rare occasion I could convince them to go backpacking with me, and even they comment on it's warmth. The coldest conditions It's been used in were in the Washington Cascades in Spring, on snow at about 6,000 feet. I can't say for certain how cold it got at night but I'm guessing in the 20's, since I was chilled in my 20 degree North Face Orion, while my brother stayed warm in the Coleman Crescent. But it's not just warm, it's comfortable too. It seems roomier than my other sleeping bags, and I tend to sleep better when I use it. It's made well too. I've had it since 2008 and it's still in great shape. You can tell by the feel of it, and by the look of it, that it's designed and built very well.

My bro staying warm in the mountains

One of my favorite things about this bag is the zipper guard, which is a plastic "case' that fits over the zipper to prevent snags, and it actually works. Nothing is more irritating then snagged zippers, and with my other sleeping bags it's a constant problem, but with the Coleman Crescent it's a non-issue.

The only gripe I have about this big is that it's big and heavy. It does not compact very well. This sleeping bag will probably only fit inside an 80 liter plus backpack. Otherwise you would have to strap it on the outside. I never tried it with a compression sack, but I'm sure you would be able to cut down on that bulk if you used one. On my scale the bag weighed in at 3pounds 8 ounces, which is lighter than the 5.2 pound listed weight on Amazon, but still on the heavy side.

Summary: 

This is a nice sleeping bag, and $50.00 is a good deal. Sure it's big and heavy (what do you expect for that price?), but it does what it's supposed to do: keep you warm. With the proper care it will last for years. If you're on a budget, or a beginning backpacker, or both, I highly recommend this sleeping bag for your all-around 3 season bag, especially if you live up north.

I know I just posted this pic on my last blog but it's in the only shot I got of the zipper guard. Check it out.