Review: Teton Sports Celsius XL -25°F Sleeping Bags
Having spent a significant portion of my adult life in a Marine Corps Infantry Battalion, I am fairly disillusioned with the old grunt's maxim, "pack light, freeze at night" - I've spent too many nights wishing I had a better sleeping bag. As outdoor enthusiasts, our search for the right "two person" sleeping bag led us to a Kelty Corona 20° bag and while it is a decent bag overall, the slippery nylon inner material was never popular with my wife. Additionally, on a recent mountain camping trip my daughter and I were less than comfortable in snowy weather that was only in the high twenties at 6,500 feet elevation. That trip motivated me to find something better. Down is the obvious choice but a bag in the size and style that I need (XL, two person) is about $850+tax/shipping from Feathered Friends so I needed to compromise. After some online research I learned about Utah based Teton Sports. Their sleeping bag offerings were getting pretty good reviews online so here is what I found out first hand:
The Teton Sports Celsius XL's synthetic SuperLoft Elite 4–Channel Hollow Fiber insulation is rated down to -25°F. The quality of this bag is apparent right away, especially for a bag at this price point. Nice stuff sack, nice materials, nice stitching and attention to detail - as good (or better) than the more expensive Kelty bag we already owned.
The brushed poly flannel interior makes it MUCH more appealing to slide into at night while double-layer insulation with shoulder/zipper baffles and generous drawstring mummy hood ensures minimal heat loss. A hidden pocket keeps accessories accounted for.
At 9.5 lbs it's not really a backpacker bag but for vehicle borne ops it's perfect as it packs down to a reasonable size. Measuring 90 x 36 inches its great for bigger people or those who need elbow and leg room. I'm 6'4 and have plenty of room, and plenty of coverage, in this bag. The included stuff sack is actually on par with USMC issued stuff sacks I've used.
I purchased both a left and right zip XL bag so that I could join them together and this configuration has a few pros and one con. Pros: less zippers, less draft due to no openings at the sides and corners. Con: ingress and egress is through the zipper at the centerline only. All things considered, I prefer this design over a circumferential zipper design due to simplicity and the added warmth it ensures.
The Celsius XL -25°F bag is available in green or gray, and the Celsius XXL 0°F bag is available in green, gray and black. On our recent winter time trip to Death Valley I found them to be roomy, comfortable and WARM. With temps in the 20's and 30's at night - I actually got so warm I had to unzip the bag a bit!
The bottom line? I recommend this bag. Obviously, Teton Sports is producing some really nice gear and they are quickly making a name for themselves in the outdoor market. If you could only have one sleeping bag this is it and the price point is more than reasonable considering all of the nice features. Priced around $100, the Celsius XL is a lot of sleeping bag for the money. Visit Teton Sports for more info!
Last edited:
