High PeakUSA Alpinizmo Latitude 20 Sleeping Bag, Orange

I purchased this bag for my son after reading some good reviews about it. I wanted a 3-season bag (15-30F range) that is suitable for backpacking (=as light and small as possible) but with a reasonable price.First impressions were very positive. The bag is very light and packs well using the included compression bag. It is quite thin due to the relatively high warmth factor of the synthetic filling - remember this is rated 20F, meaning that its comfortable around 30-40F. You can of course boost that with an extra bag liner and/or underwear. The compression bag is nice, though I haven't tested it for water resistance. The sleeping bag materials feel very soft and comfortable, and it has good features like a zippered pocket for flashlight etc and a heat collar. Bag zipper can be tricky in thin and light bags, but we did not encounter any issues here. The bag seems pretty slim fit, my 5'1" son has plenty of room but I don't even dare to try (at 6'6" and 220lbs).First use was during a family camping trip to the White Mountains, NH. Night temps were pretty high, 45-55F range. My son is a hot sleeper and he was getting pretty warm in the bag. After couple of nights he started sleeping in a liner bag with the main bag as a blanket, this was fine. So definately the temp rating is true, for hot sleepers even too conservative. He did have a high quality sleeping pad with a high insulation factor, that's probably equally important to having a good bag. Filling material always compresses under you as you sleep and losing loft means less warmth.It was pretty wet weather plus my son sweated first night in the bag, so we got to test drying capabilities as well. Solid performance, thin and light material helped here and the bag dries nicely (assuming its not raining).Overall I think the Alpinizmo Latitude is a surprisingly well designed and executed bag for this price range. An ultralight down bag from a good brand will almost certainly outperform this in many ways, but at a several times higher price. I cannot yet speak of Latitude's longevity but at this price it is not a critical issue. Getting a bag liner and the best sleeping pad you can afford will maximize the value of this bag. I might ge another one for my wife.

This bag is highly compressible: I succeeded to put it in the "sleeping bag compartment" of my backpack, which compartment was known too be very small in the reviews of the bag.Of course, compared to my 60°F sleeping bag, it is far bigger and heavier...It is highly "closable": you have a padding all around the neck which you can "close" to completely separate your body from the exterior. Then you can also "close" the hood around your head to finally have only your nose and mouth out (not even you eyes if you close completely).I used it during the month of August 2013 in Peru (winter).During a 4 days trek in the mountain at 4.500m of altitude, with 3 persons in the tent, with a simple mattress, and probably between 15 and 25°F outside (-10 to -5°C), it was too warm (I was keeping the head outside and let the "cold air" enter by the aperture for the head. I was almost naked).During a night on the Chachani (a 6075m volcano, but the base camp was at 5400m) I was alone in my tent made for 2, still with a simple mattress, and probably between 5 to 15°F (-15 to -10°C), I was definitely not freezing, but I didn't sleep well. At the beginning I was almost naked, then I put one layer of clothes on my body. But I didn't felt cold, and I think it was more the in-comfort of the "floor" and the excitation for the next ascension which kept me awoken.I also precise that I am very very thin (do not have muscles or fat to keep me warm) and very tall (6'3", and the sleeping bag was big enough).Anyway, I did not know what were the actual temperature, and I only gave as indication what the guides were saying when preparing the material. But if I definitely not guarantee that you will sleep comfortably at -5°F, it's anyway a very good sleeping bag which can definitely go far under 0°C (30°F), tested at high altitudes during winter.I initially intended to sell it before going back to France, but finally I will keep it with me...

My son used this sleeping bag during a weekend trip, and the zipper broke on his second night. Therefore, can't recommend this bag at all.

In fairness, I don't have a good test for the -5 degree rating. Stripped down to nearly nude and at 40 degrees, the bag was very warm. There were a few points in the night when I had to let a little air in to keep it from being uncomfortably hot.The material shows no sign of wear after 4 uses but the shell covering seems like it may snag easily. That is just a guess on my part.This is, by far, the most comfortable sleeping bag I have ever been in. at 5'11" and 205 lbs I still have a little bit of room to spare.The only thing keeping it from 5 stars at this point is the zipper. It does not run smoothly. It is not getting caught up in the material but is still difficult to manipulate and catches some.

This bag was a great deal when it came out 10+ years ago and cost $100. It received awards in multiple categories from several gear review magazines for 2 or 3 years running. I'm really pleased high peak has continued this model at a lower price point rather than forcing the next flashy model on us.Even against the more modern competition, I'm not aware of anything significantly lighter or better quality than this bag for less than 2-3x the price. The closest I can think of would be a marmot ultra elite 20 for $100-200, which weighs 2lb 4 oz instead of 2 lb 13 oz.Synthetic shell is surprisingly soft and bag is very warm down to the high 20s range. Below that isn't unbearable, but you'll want a beanie and long sleeves. I'm 5-10 and 200 lbs and fit fine. Wouldn't recommend if you're over say 6-3 and 240 range. Be gentle with the zipper and slightly flimsy stuff sack and you'll easily get 10 great years out of this bag.