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The Best Sleeping Bag for Backpacking
We've noticed that some of our picks have gone out of stock. We plan to update our testing and merge this guide with our guide to sleeping bags for car camping this summer.
We spent more than 50 hours researching 100 mummy-style sleeping bags and testing 15 of them during the fall and winter in California, Hawaii, and Colorado. There will never be one perfect sleeping bag for everyone, but we think the Marmot Women's Teton is the best bag for humans with narrower shoulders and for people who get cold at night. The unisex Montbell Down Hugger 650 #1 is best for people with broader shoulders or those who tend to sleep warm. Of all the bags we tested, these two models offer the best combination of comfort, price, warranty, durability, versatility, and compression for hike-in camping.
Our pick
Montbell Down Hugger 650 #1
For people with broader shoulders who sleep warm
The Montbell is made with well-lofted down insulation and unusual diagonal baffles, plus it comes with a lifetime warranty.
There's no "best sleeping bag for most people," but we think the unisex Montbell Down Hugger is the best backpacking sleeping bag for people with broad shoulders and narrower hips who tend to get hot at night, as well as for people who move a lot in their sleep. It's rare to find a comfortable down bag that costs less than $300, yet the Down Hugger was softer and had more loft than some bags that cost $100 more. The bag's shape and diagonal baffles made it feel far roomier and more accommodating than most of the traditional mummy bags we tested. We didn't notice any fraying during our testing period, either—but should the fabric tear or should a zipper break, the bag is backed by Montbell's lifetime warranty.
Our pick
Marmot Women's Teton
For people with narrow-framed bodies who sleep cold
The Teton is a warm bag made with silky-soft fabric and filled with well-lofted, water-resistant down.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $276.
The Marmot Women's Teton mummy bag is warmer and slimmer than the Montbell Down Hugger. It's billed as a women's bag, but we think it's a good fit for any narrow-bodied person who gets cold at night. The Teton is among the softest, warmest bags we tested: The fluffy Responsible Down Standard insulation feels plush and almost overstuffed; it swaddles you while you sleep. The Teton also has thoughtful features, like a pocket within the bag to store electronics. It is EN rated to 15 °F—and after many cold nights of sleeping under the stars, our testers found that number to be accurate. It's worth noting, however, that this is a much warmer bag than many of the others we tested; at times, it was too warm.
Budget pick
REI Co-op Lumen 20 Sleeping Bag
An inexpensive, synthetic alternative for people who sleep hot
The Lumen 20 is a great option for camping in wet environments, though its weight might limit its appeal for long trips.
Compared with the three other synthetic bags we tested, REI's Lumen had the most natural-feeling filling; it closely mimicked the feel of a down sleeping bag. We liked it for backpackers on a budget, for people who often camp in wet weather, or for hikers who want a vegan option. The Lumen is billed as a men's sleeping bag, but we think it's a good fit for anyone who sleeps hot and has a wider body. Unfortunately, like most synthetic bags, the Lumen is heavier than our down-filled alternatives and it doesn't compress as well, making it less appropriate for longer backpacking trips.
Budget pick
REI Co-op Lyra 24 Sleeping Bag
A warm, affordable synthetic bag for cold sleepers
For anyone not comfortable with down there is the Lyra, which is the warmest synthetic bag we tried.
The REI Co-op Lyra 24 is a good option for people who sleep cold, prefer vegan insulation, or are on a budget. The Lyra is similar to the Lumen, but it uses a warmer synthetic insulation (the bag is EN rated to 24 °F, though some testers found that to be a stretch). The Lyra is marketed as a women's sleeping bag, but we think it's a better option than the Lumen for anyone who has narrower shoulders and wider hips. Despite being half the price of our other picks, the Lyra has many of the thoughtful design features we found in more expensive bags, and its insulation is almost as squishy as our down picks. However, like most synthetics, the Lyra isn't as warm, compact, or lightweight as our down picks. Even with good care, it won't last as long, either.
Upgrade pick
Feathered Friends Osprey Nano 30 Sleeping Bag
A wider but more expensive bag for serious backpackers who sleep hot
Bags in the fairly pricey Nano series are stuffed with lightweight down insulation, made in America, and backed by a solid warranty.
The lightweight Osprey Nano 30 Sleeping Bag is a solid choice for people who carry a sleeping bag with them often while hiking or traveling. This upgrade option is simple and unadorned yet filled with top-quality down. It is rated to 30 °F and offers a looser fit for wide bodies, making it a good buy for larger people. It's not an ultralight bag, but its 900+ fill-power down (a rare find for below $400) makes it light enough to carry easily on long-distance trips. All Feathered Friends products come with a lifetime guarantee and are made with certified RSD down.
Upgrade pick
Feathered Friends Egret Nano 20 Women's Sleeping Bag
A narrower, warmer but more expensive bag for frequent backpackers
The Egret has all the advantages of the Osprey, plus a narrower cut and more insulation.
Like the Osprey Nano, the Feathered Friends Egret Nano 20 is a high-end bag that is a rare find for its price. Thoughtfully constructed, the Egret is made with top-quality materials resulting in a simple, proven design that works in all conditions. It is billed as a women's bag, but we think the bag's extra insulation makes it a good fit for anyone who sleeps cold. As with the Osprey, the Egret is backed by Feathered Friends's lifetime warranty.
Everything we recommend
Our pick
Montbell Down Hugger 650 #1
For people with broader shoulders who sleep warm
The Montbell is made with well-lofted down insulation and unusual diagonal baffles, plus it comes with a lifetime warranty.
Our pick
Marmot Women's Teton
For people with narrow-framed bodies who sleep cold
The Teton is a warm bag made with silky-soft fabric and filled with well-lofted, water-resistant down.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $276.
Budget pick
REI Co-op Lumen 20 Sleeping Bag
An inexpensive, synthetic alternative for people who sleep hot
The Lumen 20 is a great option for camping in wet environments, though its weight might limit its appeal for long trips.
Budget pick
REI Co-op Lyra 24 Sleeping Bag
A warm, affordable synthetic bag for cold sleepers
For anyone not comfortable with down there is the Lyra, which is the warmest synthetic bag we tried.
Upgrade pick
Feathered Friends Osprey Nano 30 Sleeping Bag
A wider but more expensive bag for serious backpackers who sleep hot
Bags in the fairly pricey Nano series are stuffed with lightweight down insulation, made in America, and backed by a solid warranty.
Upgrade pick
Feathered Friends Egret Nano 20 Women's Sleeping Bag
A narrower, warmer but more expensive bag for frequent backpackers
The Egret has all the advantages of the Osprey, plus a narrower cut and more insulation.
The research
- Why you should trust us
- Who should get this
- Do you need a women's sleeping bag?
- What is an EN rating?
- How we picked
- How and where we tested
- Our pick: Montbell Down Hugger 650 #1
- Flaws but not dealbreakers: Montbell Down Hugger 650 #1
- Our pick: Marmot Women's Teton
- Flaws but not dealbreakers: Marmot Women's Teton
- Budget pick: REI Co-op Lumen 20 Sleeping Bag
- Budget pick: REI Co-op Lyra 24 Sleeping Bag
- Upgrade pick: Feathered Friends Osprey Nano 30 Sleeping Bag
- Upgrade pick: Feathered Friends Egret Nano 20 Women's Sleeping Bag
- The competition
- Care and maintenance
- What to look forward to
- Sources
Why you should trust us
Kit Dillon has worked for Wirecutter for four years in various capacities, writing about everything from backpacks to cooking gear to luggage to road-trip gear to car-camping tents.
He has camped and slept in bags similar to the ones in this guide for the past 20 years. In that time, he's spent days avoiding midges in the Scottish Highlands and crashed in half-built homes in Crete. He also lived in a tent in Hawaii for seven months and used a sleeping bag as a blanket for most of that time.
Liz Thomas has backpacked more than 15,000 miles and has spent more than 800 nights sleeping outdoors. She once held the women's unassisted speed record on the Appalachian Trail. In her two-plus years working at Wirecutter, she has written about many topics: sleeping pads, water bottles, outdoor apparel, and more. She is also the instructor of Backpacker magazine's online Thru-Hiking 101 class, and the author of the National Outdoor Book Award winning Long Trails: Mastering the Art of the Thru-Hike.
For this guide, we pored over online reviews of sleeping bags from many review sites; some of the most helpful pieces came from OutdoorGearLab, Switchback Travel, Backpacker, and Gear Institute. We polled friends and backpackers about their sleeping bag preferences. Finally, we interviewed several designers from companies who make sleeping bags and quilts that don't fit the specs of this guide, so we didn't include them in our lineup (like Wex Gear and Katabatic Gear). After we made our picks, we talked with designers from Feathered Friends and Marmot to get their perspective on the construction and materials of their sleeping bags.
Who should get this
If you're looking for a sleeping bag for backpacking, this guide is for you. If you're wilderness backpacking, you'll likely be carrying your gear on your back and hiking with it, with the intention of spending at least one night in a tent or mountain hut. If you're travel backpacking, you'll likely be using public transit and carrying a sleeping bag with you to save money by sleeping in a hostel. Either way, you'll need a sleeping bag that's light and comfortable and packs down small. Most backpacking sleeping bags are mummy bags that hug close to the body, holding in heat without drafty gaps of space. The sleeping bags in this guide are comfortable for most three-season conditions (that is, all but winter) and suitable for locations ranging from public campgrounds to backcountry trails.
However, if you're planning to camp out of a car, or if you're sleeping outside during very warm months, we think you'll be better served by one of the sleeping bags from our car-camping sleeping bag guide. Car-camping bags are significantly cheaper than their backpacking counterparts, but they're less compact, not as warm, and often much heavier.
Do you need a women's sleeping bag?
Choosing a sleeping bag that fits your body and sleeping style is more important than just going by the gender on the label. A women's bag might be better for you than a unisex bag if you consider certain factors, such as your age, level of exhaustion, health conditions, medications, body height and mass, level of nourishment, state of hydration, the altitude of your backpacking trip, and wind chill and humidity of the air around you. Here are three of the most important sleeping-bag variables to take into account:
Length: Regardless of gender, you need to choose a bag that's the right length for your body. Men's and women's bags often come in different sizes based on length and width (think of short, regular, long, wide). Anyone 5-foot-6 or shorter should consider buying a women's bag, which typically is the only model offered in a 5-foot-6 length. (Women's bags are sometimes available in 5-foot-9 lengths, too, which could be a smart option for people who don't need a full 6-foot bag.)
The most-efficient and warmest bag for you will minimize excess space inside the bag. Ideally, you should aim for the Goldilocks area, where you aren't swimming in the bag, but it is not so small that you feel like you'll burst out of it. Another problem with trying to squeeze yourself into a too-small bag: When your feet, hips, or shoulders press against the edge of the bag too much, you end up squishing the down. To insulate against the cold, down needs to be able to fluff out as much as possible.
Contour: Women's bags are warmer than unisex and men's bags because they are designed with narrower shoulders in mind. Your shoulders are close to your core and central organs, so this is an area where minimizing dead space is particularly important in sleeping bag design. Regardless of your gender, if you're a person with narrower shoulders—like those of the stereotypical cyclist or endurance runner—you may find a women's bag to be warmer and more comfortable for you.
Women's bags are often wider at the hip area, too, because women's bodies are typically wider around the hips than men's. As we mentioned above, the best way to stay warm is to avoid having body parts in constant contact with your sleeping bag. If you're a person with wider hips, you may prefer to sleep in a women's bag because of the contoured design.
Insulation: Most well-designed women's bags have additional insulation to protect the areas where the majority of people are more sensitive to changes in temperature: the feet, the head, and the upper body. By generously insulating these key areas, a so-called women's sleeping bag can make you feel a lot warmer without needing to have extra stuffing all across the bag.
What is an EN rating?
Many manufacturers use independent, third-party labs to determine temperature ratings based on the universally accepted European Normal (EN) 13537 testing protocol. For Wirecutter's best sleeping pad guide, we interviewed Elizabeth McCullough, co-director of the Institute for Environmental Research at Kansas State University, which conducts EN sleeping bag tests in the United States. These tests use a dummy named Simon that "sleeps" on a 1.5-inch-thick sleeping pad with an R-value (rating of insulation) of 5 while wearing expedition-weight long underwear and thick socks.
EN ratings tell campers about the range of temperatures in which a piece of gear should keep them warm. There are two ratings you're likely to see: comfort and limit. Comfort ratings refer to the temperature at which you will stay comfortable and warm. Limit ratings, on the other hand, refer to survivable temperatures. You won't die, but you certainly won't be comfortable if you take your 20-degree-limit-rated sleeping bag into 20-degree weather. (Since weather can be unpredictable, REI even suggests choosing a bag that has a lower rating than the temperatures you expect to experience while camping—specifically, they recommend buying a bag that is limit rated for at least 15 degrees colder than the weather you expect to encounter.)
The temperature rating cited on many women's bags uses the EN comfort rating; on men's bags, you tend to see the limit rating. According to the labels on REI's women's sleeping bags, this is common practice: "Women and smaller-sized people generally have a lower tolerance for colder temperatures, while men and larger-sized people generally have a higher tolerance for colder temperatures. Industry standard uses the comfort rating for women's bags and the limit rating for men's and unisex bags."
Initially, we were taken aback when we compared similarly rated men's and women's bags and found that the women's bags were more expensive than the men's bags. But according to REI's explanation of the difference between men's and women's bags, women's bags would need more insulation to achieve a given temperature rating (since women's bags are comfort rated and men's are limit rated). More insulation would, in turn, mean a higher fill weight and more down, which often costs more.
The EN certification process can be expensive—sometimes prohibitively so for smaller companies—so some of the bag makers in this guide, like Feathered Friends, forgo it and use their own estimates instead.
How we picked
We spent eight hours reading every online review of mummy-style sleeping bags that we could find. Some of the best pieces came from OutdoorGearLab, which has many comprehensive reviews: Best Backpacking Sleeping Bags of 2018, Best Sleeping Bag for Women, How to Choose a Sleeping Bag, How to Choose a Women's Sleeping Bag. We also leaned heavily on the work of Switchback Travel, Backpacker, and Gear Institute. In addition to reviews, we spoke with experts and then evaluated each of the 100-plus bags on our initial list based on the following criteria:
Warmth: Your body creates warmth, then your sleeping bag traps that warmth in an enclosed area. The more insulation your bag has, the better it will be at trapping your body heat and the warmer you'll be while you sleep. Bags that have too much empty space between you and the insulation will be less efficient. That's why it's important to make sure your bag fits your body snugly, and yet isn't so tight that it feels restrictive or uncomfortable.
Comfort: This is an unavoidably subjective criterion. To evaluate it as objectively as possible, we first compared notes from relevant review sites for each bag, looking specifically for comments on comfort and warmth. Slowly, we started to see some amount of consensus form across a few major brands and designs, which we used to narrow our scope.
Weight: We focused on bags that weighed up to 3 pounds. While it's true that many long-distance hikers, ultralighters, or alpinists wouldn't consider carrying a bag that heavy, we think it's fine for most hikers. A bag heavier than 3 pounds starts to become a real chore after anything more than a short-to-moderate hike.
Insulation: For more rugged outdoor camping, you'll likely prefer a sleeping bag stuffed with down (unless allergies, cost, or ethical concerns get in the way) to a bag with synthetic fill. Down is expensive but light, compresses well, and proves to be incredibly insulating for its weight. If it's taken care of properly, down will also last longer than synthetic fillings. Almost all of our picks are made with down, apart from our budget bags.
Baffles: Baffles are stitched closures between channels that hold down or synthetic filling in place. The stitching is usually arranged horizontally, although some manufacturers are experimenting with vertical or diagonal arrangements. Widely separated baffles are a recipe for cold spots because there often isn't enough filling to spread evenly throughout the chamber, so we stayed away from bags with wide baffles. (Often, though, the word baffle appears as shorthand for the channel itself.)
Draft tube: Most bags also feature a draft tube running the length of the bag's zipper, which blocks air from slipping between the teeth of the zipper. All the bags we tested had one except for the center-zip designs of the Patagonia 850 Down.
Fill power: Fill power measures the "fluffiness" of down. If an ounce of down has higher fill power, it can trap more air. This increases the bag's warmth (and cost) but not its weight. Ultralight hikers who are counting each ounce in their pack might not consider bags with less than 850 fill power, but we think 600 to 700 fill power is good enough for most people. One thing to note: a 650-fill-power and a 850-fill-power bag can be equally warm, but to make this happen, a 650-fill-power bag has to be significantly heavier than an 850-fill-power bag (it needs more down to achieve the same amount of insulation).
Temperature rating: For our testing, we focused on bags that were rated to be effective in low limit temperature ratings of between 15 and 30 degrees Fahrenheit, which should be warm enough for most camping environments from early spring to late fall (depending on the location).
Price: Sleeping bags can cost anywhere from $50 to $1,000, but we think most people can get everything they need for between $150 and $400. Most bags less than $150 don't have down filling, and the synthetic filling they do have isn't the kind of high-quality insulation you'd need on a longer backpacking trip. Nor do they have decent warranties. While sleeping bags can be expensive, they should last for at least 10 years.
Ultimately, we narrowed our original list of 141 models down to 22 test models:
Men's/unisex: Montbell Hugger 650 #1, Feathered Friends Osprey Nano 30, Big Agnes Spike Lake, REI Lumen 20, REI Igneo 17, REI Trail Pod, Cotopaxi Sueno, Patagonia 850 Down Sleeping Bag, Sierra Designs Nitro 800/20 Degree, Kelty Sine 20, Mountain Hardwear Ratio 15, Sierra Designs Backcountry Bed 700/20 Degree.
Women's: Sierra Designs Mobile Mummy Bag, Big Agnes Hazel 15, Marmot Women's Teton, REI Women's Joule 21, REI Women's Magma 17, Feathered Friends Egret Nano 20, REI Women's Lyra 24, Big Agnes Skeeter, Sierra Designs Women's Nitro 800/20 Degree, Nemo Rave 15.
You can see how their specifications compare here:
|Make and model
|Listed temperature rating
|EN comfort level
|EN lower level
|Fill power
|Fill weight
|Stuff size (width by length)
|Total weight
|Big Agnes Hazel 15
|15 ºF
|5 ºF
|–10 ºF
|28 oz.
|8 by 17.5 in.
|2 lb. 12 oz.
|Big Agnes Spike Lake
|15 ºF
|26 ºF
|15 ºF
|8 by 8 in.
|2 lb. 10 oz.
|Feathered Friends Osprey Nano 30
|30 ºF
|41 ºF
|30 ºF
|13.6 oz.
|7 by 12 in.
|1 lb. 12 oz.
|Feathered Friends Egret Nano 20
|20 ºF
|20 ºF
|9 ºF
|17.3 oz.
|7 by 12 in.
|1 lb. 15 oz.
|Marmot Women's Teton
|15 ºF
|11.8 ºF
|–2 ºF
|31.7 oz.
|8.5 by 18 in.
|2 lbs. 15 oz.
|Montbell Hugger 650 #1
|23 ºF
|34 ºF
|23 ºF
|22 oz.
|7.5 by 14.8 in.
|2 lbs. 14 oz.
|REI Igneo
|17 ºF
|28 ºF
|17 ºF
|16.5 oz.
|8 by 18 in.
|2 lbs. 2 oz.
|REI Lumen 20
|20 ºF
|31 ºF
|20 ºF
|7 by 15 in.
|2 lbs. 11 oz.
|REI Magma 10 Sleeping Bag
|10 ºF
|21 ºF
|10 ºF
|15.5 oz.
|7.5 by 15 in.
|1 lb. 14 oz.
|REI Women's Lyra 24
|24 ºF
|24 ºF
|13 ºF
|8 by 18 in.
|3 lbs. 3 oz.
|REI Women's Magma 17
|17 ºF
|17 ºF
|6 ºF
|24 oz.
|7.5 by 15 in.
|2 lbs. 4 oz.
|REI Women's Joule 21
|21 ºF
|21 ºF
|9 ºF
|18 oz.
|8 by 18 in.
|2 lbs. 5 oz.
|Sierra Designs Mobile Mummy Bag
|27 ºF
|27 ºF
|16 ºF
|21 oz.
|8 by 15 in.
|2 lbs. 11 oz.
|Western Mountaineering TerraLite
|25 ºF
|36 ºF
|25 ºF
|18 oz.
|7 by 13 in.
|1 lb. 13 oz.
How and where we tested
We started our testing by evaluating each bag's shape and design in Big Bear, California. We first eliminated bags with basic design flaws, like poor loft in the baffles and loose stitching.
Next we had eight backpackers rank the bags based on the feel of the shell and liner material, and how cozy the bags felt once they were inside. These testers also gave us feedback on each bag's fit, especially in the shoulder and hip areas, where men's and women's bags tend to have a different cut.
Then, we slept in the finalist sleeping bags. Kit Dillon got into each of the men's/unisex candidates over the course of several weekend camping trips in Big Bear and along the coast of Central California, napping, reading, and generally hunkering down for the afternoon and evening to see how comfortable each bag felt on the trail. Meanwhile, Liz Thomas carried some of our other top contenders on a 155-mile thru-hike of the San Diego Trans-County Trail. Though none of the bags are intended for winter use, Liz also camped out in Colorado in January, sleeping under the stars without a tent near a snow patch.
After we chose our picks, we took all of those bags to the Katabatic Gear factory in Golden, Colorado, where designer Aaron Martray and director of operations Kris Diers gave us their thoughts on the bags' stitching and fabric quality, and commented on their design features. (Prior to becoming a staff writer at Wirecutter, Liz was sponsored by about a dozen companies, including Katabatic, which was not included in this guide because they make down quilts, not mummy bags.)
We plan to continue testing these bags throughout the upcoming seasons and will update this guide with any additional findings.
Our pick: Montbell Down Hugger 650 #1
Our pick
Montbell Down Hugger 650 #1
For people with broader shoulders who sleep warm
The Montbell is made with well-lofted down insulation and unusual diagonal baffles, plus it comes with a lifetime warranty.
The Montbell Down Hugger is the most versatile sleeping bag we tested. It's suitable for beginner backpackers and seasoned campers alike, due to its sturdy construction, comfortable bedding, and lifetime warranty. Although the Down Hugger is billed as a unisex bag, we think it's best for all people who sleep warm.
Most sleeping bags tend to stretch in one direction (perpendicular to their baffles), but the diagonal baffling on the bag allows movement in two directions—vertically and horizontally.
"Personally," said Kit, "I tend to feel constricted in mummy bags that are too tight, but the Montbell seemed to move with me no matter how much I spread out at night." This unique design also eliminated gaps between his body and the bag, a feature that minimizes drafty dead spaces and ought to make the bag comfortable for a broader range of body shapes. It's this versatility that makes the Montbell our top pick.
Along with a draft tube running the length of the bag's zipper, the Montbell has a draft collar that's meant to lock in heat. Some experts warned us against Velcro on sleeping bags, saying it could snag on the nylon shell, but the Velcro closure on the Montbell appears to be very gentle. The Montbell is EN limit rated to 11 °F.
The bag's 650-fill-power down accounts for nearly half of the bag's total weight (2 pounds 14 ounces), and this shows. The Down Hugger felt loftier than any other bag we tested; it envelopes you the minute you're inside. Compressed, the Down Hugger measures 8.6 liters, and 7.5 by 14.8 inches. That's not great for a backpacking bag, but for weekend hikers who take only a few longer trips per year, it should be fine. The bag comes in either a right or left zip configuration, which means a couple could buy two and zip them together. The whole Down Hugger line uses a mix of goose and duck down and comes in a variety of fill powers, fill weights, and two lengths: regular and long. We've selected the 650 #1 because of its reasonable price and three-season rating, but if you want to upgrade to a warmer bag, or you want to shave off a little weight with the help of a higher fill power, you've got those options.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: Montbell Down Hugger 650 #1
The Down Hugger's draw cords, which cinch the hood and draft collar tight, are not as elastic as the rest of the bag. As you move and stretch the baffles, the draw cords often loosen to match your movement, but this creates small gaps and openings in an otherwise snug bag. This is nothing that some strategic cord cinching and careful sleep adjustments can't fix, but it does seem like a small oversight in an otherwise great bag.
Additionally, the hood cinches on the Down Hugger have a tendency to crowd into your peripheral vision or to rub against your face as you're trying to sleep. OutdoorGearLab had similar complaints in 2012 about the more expensive Down Hugger 800 UL model.
OutdoorGearLab also reported that the 2012 ultralight version of the Down Hugger leaked its down filling after just 80 days of steady use. We didn't encounter that problem with the 2018 model of the 650 fill, but if you do, you should be able to get a new bag under Montbell's lifetime warranty.
Our pick: Marmot Women's Teton
Our pick
Marmot Women's Teton
For people with narrow-framed bodies who sleep cold
The Teton is a warm bag made with silky-soft fabric and filled with well-lofted, water-resistant down.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $276.
The Marmot Women's Teton was the coziest women's bag we tested. You might want this bag (regardless of your gender) if you get colder than most people at night. We liked it for its warmth, comfort, thoughtful design features, and inexpensive price. While some bags, like the Mountain Hardwear bag we tested, use a stiff fabric for the shell or liner, Marmot's fabric is soft and silky—some of our testers even called it "seductive." At first we thought we'd gotten the price wrong because the bag was so extremely puffy and well-made—the Marmot Teton looks and feels like a $400 bag, but it actually costs less than $300.
Lying on top of the Teton feels like cuddling a body pillow. The bag's 650-fill-power down doesn't bounce back as quickly as the pricier 900+ fill-power down in our upgrade picks, the Feathered Friends bags, but the Teton still felt loftier than most of the bags we slept in. While Liz was camping in Colorado, her inflatable sleeping pad popped a hole and went flat in the night, but the Teton was so fluffy that her back still felt supported.
The Teton is designed to warm up colder sleepers. The Teton has a narrower foot box and shoulder girth than the unisex bags we tried; by eliminating drafty dead space, Marmot reduces the amount of air inside the bag that needs to be heated. The Teton also has one of the most generously insulated foot boxes we've seen—Liz didn't need to wear socks to bed on a 24-degree January night in Colorado while sleeping in this bag—and it has the thickest draft tubes we've seen on a sleeping bag, too. A similarly well-stuffed draft collar protects another key area prone to heat loss. The Teton has among the most generous hoods we tried, too, giving plenty of room to insert a pillow. But the hood also cinched around the face better than the other bags we tried, and kept all but our noses and mouths warm. Marmot calls this a 15 °F bag, but that seems conservative given that it is EN comfort rated to 11.8 °F and limit rated to –2 °F.
We liked this bag's plow-shaped zipper shoe, which helps prevent snags when you're opening and closing the bag. Unfortunately, the second zipper, which secures the hood, doesn't have a plow, and ours snagged on the surrounding shell fabric. The Teton is one of a few bags we tested that includes a zip pocket accessible from the inside of the bag. It's big enough to hold a phone, which is helpful because keeping lithium batteries warm (though not hot!) increases their longevity and ensures you won't wake up to a dead battery.
The bag comes in either a left or right zip configuration, and it's available in 5-foot-6 (Regular) and 5-foot-10 (Long) lengths.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: Marmot Women's Teton
The Marmot Teton was possibly the narrowest bag, side to side, that we tested. Several of our female-identifying testers found it to be too tight and most of our male-identifying testers couldn't zip it across their chests. Our testers also had trouble tossing or turning at night, or sleeping in a fetal position.
While we liked the silky fabric on the Marmot Teton, it wasn't as good as other bags at repelling water. If moisture can easily seep through the shell fabric, your down will get wet and you'll feel cold. However, the Teton uses waterproof down, so this is arguably less of an issue than with other bags. Some fabric companies use a finishing process called calendering to make shells more down-proof, but the fabric on the Marmot's shell, a very tightly woven fine thread, is not calendered. We spotted a few feather quills poking out during testing, and we saw one review on Marmot's page complaining about feather leakage in last year's model.
The down inside the Marmot Teton has a high fill power rating, which isn't great for compression but is good for keeping you warm—at times, too warm. Our testers found themselves unzipping the bag and sticking their feet outside of it in temps above 40 °F.
The shell fabric is a neutral navy blue, but the liner is a bright pink-orange, which turned off some cold-sleeping, male-identifying testers. It's certainly an improvement on the Teton's 2016 design, though, which came in fuchsia.
Budget pick: REI Co-op Lumen 20 Sleeping Bag
Budget pick
REI Co-op Lumen 20 Sleeping Bag
An inexpensive, synthetic alternative for people who sleep hot
The Lumen 20 is a great option for camping in wet environments, though its weight might limit its appeal for long trips.
The Lumen is a warm, well-constructed bag filled with comfortable but inexpensive synthetic filling. This unisex bag is great for people who are allergic or otherwise averse to down, who don't camp often, who tend to camp in wet environments, or who are on a budget—it costs $100 less than our top pick.
The Lumen is the most comfortable synthetic sleeping bag we've ever tested. This includes the testing we did on the predominantly synthetic bags for our car-camping sleeping bag guide. It's true that if you pay close enough attention, you can still tell that this is a synthetic bag—it doesn't quite match the loft of a well-made down bag—but the difference is subtle.
Like most of the synthetic bags we tested, the Lumen features an insulated flap ("face muffler") that replaces the traditional draft collar found in most mummy bags—that is, a tube that can be cinched or closed above the the shoulders. Instead, the flap rests against your shoulders, like a top sheet might when you get into bed. It's less secure but retains heat moderately well. Underneath this flap is a small pocket for essential gear like a headlamp or a hand warmer. The Lumen uses polyester insulation that REI describes as a continuous-filament material that, unlike down, retains heat even when wet. It also has a comfort limit of 31 °F. Kit tested it at night near Castaic Lake, California, where temperatures dipped into the 25-degree territory, and he slept fine (though he says he tends to sleep hotter than many people).
The REI Lumen is bulkier than many of the other bags we tested because synthetic fibers don't compress as well as down. It weighs 2 pounds 11 ounces, which is on the heavier end of the bags we tested. (By comparison, our top pick weighs a feather-light 1 pound 6 ounces) The Lumen comes in three sizes (Regular, Long, and Long Wide), which should let most people find a bag that fits them. I'm a 6-foot-3 male, and the Long (6-foot-6 in length) fit me well. Compressed, the Lumen fills a 7-by-15-inch stuff sack. Added bulk and weight are the main compromises you make when choosing a synthetic-fill bag over a down one. A compression sack might, however, help reduce that volume.
Budget pick: REI Co-op Lyra 24 Sleeping Bag
Budget pick
REI Co-op Lyra 24 Sleeping Bag
A warm, affordable synthetic bag for cold sleepers
For anyone not comfortable with down there is the Lyra, which is the warmest synthetic bag we tried.
The REI Co-op Lyra is a roomy, thoughtfully designed, budget-priced synthetic-fill sleeping bag for cold sleepers. Although it's labeled a women's bag, we found it to be good for anyone with wider hips, those people who like to sleep in a fetal position, and those who toss and turn throughout the night. Because the materials are all synthetic, it's also a nice option for people who want a vegan bag, those on a budget, or hikers who spend a lot of time camping in moist environments.
While the Lyra is one of REI's most affordable backpacking sleeping bags ($160 at the time of this writing), it exhibits the same care in design and construction that we saw on the more expensive REI bags we tried. The bag comes in three sizes—Long, Regular, and Regular Wide. Liz ordered the Regular (66 inches), but she found it to be a bit wide even so, especially in the hips.
Unlike the Lumen, the Lyra does have a draft collar as well as an insulated flap around the neck (the "face muffler"). We found that the flap was somewhat successful at warming the key areas around the neck where backpackers often experience heat loss, although our more restless testers noted that the flaps didn't always stay in place.
The Lyra is EN comfort rated for 24 °F with a 12 °F limit rating, although we found that rating to be optimistic. "I'm a cold sleeper," said Liz, "and when I camped out in Colorado in 37 degrees in January, the Lyra was comfortable. However, I would have wanted a warmer bag if the temperature had dropped any further. The foot box feels overstuffed, so I slept without socks on—but I really wished that I had worn them."
The Lyra's zipper is offset, closing across the front of the shoulder. We found this design to be easier to zip up without exposing an arm to the cold than the traditional side zipper design found on most mummy bags. However, testers with wider shoulders found this design to be restricting.
Like the REI Lumen, the Lyra didn't feel as obviously synthetic as other non-down bags we tested. The Lyra's insulation was puffy and bounced back almost as quickly as down after we compressed it. It's not quite as soft as down, though, and we could feel the difference in the padding against our backs when we used thin sleeping pads. Like that of the Lumen, the polyester fill in the Lyra is not a branded material (such as Stratofiber or PrimaLoft) but REI describes it as a continuous filament material that retains heat even when wet, making it a good option for people who worry about not being able to keep their bag dry in moist conditions.
The REI Co-op Lyra 24's flaws are what we'd expect to find in a synthetic-fill bag of its price: It felt colder than its rating indicated it would; it wasn't as lightweight or as compressible as a down bag with a comparable EN rating would be. Like the Lumen's, the cinch around the hood exposed too much face. The hood wasn't as big as those of the other bags we tested, making it hard to tuck a pillow inside. Some testers noted that the fabric felt slick and made squeaky noises.
Upgrade pick: Feathered Friends Osprey Nano 30 Sleeping Bag
Upgrade pick
Feathered Friends Osprey Nano 30 Sleeping Bag
A wider but more expensive bag for serious backpackers who sleep hot
Bags in the fairly pricey Nano series are stuffed with lightweight down insulation, made in America, and backed by a solid warranty.
Mummy-style sleeping bags haven't changed much in the past few years, so it's the details that make the Feather Friends Nano series stand out, especially for the price: durable water-resistant nylon outer shells, 900+ fill-power down, luxuriant inner nylon materials, hardy snap retainers around the collars, and a lifetime warranty.
Feathered Friends bags are almost 1.5 times the price of the other bags we considered. At first we were turned off by this high price—but if you're planning to do a lot of camping for many years, we believe the expense may be worth it for a sleeping bag that should last a lifetime. We liked several bags in the Nano series, but we'd recommend the unisex 30-degree Osprey Nano as a good bag for serious backpackers looking for a high-quality, lightweight sleeping bag. Male-identifying testers especially loved this bag, as did campers of all genders who tended to sleep hot and had broader shoulders.
The Osprey Nano weighs 1 pound 12 ounces and uses 900+ fill goose down—something you don't often see in bags costing less than $400. When we compressed all the sleeping bags we tested, the Nano ended up being the smallest—but it still bounces back into a indulgent nest of down. Feathered Friends does not use EN ratings, but the general consensus among backpackers is that the company's ratings tend to be accurate. The Osprey is rated by Feather Friends's own system to 30 °F/–1.1 °C.
The Nano's Schoeller NanoSphere 20 nylon shell was among the most durable and waterproof fabrics we saw on a bag. After Liz Thomas went backpacking in a similar Nano bag—the Egret (below)—for a week without a tent, and she experienced the hydrophobic magic of the Nano's fabric: Other campers woke up in down bags that were sopping wet from the morning dew, but the Egret's shell kept it relatively dry. The Osprey and Egret's outer shells are tough, too—sturdy enough to survive cowboy camping near cactus and thorny plants without any snags.
The Osprey has well-thought-out features: an "overlapping dual-webbing zip guard," as Feathered Friends bills it—essentially, a narrow strip of firmer fabric near the zipper that guides the zipper plow away from snagging on the nylon. If you plan to camp in colder climates and need extra warmth, the Swallow Nano is the exact same shape as the Osprey but has 3.2 ounces of extra filling; it's rated to 20 °F instead of 30 °F.
Upgrade pick: Feathered Friends Egret Nano 20 Women's Sleeping Bag
Upgrade pick
Feathered Friends Egret Nano 20 Women's Sleeping Bag
A narrower, warmer but more expensive bag for frequent backpackers
The Egret has all the advantages of the Osprey, plus a narrower cut and more insulation.
The Feathered Friends Egret Nano 20 is a high-end bag for serious backpackers who want a lightweight and well-constructed bag that will last a lifetime. It's billed as a women's bag, but we found it to be a good bag for anyone shorter than 5-foot-9 who sleeps cold.
It's uncommon to find a sleeping bag of this quality for less than $400. Like its cousin, the Feathered Friends Osprey, the Egret Nano is popular because of its details. It didn't have a built-in draft collar, but the stuffing in the hood was generous enough to make up for it. Instead, there is a generous tube of down around the neck that also keeps the cold, metal zipper from rubbing against your neck at night. The foot box is also very well insulated.
The Feathered Friends Nano bags are among the lightest sleeping bags we tested. The women's medium Egret weighs 1 pound 19 ounces Feathered Friends does not use EN ratings, but the general consensus among backpackers is that the company's ratings tend to be accurate. To us, the bag's 20 °F (non-EN) rating felt accurate: The bag stayed toasty warm when the thermometer dipped below 20 °F.
During Liz's 160-mile backpacking trip across San Diego County, the Egret Nano 20 repelled water better than any other bag we tried. While it's not completely waterproof, the shell's DWR coating prevented the down insulation from soaking through, and the bag stayed fluffy and warm in humid and moist conditions.
When we got back from our testing trips, we ran the Nano bags through a water-resistance test (the same test that Susan Sokolowski, an associate professor at the University of Oregon and the director of its Sports Product Design Program, recommended that Wirecutter do for our rain pants guide) As we had seen in the field, water droplets beaded on the Feathered Friends Nano bags but penetrated the shell fabric of some other bags, such as the Cotopaxi and the Marmot. During testing, we didn't notice that the down leaked out of the bag. However, if you do find yourself surrounded by feathers at any point, the Egret is backed by Feathered Friends's lifetime warranty.
There were, however, some downsides to this Egret besides the price: Unlike the other bags we tried, the Nano series uses a metal snap button to secure the top of the bag near the hood. The snap is on the outside of the sleeping bag, which means it can be tough to secure from inside the bag. The zipper also doesn't continue around the foot box , which makes it difficult to stick a foot outside the bag.
People who camp in warmer climates and don't need the added insulation, but who like the slimmer cut of the Egret might want to check out the Merlin Nano 30.
The competition
Cotopaxi Sueño: We liked many of the design features of this bag, including the mixed baffle direction and the pillow pocket, and that it opens up completely into a quilt. But we didn't like the feel of the fabric, and the insulation isn't lofty (although it's 800-fill-power down, it feels more like a synthetic bag). Also, the light-blue fabric on the foot box showed dirt.
REI Magma 10 Sleeping Bag: This is a good pick if you can find it on sale. It's made with high-quality fabric and down and feels luxurious. However, our Feathered Friends upgrade picks will get you an even higher fill power down, tougher shell material, and a bag made in America (if that's important to you)—all for about $10 more than the Magma's regular price.
Big Agnes Hazel 15: The down insulation of this bag felt lumpy, and it didn't have much bounce back. We also found that the hook attachment system meant to anchor the bag to a sleeping pad was too complicated.
Mobile Mummy 600/15 Degree: The Sierra Designs website says this bag is temporarily out of stock, but several company representatives told us that they'll be discontinuing this bag. It probably wouldn't have been a top pick this year anyway, as we've expanded the price range and scope of this article, but we're still sorry to see it go. This bag is great for restless sleepers, as it allows you to stick your arms and legs out of the bag while you're sleeping. If you can find a Mobile Mummy on clearance and if you toss and turn at night, we still think this'd be a great purchase for you.
Kelty Sine 20: This budget bag has a soft liner and shell, but the bag seemed understuffed with minimal loft for such a high fill power. In addition, the 800-fill-power down felt almost synthetic. The Sine's diagonal zipper, which crosses your body and is meant to help prevent overheating, actually made for a colder night's sleep.
Big Agnes Spike Lake: This budget down bag felt thin and lumpy.
REI Co-op Women's Joule 21: This bag is aimed toward campers who want a down bag but are concerned about keeping it dry in damp conditions. REI uses a soft nylon on the top of the bag but a tougher, more water-resistant material along the sides and toe box (where a camper is most likely to rub against the condensation on the inside of their tent). While this bag works just fine, unless you're in particularly wet conditions, we think you can spend a little less and get a bag, such as our top pick, that's more comfortable and still plenty water resistant.
REI Co-op Men's Igneo 17: The men's equivalent of the Joule, this bag also has extra features to protect it from condensation along the side of a tent, but ultimately (unless you camp in particularly damp conditions) you'd be better off saving a little money on our top picks, which are water resistant enough already.
The Sierra Designs unisex Nitro 800/20 and women's Nitro 800/20 are well-designed bags with two quirks that testers found polarizing. Both bags have half zippers and a foot vent (essentially a hole in the foot box where you can stick out your feet to prevent overheating). We found this combination odd, though, because the bags couldn't be unzipped all the way—some testers had trouble getting into them.
REI Co-op Trail Pod Synthetic Men's 20: The Trail Pod is marketed as a bag you can use for car camping and backpacking, but it doesn't compress well and is heavy; we think the REI Lumen, which is the same price, works much better as a backcountry bag.
Big Agnes Skeeter: As with most Big Agnes bags, the stuff sack on this model clips into the sleeping bag, so you can insert your sleeping pad into it, ideally securing bag to pad. While this is a clever idea, we ended up fumbling for a few minutes as we tried to detach the stuff sack while breaking down camp. It felt like there were too many moving parts to deal with.
The Nemo Rave is a "spoon-shaped" bag with vertical baffles and lots of innovative features, some of which didn't seem to add up. It has two short side vents near the chest area, which expand the width of the bag slightly but don't open up, but we weren't convinced they made enough difference to justify the extra labor and cost required to add them. It's a vertical baffled bag, but the draft tube was too skimpy. The draft collar is wide but felt understuffed, too.
Patagonia 850 Down Sleeping Bag: Although this bag contains traceable down (considered the most ethically sourced in the industry), the insulation was so sparse and had so many dead zones that the bag appeared see-through when we held it up to the light. The zipper on this bag is in the front (instead of the side), which exposes your core to the cold. The vertical baffle construction allowed the insulation to clump high up in the bag, too, creating cold spots.
Mountain Hardwear Men's Ratio 15F: The down on this bag doesn't look lofted or puffy. Instead, the bag appears oddly flat and not compact, like it was stuffed with a synthetic insulation rather than down. The shell and liner fabric felt slick, almost cooling, with more friction and static than we like in a sleeping bag.
Care and maintenance
REI has some important tips and tricks aimed at keeping your bag in good shape:
- Get yourself a good sleeping pad. EN sleeping bag temperature ratings are based on the assumption that you are sleeping on a 1 to 1.5 inch pad with an R-value of 5. If you're using anything less than that, you may start to feel the cold at higher temperatures than the rating on your bag would indicate.
- The temperature rating on your bag also assumes you've chosen your campsite wisely. Cold air sinks, so don't camp in valley bottoms or other low points. To minimize condensation, which can make your bag feel moist or cold even when you're sleeping inside a tent, set up your tent on dirt, not on grass or other plants. For extra protection, camp under tree cover.
- Don't sleep in the nude. Over time, body oils, sweat, and dirt can reduce the performance of your bag's technical fabrics and the ability of your bag's insulation to reloft and trap warmth. Also, EN ratings are calculated with the assumption that you'll be sleeping in expedition-weight long johns, socks, and a hat.
- Consider using a sleeping bag liner. Not only does a liner add to the warmth of a bag, but it's also easy to clean and it increases the lifespan of your bag. And if you must sleep in the buff, definitely go with a liner.
- Make sure to fluff your bag after removing it from your backpack, especially if it's been sitting compressed at the bottom of your pack all day. This helps you get the loft and warmth you'll want while sleeping. When you reach your camp spot, set up your tent, fluff your bag, then move on to other camp chores. The more time your bag has to breathe, the fluffier it will feel.
- In the course of the night, your bag is likely to absorb moisture from condensation in your tent, your sweat, and your breath. If possible, take it out of its stuff sack every day when you stop for lunch and let it air-dry while you eat.
- Notice a feather sticking out of your bag? Don't pull it out—doing so can create a tiny hole that will let even more down escape. Instead, pull it back into the bag by gently pinching it, through the fabric, from the inside of the bag.
- When you're back at home, turn your bag inside out so that the liner doesn't trap smells.
- Down bags specifically tend to come with an oversize sack, usually cotton or mesh, for long-term storage, but never store any kind of sleeping bag (down or synthetic) in its compression sack—doing so destroys the overall loft and heat retention of the insulation.
- The safest way to wash a down bag is by hand in a bathtub, or you can use a front-loading washer (avoid using a top-loader, which may rip the stitching). Nearly anyone who regularly washes sleeping bags has a favorite soap; for down, we like Nikwax's Down Wash Direct, and for synthetics, we go for Nikwax's Tech Wash. Air-dry your bag, or insert a couple of tennis balls and dry it on air fluff—no heat!—in a large, front-loading clothes dryer.
- Never dry clean your sleeping bag.
For small repairs:
- Sew up any holes by hand. This is easiest if you keep a needle and thread in your repair kit in the field—then, when you get home, you can remove the hand stitching and do a more professional-looking repair.
- You can also make a patch out of adhesive gear-repair tape or duct tape. Be warned: if you go to sew up the hole later, the rip might get worse as you pull off the tape; also, the sticky adhesive may remain once you remove the tape.
For large repairs:
- Most sleeping bag companies offer services to repair large rips, replace zippers, or even restuff your sleeping bag with new down. In our experience, we've found such services to be surprisingly affordable. Also, making such repairs can extend the life of your bag by many years.
What to look forward to
We got our hands on the Big Agnes Buell 30 after we'd completed testing. This affordable synthetic bag is the least expensive one we tried, and we think it could be a good option for people who don't want to spend more than $100. We will continue testing it and will include it in an update if it holds up well.
Big Agnes also recently introduced the 1101 Collection, which features 80 percent recycled synthetic insulation. Part of the proceeds from sales of the collection will be donated to the Continental Divide Trail Coalition, which works to protect and maintain the CDT from Canada to Mexico. We'll take a closer look at that series in our next update, too.
Aaron Martray, designer and owner, and Kris Diers, director of operations, Katabic Gear, in-person interview, February 2, 2018
Kate Mansfield and Emilee Campbell, designers, Marmot, telephone interview, October 26, 2017
Scott Shimonek, designer and owner, Wex Gear, telephone interview, October 26, 2017
Garrett Nixon, production manager and lead designer, Feathered Friends, telephone interview, October 26, 2017
Jessica Haist, How to Choose a Women's Sleeping Bag, OutdoorGearLab, October 18, 2017
Ian Nicholson, The Best Backpacking Sleeping Bags of 2018, OutdoorGearLab, November 15, 2017
Stephanie Peearson, Are women's sleeping bags worth it?, Outside, November 3, 2011


text: Communicating with A Person Who Has Alzheimer's By Jane Farrell Here, from the experts at the National Institute on Aging, are some strategies to deal with an often frustrating and heartbreaking issue: communicating with people who have Alzheimer's. Communication is hard for people with Alzheimer's disease because they have trouble remembering things. They may struggle to find words or forget what they want to say. You may feel impatient and wish they could just say what they want, but they can't.The person with Alzheimer's may have problems with: Finding the right word or losing his or her train of thought when speakingUnderstanding what words meanPaying attention during long conversationsRemembering the steps in common activities, such as cooking a meal, paying bills, or getting dressedBlocking out background noises from the radio, TV, or conversationsFrustration if communication isn't workingBeing very sensitive to touch and to the tone and loudness of voices Help Make Communication EasierThe first step is to understand that the disease causes changes in communication skills. The second step is to try some tips that may make communication easier:Make eye contact and call the person by name.Be aware of your tone, how loud your voice is, how you look at the person, and your body language.Encourage a two-way conversation for as long as possible.Use other methods besides speaking, such as gentle touching.Try distracting the person if communication creates problems.To encourage the person to communicate with you:Be open to the person's concerns, even if he or she is hard to understand.Let him or her make some decisions and stay involved.Be patient with angry outbursts. Remember, it's the illness "talking."Encourage a two-way conversation for as long as possible.Use other methods besides speaking, such as gentle touching.Try distracting the person if communication creates problem.Show a warm, loving, matter-of-fact manner.Hold the person's hand while you talk. To speak effectively with a person who has Alzheimer's: Offer simple, step-by-step instructions.Repeat instructions and allow more time for a response. Try not to interrupt.Don't talk about the person as if he or she isn't there.Don't talk to the person using "baby talk" or a "baby voice."Be direct, specific and positiveHere are some examples of what you can say:"Let's try this way," instead of pointing out mistakes."Please do this," instead of "Don't do this.""Thanks for helping," even if the results aren't perfect.Ask questions that require a yes or no answer. For example, you could say, "Are you tired?" instead of "How do you feel?"Limit the number of choices. For example, you could say, "Would you like a hamburger or chicken for dinner?" instead of "What would you like for dinner?"Use different words if he or she doesn't understand the first time. For example, if you ask the person whether he or she is hungry and you don't get a response, you could say, "Dinner is ready now. Let's eat."Try not to say, "Don't you remember?" or "I told you."If you become frustrated, take a timeout for yourself.Reprinted courtesy of the National Institute on Aging. For more information on the agency's Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral Center, click here.Share this:

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Well... there is a UFC card this weekend. It's in Uruguay, on ESPN+, and headlined by a championship bout between Valentina Shevchenko and Liz Carmouche. But at least Vincente Luque and Mike Perry will bring the fun and violence. I use DraftKings for my UFC daily fantasy fix, so if you don't have an account … Continue reading UFC Uruguay Daily Fantasy Picks
Tag: Valentina Shevchenko
UFC 231 Daily Fantasy Picks
After several weeks of fine UFC cards, we get the big boy this weekend! Two of the best fighters on the planet, Max Holloway and Brian Ortega, square off for the featherweight championship belt in a very intriguing matchup, while Joanna Jedrzejczykand Valentina Shevchenko go for round 4 to decide who takes home the vacant … Continue reading UFC 231 Daily Fantasy Picks
UFC 228: Tyron Woodley vs Public Perception / Darren Till vs Scale /Exorcism of Valentina Shevchenko
The Bros talk about the great fight card that is #UFC228 in Dallas Texas. They break down a lot of the entertaining matches on the card including a pair of bantamweight fights on the FX card that will do a lot to set the landscape for that division. Fight fans are extremely excited about this … Continue reading UFC 228: Tyron Woodley vs Public Perception / Darren Till vs Scale /Exorcism of Valentina Shevchenko
UFC Fight Night Belem Daily Fantasy Picks
And the streak of weekly UFC events continues this Saturday, this time in Belem, Brazil. Could this be the retirement fight for Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida? Could this be the next step in Valentina "The Bullet" Schevchenko's path to the flyweight championship? We shall see. The main event starts at 10pm eastern live and free … Continue reading UFC Fight Night Belem Daily Fantasy Picks
UFC 215 – Daily Fantasy Picks
The UFC if back on PPV with TWO one title fight this Saturday in Edmonton, Alberta. Poor Mighty Mouse... but hey, Amanda Nunes now gets to headline a card again, after Dana White said that she never would. The main card starts at 10pm eastern on pay-per-view, while the prelims are at 8pm on Fox Sports 1 … Continue reading UFC 215 – Daily Fantasy Picks
UFC 213 – Daily Fantasy Picks
The second night of back-to-back fights this weekend is UFC 213 on Saturday night in Vegas, baby! As with all PPVs, the main card starts at 10pm on pay-per-view, while the under card starts at 8pm on the Fox Sports 1 and the early pre-lims start at 6:30pm on Fight Pass. I use DraftKings for … Continue reading UFC 213 – Daily Fantasy Picks


text:
9. Mr. Fix-It
9. Mr. Fix-It
From Chicken Soup for the Soul: Family Matters
Prepare and prevent, don't repair and repent.
~Author Unknown
My father took pride in his home repair skills. "I never pay someone to fix something that I can fix myself," he'd boast. Never mind that Mr. Fix-It's repairs usually resulted in fire, flooding, or any number of biblical disasters. No wonder my mother taped the phone number of every repairman in town to our refrigerator.
Undeterred by any challenge, as long as he had ample spackle, wood putty, or electrical tape, he'd routinely lumber down to his workshop every Friday afternoon.
Shoving Best of the Ventures into his eight-track machine, he'd stuff tools into his waistband, consult one of his Popular Mechanics magazines from Shop-Rite ("One volume free for every twenty dollars worth of groceries!"), and proceed to spend the entire weekend on a thirty-minute project.
Meanwhile, Mom would consult the front of the refrigerator for the inevitable call to a repairman.
So, I was alarmed when I returned from summer camp to a warning from my sister not to use the bathroom. I winced as a week's worth of refusal to use outdoor latrines knotted my insides.
"Whaddya mean, we can't use the bathroom?"
"Oh, you can use it alright."
"Then, what…?" I wondered, casting a wary glance around me.
Hmm, didn't see any scorch marks. Ever since he set the hallway on fire after dropping his cigarette into a bucket of turpentine, Dad was extremely careful with flammables.
Neither did I see any wacky paint schemes. He was still living down the grief he got when, after painting our house bright yellow and black, we became known as the bumblebee family.
No, nothing looked any more amiss than usual.
So, what could it be? Racking my brain for an explanation, my eyes drifted to my feet, and I suddenly remembered. A couple of weeks ago, my father had backed his truck into our driveway a few hours earlier than normal. Hoping he'd brought something home from McDonald's, we rushed outside. He threw us a wave as he leapt from the cab and dropped the tailgate.
"Look what I got," he said.
Piled in the bed of his truck were three large rolls of different-colored shag carpet. He grabbed the gold one and tossed it to the ground.
"You know that new Holiday Inn they're building?"
We silently stared as gold was joined by blue and green.
"Well, they're just throwing this stuff away."
Even at thirteen, I didn't believe that he had just found them in the garbage. Like wood paneling, lava lamps and aluminum Christmas trees, shag carpet was trés chic in the sixties. I couldn't imagine anyone getting rid of one roll, let alone three.
Even though Mom looked suspicious, she didn't protest. I think she just wanted some of the glitz that only a Holiday Inn could bring.
That night, my father schemed about how he was going to use his newfound fortune. Sketching floor plans on the back of a pizza box, he paced the living room, tape measure in hand. Finally, he hauled the green roll in through the front door. Grabbing his pizza box, he disappeared to the cellar. Minutes later, he reemerged with a carpet knife, yardstick, hammer, and plastic jar of little black tacks.
He sat on the wooden floor and pulled the roll toward him. Quickly consulting his sketch, he flipped the rug on its side. After smoothing out a length, he set the yardstick across its fibers. I figured he was going to cut a piece to run up the staircase.
Heedless of the damage to the wood underneath, he drew the knife toward him. After a foot, he made another cut at a right angle to it. When finished, he held up a perfect square.
"Ain't that something?"
Thinking he was only making a test piece, I told him it looked great.
Grinning, he promptly nailed the test piece to the floor. Beaming happily at the little island of shag adrift in the living room, he called Mom.
"Whaddya think?"
She looked doubtful. "You're going to put more down, aren't you?"
"Betcher sweet bippy," he said, cutting another square. Then he began to whistle that innocuous little tune of his that had no name.
His transformation to Dr. Frankenstein of Interior Design was nearly complete.
He was true to his word. The lonely little square was joined by a couple hundred of its friends. In short order, what was once a hardwood floor became a sea of green.
Flushed with success, the mad doctor next decided to cloak our stairs in a shaggy swath of green. Each evening, he quickly inhaled dinner and then proceeded to wail away on our stairs like Geppetto on speed. Before we knew it, shag carpet snaked a hairy finger upstairs, stopping only at our bedrooms.
As he concluded his march to the second floor, we breathed with relief. The green carpet was gone. Maybe the master decorator was finished.
Sadly, we were wrong.
Proclaiming our sleeping quarters in desperate need of a facelift, he selected gold for our bedrooms. For the next three nights, he roared through each of our bedrooms, methodically laying a mantle of cheesy gold adjacent to our firehouse-red beds made of particle wood.
By the time he was finished, the living room, stairs, and our bedrooms were cloaked in carpet that only the rich could afford. Surely we'd raised the value of our home by thousands, he declared.
"Yep," he grinned while scratching his back with a dinner fork, "nothing says classy like shag."
For the next few days, everything remained quiet. Thankfully, Dad worked a lot of overtime and was too tired when he stepped through the door to further violate our home. Like a neglected relative, the roll of blue carpet remained on the porch.
We thought we were safe, but no one noticed our father eyeballing the carpet. Or the time he spent in the bathroom creating more sketches on grocery bags.
Preoccupied with keeping raccoons from stealing my underwear and trying to whittle something edible, I gave little thought to our Summer of Shag while at camp. After all, once my mother forbade shagging of the kitchen, there were no rooms left to assault.
So, my sister's caution took me by surprise when I returned. Overcome by a need to see what he'd done, I pushed her aside. Steeling myself, I pushed the door open. It was as I feared. The bathtub and toilet were covered in blue shag carpet like some freak mutant strain of synthetic kudzu.
"Hey, son!" my father called from the backyard. "Can you come give me a hand?"
Oh… no.
The pool.
Title: Reprinted by permission of Chicken Soup for the Soul, LLC © 2010. In order to protect the rights of the copyright holder, no portion of this publication may be reproduced without prior written consent. All rights reserved.


text:
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- GE Energy Financial Services, the energy investment arm of General Electric Co. GE, -0.05%, announced plans to double its investments in renewable energy from $2 billion currently to $4 billion in 2010.
As part of that push, GE Energy said it has invested in Airtricity Inc., a Texas wind power company, and the Plutonic Power Project, a hydroelectric damn in British Columbia.
GE Energy, based in Stamford, Conn., also said Thursday that it will work with AES Corp. (AES), a power company based in Arlington, Va., to develop greenhouse gas emission reduction projects in the U.S. The goal of the joint venture is to produce 10 million metric tons of carbon dioxide reduction credits by 2010. Though the U.S. currently has no mandatory rules for companies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, companies have increasingly considered emission reduction projects in the U.S., hoping to gain credit for them once regulation arrives or at least sell them to other companies that want to offset their emissions voluntarily.
GE Energy owns about $14 billion in assets.
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As Keisha considered the cards in her hand, she tugged the sleeves of the thick wool sweater, pulling it taut across her full tits. If she'd been one of his regular dates, he'd assume it was a calculated move, but not with Keisha. There was just something different about her from the glamazons who catwalked through his little black book, like she wasn't looking for someone with an oversized bank account to take care of her in a style to which she would grow accustomed.
Keisha's face lit up. "Rummy!" She slapped down her cards on the table.
He looked down at the mess of non-matching and nonlinear cards in his hand and then at the piles of runs and three-of-a-kinds laid out in neat stacks in front of her. "I think I've been hustled."
"Damn straight." She laughed, a sound that did more to warm him than the hot toddy ever had.
"You distracted me." He swept the cards into a pile and started to shuffle. What was it his mom always said about idle hands?
She laughed and relaxed back against the silver painted wood chair. "Oh yeah? With what, my charming story about granny and the dogs who stole the tennis balls off her walker when she left it on the front porch?"
He snorted. "No, but that was pretty damn funny. With those." He pointed to the foot-high, half-dressed, ceramic elves making out on her mantle.
"Those are the most G-rated ones, too. You should see the other ones my friend, Ellen, gave me for Christmas." Keisha hid her eyes behind her hand as she shook her head.
"Okay. Let's see them."
She peeked at him through her fingers. "I don't know. They aren't exactly fit for public."
Embarrassed or not, there was something about those elves that made her laugh. And Gabe wanted to know everything that made her laugh. Hell, he wanted to be the one to make her laugh next. "You just kicked my ass in rummy. I'm not used to losing, you gotta give me something."
Keisha dropped her hands to the table and tapped out a beat on the oak with her cherry red nails, eyeing him with that same assessing look she'd given him through the glass door when he'd been outside freezing his balls off. Uncertainty burbled to the surface. Too pushy? Too whiney? Possibly, but he'd risk it. He was a man who saw the advantage and went for it. Second guessing was not his style.
"And what you really want to look at is at my elves?" She arched an eyebrow. "That's a first."
He didn't doubt it. "What are you trying to imply?" The hard-on pressing against his zipper had a damn good idea.
"Not a thing." She pushed her chair away from the table and stood up. "Come on, I'll give you the penny tour and show you just how bad my friend's taste in elves is."
Keisha tried to maintain a blasé attitude about the set of five Good Time Smexy Elves that Ellen had found online, but she couldn't keep the embarrassed giggle out of her voice. Of course, Gabe didn't have that problem. He picked up each cavorting pair and eyed it as if it were a precious Degas instead of an offering to the altar of all that is tacky.
God knew what kind of website Ellen had been trolling when she discovered the lusty ceramics. For the entirety of their twenty-year friendship, Ellen had loved shoving Keisha out of her sheltered comfort zone. She'd scored big with this Christmas gift.
Keisha wasn't just out of her zone, she was out of her regular orbit.
"Are you a big elf collector?" Gabe sat the last set of elves down on the coffee table, right next to the latest copy of Interior Living Today.
"God, no." She couldn't miss the teasing glint in his blue eyes or the way sitting next to him on the chaise lounge sent tingles of excitement ricocheting through her body like she'd just inhaled a whole package of Pop Rocks. "Ellen just likes to give me a hard time."
"I can see why. You're pretty cute when you blush." He brushed his finger across her cheek and dipped his head close to hers. "I've spent the whole night wanting to kiss you. Tell me you've been thinking about it, too."
Keisha's breath caught, but not before she inhaled his scent, a teasing mix of sandalwood, fresh snow, and dangerous destiny. She should say no. She wasn't that girl who made out with a stranger. She was the girl in the church choir as her granny expected. She was the one who baked a week's worth of dinners for her parents and loaded up their freezer with them every Sunday night. She was prim and proper and everything that made her family proud.
But she didn't want to be that girl tonight.
She wanted more.
She wanted to be Keisha.
"Yes." She didn't wait for him to make a move. Heart thundering in her ears, she—the most cautious person in her family—threw it all to the wind.
Her lips covered his, her tongue sliding across the seam of his mouth and tasting the hot toddy's ginger ale-tinged kick. Their tongues tangled as she leaned forward into the kiss, devouring him like a long-denied dessert. She opened her mouth, and his tongue swept inside, teasing and tempting her.
But she was done with denial.
Pivoting, she laid her palms against his broad shoulders and pressed him back against the overstuffed chaise lounge. She slid her fingers up the cool, brass-colored zipper holding his coveralls closed, the metal teeth rough against her fingertips. As soon as she pinched the metal tab between her fingers, uncertainty yanked her out of the moment.
This was crazy.
The short hair of his beard tickled her jaw as his lips traveled across her sensitive skin to connect with the spot where her jaw met her earlobe. A spot that, until this moment, she hadn't realized had a direct line to her clit.
This was amazing.
She straddled his lap, her yoga pants proving to be more of an enticement than a barrier. God, she hadn't made out fully clothed on the couch like a teenager since—well, since she was one. But it wasn't enough. She needed more.
Keisha rocked her hips, gliding herself against his hardness. Wanton. Demanding. Necessary to keep the itch from driving her crazy. "I want to touch you."
"The feeling's mutual." His words tickled the side of her neck as he worked his way south, pushing her comfiest cardigan off her shoulder.
Goose bumps popped up on her newly exposed skin, but it wasn't because of the cool air. Gabe's lips grazing her shoulder as he slid aside the straps of her tank top and bra took full credit for her body's reaction. Her nipples peaked, pushing against her red satin bra and demanding attention. Her body revved like a finely tuned race car during the Brickyard 400.


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High Five To This New Birthday Party Trend!
We've all been there. A birthday party invitation and you're scrambling through Facebook groups and every store that remotely looks like a kid's gift store, wondering what to gift and how much to spend?
Well, we just discovered the best birthday party trend since the smash cake – it's called the 'fiver party'.
The idea is pretty much what it sounds like; every guest brings in a fiver to go towards a big ticket present that the parents have bought and which the child really wants.
While we're still thinking of a sobriquet for the Indian version, here's why we think it's a gosh-darn genius idea!
- It removes the expectation of 'stuff' from birthdays. It teaches kids that parties are about friends and having fun, not piles of presents. It also teaches them the value of saving for something that they really want.
- It's easy on parents. No more wondering if the birthday girl has too many unicorn play mats!
- It's budget and environmentally friendly. How many toys end up in landfill after being loved for a period of time (we're talking seconds!) and then ignored? Reduce the toy clutter.
- The birthday boy/girl gets one big and exciting present that they've been dreaming about.
Of course, kids love presents. Heck, adults love presents too! But our kids often get so inundated with 'stuff', on their birthday that each gift becomes less special or too many!
And, to those (who disagree with fiver parties) keep the party an affordable event, let the kids cherish something that they really want and keep those gifts that get pushed from one birthday to another – away!


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Neal would like to thank all the attendees of the various conferences at which he has spoken over the last few years to help hone and revise this material live. He would also like to thank the technical reviewers who went above and beyond to provide excellent feedback and advice, especially Venkat Subramanium, Eoin Woods, Simon Brown, and Martin Fowler. Neal would also like to thank his cats Winston, Parker, and Isabella for providing useful distractions that always lead to insights. He thanks his friend John Drescher, all his ThoughtWorks colleagues, Norman Zapien for his crafty ear, his yearly Pasty Geeks vacation group and neighborhood Cocktail Club for support and friendship. And finally, he'd like to thank his long-suffering wife, who endures his travel and other professional indignities with a smile.
Rebecca would like to thank all of the colleagues, conference attendees and speakers, and authors who have, over the years, contributed ideas, tools, and methods and asked clarifying questions about the field of evolutionary architecture. She would echo Neal's thanks to the technical reviewers for their careful reading and commentary. Further, Rebecca would like to thank her co-authors for all the enlightening conversations and discussions while we worked together on this book. In particular, she thanks Neal for the great discussion, or perhaps debate, they had several years ago regarding the distinction between emergent and evolutionary architecture. These ideas have come a long way since that first conversation.
Patrick would like to thank all of his colleagues and customers at ThoughtWorks, who have driven the need and provided the testbed to articulate the ideas in building evolutionary architecture. He would also like to echo Neal and Rebecca's thanks to the technical reviewers, whose feedback helped to improve the book immensely. Finally, he would like to thank his co-authors for the past several years and for the opportunity to work closely together on this topic, despite the numerous time zones and flights that made meeting in person the rare occasion.
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