Head-to-head · Best Backpacking Sleeping Bags

Mountain Hardwear Phantom 30 vs NEMO Disco 15 Endless Promise Down Sleeping Bag

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Mountain Hardwear Phantom 30 comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.4 vs 4.1). Mountain Hardwear Phantom 30 is best for: ultralight backpackers seeking warmth. Read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Backpacking Sleeping Bags

Mountain Hardwear Phantom 30

4.4

2 sources$579.99as of Oct 11

The Mountain Hardwear Phantom 30 earns its praise on warmth-to-weight: 850-fill down, 10 ounces of it, stacking up four inches of loft. Reviewers found it holds around freezing and a little below, packs down small, and comes with an adjustable hood and draft collar. Cold sleepers and anyone heading into extreme conditions should skip it. Ultralight backpackers balancing weight against warmth are the fit.

Strengths

— Excellent warmth-to-weight ratio due to 850-fill down
— Four inches of loft from 10 ounces of down fill
— Adjustable hood with even face gasket closure

Watch-outs

— Limited space for larger or wider users
— Not suitable for extreme cold conditions

$579.99 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Ranked #2 in Best Backpacking Sleeping Bags

NEMO Disco 15 Endless Promise Down Sleeping Bag

4.1

2 sources$299.95as of Oct 16

The NEMO Disco 15 trades low weight for room to move. Its hourglass, spoon-shaped cut, zippered Thermo Gill vents and oversized draft collar won it an Editors' Pick from Better Trail, which called it one of the most luxe-feeling backpacking bags it has used. Better Trail and CleverHiker both stayed warm in it in freezing conditions, and both flag the same cost: it weighs about 2 lb 14 oz and packs bulky because of its 650-fill down.

Strengths

— Hourglass, spoon-shaped cut gives side sleepers room to change position, per Better Trail and CleverHiker
— Two zippered Thermo Gill vents release heat without opening the main zipper
— Kept testers warm on low-30s nights (Better Trail) and 15 to 20°F desert nights with a base layer (CleverHiker)

Watch-outs

— At 2 lb 14 oz it is one of the heavier backpacking bags Better Trail has tested in its class
— 650-fill down packs bulkier than 850-fill bags, so CleverHiker calls it a poor fit for ultralight or long-distance trips
— The roomy interior holds heat less efficiently than a closer-fitting mummy, per CleverHiker

$299.95 · Buy at nemoequipment.com Full review →

How they stack up

Mountain Hardwear Phantom 30

Unlike the REI Co-op Trailmade 25, which prioritizes value and sizing, the Mountain Hardwear Phantom 30 focuses on warmth-to-weight with its 850-fill down. At 1 lb 6 oz it weighs less than half the Trailmade's 3 lbs 4.6 oz, and it is over a pound lighter than the 2 lb 7 oz Kelty Cosmic Down 20, which uses 550-fill down. It costs far more than the Kelty.

NEMO Disco 15 Endless Promise Down Sleeping Bag

The Disco 15 and the Exped Terra 15 both use 650-fill down and are rated around 15°F; the Disco is the roomier spoon shape. It is heavier than the Mountain Hardwear Phantom 30 (1 lb 6 oz) and Kelty Cosmic Down 20 (2 lb 7 oz), but lighter than the synthetic REI Co-op Trailmade 25 (3 lb 4.6 oz).

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Mountain Hardwear Phantom 30	NEMO Disco 15 Endless Promise Down Sleeping Bag
Temperature Rating	30°F/-1°C	27/16°F (ISO Comfort/Limit)
Fill Power	850	650-fill down
Weight	1 lb 6 oz/624 g	2 lb 14 oz
Fill Weight	—	1 lb 7 oz
Shell Fabric	—	20D polyester
Shoulder/Hip Girth	—	62/57 in
Packed Volume	—	14.9 L
Shape	—	Spoon (hourglass) mummy

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