You may already be a Kelty sleeping bag veteran, or perhaps you’re considering buying your first one. With so many sleeping bag brands, deciding which products are reliable and trustworthy can be difficult. Here we look at Kelty’s sleeping bags and assess their effectiveness.
Kelty makes a variety of reliable and durable sleeping bags that are made from materials that can last many years. Several factors make Kelty a good sleeping bag, including warmth, portability, comfort, variety, quality, price, and even their warranty.
Keep reading to know exactly why we believe Kelty makes good sleeping bags! We’ll take you through why we believe Kelty makes trustworthy, durable sleeping bags.
Who is Kelty and Why You Should Trust It?
In 1952, Ash Kelty began the Kelty brand out of his garage in Boulder, Colorado. Since then, Kelty has become a huge manufacturer of versatile, comfortable backpacks, sleeping bags, and tents.
Producing over 170 products, Kelty has gained recognition for reliable camping and hiking products.
They claim to embody the spirit of the outdoors in every product, but we’re here to test that theory and see how good their sleeping bags really are.
Does Kelty Make Good Sleeping Bags?
We need to consider several factors to assess if Kelty makes good sleeping bags. These include reputation, quality, durability, portability, warmth, comfort, variety, price, and warranty.
We have examined all of Kelty’s sleeping bags and assessed their effectiveness based on these factors.
1. Reputation
Over the years, Kelty has consistently received positive feedback online and won several awards for its sleeping bags.
With over 70 years of experience in making sleeping bags, Kelty has been able to build a brand name that is reliable and trustworthy.
Generations of campers now swear by Kelty’s products and refuse to try other brands creating sleeping bags. With this in mind, we can safely conclude that Kelty’s reputation adds to its advantage.
Kelty has proven its products reliable enough to create a lasting impact and positive experience.
2. Quality
Several factors add to the quality of a Kelty sleeping bag.
Firstly, all Kelty sleeping bags have an en rating which means they have been tested in controlled conditions to determine exactly what temperatures the bag can be used at.
The quality of materials is also essential to determine how well a sleeping bag is made. Kelty uses polyester for the shell and liner, which is lightly waterproof.
Kelty also offers a choice of high-quality insulation filling depending on the bag you choose. With reliable materials and temperature accreditation, you can trust the quality of a Kelty sleeping bag!
3. Durability
One of the first questions I ask when purchasing a sleeping bag is, how long will it last? When you’re spending money, you want to be sure that the product is worth the price tag.
Kelty sleeping bags are made from materials that can last many years. The sleeping bag’s durability will also depend on how well you look after it.
For example, to increase the longevity of a down sleeping bag, such as the Women’s Galactic 30, avoid compressing the bag when not in use.
Alongside this, ensure the bag is aired out after camping and the zips are cleaned properly.
4. Portability
A sleeping bag’s portability is essential if you plan to camp in the backcountry or hike a fairway to your campgrounds. Most of Kelty’s sleeping bags weigh between 1-2 lbs, which is lightweight!
Many bags are much heavier (up to 10lbs), but these bags are double-wide or contain added insulation.
We believe the selection of lightweight, portable Kelty sleeping bags makes them a good choice for hikers and campers alike.
5. Comfort
Comfort is essential to any sleeping bag. You want to be comfortable when you’re asleep. Kelty is renowned for its comfortable sleeping bags that offer ventilation and warmth.
The Tru Comfort Doublewide is the perfect bag for couples and provides a built-in blanket and enough space for pillows.
Kelty’s cold-weather sleeping bags, such as the Cosmic 20, are equally as comfortable and snug, ensuring you sleep well in any temperature.
Of course, everyone will have varying views on what they find comfortable, but in general, Kelty’s offers a bag that considers comfort a top priority.
6. Warmth
When assessing how good a sleeping bag range is, we need to ask if Kelty produces a variety of sleeping bags to handle different temperatures.
Kelty offers bags to withstand below-freezing temperatures like the Cosmic Ultra 0, which has a lower limit of -18.0°C.
As well as lighter summer bags such as the Rambler 50, warmth can also be judged by what insulation is used. It is highly debated whether down or synthetic insulation is more effective.
Whichever side of the debate you fall on, Kelty gives you the option to choose from either. They also offer combined synthetic-down bags and DriDown sleeping bags.
7. Variety of Bags
Kelty makes a range of sleeping bags for women, unisex, couples, and kids sleeping bags. This broad array of sleeping bags gives you enough options to pick the exact bag you need.
Kelty also offers two sleeping bag shapes; mummy or rectangular. Unfortunately, Kelty does not make a semi-rectangular-shaped sleeping bag.
This shaped sleeping bag suits those who want the insulation of a mummy bag but sleep on their side.
8. Price
Kelty sleeping bags range in price drastically, with their cheapest bag usually around $50 and the most expensive between $250 and $300.
With Kelty, you are paying for the brand’s reputation and the materials’ quality. Kelty usually has sales throughout the year, so you can be sure that you’ll bag a bargain at some point or another.
9. Warranty
Kelty offers a limited lifetime warranty.
This means that only sleeping bags purchased from authorized sellers can be warranted for manufacturing defects for the product’s reasonable lifetime and only to the original purchaser.
The “reasonable” lifetime of the product varies based on how old it is and how well it has been cared for.
If your sleeping bag meets these terms, then the sleeping bag will be repaired or replaced without charge. A warranty like this is extremely valuable as long as you can take care of your sleeping bag!
Final Thoughts
We hope this article has given you all the information you need to judge if Kelty produces good sleeping bags.
Along with the range of sleeping bags Kelty offers, we believe the portability, comfort, and warmth of the sleeping bags are a testament to how effective and high quality they are.
Find your nearest outdoor outlet that stocks them and see for yourself!