A dual temp sleeping bag makes a lot of sense for today’s camper. By building in different insulating qualities on the chest and back, Eureka! can offer a sleeping bag that extends its comfort range over a wider variety of temperatures. Flipping it from one side to the other allows you to choose the level of insulation – it’s that simple. But the Dual Temp is not a one-trick pony. While it has the traditional taper of a mummy bag, there’s more room in the foot box than expected. This taper helps reduce weight a bit, (it weighs an ounce under four pounds) and allows it to pack down to a reasonable size. Contributing to the lower weight and excellent thermal and comfort properties is the Rteq™insulation, which is designed to strike a balance between being packable, and providing warmth. The lining is “peached polyester”, which, true to Eureka’s description, feels more like cotton than polyester, to very good effect. For those that care about the technical details of their textiles, the shell is 66D/230T StarGaze polyester ripstop and 66D/210T polyester taffeta, and the liner is the aforementioned 75D/240T peached polyester. So overall, it’s not the lightest, heaviest, warmest or least/most expensive sleeping bag available. But it’s one that seeks to do everything pretty well, and at a price that represents a good value.
Of course, it’s the actual performance that counts. So we put it through our sleeping bag test, which involves climbing in and sleeping. If the bag does its job, we’ll sleep comfortably and warm, and wake up well-rested. It did, and we did. The 72″ x33″ bag fit both testers, and the dual temp range came in handy as ambient temperature ranges fluctuated. The draft collar kept cold air out, and the peached polyester provided a more luxurious feel than your typical smooth polyester, without being grabby. I toss and turn a bit before settling in, and don’t like my sleeping bag to turn with me. I found the cooler side to be more to my liking, but Mrs. Outsider preferred the warmer side. Even when we were side by side in the same tent. Go figure. The point is that having a choice can make all the difference. When it came time to pack it back into the included 19″ x 9.5″ stuff sack, it fit without a struggle, which is always appreciated.
Although we didn’t get to test it at temperatures below 30 degrees, the Dual Temp 10/30 should be indispensable for anyone looking for comfort within that range, and wants the flexibility it provides in colder climates. www.eurekatent.com
– Brian