The North Face Cat's Meow 20 Eco Review

Likes

Warmth is one of the Cat's Meow's defining strengths, especially for a synthetic sleeping bag. It uses synthetic insulation designed to retain heat even in damp conditions, a major advantage over down bags, which can lose insulating power when wet. Out in the field, tester Ian McEleney found that the bag has “an inspiring amount of loft” and felt warmer than its manufacturer-given 20°F lower temperature rating implied.

In addition to retaining heat when wet, the bag is delightfully quick-drying. Backpackers often don't have the luxury of laying gear out to dry for hours. A bag that can recover quickly overnight or during short sunny breaks means you're not starting the next night with a damp, cold sleep system. Combined with its durable water-repellent (DWR) finish, the bag resists moisture and bounces back quickly if it does get wet.

The Cat's Meow includes a glow-in-the-dark zipper pull, which makes it easy to find and operate the zipper in total darkness. While this might sound like a small detail, it's one of those features people end up loving once they use it. Whether you're half asleep, cold, or just trying not to wake anyone else, it's a simple feature that adds real convenience – especially if you tend to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom.

Dislikes

Our biggest issue with the Cat's Meow is its bulk. When packed down as tightly as possible, it still takes up 9.5 liters of space, about the same as a standard bear canister. It's a typical downside of synthetic bags — they just don't compress as well as down bags – but this one is particularly large.

The bag also has a relatively trim mummy-style cut. This does help keep the inside warm, but in our testing, we felt it was a touch too restrictive. In particular, it was a bit tight around the shoulders, even for our testers' average height and build.

And lastly, the zipper is surprisingly short. It doesn't extend as far down the bag as you would expect from a modern sleeping bag. This makes dumping heat and getting in/out of the bag more difficult than it needs to be. Plus, it adds to the restrictive feel of the bag's mummy cut, since you can't open up the footbox for ventilation.

Should You Buy The North Face Cat's Meow 20 Eco?

The The North Face Cat's Meow 20 Eco is starting to show its age. Even if it's been around the block a few times, it's no longer here to impress. As an affordable sleeping bag that'll keep you warm through the night, it does the job. A couple of nice bells and whistles give the bag some character, but it can't compete with the features seen on more premium sleeping bags – it doesn't quite compete with other modern, affordable options, either.

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