REI Co-op HunkerDown 20 Review

A plush hooded design makes the HunkerDown stand out from the rest. We also love its weight, packed size, and soft fabrics.

Warmth

After braving several nights in the chilly Rocky Mountain air, we can confidently say the HunkerDown is warm. True, this bag isn't designed for extreme cold, or even frosty October camping for that matter, but when it comes to providing above-average warmth in nippy conditions, this bag pulls its weight.

Generally, when it comes to warmth, down is king. It simply keeps you warmer without weighing a lot. At just 3.5 pounds, we think the HunkerDown has one of the better warmth-to-weight ratios of the bunch. We liked that its 600-fill down is responsibly sourced and found it to be plentiful enough that it did the trick on cooler nights. And, when temps really dropped, a simple beanie and some long base layers helped us push this bag to its 20-degree rating.

The HunkerDown's best warmth features are its massive hood (big enough to secure a bed pillow from home), an impressive flip-up bed-sheet collar, and a thick, well-insulated, draft tube that runs the full length of its zipper. That all said, it's important to note that down doesn't insulate as well as synthetic fill when it becomes saturated. This is a rare occurrence, but still worth mentioning.

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Comfort

We found the HunkerDown to be pleasing and comfortable. It's the kind of bag that makes you want to curl up just a little longer when the morning sun is making its way over the horizon.

This bag certainly isn't the widest or longest in our lineup (84"L x 33"W), but its lightweight down fill gives it a cozy comforter-like vibe — it just feels good. Likewise, its silky polyester shell and liner are easy to roll and move in, and it tends to mold to the body, providing a snuggled feeling that sets it apart from some of the other bags we've tested. Our favorite comfort feature was the option of slipping a regular pillow from home into the hood.

Features

As with nearly any REI Co-op product, the HunkerDown is well-engineered and chock-full of helpful features that other manufacturers often forgo in order to cut production costs.

We love that the HunkerDown comes with a mesh storage sack. Contrary to popular belief, a sleeping bag (especially one with down fill) should not be stored in a small compression sack when not in use. Over time, this type of compression will damage the loft of the fill and will lessen its ability to trap air and keep you warm. To counter this, REI includes a large, drawstring, mesh storage sack for this bag. This allows it to be safely stored with minimal damage to the down. Even better, the mesh fabric allows the down to breathe and stay protected from ambient moisture.

Other key features we noted are this bag's amazing hood, which is almost too big (if that were even a possibility). As stated, it can swallow a standard pillow with ease, and on chillier nights, we loved its drawstring cords that allowed us to cinch it around our heads. This bag also has zipper openings on both sides, which allow its covers to be turned down like a bed. And, we geeked out on the extra insulated flap that folded nicely around our neck and shoulders. The HunkerDown has great zippers, quality stitching, and is also quite water-resistant. It passed our water tests with flying colors, repelling standing water far beyond our five-minute timer. The only thing we didn't like was its cheap interior pocket, which is very basic and doesn't hold much. However, this certainly wasn't a deal-breaker for any of our testers.

Packed Size

The HunkerDown packed down quite small, especially compared to the synthetic bags we tested alongside it. It even packs up small enough to take along on a backpacking trip if you're in a pinch.

This bag shoves easily into its simple 15x7-inch stuff sack. The compressible nature of its down fill also allows it to be compacted even smaller if you use a compression sack. The combination of the down and the smooth, recycled polyester shell makes it easy to quickly pack up the HunkerDown and be on your way. It's lightweight, easy to carry, and it doesn't take up a lot of space in your car, RV, or camp trailer.

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Should You Buy the REI Co-op HunkerDown 20?

If you love the warmth and comforts of down and don't mind paying a little more for it, the HunkerDown is a great option for camping. It's available in medium, large, and wide sizes, and it offers a ton of features that make it very cozy and easy to use. This bag is perfect for the weekend warrior who wants more than the average camping bag has to offer. Its rectangular shape accommodates men, women, and kids, and it's light and packable enough to take on short backpacking trips.

What Camping Sleeping Bag Should You Consider?

If you like the idea of a hooded bag, but prefer synthetic insulation, the REI Co-op Siesta Hooded 20 is basically the same design as the HunkerDown but with synthetic fill. The Kelty Tru.Comfort 20 Doublewide also has an amazing hood, and its double-wide design accommodates two sleepers at the same time. We also liked the Big Agnes Echo Park 20. It's a hooded bag with lots of unique features. It even attaches directly to your sleeping pad.