Kelty Cosmic Down 20 - Women's Review

Our Kelty Cosmic Down 20 Experience

We tested the latest iteration of the Cosmic Down 20 during spring camping trips in California's Eastern Sierra, where the days are warm and the nights are cool and crisp.

During a particularly windy, 40°F evening outside of Rock Creek, we were kept cozy by the warmth of the 550 FP Duck down interior and effective draft tube of this bag. The extra insulation, combined with a snug, regular fit, also helped keep us warm despite the uncomfortable environment.

The affordable bag has minimal features, but we appreciated the stash pocket inside the bag's interior that made it easy for us to stow our headlamp and chapstick for easy access during the night.

The supple interior was another standout feature that we enjoyed after a long day in the mountains, as it provided a much-needed cozy feeling, offering softness against our sun-damaged skin.

Analysis and Test Results

Warmth

The Cosmic Down kept us comfortable right around 33°F, making it a great three-season bag, but anything below freezing was too cold, so we'd avoid taking this out in early spring or late fall.

The design features 550 fill duck down insulation treated with a hydrophobic coating to increase drying speed, resist precipitation, and maintain loft even when the weather isn't awesome. The trapezoidal baffles increase warmth without sacrificing comfort and the ability to move within the bag's interior.

Although there is more insulation in the hood, its also pretty shallow for our liking and we ended up leaving our inflatable pillow on the exterior of the bag to maximize warmth and comfort. We also wish the draft tube at the neck were larger to better block the breeze. It's functional but doesn't provide that cozy tucked in feel. We also found the hood difficult to fully tighten around our face during the coldest nights of testing. And while the bag is lofty, it's only 550 FP and doesn't feature the same quality and loft as the other higher quality bags in our lineup. That said, it's great for those seeking a more affordable down bag.

Weight

Weighing in at 3.24 pounds for its regular size, the Cosmic Down 20 is among the heaviest sleeping bags that we tested, despite its down construction. Most can backpack comfortably with a sleeping bag that weighs around 3 pounds, making it a good option for beginners who plan on taking shorter trips.

Comfort

The Cosmic 20 features a soft nylon outer shell with PFC-free durable water repellent coating along with cozy liner fabrics for a great next-to-skin feel. Unfortunately, it's only available in one regular size that's meant to fit all ladies up to 5'8"; however, our lead tester is 5'6" tall and noted that the bag didn't have much vertical room to spare. The bag doesn't feel restrictive or claustrophobic overall, but it may not be the best choice for ladies who prefer to sleep on their side.

The Cosmic 20 does include women's specific features meant to optimize warmth and comfort for those with shorter torsos, narrow shoulders, and colder extremities. During colder nights of testing, we appreciated the natural-fitting footbox with extra insulation for our feet. That said, with only one sizing option, this is difficult to customize, and those taller than 5'6" may find the design too restrictive, while shorter women may find the bag drafty.

So long as you don't mind the tight fit that minimizes draft, you'll love the comfort of the down construction.   Credit: Trish Matheny

The interior is cozy.   Credit: Trish Matheny

Extra insulation and a large baffle on the hood create a cozy feel when you're fully zipped.   Credit: Trish Matheny

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Packed Size

The Cosmic 20 is easy to pack thanks to its soft and slippery recycled shell and liner fabrics that stuff easily into the included stuff sack. The down is highly compressible, and the stuff sack is okay in terms of added weight; however, we think there's a benefit to purchasing an aftermarket compression stuff sack, as you can further reduce the amount of space inside your backpack by at least a third.

At 12.39 packable liters, the Cosmic 20 falls outside of the recommended 6-10 liter construction for backpacking sleeping bags. This larger size, combined with a heavier overall weight, isn't the best choice for backpackers who are counting every ounce in their kit.

Features

The Cosmic 20 is a pretty basic and simple sleeping bag design that doesn't provide a ton of additional features beyond a women's specific fit that reduces the width of the shoulders and increases the space in the hips. There is also extra insulation included to help better regulate body heat during colder temperatures. The dual direction main zipper is functional and durable but not anti-snag so you have to feed it through a little more carefully than others. We love the more durable zipper as it is one of the most important features that will make or break your sleeping experience.

While we appreciate the extra insulation, we wish the neck baffle was larger for additional comfort and warmth. We also wish the bag included a storage sack when not in use, which would help it breathe and prevent clumping of the down feathers. The stash pocket is nice for stowing earplugs or headlamps, and the dry treated down is great if you plan on using this bag in less-than-perfect conditions. The Cosmic 20 is on par with what we'd expect from a more affordable down design, where you have to sacrifice some higher quality in exchange for a lower price tag. All told, even though the design is fairly basic, it has great features like a stash pocket, neck baffle, and durable two-way zipper.

The neck baffle is nice but we wish it was larger.   Credit: Trish Matheny

We love the zippered pocket to stash our head lamp.   Credit: Trish Matheny

The zippered pocket is located right on your chest for easy access.   Credit: Trish Matheny

The two way zipper is great for ventilation.   Credit: Trish Matheny

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Should You Buy the Kelty Cosmic Down 20?

If you want the comfort and luxury of down without the shocking price tag, we highly recommend checking out the Kelty Cosmic Down 20. Although this affordable construction comes with a few caveats and sacrifices in order to maintain a low price point, it is still pretty warm and comfortable so long as you fit into it's one regular size. For those seeking a basic down sleeping bag that's great for cooler nights of car camping or shorter backpacking trips, we think you'll appreciate the soft fabrics and 550 FP hydrophobic down construction.

What Other Women's Sleeping Bags Should You Consider?

If you're having trouble finding a sleeping bag that fits your body type, check out the REI Magma 15, which offers up to nine sizing variations, allowing you to better customize the fit than most models. The Magma also features a lighter weight and a higher loft for greater warmth and comfort.

And if you're on a budget but not attached to a down construction, check out the NEMO Tempo 20 Synthetic. While its a heavyweight design that we prefer to sleep in closer to the car or campsite, it's super comfortable and cozy, almost like a weighted cocoon that offers a good night's sleep most of the year.