NEMO Disco 15 - Women's Review
Our Verdict
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This Product
NEMO Disco 15 - Women's | |||||
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Awards | Most Comfortable Sleeping Bag | Best Value for a Down Sleeping Bag | Best Value for a Synthetic Sleeping Bag | ||
Price | $179.93 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $320 List | $220 List $219.95 at Amazon | $169.00 at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | Check Price at Backcountry |
Overall Score | |||||
Star Rating | |||||
Bottom Line | Although comfortable and a good choice for someone looking for more leg room, this product is very heavy for a down bag | This model is our testers go-to any time weight is less of a factor than having a comfortable nights sleep | "Get Down" with this extremely well priced sleeping bag that will work for short to medium length backpacking trips in the summer | This synthetic model offers snug fitting design that is surprisingly compressible and a good choice to keep you warm in wet conditions | Too heavy and bulky for backpacking but a great choice for car camping comfort |
Rating Categories | NEMO Disco 15 - Wom... | Sierra Designs Back... | Sierra Designs Get... | The North Face Cat'... | Marmot Trestles Eli... |
Warmth (25%) | |||||
Weight (25%) | |||||
Comfort (20%) | |||||
Packed Size (15%) | |||||
Features (15%) | |||||
Specs | NEMO Disco 15 - Wom... | Sierra Designs Back... | Sierra Designs Get... | The North Face Cat'... | Marmot Trestles Eli... |
EN Temp Rating (Lower Limit) | 17°F | 20°F | 23°F | 20°F | 20°F |
Insulation | 650 FP Down | 650 FP 85/15 GDD DriDown | 550 FP DriDown RDS | Recycled synthetic | HL-ElixR synthetic fibers |
Measured Weight | 3.31 lbs | 2.61 lbs | 2.36 lbs | 2.50 lbs | 2.75 lbs |
Female-Specific Features | Women's specific fit | Women's specific cut | Women's specific cut | Available in a "Short" length, which is a standard women's size | Women's specific fit |
Fill Weight | 29.0 oz | 22.36 oz | 25.0 oz | 38.9 oz | Unspecified |
Material | 30D ripstop nylon | 20d polyester ripstop/tafeta | 20D polyester | 20D ripstop nylon, taffeta | 20-denier recycled ripstop polyester |
Neck Baffle | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Small Organization Pocket | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Sleeping Pad Sleeve | No | Yes | No | No | No |
Zipper Length | 58 in | N/A | 39.5 in | 34.5 in | 53/15 in |
Shoulder Girth | 62 in | 59 in | 58 in | 60 in | 58 in |
Hip Girth | 58 in | 58 in | 56 in | 55 in | 58 in |
Foot Girth | 60 in | 40 in | 40 in | 41 in | 45 in |
Compression or Stuff Sack | Compression sack and storage bag | Stuff sack and storage bag | Stuff sack and storage bag | Compression sack and storage bag | Stuff sack and storage bag |
Our Analysis and Test Results
Nemo re-released the Disco 15 with their new Endless Promise designation, designed to keep products out of the landfill. The previous bag was constructed with a nylon shell, but this updated version uses 100% recycled polyester ripstop that's fully recyclable, so when it reaches the end of its life cycle, you can send it back to NEMO, and they'll turn it into something new. We're linking to the Endless Promise version of the Disco in our review.
This feature-packed bag is a good choice for folks who want to move their legs around freely, but the extra room and features come with a cost of less warmth and more weight.
Performance Comparison
Warmth
The Disco is a somewhat warm sleeping bag, with a few caveats. It is a lofty bag and is EN Comfort rated to 17 Degrees Fahrenheit, but we would not bring it out in temperatures that low. We tested it in the desert down to 40 degrees and were very comfortable. The detractor to the Disco's warmth is that it's so roomy there's a lot more air to heat up inside the bag when it's cold. We didn't notice much of a temperature difference when the “Thermo Gills” were open or closed. It may make a difference when the camper is in more extreme heat or cold.
Weight
Weighing in at 3.3 pounds, the Disco is one of the heaviest bags in this review, whether it's down or synthetic fill. We are very disappointed in its weight since it is a down bag, which is meant to be lighter. We think all its features like the “Blanket Fold” and extra zippers on the “Thermo Gills” add weight, but we don't think they're worth those extra ounces. The Disco also has low quality, 650 fill power down, which is heavier than a higher fill power for the same amount of warmth.
Comfort
Comfort is this product's main draw for many folks. This bag does have lots of room to move around, bring your knees up and even cross your legs if you're sitting up. If this is the main priority for you in a sleeping bag the Disco could be a winner. We'd score it higher on comfort if we didn't wake up in the night with the “Blanket Fold” over our faces.
Packed Size
The Nemo Disco is around average packed size for a lower-end, 650 fill power down bag. It's larger than we would want to take with us on an extended backcountry trip. It does come with a compression sack which is helpful for getting it smaller.
Features
The Disco is a feature-packed bag, but some of our testers don't find most of them very useful. Just because a bag has a lot of features, doesn't mean it's going to score high in this area. We like the pillow pocket where you can stuff some extra layers and have a simple pillow. We also like the snag-proof zipper pull and the little stash pocket for storing small items like a headlamp or earplugs.
However, the Thermo Gills don't seem very effective for temperature regulation, and the “Blanket Fold” takes some effort to tuck in. Some of our testers loved this feature, but others found that if it's not properly tucked in, it ends up flapping in your face, leaving you feeling smothered. We'd prefer a regular collar or baffle feature around our necks.
Value
The Disco is right in the middle of price points for down bags, not quite as expensive as the high-end models, but not priced as a value model either. We think it's on the expensive side and would choose a down bag that weighs less and packs smaller that is around the same price.
Conclusion
The main draw of the Nemo Disco is its wide shape for side sleepers or folks who don't like their legs confined as in a mummy bag. This does increase the bag's comfort but detracts from its scores in many other areas including weight, warmth, and packed size. We think the Disco could do with a few fewer features to slim down its weight as it's one of the heaviest bags in this review.