Best Forte 35 Synthetic Sleeping Bag Synthetic Sleeping Bags

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UOG TOP PICK: This spoon-shaped backpacking bag is designed for side sleepers, has generous room at elbows and knees, and allows for maximum temperature regulation with Nemo’s award-winning Thermo Gills feature. It’s a top pick for a light synthetic bag.

Nemo says: 

Seventy percent of people sleep on their side, yet mummy bags are not designed to accommodate this. Forte has been updated with Primaloft’s, lightweight, ultra-lofty and supremely resilient RISE insulation featuring 80% post-consumer recycled content. Forte’s classic Spoon™ shape provides a generous cut at the elbows and knees so side sleepers can shift positions comfortably throughout the night.

These 3-season backpacking bags are loaded with features, including Thermo Gill™ vents that help regulate temperature during the night, a Blanket Fold™ draft collar that provides tucked-in comfort, an integrated pillow pocket, and a waterproof/breathable footbox to withstand tent condensation. Left-sided zippers on the men’s and right-sided zippers on the women’s styles allow two Fortes to zip together for a double version of these favorite synthetic sleeping bags.

Our Verdict

The highly successful Nemo Forte 35 Sleeping Bag has been updated for 2023 with new insulation and fabrics. It retains the comfortable and spacious ‘spoon’ shape so it is still wider at the elbows and knees, meaning you can toss and turn as much as you want, without the bag restricting you.

The main updates are the move to top-quality Primaloft insulation. There is less insulation used in this updated version but it retains the same 2°C Comfort Limit. The inner and outer fabrics have also changed in order to reduce the overall weight without sacrificing warmth or durability.

Nemo has kept the innovative Thermo Gills which are shown by the 2 slits down the centre of the bag. They unzip to let warm air out if you get too hot at night, allowing you to vent body heat without letting cold drafts in and they work really well, especially in changeable conditions.

Another feature it has that is quite unique to Nemo bags, is the Blanket Fold. Like a comforter at home, the blanket fold gives some extra material to snuggle around your face and helps to control temperature. The Forte bags are still able to zip together with the women’s bags if that is something that you want in your bag.

– Reviewed by Ultralight Outdoor Gear

Features

• Classic Spoon™ shape adds room at elbows and knees for versatile comfort.
• Updated with Primaloft® RISE insulation, featuring 80% post-consumer recycled content, and engineered to deliver maximum warmth retention and water resistance with less weight than conventional synthetic insulation.
• A fabric set of 30D nylon ripstop and 20D nylon taffeta offers an ultra-plush sleep experience.
• Thermo Gill™ vents allow you to release body heat without letting cold drafts in.
• Blanket Fold™ external draft collar and a full-length draft tube provide tucked-in comfort and temperature regulation.

Specifications

Regular:

• Weight: 998g
• Dimensions: 80 in / 202 cm
• Packed Sized: 11.5 x 9.0 in dia / 29 x 23 cm dia
• Shoulder Girth: 59 in / 149.86 cm
• Hip Girth: 54 in / 137.16 cm
• Knee Girth: 60 in / 152.4 cm

Long:

• Weight: 1189g
• Dimensions: 86 in / 218 cm
• Packed Sized: 11.5 x 9.0 in dia / 29 x 23 cm dia
• Shoulder Girth: 66 in / 167.64 cm
• Hip Girth: 60 in / 152.4 cm
• Knee Girth: 64 in / 162.56 cm

Material & Construction

• Temperature: 35F / 2C
• Fill weight: 1 lb , 4 oz / 555 g