The North Face Men’s Inferno 15

The North Face’s sleeping bag line is among the most extensive in the industry, and their offerings range from $100 basic car camping bags to premium models like the Inferno. Though on the more expensive end of the spectrum, the Inferno 15 was our top pick of the test: the lightweight 800-fill down, durable outer material, comfortable inner fabric, and snug, comfortable, baffled hood design made it hard for testers to give the nod to any other bag. 

Pros: The regular-sized bag is 2.3 pounds, and with The North Face’s three-strap suspension system, it packs down to size of a soccer ball. Upon unfurling the bag from the stuff sack, testers were pleased with how quickly the water-resistant ProDown regains its loft. Treat the bag well (store it unstuffed) and this bag will keep you warm for years to come—the durability of the outer fabric was appreciated when using the bag without a sleeping pad to stay warm on rocky outcrops. 

The blue fabric on the hood, back, and footbox is “NeoVent Air,” which supplies ventilation to key moisture-heavy areas. That said, testers didn’t notice any heat loss in cold weather in these zones. We were stoked to see the material at the foot box, as jamming a pair of boots in the foot of the bag to keep them from freezing at night can lead to a steamy, stinky hot tamale of a bag come morning. 

Cons: Testers had few, if any, complaints. Price is steep, but you get what you pay for. The partial central zip can be pesky in warmer weather, as warm sleepers especially will want to undo the entire bag, but we think this is a fair trade for more efficient heat retention in cold weather, and it actually happened to be our favorite feature.  

Favorite Feature:

The central zip! It takes a bit to get used to if you’re used to sleeping with the zip on the side, but it retains warmth well and makes for a comfortable sleeping in cool conditions.

Tester Comments: 

“I’ve tested 20+ sleeping bags in the past three years, and this is one of my favorites to date. It’s comfortable, warm, compact, and while expensive, not as crazy as some other bags. I’d want a warmer (0-degree) version for straight up winter camping, but this can handle frosty nights. A true 3-season bag, The North Face got this one right!”

Bottom Line:
A premium option and our favorite 15-degree bag of the test, the Inferno is on fire.

Key Attribute: Performance