Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This Hyke and Byke Eolus 0 F 800-fill goose down sleeping bag is one of the best value sleeping bags I have ever purchased. Be forewarned, this is a detailed review of the bag, so use the search function if you're looking for specific review elements. For reference of this review, I purchased the product in late-March 2020 and have used it twice in two different climates over the total course of six nights. I will format this review by firstly addressing some of the negatives/complaints I have read from other reviewers, followed by my own thoughts on the sleeping bag from both a qualitative and technical standpoint, good and questionable. Other reviewers' negatives: 1) Smell - A handful of reviews have mentioned an off putting odor emanating from the bag. The first thing I did after opening the box and taking the bag out of the compression sack was smell the product. There was NO pungent or other offensive smells from the sack, sleeping bag exterior, or goose down, so I know for a fact that at he very least that not every bag smells (as evidenced that I do not have a bag that smells). I can only recommend that if you do receive a bag that smells to hand wash gently and dry thoroughly then airing out on clothesline. Otherwise, I would just return and have them send a new one since the potential benefits of this bag outweigh inconveniences that could otherwise be remedied by simply replacing. 2) Down filling distribution - Others have also mentioned that the distribution of the Goose down is not even throughout the bag at times, and a couple even said there was feather leakage. Whether this is a periodic quality assurance issue when manufacturing or user storage error, I am unsure of, because the distribution of my down has remained within the baffles and evenly distributed for the duration of my uses thus far (will update if this is no longer the case). Additionally, many people do not realize that you must let down-type sleeping bags "breathe" or self-inflate a bit before going to sleep, so do not just whip it out and unroll it right before sleeping (I usually give it at least an hour to "poof" out). Also, in line with this, down sleeping bags are not meant to be sit on - if you do, then just remember that by compressing it again you lose the insulated warmth that the down provides and have to let it breathe again. Also, theoretically, you should be able to better distribute the down feather with some massaging and gravity (bag uses vertical baffles as opposed to horizontal baffles). 3) EN/ISO rating - Some have also expressed they are skeptical of the 0 F limit rating, though on several of these reviews, they failed to verbalize whether they used any secondary insulation protection when they were sleeping in their respective environments. Any backpacker/camper should know that these ratings are under ideal conditions and under the assumption you are using adjunct backpacking materials to aid insulation, most important of which is the SLEEPING PAD and its corresponding R-value. Many of the reviews who said the O F rating did not live up to its advertising disregarded all of the important factors that lend to true comfort/limit ISO, including (but not limited to): sleeping pad type and r-value, tent placement, tarp/footprint use, tent ventilation, clothes worn at time of camping, whether you are a cold/warm sleeper, and specific environment conditions (used generic temperatures without notating the type of ground surface they were on, wind speed, precipitation, etc.). Yes, I agree that sleeping bag companies are partially deceptive by only displaying ideal ISO/EN, but there are so many variables to consider, they have to follow a baseline, otherwise no sleeping bag company would be able to advertise their product in an effective way. For reference, I am an average temp sleeper (neither cold or warm sleeper) and use a sleeping pad with a 4.4 R-value (good for most seasons except in more extreme temps, such as base-camping or places like Denali). 4) Zipper - The Eolus Hyke and Byke uses a YKK zipper the retracts about 2/3 the way down the side of the sleeping bag. I have not had any issues with the zipper catching on the fabric. I will echo what another reviewer said about pulling the zipper all the way down - if you do it a certain way, you can completely disassemble the zipper, though it only took about 60 seconds to figure out how to reapply the zipper. Now for my personal findings (sleeping bag was paired with 4.4 r-value sleeping pad): 1) Warmth - Excellent over the course of my two backpacking trips (stretching over six nights). My maiden trip was more of a test drive in a milder environment (lows in high-30s, intermittent light rain showers, grass/soil/twigs surface, wind speed high 15 mph). I wore only shorts, a t-shirt, and a pair of ankle socks. I was adequately warm for the entire night. My second stint involved colder weather (low of 20 F) and snow accumulation of 2". I wore long wool underpants and shirt with regular cotton socks (no beanie, ear muffs, etc). Once again, I did not feel cold anywhere on my body throughout the night. I will try once again in 0 F weather when able and report back to update. Again, there were some reviewers who stated this bag did not perform well even in 20-40 F, though I found this wholly to not be the case (with respect to them). I would again emphasize the importance of making sure you have an adequate sleeping pad, clothing, tent placement, etc. 2) Comfort - I am 5'10" and 185 lbs with broad shoulders. While you sacrifice some interior bag spacing for warmth with any mummy-style bag, I will say I had no issues moving within the bag or adjusting while I slept. I am a mover when sleeping (end up sideways, belly, back, upside-down...) but always had the freedom to move. As far as fabric against the skin, it was very pleasant and smooth to the touch. There were no cold spots and the down was evenly distributed (even with all of my tossing and turning). I do advise laying out the sleeping bag at least an hour before sleeping to allow for full fluff of the bag. Also remember to store the sleeping bag appropriately between trips. 3) Portability - At 2.87 lbs on paper, this is a decent backpacking weight, especially for a borderline 4-season sleeping bag (bags typically get heavier with 4-season bags compared to 3-season). While there are lighter 3-season bags, these are still more expensive than this 4-season bag (mostly $300+; only Kelty and Nemo were around same price point, but they were only rated for 20-35 F). Many fervent backpackers understand the importance of every ounce you carry, and should be able to iterate the weight of every item in their backpack. I personally weighed the Eolus 0 F sleeping bag (REGULAR size) and it was still a little heavier than the stated weight by 1.9 ounces (per my P115C Precision Kitchen Scale), which is not a big deal to me. In regards to compression size, I did have some difficulty reducing the size to the 10x7 they have listed on the website description, but again, overall decent for the warmth this bag provides and still able to fit in all of my backpacking backpacks. 4) Miscellaneous - Thus far, durability has not been an issue, but it has only been two trips. It uses a 400 T 20 Denier Rip-stop nylon, which is fairly standard for these bags (higher Denier usually means more weight). I have not tried sleeping on raw ground without protection (and never plan to unless in an emergency situation), but there have been no holes, tears, or rips in the bag thus far. Though one will never truly know it's longevity until I take it out several more times in the next (hopefully) several years, especially on lengthier endeavors, such as the AT or PCT. 5) Overall value - This is really where this sleeping bag shines. The majority of this sleeping bag's cohorts cost exponentially more than this bag. This bag's specs/stats match up well with most winter/4-season/alpine sleeping bags, including Therm-a-rest, Western Mountaineering, Big Agnes, Nemo, etc, most especially when it comes to pricing (range $480-720, as opposed to $190 of this bag). Remember, negative reviews will be more of the exception than the norm, so even if you are unlucky enough to be one of those few with a manufacturing issue, you can hopefully summon some form of patience with customer service for a return or replacement. While it may lack some of the over-the-top features and brand-name support of other companies, you absolutely cannot beat the price point compared to what this bag offers. I would 100% go with this bag for 99% of my ventures (Denali-type being part of the 1%). I would be comfortable using this for Kilimanjaro (19,341 ft; rec'd -10 to -20 C, which this bag falls in) and will let you know if I end up doing so. It will satisfy any backpacking enthusiast (though there are other ultralight options that are lighter, but considerably more expensive) Final thoughts: As a last reminder, I would advise those who actually care about the state of their sleeping bag to look after it carefully. To fully extract the full value of sleeping bag and ensure it lasts for years to come, you have to maintain it before, during, and after each use. Many people forget that these suckers go through a lot of shit for our well being in the wilderness, so you need to treat it accordingly. Please visit camping/backpacking websites about standard sleeping bag maintenance and storage (prep, washing frequency, inner liner options, avoiding compression when possible, hanging bag between uses, etc). Safe travels adventurers! EDIT: Since the original review, price of the bag has increased from 189 (March 2020) to $229 (8/2020). If I'm being honest, this would have detracted me from taking this bag more seriously. One of the reasons I loved this bag was because its price point was <$200. I can't say for sure whether this pricing fluctuation is a result of demand or because of the pandemic. It still has excellent value compared to other 4-season bags, but clearly the 21% increase in cost does diminish some of that bang-for-buck value. I'd still at the very least consider this bag relative to other 3 & 4 season bags, but I would now change my review from 5 down to 4.5 stars.