We’re cheapskates by nature, and love a bargain. And, we’re often willing to sacrifice a little in function or ease of use to score a good deal. But when we’re talking sleeping bags and the mercury starts dropping, we tend to open our wallets; cold nights in a tent can not only be uncomfortable, but flat-out dangerous in substandard gear.

So, we approached L.L. Bean’s new Adventure 25 mummy bag with caution. Sure, we’d been impressed with the performance of the Katahdin +20 bag; for $139, it performed beyond expectations and provided us with many comfy nights (it’s since been replaced by a new model, not yet tested). But the L.L. Bean Adventure 25 Sleeping Bag is priced at only $99??? And with a weight of just 3 lbs, 2 oz as tested? For a bag of virtually the same specs as the Katahdin? Well, we’ll see.

And we did. First test was on a night that crawled down  to just below freezing, and the tester (who does tend to sleep warm) didn’t even close down the hood. Over a handful of nights, our test crew took it lower and lower. Finally, one of our regulars, a bit crazier than most of us, threw on a second layer of heavier underwear inside it, added thick socks and a hat and slept comfortably at 15 degrees. Truly, he slept; only at the edge of dawn did he even start to feel like it would be chilly if he were stuck there for a few more hours without food. And this wasn’t in a cozy little 2-man tent; this was in an 8-man tipi with no floor to block air movement at ground level. He called the performance truly impressive. The rest of us called him nuts for even trying it.

Now we have to say here that we don’t generally recommend pushing a sleeping bag that far beyond its recommended temperature rating. But there are times when unexpected cold can make a bag that performs beyond spec really welcome.

One thing to note right away:  This bag isn’t the typical tight cocoon.  It’s very roomy for a mummy bag, which means there’s room inside for extra clothing layers if needed. But heating up all of that extra air space usually means a cold bag, especially for our smaller testers…but not here. Smaller testers reported rolling over and feeling cold spots as they moved, but the bag draped well around them and kept them from having to heat the extra space all the time. We normally expect that kind of drape from the soft fabrics in more expensive bags, so were surprised to find it here. The soft and slick taffeta liner that helps with the drape also made it great for side sleepers; it was easy to move around and roll without getting all twisted and tangled.  And, of course, this bag will work for larger sleepers, as well, making it a great bag not only for yourself, but also to have around as a loaner for kids and adults.

Speaking of larger sleepers, Bean claims this bag works for sleepers up to 5’11”. Our 6’2″ tester found it to be PLENTY long; with his feet down at the end, he reckoned he had roughly 4″ of room up in the hood. With testers as short as 5’3″ finding it comfortable and staying warm, that’s a pretty impressive range!

Of course, for a hundred bucks Bean couldn’t make everything perfect. The hood, in particular, is an interesting compromise. High-end hoods are elaborately pieced together to create a certain fit; a well-fitted hood helps seal in warmth but it also adds labor cost and drives the overall price of the bag up. Bean chose a simpler hood design with a fairly thick draft tube around the opening to help it seal better. It works, but took us some playing around to come up with the best way to use it, partially because the draft tube around the opening likes to pop out of the opening rather than staying inside to cushion our faces. In a higher-priced bag, you typically tighten the hood down so the opening is across your eyebrows and your chin is inside the bag, leaving only your mouth and nose exposed. This bag is a little different, largely because the hood is…large.  We found the best seal and most comfort from having the hood pulled down over our eyes, and the lower drawstring UNDER our chins; the draft tube then sort of billowed around our faces like a cloud. It felt a little odd, but ultimately proved both comfortable and functional.

And speaking of the drawstrings, that’s another weak spot. They’re very thin, and shaped exactly the same; a few pennies shaved there. But, it’s hard to get the cord lock to hold them firmly and it’s rolling the dice to try to pull the right one in the middle of the night. So, after your midnight pee break, you may find yourself cursing mildly as you try to get the hood adjusted around your face correctly again.  Not a big deal, just…a deal.

Ah, that’s right…”a deal.” And that’s exactly what this bag is, a smokin’ deal. If all you can afford is $100, you’ll be amazed at what you get; if you can afford a little more, your smartest option may be to buy this bag and put the extra money into a really good air mattress (we tested the bag primarily with the excellent Kelty Recluse 2.5i, which adds warmth, cushioning, and holds you remarkably well in the center of the pad). Having the right pad underneath will make ALL of your nights outdoors more comfortable, regardless of the bag you’re in. With the Adventure 25 you’ll have the extra dollars you need for a good pad. That’s extra value right there.

Bottom line: We can highly recommend the L.L. Bean Adventure 25 sleeping bag for everyone from backyard campers to serious backpackers. At a higher price, it would be a good bag; at their price, it’s a winner that testers have been actively choosing to take out over many more expensive options.