Kelty Eclipse 15 Sleeping Bag Review
The Kelty Eclipse 15 ($195) swaps traditional zippers for an oversized comforter-style design intended to mimic the feel of your bed at home. While the concept is promising in theory, we found it hit-or-miss in practice and, at times, more hassle than a traditional zippered sleeping bag. Still, its roomy shape works especially well for campers who like to sprawl out, and the durable construction feels built to handle years of regular use. Just don’t be surprised by its very bulky packed size.
Warmth
Comfort
Durability & Quality
Features
Weight & Packed Size
Sustainability
Temp Rating
15°F (35°F)
Shape
Semi-rectangular
Insulation
Synthetic
Weight
6 lb. 1 oz.
Pros
Cons
Kelty Eclipse 15
For this season's top models, see our guide to the Best Camping Sleeping Bags.
Even with its unique, zipperless build, the Kelty Eclipse 15 delivers enough warmth to comfortably handle chilly shoulder-season nights. The bag carries an ISO Comfort Rating of 24 degrees Fahrenheit and an ISO Lower Limit Rating of 12 degrees Fahrenheit, which, in my experience, felt realistic. I spent a night in the Coconino National Forest, where temperatures dipped to around 36 degrees. Paired with a 5.4 R-value sleeping pad and wearing only shorts and a T-shirt, I stayed warm without drafts or cold spots, even without fully securing the bag’s integrated comforter to its raised side walls.
The Kelty Eclipse 15 also proved comfortable on warmer nights. While camping in Bears Ears National Monument with temperatures in the low 50s, I kept the comforter folded open and never felt overheated. While I didn’t end up needing it, there’s also a foot vent near the bottom of the bag for additional airflow. Overall, the Eclipse 15 feels warm enough for nights that dip below freezing, but versatile enough to remain comfortable during milder conditions too.
Much of the Eclipse 15’s comfort rests on its large, zipperless design—for better and for worse. On the one hand, I appreciated how roomy the bag felt, thanks to its spacious, semi-rectangular shape. As a side sleeper who frequently switches positions throughout the night, I never felt overly restricted. The comforter also folds back naturally like bedding at home, which made it much easier to regulate temperature evenly across my upper body on warmer nights.
That said, the zipperless system wasn’t always the smoothest to actually use. The attachment system was frustrating at times, and I often struggled to hook the comforter’s elastic loops onto the small plastic hooks along the sides. The hooks themselves can also be hard to locate at night, and there were several moments when I found myself fumbling around in the dark searching for them, when all I really wanted was to quickly seal the bag and go to sleep. The oversized comforter was also slightly too large for my liking, and I occasionally got tangled up in the extra fabric while turning over.
Personally, I still prefer more traditional, comfort-focused camping sleeping bags like my REI Co-op Siesta Hooded 20 or the Nemo Tempo 20, which feel easier to use while still offering a cozy draft collar I can curl up in. To end on a positive note, though, the Eclipse 15’s fabrics are soft and stayed quiet throughout the night, and its roomy shape feels far more comfortable than restrictive mummy-style sleeping bags.
The quality of Kelty gear I’ve used in the past has been spotty, but the Eclipse 15 feels strong and well-built overall. The bag uses a DWR-treated 30-denier recycled polyester ripstop shell and a 50-denier polyester taffeta liner. While it doesn’t feel quite as burly as my REI Siesta Hooded 20 or HunkerDown 20 with their thicker 75-denier shell fabrics, it also doesn’t require the same level of care as backpacking bags with paper-thin materials. Even smaller details like the stitching, elastic loops, and plastic hooks all felt solid in testing. In fact, the zipperless design can even be seen as a durability advantage, since there aren’t any zippers to snag and potentially tear the fabric, which I’ve experienced on my old REI backpacking bag.
The Eclipse 15’s marquee feature is its zipperless design, but the bag also packs in quite a few other thoughtful amenities. The top of the integrated comforter features hand pockets to let you grip and wrap the blanket around yourself. Personally, though, I found them a little awkward to use, especially while side sleeping. There’s also a foot vent near the base of the bag for additional airflow. While it does help release heat, I think it would have been more effective on top of the bag instead of underneath, since you still had to kick my feet out from under the footbox to really take advantage of the ventilation.
Some of the smaller features worked better for me. I especially liked the oversized hood, which fit my pillow from home, and the internal stash pocket is smartly positioned along the right raised side, rather than directly on your chest like on many sleeping bags. I could store my phone in it without feeling it awkwardly resting on my body. It’s clear this is a very feature-rich sleeping bag, and even though the amenities on my REI Co-op Siesta Hooded 20 and HunkerDown 20 feel a little more refined, it’s still an overall win over a simpler, less versatile alternative (like my REI Campwell 30).
Considering the Eclipse 15’s oversized comforter and roomy shape, I wasn’t particularly surprised by its massive packed size and hefty weight. The bag weighs 6 pounds 1 ounce and compresses to roughly 12.5 by 20.5 by 12.5 inches, or slightly smaller than a carry-on suitcase. In fact, it’s the bulkiest sleeping bag I currently own, which is saying something considering my Siesta Hooded 20 is already a voluminous camping bag weighing over five pounds. Compared to down-insulated options like the HunkerDown 20, the Eclipse takes up dramatically more space.
That said, it’s still easy to quickly stuff away without needing to carefully fold and roll it with military precision like cheaper Coleman sleeping bags often require. But it’s still worth noting that you’ll want to make sure you have enough room in your vehicle before committing.
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Recycled Materials
Recycled materials are prevalent in outdoor gear, with nylon, polyester, wool, and down among the most common, but the composition varies widely. A green check mark indicates the product is made with a substantial amount of recycled materials (100% recycled or the core fabric that makes up most of the product is recycled), a yellow check means it contains a moderate to small amount of recycled materials, while a red X means there are no recycled materials in the product.
Bluesign Approved
Bluesign Technologies, based in Switzerland, operates a third-party textile management system that ensures materials are manufactured to strict environmental, chemical, and worker safety standards. A green check mark indicates a product is either a Bluesign Product (contains at least 90% Bluesign-approved fabrics and 20-30% Bluesign-approved accessories) or features a significant amount of Bluesign-approved materials. A yellow check mark means it uses some Bluesign-approved materials but less than the aforementioned category, and a red X means there are no Bluesign-approved materials in the product.
Responsible Down
The Responsible Down Standard (RDS), developed by Textile Exchange, is the leading certification for responsibly sourced down and uses third-party audits throughout the supply chain to verify animal welfare, responsible farming practices, and safe working conditions. Recycled down is another responsible choice that helps reduce demand for newly sourced down while keeping existing materials in circulation. A green check mark indicates a product uses responsibly sourced or recycled down, a yellow check mark indicates the brand sources responsible or recycled down for the majority of its products but does not specify it at the product level, and a red X indicates the product does not use responsibly sourced or recycled down.
PFAS-Free DWR
Durable water-repellent (DWR) finishes can contain PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). These highly persistent “forever chemicals” are used in outdoor gear for their strong resistance to water, oil, and heat, but are linked to environmental contamination and a range of health concerns. A green check mark indicates the product uses a PFAS-free DWR, while a red X means the DWR contains PFAS.
Responsible Manufacturing
This criterion evaluates a brand’s commitment to fair wages, safe working conditions, and reducing environmental impact through certifications and programs like Fair Trade Certified, Fair Wear Foundation, Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP), and the Fair Labor Association, while also recognizing brands that manufacture primarily in the U.S. or Europe under strict labor and environmental regulations. A green check mark indicates a brand meets our responsible manufacturing criteria, while a red X means it does not.
Recycled and/or Reduced Packaging
Packaging can add significant waste to outdoor gear purchases, so many brands work to reduce its impact by using recycled materials, incorporating Forest Stewardship Council-certified paper products, and minimizing plastic and paper use. A green check mark indicates a brand uses recycled or reduced materials across all of its packaging, a yellow check indicates moderate or limited use of recycled or reduced packaging, and a red X indicates the brand does not make either of these efforts.
Repair Services
Repair services extend the lifespan of outdoor gear and reduce overall consumption, though programs vary widely. Some brands offer comprehensive repairs for a range of issues, while others provide limited or no repair support. A green check mark indicates a robust repair program, a yellow check mark indicates limited repair services, and a red X indicates the brand does not offer repair services.
Resale and/or Recycling Services
Resale and recycling programs help keep outdoor gear in circulation longer and out of landfills, ranging from trade-in resale platforms that offer store credit to take-back initiatives that recycle products at the end of their usable life. A green check mark indicates a brand offers both resale and recycling programs, a yellow check mark indicates it offers one or the two, and a red X indicates it offers neither.
Carbon Footprint Tracking
This criterion evaluates whether a brand measures, reports, and works to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions using established frameworks such as the Higg Index, Greenhouse Gas Protocol, or The Change Climate Project. A green check mark indicates a brand publicly reports greenhouse gas emissions data, sets clearly defined reduction targets, and uses established tracking frameworks such as Higg or The Change Climate Project. A yellow check mark indicates the brand tracks emissions and outlines reduction goals but provides limited data, lacks science-based verification, or does not clearly report progress. A red X indicates the brand does not appear to track greenhouse gas emissions or provides so little information that its efforts cannot be verified.
Annual Impact Report
Annual impact reports provide transparency and accountability by outlining a brand’s sustainability efforts across areas such as material sourcing, greenhouse gas emissions, waste, water use, supply chains, and packaging. A green check mark indicates a brand publishes a detailed, brand-specific impact report that closely aligns with our sustainability criteria and leaves little room for ambiguity. A yellow check indicates a brand provides some relevant sustainability reporting but lacks detail in key areas or is covered only briefly within a parent company report. A red X indicates a brand does not regularly publish an impact report.
I tested the regular version of the Kelty Eclipse 15, which is designed to fit users up to 72 inches tall and features a 65-inch shoulder girth and 63-inch hip girth. As someone who’s 5-foot-10, the bag felt plenty spacious, and I could shift between sleeping on my back and side without feeling restricted around my shoulders, hips, or feet. I did find that the oversized comforter occasionally felt a bit more cumbersome than I would have liked, and I sometimes found myself wrestling with the extra fabric while moving around at night. But overall, the bag felt comfortable and spacious rather than restrictive.
The Eclipse 15 also comes in short and long versions, making it easier to dial in the right fit.
The North Face Dolomite One ($200): Trade Features for Temperature Control
If you’re looking for even more three-season adaptability, consider The North Face Dolomite One. It uses a modular, layered system that lets you easily adjust its temperature rating to 50°F, 30°F, or 15°F, depending on conditions—a more precise approach than folding back or cinching tight the Eclipse 15’s comforter. Unfortunately, the design adds the hassle of managing multiple layers, and it lacks some of the extras we appreciate on the Eclipse 15, including a large hood. With only a $5 difference between the two, we think the Eclipse is the more practical option for most campers. To learn more, read our review of The North Face's Dolomite One.
Nemo Tempo 20 ($160): Similar Warmth and Comfort for Less
Unlike the Eclipse 15, the Nemo Tempo 20 does feature a zipper, but it still bucks tradition in plenty of ways. It uses a unique hourglass shape that’s roomy at the shoulders and knees while tapering at the hips, striking a nice balance between thermal efficiency and space. While you can’t let your feet out on a warm night, you can still cozy up with its oversized draft collar, and the hood includes a sleeve designed for smaller camping pillows. At under four pounds, the Tempo also takes up much less real estate when packed. Add in its $35 lower price tag, and you’ve got a cozy, more user-friendly sleeping bag (unless you want that foot vent) at an approachable price. For a deeper dive, read our Nemo Tempo 20 review.
The Eclipse 15’s signature feature is its zipperless design, though its execution—an oversized integrated comforter with attachment points to secure it to the rest of the bag—isn’t as refined as we’d like. But the bag still delivers impressive warmth and a spacious silhouette in a quality build.
Warmth
Comfort
Durability & Quality
Features
Weight & Packed Size
Sustainability
The Dolomite One’s three-in-one design is built to keep you comfortable in a variety of conditions, from warm summer nights to frosty shoulder-season camps. It comes with a hefty price tag, however, and requires a high amount of attention to detail.
Warmth
Comfort
Durability & Quality
Features
Weight & Packed Size
Sustainability
With Nemo’s classic hourglass shape, the Tempo offers a best-in-class balance of thermal efficiency and roominess. You’d be hard-pressed to find a softer, plusher camping bag. Our one gripe is its lack of ventilation.
Warmth
Comfort
Durability & Quality
Features
Weight & Packed Size
Sustainability
Is the Eclipse 15 for You?
If you’re tired of traditional zipper systems and want a roomy and versatile sleeping bag, the Kelty Eclipse 15 could be a good fit. It works well across a wide range of temperatures, from warm summer nights where you can fold back the top and kick your feet out, to nights right around freezing. That said, its oversized comforter is occasionally more cumbersome than convenient, and it’s undeniably bulky. In the end, the Eclipse is not our favorite all-around camping bag, but we also see it having true appeal for its bed-like design.
sleep under the stars
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