Advnture Verdict
A budget, summer-only sleeping bag that punches above its price point when it comes to detailing and a female-specific fit – as long as you’re on the short and petite side.
Pros
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Very affordable
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Nicely fitted to the female body
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Good extra design touches
Cons
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Only suitable for spring and summer
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Too short and small to work for tall or curvy women
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Berghaus Women’s Transition sleeping bag: first impressions
We were intrigued to see the Berghaus Women’s Transition sleeping bag on sale for such a low price – could it really stand up on test against bags four times its price?
The answer, on first examination, seemed to be that – exactly as Berghaus attest – this is an ‘ideal fair-weather bag’. It’ll only keep you warm in spring and summer, with a comfort rating of 5°C / 41°F, but if you fancy going for a female-specific fit for your next camping holiday or festival, it’s a decent choice (see: Types of sleeping bag).
The Transition has a wider fit around the hips and is shorter than the men's version of the bag, thus providing for superior thermally efficiency. It also uses a Mummy-style design with an adjustable snood hood and tips the scales at a very reasonable 1.38kg/3lbs.
RRP: £65 (UK)
Style: Mummy
Weight: 1,380kg / 3lbs
Length: 200cm / 79in
Max user height: 171cm / 5ft 7in
Fill: Synthetic
Comfort: 5°C / 41°F
Limit: 0°C / 32°F
Compatibility: Festivals and casual summer camping in fair weather
In the field
On test we found that the design of the Transition is definitely better fitted to the female form than most (perhaps any) unisex bag available for a similar price – it’s wider around the hips, and shorter in general.
The downside is that the Transition is very short and small. It definitely doesn’t fit tall or curvy women well, and we’d only recommend it for teens or adults who are under 5ft 5in and with a slim build, as everyone else will find it too restrictive.
Besides that, there are some nice extra design touches here for the money that put the Berghaus Transition well ahead of other sleeping bags at similar prices, including an internal bungee cord for adjusting the hood once you’re inside the bag, and a section for popping your camping pillow in to keep it in place, which we loved on test as we constantly lose pillows in the night. For more on all of the above features, check out How to choose a sleeping bag.
If you are quite petite and looking for a good value sleeping bag, the Transition is a good addition to your camping kit setup for summer. If you’re not, then check out the rest of our Best women’s sleeping bags.
