Unpopular opinion: my $180 sleeping bag beat my buddy's $400 one on a 28 degree night in Bend
Two seasons back I had to pick between a synthetic bag on sale for $180 and a down bag my friend swore by at $400, and I went cheap because I sleep hot and hate babying gear. That night in Bend it hit 28 and I stayed warm in just a base layer while he was zipping up a puffy at 2am, and he still brings it up every trip. What specs do you actually check before trusting a temp rating, or do you just test every bag once in the cold and see?
What temp do you trust when the rating is more about survival than comfort? I used to roll my eyes at people who spent big on bags, but after getting cold in a cheap one I started checking the comfort rating and fill power instead of just the number on the tag.