Walking Equipment and Accessories

Nemo Disco Endless Promise 15F Sleeping Bag | Review

A cosy down sleeping bag that’s part of an admirable circularity programme by the U.S brand

This is a luxuriously lofty sleeping bag that makes for a very comfortable night’s sleep in temperatures as low as -3C. There’s a lot more to like about it too, first of all because it has some innovative design details and secondly because there are some excellent sustainability efforts behind it.

Features

To start with, what’s a bit different about the NEMO Equipment Disco sleeping bag is its shape. It’s specially designed for side sleepers, giving extra room at the knees and at the elbows while narrowing at the feet and lower torso. This gives wiggle room where it’s needed while also ensuring that the overall weight is still light – 1.3kg to be precise.

OM editor Will demonstrates the oversized draught collar. Photos: Dave Macfarlane

I tend to toss and turn a bit when I sleep and can switch from one side to the other and from my front to my back (yes, I’m a nightmare to sleep alongside) and I’ve found this is actually comfortable and well insulated whichever way I sleep, so I don’t think it’s strictly only limited to side sleepers.

Another interesting thing about the Nemo Disco is that it has ‘thermo gills’. These are little zipped vents at the torso that can be opened up when you want to dump heat and they’re covered by a very thin layer of fabric that lets warm air escape will keeping out draughts. A two-way zip also gives a venting option down at the base of the sleeping bag.

Then there’s the blanket fold. This is basically a little insulated flap at the top of the sleeping bag that serves as an oversized draught collar and something to tuck around your hands. When you want to dump heat quickly you can simply flip it outside of the bag.

It has an anti-snag zipper – which works really effectively from my experience – a cinchable hood collar and a footbox that creates a little heat trapping cavity for your toes. What’s more, the footbox has a waterproof shell fabric and so too does the sleeping bag’s hood. This is a super nice touch that protects the insulation from being exposed to the damp walls at the end of a tent. I’ve been on a lot of trips where I could really have used this in the past.

It comes with a stuff sack with compression straps and with a cube-shaped storage bag that allows the sleeping bag to be stowed away more neatly alongside other items of gear.

Sustainability

What’s particularly impressive about this sleeping bag is Nemo’s commitment to circularity with it. Through its Endless Promise programme, Nemo ensures that every item can have a second life – whether it’s through repair, resale, or recycling. Owners of the Disco bag can either repair minor issues at home or take advantage of their comprehensive warranty service. If the bag is no longer needed, it can be resold through Nemo’s online program, ensuring it continues to be used rather than discarded. On top of this, if the product happens to reach the end of its usable or repairable life, Nemo also offers a recycling option that ensures minimal waste.

Central to this process is Nemo’s focus on a mono-polymer design which makes the Disco bag easier to recycle. By constructing the bag from nearly a single material family—primarily polyester—Nemo simplifies the recycling process, as polyester is currently one of the most recyclable materials in consumer goods.

The Disco sleeping bag also features REPREVE® recycled yarns, created through Nemo’s partnership with Unifi. These yarns are made from post-consumer plastic waste, further reducing the environmental impact of manufacturing.

For end-of-life recycling, Nemo works with Allied Feather + Down in Los Angeles, where the down insulation can be extracted from the bags. The remaining materials are sent to Ambercycle, an advanced chemical recycler also based in Los Angeles. Ambercycle’s cutting-edge technology breaks materials down to the molecular level, allowing them to be rebuilt into a new infinitely recyclable product.

Performance

This is a very lofty and cosy bag that, I’ve found, is the right kind of insulator for three-season trips that don’t drop too far in the minuses. The waterproof materials at the top and bottom did the job I wanted them to do during my tests – I particularly liked the fact I could sit in the bag in a camping chair without worrying about the wet grass soaking through. There’s also that extra reassurance from the fact that the down has a hydrophobic treatment.

At 1.3kg, it’s slightly at the heavier end of the scale for three-season down sleeping bags and that, I guess, is the price to pay for the extra details you get here. As such, I think ultralighters who just want something that gets the basics right might want to look elsewhere. For me personally, it’s a sleeping bag I’ve been happy to carry with me on weekend wild camps and I’ve appreciated having that extra comfort at night.

This bag I reviewed is the 15F (-3C) version but there’s also or a cooler and lighter 30F (4C) one too. Both bags come in regular or long lengths. I’m 5 foot 10 and found the regular length was perfect for me. You can find the exact width and length measurements on the Nemo website at nemoequipment.com.