Nemo Disco 15 Sleeping Bag Review
OUR FAVORITE WARM AND COMFORTABLE SLEEPING BAG FOR BACKPACKING AND CAMPING AND SIDE SLEEPERS
The Nemo Disco is my favorite sleeping bag I’ve tested this year, and it is as comfortable on car camping trips as it is in the backcountry. I tested the Disco 15 on everything from warm summer nights and during the cold shoulder season in Southern Idaho. It not only kept me warm, but it is the roomiest sleeping bag I’ve used for backpacking, with a spoon shape made for side sleepers and some plus size folks like myself.
The Disco is not the lightest backpacking sleeping bag on the market. However, as someone who has struggled to find backpacking sleeping bags to fit my size 20/22 body, I found that I could sleep while on the trail without compromising warmth–a problem I have encountered in the past with most backpacking and mummy bags I have used.
The Disco 15 is also a solid option for those looking for a backpacking and camping sleeping bag at a price that is hundreds less than many of its competitors on the market. As an outdoors person who prizes versatility in my gear, comfort both in fit and temperature, and price, I find the Nemo Disco 15 (and 30, though I only tested the 15) to be a great bag that I see myself using for years to come.
The Nemo Disco 15 is also a winner in our Best Outdoor Gear for Plus Size People guide.
MEN'S
WOMEN'S
SPECS
EN Temperature Rating Lower Limit / Comfort Rating:
5 F / 17 F(women’s 15 F bag)
14 F / 25 F (men’s 15 F bag)
31 F / 41 F (women’s 30 F bag)
30 F / 41 F (men’s 30 bag)
Total weight (oz):
3 lb, 5 oz (women’s 15FF in regular length)
2 lb. 11 oz (men’s 15 F in regular length)
2 lb. 5 oz (women’s 30 F in regular length)
1 lb. 15 oz (men’s 30 F in regular length)
Fill Weight (oz): 29 oz (women’s 15 F in regular length)
Fill Power: 650
Hydrophobic Down? Yes
Fabric: 30D nylon ripstop
Shoulder (in) / Hips (in): 64” / 59” (men’s) and 62” / 58” (women’s)
Traceable/Responsible Down: Yes
COMPARISON TABLE OF SIMILAR MODELS
| SLEEPING BAGS | EXTREME / COMFORT RATING | INSULATION | WIDTH | WEIGHT* | MSRP** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nemo Disco 15 Down 15 Sleeping Bag (women's) | 5 F / 17 F | 650-fill-power down | shoulders up to 62", hips up to 59" | 3 lb. 5 oz | $319 |
| Nemo Disco 15 Down Sleeping Bag (men's) | 14 F / 25F | 650-fill-power down | shoulders up to 64", hips up to 60" | 2 lb. 11 oz | $349 |
| Nemo Disco 30 Down Sleeping Bag (women's) | 20 F / 31F | 650-fill-power PFC-free down | shoulders up to 64", hips up to 59" | 2 lb. 5 oz | $279 |
| Nemo Disco 30 Down Sleeping Bag (men's) | 30 F / 41 F | 650-fill-power PFC-free down | 1 lb. 15 oz | $299 | |
| Sea to Summit Cinder Down 35 | n/a for quilts | 750+ Loft ULTRA-DRY Down | n/a | 1 lb. 7.3 oz | $289 |
* Weight of Regular length
** Prices reflect MSRP and are subject to change. We note any discounts we see on our Deals page, which is updated daily.
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WHAT WE LIKED
Spoon shape that is friendly for side sleepers and larger bodies
Versatility
Features with ease and comfort in mind
True temperature rating
Waterproof footbox and water resistance
Zip pocket for electronics
KEY FEATURES OF THE NEMO DISCO SLEEPING BAG
TEMPERATURE RATING AND SEASON SUITABILITY
The Nemo Disco 15, which I tested throughout the summer and late Fall in Southern Idaho, Northern Utah, and Wyoming, performed well in a variety of temperatures ranging from 50s in June and July and as low as 20s in late October and early November. This is not a four season bag, as the comfort rating for the 15 has an ISO Comfort rating of 17F/ -8C and the 30 has an ISO Comfort rating of 31F/ -1C.
When it comes to sleeping bag testing, ISO (International Standards Organization) is the lab tested temperature ratings that are assigned to the bags, with each bag being assigned two ratings: comfort and limit. The “comfort” rating is the lowest temperature that an average person who sleeps cold will feel comfortable, while the “limit” rating is the lowest for where warm sleepers will feel comfortable. Although I don’t often sleep cold, I err on the side of caution and always pay attention to the “comfort” rating.
Although the Disco 15 kept me warm when the temperature dropped to 20° and snow had just started to fall, I would not use this bag in the winter without an additional liner to extend the temperature rating within the bag. In coastal areas, high desert, or other states that see overall mild temperatures in the winter, this bag can be an all year piece of gear. But for those who live in snowy and cold climates, like myself, the Nemo 15 is best for temperatures around or above freezing (freezing, according to the National Weather Service, is when temperature drops below 32°).
As I mentioned above, I tested this bag on a cold, 20° night in the Sawtooth National Forest and again on 25° nights in City of Rocks State Park, the ancestral land of the Ute and Shoshone-Bannock peoples. I am not a seasoned cold weather camper, as I am new to the area from California and have only done my winter camping along the coast where lows rarely dip below 45°. Outside of my bag, I was uncomfortable and cold as the evening wore on, but once I slipped into the Disco 15 I quickly warmed up. As I watched the temperature on my thermometer drop from 35° down to 20° I still felt safe and comfortable.
The Disco 15 sleeping bag felt the most comfortable in the upper 20s, and at the lowest I did feel cool in the bag. Nevertheless, I never felt truly cold and would likely have felt warmer had I worn wool baselayers as opposed to the synthetic running shirt I had on that was not made for winter sleeping. I feel confident that this bag can keep me through the night at these temperatures, but I would not go below the temperature rating to ensure safety.
One more important thing to note is that the design of the bag may impact how warm one feels in it. Due to the spoon shape and wider design, folks who are smaller and take up less space in their mummy bags may not be retaining as much warmth when using the Disco if there are several inches of extra room in the hips and footbox of the bag.
I advise trying the Disco on to see if you would have extra space that may lend itself to a colder night of sleep due to warmth not being retained in a loose fitting sleeping bag. This is a risk that one may encounter when choosing a bag that is less constricting versus a traditional mummy bag that is snug and confining, but is less likely to have cold spots.
INSULATION TYPE AND QUALITY
The Disco 15 in Long, which I tested as I am 5’9”, has a fill weight of 1lb, 14oz of 650 FP hydrophobic down insulation. The Disco 15 in Regular length has 1lb, 13 oz of 650 FP down. This lends itself to the temperature ratings that feel true to their purported temps.
The down fill of the Disco is PFAS-free and RDS-certified (Responsible Down Standard), which contains “down or feathers from farms certified to animal welfare requirements,” according to Nemo’s website. The down is also water resistant, but for those in very humid and wet areas, a synthetic fill bag may still be better as down is not as water resistant as synthetic fill.
That being said, if one were to spend an extra $40 or so on the Nemo Riff, which has 800 FP premium down, they might be kept slightly warmer on nights that hover at or above the temperature rating. Other bags with at least 800 FP down, like the Sea to Summit Flame Ultralight 15 or the Therm-a-Rest Parsec 20can cost over $100 more than the Disco, an amount of money I am happy to keep as the Disco 15 serves my needs.
Additionally, the Nemo Disco 15 features a draft collar and draft tubes along the zipper to prevent cold air from seeping in. This helps to create a cozy and insulated sleep environment, even in chilly weather conditions.
The bag also comes with a built-in pillow pocket, where you can insert extra clothing or a camping pillow for added comfort.
WEIGHT AND PACKED SIZE
I found the fill to keep the bag’s weight low enough for my uses on shorter backpacking trips, but ultralight backpackers or those looking to backpack for longer trips than I typically take may find the bag to be too bulky or heavy.
The lightest of the Disco options is the Disco 30 in Regular at 2lb 5oz., so the Disco line does not contain ultralight bags. In my many years of car camping and backpacking though, I tend to choose bags that are slightly heavier, since I am plus sized and struggle with fitting into traditional mummy bags.
The innovative spoon shape and the spaciousness that goes along with it inherently means that there is more space to fill and more material to pack down. This is a trade-off that I am willing to make for a bag that not only zips up, but I can comfortably turn and bend my legs in. Keep this in mind because if you are someone who counts ounces, the Disco is likely not your best choice.
The bag compresses down to 9.8L in the 15 Long, 9L in the 15 Regular, 6.6 in the 30 Regular, and 6.9 in the 30 Long. It fits in my Gregory Packs Kalmia 60 pack without much effort, but I was overall not impressed with the compressed size. But again this is the tradeoff with the Disco: a more spacious bag is also a bulkier and heavier bag.
SHAPE AND DESIGN
I remember first seeing Nemo bags in my local REI and being curious about whether they would fit me or not. As a plus-size outdoors person, I am used to gear not being made with my body in mind and I have spent almost a decade of my adventuring life using “men’s” sleeping bags because they have extra inches at the shoulders and waist that I need.
Although it has been years since I first noticed and was interested in Nemo’s spoon bags, I have not tried them until this article because the price point was always above my budget. I do think now, after testing the bag, that the design and shape make the Disco into my favorite piece of gear next to my Big Agnes tent, and it is well worth the price in my opinion (especially considering that is lower in price than many of its contemporaries on the market).
The bag, as mentioned multiple times, is a spoon shape. This means that the bag has a curve in the design as opposed to traditional mummy designs, which are wider at the top/head and shoulder area but become narrower towards the footbox. The Nemo Spoon Shape instead has extra width at the shoulders and knees area, creating curves in the bag’s design that accommodate side sleepers and, without intending to, those with extra inches on their hips and shoulders like myself.
Nemo has three design tailorings of its Spoon Shape: Athletic, Classic, and Relaxed. The Athletic Spoon Shape, which is on bags like the Nemo Riff, is slightly smaller in the hips, knees, and shoulders than the Disco, which is a Classic Spoon Shape. The Disco 15 Long has a maximum hip girth of 59 in, a knee girth of 62 in, and a shoulder girth of 64 in. The Riff 15 Long has a 54 in hip girth, a 59 in knee girth, and a 62 in shoulder girth.
The Relaxed Spoon Shape has the most generous cut in the hips, shoulders, and knees but is not as ideal for backpacking due to its heavier weight and bulk. I find the Disco to sit at an ideal middle place in terms of shape and fit, and the Spoon design is excellent in my opinion.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES (VENTILATION, POCKETS, ETC.)
The Nemo Disco 15 and 30 do not have the most bells and whistles I have seen on a sleeping bag, but I appreciated the additional ventilation and design features that ensure a comfortable sleeping experience.
The bags have Nemo’s Thermo-Gill vents, which take the shape of two long zippered vents on the torso of the bag. Unzipping allows for extra ventilation and warmth retention, which I will go into further detail about below when I share my experience with the bag’s thermal performance and sleep quality.
The Blanket Fold baffle and draft tubes are features that I appreciated on cold nights, as I could tuck into it and keep warm without creating a lot of condensation.
On the topic of condensation, I also loved the waterproof footbox on the Disco. A waterproof footbox, which I’ve never encountered with other sleeping bags, is to prevent a wet bag and thus wet feet when pressed against the wall of the tent at night. This was an issue I didn’t realize needed solving until it was solved with this bag, and as a tall person who often presses my feet against the walls of the wet tent I greatly appreciated the added protection.
As mentioned above, the Disco 15 has a built-in pillow pocket, where you can insert extra clothing or a camping pillow for added comfort.
Near the head of the bag there is also a small pocket for electronics, and it fit my airpod case and iphone easily. This prevents devices from freezing or getting too cold for use and is a welcome feature.
DURABILITY AND BUILD QUALITY
COMFORT AND SLEEPING EXPERIENCE
ERGONOMICS AND DESIGN FOR COMFORT
As mentioned throughout this review, the innovative Spoon Shape in the Classic tailoring makes the Nemo Disco stand apart from a sea of mummy bags that most consumers turn to for backpacking and even car camping purposes. The extra space at the shoulders, knees, and hips allow for easy turning in the bag. As a restless sleeper who often twists and turns in the night, the Nemo was a welcome shift from constricting mummy bags that are often too tight around my hips. The additional space also worked for me as a larger bodied person.
ROOMINESS AND SPACIOUSNESS
As explained in the Shape and Design section above, the Disco's Spoon Shape contributes to its roominess and spaciousness. The curved design is different than traditional mummy designs, which are wider at the top/head and shoulder area but become narrower towards the footbox. The Nemo Spoon Shape instead has extra width at the shoulders and knees area, creating curves in the bag’s design that accommodate side sleepers and, without intending to, those with extra inches on their hips and shoulders like myself.
SLEEP QUALITY AND THERMAL PERFORMANCE
The sleep quality in the Nemo Disco was high. In late summer I did feel warm in the 15 degree bag at night and unzipped the bag to add in ventilation and sleep with my leg out. This did not affect my ability to sleep nor did I wake up sweaty or clammy, something I have encountered with other sleeping bags in the past. If you’re a warm sleeper or sleeping in warmer climates, using the Nemo Disco 30 would serve you better than the 15.
The lining of the Disco is also a standout, using taffeta material that doesn’t feel as slick to the touch as most sleeping bags do. The materials of the bag are quieter as well, with less rustling at night as I twisted and turned.
MATERIALS USED IN CONSTRUCTION
The hydrophobic 650 FP down fill of the bag isn’t the highest quality down out there, but I found that it performed as well as my beloved REI Joule (now discontinued) with 700 FP down fill. The shell, footbox, and lining are nylon that feels strong and durable without being noisy when turning at night or moving around. Learn more about down fill here.
DURABILITY OF ZIPPERS, SEAMS, AND STITCHING
An issue I have encountered consistently with many bags over the years has been with the zipper. In the dark of the night or the early morning, I have tangled with many a zipper in my haste to get in or out of the bag, sometimes wiggling myself out instead of fighting with a zipper that gets constantly caught in its own material. I did not encounter that with the Nemo Disco, instead finding that zipping up and down to be fairly easy even when running to the bathroom in the middle of the night (we’ve all been there).
The zipper is a full length double slider #5 YKK zipper, with a plow. This means that the zipper is large enough to be pulled from different angles, in the dark, and with just one hand or two without a single snag. The Thermo-Gills, on the other hand, have a much smaller and slicker zipper which were somewhat difficult to unzip quickly and required more care when doing so.
Although I have not tested it, according to Nemo’s website the right zipper on the “women’s” bag (which only comes with a right zipper) can be coupled with the left zipper on the “men’s” bag, making a larger quilt/bag that can be shared among two sleepers. Unfortunately, the double bag can only be created with a men's bag plus a women's bag.
The seams on the Disco are strong. As a sewer I am often picky about seams on my gear, holding them up to the sun and pulling to see if any light comes through. The Disco’s stitching is firmly reinforced and durable, and I’m confident that it will last through many years to come.
The stitching placement on the Disco is also excellent, with seams running across the top of the footbox where the waterproof material begins and in vertical lines down the length of the bag, a seam pattern that seems to be made for heat retention and comfort.
LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE AND WEAR-AND-TEAR RESISTANCE
I am a backpacker and a camper who does not go anywhere without my dog, who is the ultimate tester of wear and tear resistance on a bag. I took a backpacking trip with just her in the Sawtooth National Forest in late August, testing the bag against a night spent on a rocky outcropping with uneven granite. This is also a testament to the durability and comfort of the Nemo Quasar sleeping pad that I often pair with the Disco.
Without the protection of the tent, the wind blew strong and scraped dirt along the top of the bag as my dog snuggled deep into my side on the outside of the bag (she sleeps with a Rumpl as her quilt, so she wasn’t cold!). In the morning, the bag didn’t have any abrasions or tears, and I have found that performance to be consistent across the nights I have used it.
After the coldest night of the bag’s use, my partner tossed it over a tree to dry in the morning and later pulled the Disco off quickly as we packed up. Still, there were no snags. The nylon shell of the bag feels tough but still pleasant to the touch, and I intend to keep using the bag without much fear of premature wear and tear.
EASE OF USE AND PORTABILITY
HOW EASY IS IT TO PACK AND UNPACK?
The Disco 15 came with a larger stuff sack for storage and a compression sack for packing the bag down as small as it can go. It performed well when tossed loosely in the larger net sack and when compressed down, and I did not get lost in the bulk of the bag. I did test the Long, so the bag itself is slightly longer than the Regular length and there is extra material to contend with, but I found it to be easy to store away and easy enough to compress down into my pack.
COMPATIBILITY WITH OTHER SLEEPING PADS
Unlike Big Agnes sleeping bags and some other sleep systems I tested for my sleeping bags guide, the Nemo Disco does not include a sleeve on the bottom of the bag for a pad. I tested the bag with the Nemo Quasar sleeping bag during the summer and early September on my backpacking trips, and with the Big Agnes Boundary Deluxe Insulated pad from Big Agnes during my late October trip.
The Disco performed well with both, though I was surprised to find I preferred using the Big Agnes pad with the Disco due to its upper material being a stretchy nylon fabric that felt more like a pillow top and was less slick than the polyester rip-stop upper of the Quasar. This is an observation that has more to do with the pads than the Disco itself, and I can see myself using the Disco on a variety of pads, from lightweight closed cell foam pads to cots.
WEIGHT AND BULKINESS FOR BACKPACKING
A trade-off with the Nemo Disco that one must face when choosing a roomier bag is the extra inches that are included in a larger bag. Extra inches equal extra ounces, and the Disco 15 and 30 are certainly not the lightest bags on the market. It's got a fill weight of 1 lb 13 oz and a compressed volume of 9L in the 15 Regular, and a fill weight 1 lb and compressed volume of 6.6L in the 30 Regular.
For my purposes as a regular backpacker who often shares my load with a partner and doesn’t go for longer than 3-5 days on the trail at a time, I found the Disco to be sufficiently low and the compression sack to do an adequate job with making the bag fit in my pack. On the last trip I took with the Disco, I decided to forgo compressing the bag as I was hiking out on my last day and instead stuffed it loosely in my Gregory Packs backpacking bag. It fit well around my other items and did not take up too much space.
PERFORMANCE IN VARIOUS CONDITIONS
WARMTH IN COLD WEATHER
The Disco 15 is a solid shoulder season bag, able to withstand chilly spring evenings and late fall nights. As someone who lives in a higher elevation country where snow and winter stick around for a longer time, I would not use the Disco 30 during the shoulder season and would instead use it more for summer and early fall camping.
VENTILATION IN WARM WEATHER
With the use of the Thermo-Gills to aid in ventilation, the Disco 15 did not make me feel smothered or too hot in the summer. I enjoy sleeping with a bag half unzipped, and found the sleeping experience to be breathable and comfortable in warmer weather.
MOISTURE RESISTANCE AND WATER-REPELLENT FEATURES
The waterproof footbox on the Nemo Disco gets my highest praise, and the synthetic outer materials are made for water-repellency. Of course, down will never be fully waterproof, but the hydrophobic down fill paired with the synthetic outer result in a bag that feels strong in the face of most condensation and wet conditions.
Unlike a waterproof bivy, I wouldn’t use this bag in a rainstorm without a tent or tarp shelter and expect to wake up fully dry, nor would I choose the Disco if I backpacked and camped in extremely humid conditions (in that case, I would opt for a synthetic filled bag to ensure water resistance). The Disco performed well when rain beat down on our tent and in the morning after breathing deeply in the cold all night, and I feel confident about using it in similar conditions in the future.
PERFORMANCE IN HIGH-ALTITUDE AND EXTREME CONDITIONS
As a shoulder season/three-season bag, I would not use the Nemo Disco in extreme cold without additional items like a liner. However, at 10,000 feet in the Sawtooths and Tetons the bag performed just as well as it did in my backyard at 5,000 feet, and I will certainly feel comfortable bringing the bag on more trips to high altitude areas.
Due to the down fill, I would not bring the bag to a snowy or exposed wet weather trip where I risk dampening the down and thus rendering the bag’s ability to keep me warm useless. Keep this in mind for humid and wet conditions.
In heavy winds though, the Disco performed excellently, withstanding gusts that felt around 30 mph or even stronger. The Blanket Baffle kept me warm, still, and protected inside the bag.
NEMO DISCO 15 VS 30
I tested the Disco 15, and in general I prefer a bag with a lower rating for versatility of use throughout the majority of the year, but if I were living in my home state of California still or somewhere else with warmer year-round temperatures I would instead opt for the Disco 30. The 30 is also smaller than the 15 by a few liters when compressed and lighter by a handful of ounces, which can be important when taking into account overall weight for backpacking.
Another reason to opt for the 30 is if you are a hot sleeper. My partner, for example, runs very warm and dislikes most traditional bags because of their inability to regulate their temperature through the night. For folks like this, choosing a bag with a higher temperature rating can help with this issue. As an added tip, one can also use a backpacking quilt like the Sea-to-Summit Cinder CD2 which can be easier to take on and off for ventilation purposes, which is what my partner sleeps with now.
Back to the Disco though, the decision regarding which temperature version to choose comes down to personal preference, use, and sleeping comfort. Both bags are identical in features and design so the sleeping experience is identical with the exception of fill weight, compression size, and temperature rating.
VIEW THE NEMO DISCO 30
WHAT COULD BE BETTER
The zipper on the Thermo-Gills of the Disco, as I mentioned before, are small and narrow, and are about the length of my pinky. With gloves it could be very difficult to zip and unzip the gills, and I needed to go slow even when I did it without gloves. I wish Nemo would use the same zipper design on the side of the bag as they do on the Thermo-Gills.
As with many pieces of gear, the Disco is not intentionally made for plus-size and larger people. The Spoon Shape happened to be a good fit for me, but if I were a few inches wider at my hips or arms I would struggle to zip up the bag. If Nemo were to make the Disco in a Wide or Extra Wide size they would reach a market that is mostly being ignored right now: plus-size and larger people who need comfortable and safe sleeping equipment for backpacking and camping.
Some user reviews of the Disco also highlight that the bag can sometimes result in cold spots as they move in the bag at night. I did not experience this, but my body took up a larger amount of space in the bag than many others likely do. I can imagine that this would be an issue for someone who is used to sleeping in a mummy bag, where the constricting design is made for consistent warmth.
SHOULD I BUY THE NEMO DISCO SLEEPING BAG?
In short: yes! The Disco 15 is my favorite sleeping bag I have tested thus far, performing overall best for me on backpacking trips and car camping excursions. I loved being able to move and stretch in the bag, a rare occurrence for me since I often feel strapped down and too tight in many other backpacking bags I’ve tried over the years.
The colors of the bag, which are greens with purple at the zippers in the main bag and gold overall in the new sustainable materials version, are attractive without being too bright, which I prefer over the neon colorways that many brands use on their gear.
Mostly, I would buy and recommend the Disco because it is light enough for most backpacking trips yet comfortable enough for a week of tent camping in a campground. The features, from the electronics pocket to the Blanket Baffle to the waterproof footbed, make it technical and agile on the trail. Sitting at $50-$200 less than other backpacking bags, it’s also a great entry level bag to start backpacking with. I wish I had the Nemo Disco when I was first starting my journey outdoors, and I can’t wait to use this bag through the next year once late spring and summer comes back to my area.
OTHER MODELS AVAILABLE
Nemo Disco 30
Temperature rating (men’s): 20 F (extreme) to 31 F (comfort)
Temperature rating (women’s): 30F (extreme) to 41 F (comfort)
Insulation: 650-fill-power PFC-free down
Weight: 2 lb. 5 oz (men’s regular length), 1 lb. 15 oz (women’s regular length)
Price: $279 (men’s), $299 (women’s)
I get into the specifics about the Nemo 30 above. It's got a fill weight 1 lb and compressed volume of 6.6L in the 30 Regular, that is 13 oz less and 2.4 L less than the Disco 15.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR / WHY YOU SHOULD TRUST US
I am a youth development worker who spent much of my early career in outdoor education and camp spaces, taking young people in nature to learn and immerse themselves in outdoor experiences that help them grow and develop. I also backpack and camp recreationally and have recently moved to Southern Idaho, where I have spent the summer and fall camping and backpacking through the Sawtooths, Tetons, and Albion ranges (like City of Rocks National Reserve). Along the way I brought the Nemo Disco 15 with me, and have come to turn to this bag for every trip I have taken and likely for every trip I take in the future.
You can read all of Gabi’s stories here.
