The SJK Middle Fork 20/30 Sleeping Bag is a thick and roomy bag rated for 20-30 °F, making it warm enough for spring, summer and fall camping. Its rectangular design and affordable price point make it a great bag for zipping two together.
To get us a closer look, SJK sent Man Makes Fire two review units for just this purpose. After testing the bags while camping this summer, this is what we learned:
SJK Middle Fork 20/30 Sleeping Bags
The new SJK Middle Fork 20/30 Sleeping Bag is a thick, comfortable and affordable full-size sleeping bag that’s great for 3-season camping.When you’re choosing a traditional rectangular sleeping bag online, it’s hard to get a read on thickness, comfort, and quality — and that’s why I’m writing this review.
The SJK Middle Fork 20/30 Sleeping Bag is thick and comfortable with plenty of insulation. The temperature rating, in my experience, seems accurate. On one September night, temperatures dropped down to the low 30s and I was plenty warm, which is where I would expect the comfort rating to be with this bag.
If you’re a warm sleeper on average, you might be comfortable down to 20° or so, but I’d likely need to wear some base layers to enjoy 20°.
Of course, some manufacturers will test their sleeping bags to ISO standards, but even then there can be a lot of variation. For instance, most ratings are conducted under the expectation that the sleepers will be wearing base layers — but most consumers don’t plan their camping warmth around their pajamas.
If you’re a cold sleeper, I usually recommend that you add 10° to whatever the manufacturer rates the bag to get a better sense of what you can expect while camping. For example, with the Middle Fork, I would expect most people to sleep comfortably down to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. If you’re looking for a super-warm bag, check out the South Fork or North Fork versions noted below.
Fabric Feel
The SJK Middle Fork 20/30 Sleeping Bag uses a soft brushed polyester taffeta for both the shell and liner fabric.Many inexpensive camping sleeping bags use slick nylon or polyester shell fabrics. The SJK Middle Fork 20/30 Sleeping Bag, on the other hand, uses a slightly textured polyester taffeta shell. It has a soft and pleasant feel on bare skin.
One benefit to the polyester taffeta shell over slicker nylons is its ability to not slide around on an air mattress or sleeping pad. The SJK Middle Fork 20/30 Sleeping Bag stays put reasonably well on air mattresses as you sleep.
The interior lining is also a polyester taffeta. One benefit is that it feels warm, but it is — like cottons and flannel linings — a bit grabby on textured clothing. This is neither a pro nor a con — slick linings let base layers slide around easily but don’t feel as good on bare skin. It’s handy to know what it’s like in case you have a personal preference. The SJK Middle Fork 20/30 Sleeping Bag lining has a relatively dense weave, so it performs pretty well with t-shirts and base layers — not too slick, not too grabby.
Check Middle Fork 20/30 sale pricing at Sportsman’s Warehouse!
Zipping Two Together
The SjK Middle Fork 20/30 uses big two-way self-healing zippers that make it easy to zip two bags together.Whenever I buy rectangular sleeping bags, I like to buy them in pairs — and make sure that they’re compatible so they can be zipped together to create one big sleeping bag.
For families out camping with young kids that might get scared, cold, or are just fussy, having a super warm space big enough for parents to add a small child to get through the night in comfort is a big deal.
Sometimes it’s also just nice to share a double bag with your partner — which is why double sleeping bags that zip together make our best camping gifts for couples recommendations every year.
SJK Middle Fork 20/30 Key Specifications
Length: 80″
Shoulder Circumference: 78″
Fits to: 6’5″
Fill Weight: 5 lbs
Total Weight: 6.9 lbs
Packed Size: 20″ x 15″
Shell Fabric: Brushed polyester taffeta
Liner Fabric: Brushed polyester taffeta
Insulation: SlumberLoft
The SJK Middle Fork 20/30 Sleeping Bag comes with an included stuff sack. Unlike much of the cheaper competition, SJK sized the stuff sack large enough that you can roll the bag and easily get it back into the stuff sack!
SJK Sleeping Bag Alternative Options
SJK makes two additional sleeping bags with the same dimensions as the Middle Fork but with different fabrics and amounts of insulation. They also deliver very competitive price-to-value ratios. If you’re looking for a warmer bag with a different fabric feel, consider these alternative SJK options:
SJK South Fork 15/25 Sleeping Bag — The South Fork 15/25 is a slightly thicker, slightly warmer sleeping bag than the Middle Fork 20/30. It shares the same size and shape. The key benefit and difference is the fabric: The shell is a cotton twill while the liner is a cotton flannel. Choose the South Fork if you want a cozy cotton feel.
SJK North Fork 10/20 Sleeping Bag — The North Fork 10/20 also shares the same basic size as the Middle Fork 20/30 and South Fork 15/25 sleeping bags. The key difference is that the North Fork 10/20 sleeping bag has an extra pound of insulation and uses a more rugged heavy cotton duck shell fabric. The liner fabric is a cotton flannel. If you’re looking for extra warm comfort in a sleeping bag that will last for years, choose the North Fork 10/20.
The Bottom Line
The SJK Middle Fork 20/30 Sleeping Bag is a great summer camping sleeping bag with a competitive, affordable price-to-value ratio. It’s roomy, comfortable, and warm enough for spring and fall camping down to around 30 °F. Highly recommended.
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