Big Agnes looks back at 20 years of making sleeping bags and pads, tents, and other camping staples. And to mark the occasion and show its gratitude, the brand is giving away a sleeping bag and pad at retail locations.
Two decades of innovation is a big accomplishment, and Big Agnes has built a reputation with its tents, sleeping bags, jackets, and more. Many of its first designs are still in rotation, although updated to be lighter, tougher, and warmer. Whether focused on ultralight gear or more casual camping, the brand offers a range of dialed products.
Here’s a look back at some of the brand’s standout products and, to really mark the occasion, details on how you can win a new sleeping bag and pad during the Big Agnes 20th Anniversary celebration.
Celebrate Big Agnes’ Anniversary
Big Agnes History
Big Agnes started with a focus on better gear for sleeping in the backcountry. Among its earliest innovations is the System Sleeping Bag. Now available in multiple models, the brand launched into the limelight by designing a way to prevent campers’ sleeping bags from sliding off their sleeping pads.
By making overnight camping more comfortable, Big Agnes gear allowed committed hikers to rest better during long treks, and new campers would sleep outside more often.
Since then, the company has grown into an award-winning outdoor brand, with more than 70 employees. It is still headquartered in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Here’s a quick rundown of its defining milestones along the way.
- 2001: Launched first sleeping system bags as well as the Air Core Sleeping Pad, which won major awards in the following years
- 2004: Introduced superlight tents with the Seedhouse series
- 2007: Began using recycled content in its sleeping bags and pads
- 2008: Debuted the iconic Copper Spur UL3 tent
- 2009: Introduced the Fly Creek UL1, a freestanding tent weighing less than 2 pounds
- 2013: Moved into apparel with the Hole-in-the-Wall puffy jacket
- 2014: Extended use of DownTek water repellent down in all of its down-filled sleeping bags
- 2017: Adopted 75 miles of the Continental Divide Trail
- 2019: Entered the camp furniture category
- 2020: Introduced expandable mummy bags
Years of Praise: From Us
GearJunkie hasn’t been around as long as Big Agnes, but we’ve certainly been among the many reviewers to heap praise and accolades on its gear.
In 2013, Big Agnes racked up industry awards with its Fishhook SL2 zipperless tent, including our Best in Show.
In 2015, the Rattlesnake mtnGLO backpacking tents introduced integrated ambient lighting, with LEDs sewn into tent bodies, winning five major industry awards.
Last year, we named the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 the Best Overall Backpacking Tent. We also called the Diamond Park 30 sleeping bag “hands down the most comfortable bag we tested” and ranked it the runner-up for Best Overall Sleeping Bag.
Win Gear: Big Agnes Birthday Giveaway
Big Agnes officially turns 20 on May 1. The brand’s website will update throughout the month with looks back over its years of achievement.
From May 8 to 31, the brand is encouraging campers to stop into one of its participating retailers across the country. There, they can fill out an entry form and drop it in the contest box for a chance to win a Torchlight Camp 20-degree sleeping bag and a Q-Core SLX sleeping pad ($330 retail value).
Every retailer will award a bag and pad combo. Additionally, the retailers also have giveaway prizes like T-shirts, water bottles, koozies, and other Big Agnes 20th Anniversary gear.
What You Win: Big Agnes Sleeping Pad/Bag System
Big Agnes redesigned the Q-Core SLX sleeping pad to be lighter, as well as easier to inflate, deflate, and pack smaller. It also stays warmer, using PrimaLoft Silver Insulation, and sports an R-Value of 3.2 by independent third-party testers.
The three-season Q-Core SLX is 3.25 inches thick with 3.5-inch larger outer chambers to keep you cradled on the pad. The pad uses offset I-Beams for multidirectional support and stability. An included upcycled inflation sack will save you from huffing and puffing to fill your bag.
The new Torchlight Camp Series of sleeping bags is a trickle-down of tech for car campers to enjoy the customizable fit of the bag’s expandable side panels. Each panel runs from shoulders to footbox and can create up to 10 extra inches of sleeping space when opened. Its FireLine Pro synthetic insulation traps and distributes heat and is still packable for short excursions.
Celebrate Big Agnes’ Anniversary
This article is sponsored by Big Agnes. Learn more about the brand’s gear and anniversary contest here.
