Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass 15 Sleeping Bag Review

Bottom Line

If you’re new to down sleeping bags or looking for an affordable and quality upgrade, the Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass 15 is a fantastic value. Of all the top picks  on our best camping sleeping bags guide, this is one of our favorite down crossovers for backpackers and car campers.

Senior Gear Analyst Ian Krammer uses his Bishop Pass 15 often, with over 30 nights car camping and backpacking in the Colorado high country. It offers excellent comfort for 3-season conditions. With a leading warmth-to-weight ratio, smooth zipper, and overstuffed footbox, this model is comfy and lightweight for longer treks. We’ve used it in temps to 25°F and find its snug fit, cushy hood, and efficient design retain heat well. It packs down small, too, perfect for a backpack, trunk or storage closet. 

However, it has a few drawbacks. The material can be slippery and a bit loud, which may be distracting to some sleepers. The down requires special care compared to synthetic options. Additionally, the internal stash pocket is a bit shallow – and doesn’t have a closure – so items tend to slip out in the night. But when the overnight temperatures hover around freezing and you need a no-frills down mummy bag for just about any adventure, the Bishop Pass 15 is up to the task.

Comfort

The Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass 15 has all the comfortable elements we look for in a down mummy bag: a snug fit, exceptional warmth, and room in all the right places. Its mummy shape is not as narrow as some bags, with a slightly forgiving width that reduces heat loss and prevents dead spaces. Senior Gear Analyst Ian Krammer is 5’6 and finds the Regular size fits him well, with room to roll from side to back as needed.

The nylon material is buttery soft to the touch and we love the extra large draft tube at the collar to keep cold out. The ergonomic footbox offers just enough room to accommodate different positions. Plus, the hood fits a backpacking pillow well, and cinches down nicely, transforming into a cozy cocoon on chilly nights.

Our biggest complaint when it comes to comfort is that the 30D nylon is a bit slippery – and noisy. Ian is a fairly light sleeper, and it took a couple of nights to get used to the slight rustle of this material. If you’re a sensitive sleeper, it could be an issue.

Also, keep in mind mummy bags tend to fit the body tighter to reduce cold spots. That’s great when backpacking and camping in chilly, remote places. However, if you plan on mostly car camping, consider a more traditional and roomier bag with a rectangular shape for more space to spread out at night.

Warmth

The Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass 15 keeps things light on your back and heavy on warmth. Testing finds the 650 fill power down offers a stellar balance of warmth and weight right down to freezing. Ian’s car camped many times in Utah’s San Rafael Swell in spring and fall conditions, where temperatures regularly drop between 25°F and 35°F. The mummy shape keeps him warm by effectively trapping warm air, and the overstuffed footbox adds an extra layer of warmth for cold toes.

We love the extra large, contoured draft tube at the collar. It’s wide at the edges but narrow in the center, perfectly wrapping around the neck to block icy drafts and retain heat without feeling stifling. Wide draft tubes along the zipper block cold air almost completely, and the hood cinches nicely around the face with a single cinch cord.

Still, this version of the Bishop Pass 15 falls short in extreme cold. For us, the comfort range was between 25°F and 50°F. Keep in mind that it’s important to pair a warm bag like this with a high R-Value sleeping pad to take full advantage of the down – but with a proper setup, the Bishop Pass performs. If you’re looking for an even warmer option for shoulder seasons and winter, consider going with the Bishop Pass 0 (men’s / women’s) instead.

Also, this bag uses high quality down that requires a bit of extra maintenance compared to synthetic bags. For washing, down bags require a dedicated down-friendly soap.

Packed Size

The Bishop Pass is one of the smallest and lightest bags on our list: only 2 pounds, 5.4 ounces for the Regular size. It packs small, too, at only 8 by 15.5 inches. While our cutoff for ultralight status is generally 2 pounds or under, this one is still very light and easy to carry whether you’re 10 miles into the backcountry or 10 yards from your car.

Down insulation compresses well, making it a prime option if you want top-tier portability without sacrificing warmth. Mountain Hardwear also includes an easy-to-use compression sack, so it’s a breeze to carry in a backpack. We also love that Mountain Hardwear includes a mesh storage bag to keep the down fluffy in long term storage.

Features

Like most mummy bags, the Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass 15 has a simple but functional feature set. Ian is a big fan of the smooth zipper track with a large zipper plow that prevents snags. The Zipper toggles have large plastic loops that make it easy to locate and pull the zipper, even with gloves on. We appreciate that the hood is big enough to accommodate any sized backpacking pillow for added comfort, and the single cinch cord flops outside the bag and off our faces at night. 

That said, our only complaint is the design of the internal pocket. We’re glad there’s a pocket at all, as the majority of mummy models we’ve tested don’t have one. That said, the Bishop Pass 15’s pocket is not very handy. It’s shallow and narrow, and doesn’t have a closure. Ian usually stores his earrings in this pocket, but they regularly fall out and disappear into the bag after rolling over during the night. This is a small annoyance, though – overall, the Bishop Pass 15 gives us exactly what we want in a mummy bag: comfort, warmth, and a compact size for years of cozy adventures.

Should You Buy The Mountain hardwear Bishop Pass 15?

The Bishop Pass 15 is a smart choice for 3-season car campers, backpackers, and anyone who wants to upgrade to a down sleeping bag. Its comfortable materials and simple feature set work well when you’re in the frontcountry, but it translates to backpacking effortlessly thanks to the small packed size, cozy hood, and excellent warmth-to-weight ratio. The Bishop Pass’ overstuffed, ergonomic footbox and thick draft tubes along the zipper and neck – combined with a snug mummy shape – eliminate dead spaces for maximum heat retention. This bag was built for freezing temps and cold sleepers, and we love it for spring and fall nights. With remarkable quality for a fair price, this Mountain Hardwear bag is built to last for years of adventures.

However, the Bishop Pass 15 is not the best for dedicated car campers – the snug fit feels restrictive compared to wide synthetic bags, and packed size doesn’t matter when you’ve got a vehicle. The slippery, slightly noisy material may be a dealbreaker for sensitive sleepers. The internal stash pocket is a bit shallow, and in an awkward position, that can lead to those small items ending up all over your bag at night. Finally, down insulation requires a bit of extra care, which might not work if you want a low or no-maintenance option. That said, these aren’t dealbreakers – the Bishop Pass 15 is a durable, comfy mummy bag for cool nights under the stars whether you’re in the foothills for a night or trekking all week in the mountains.

What Other Camping Sleeping Bags Should You Consider?

Wondering how the Bishop Pass 15 compares to our other top picks? Check out our guide to the best camping sleeping bags. And if this one caught your eye, check out the closest competitors:

NEMO Disco Endless Promise 30 Review: The Disco shares a similar price point and weight, with top quality and outstanding durability. However, it’s lighter and much more spacious, and costs just a bit less.

Kelty Cosmic Down 20 Review: The Kelty Cosmic Down 20 offers excellent warmth, a narrow mummy fit, and similar features to the Bishop Pass 15. The biggest difference is that it’s much more affordable – though it weighs more.

The North Face One Bag Review: The One Bag is another great choice for cold weather and packs small. It has three different temperature ratings – 5°F, 20°F, and 40°F – but it comes with a steep price tag and is heavier.