The North Face Green Kazoo sleeping bag review: Warm yet packable

The North Face Green Kazoo is a 3-4 season backpacking sleeping bag designed for very cold-weather adventures, while the brand's Blue Kazoo is the mid-weight version and the Gold Kazoo the smallest and lightest in the range.

For all-season Scottish camping (it snowed in June here), and as someone who sleeps very, very cold, the Green Kazoo seemed like my best choice. It's a winter sleeping bagwith a comfort rating of -8C, which translates as perfect for chilly, exposed nights with the wind whistling through the tent.

The North Face is perhaps better known for its large array of clothing rather than its camping equipment. As such, we’ve never actually got our hands on a The North Face sleeping bag to test here at LFTO. That is, until now.

I’ve been testing it out for the last few months in Scotland’s mountains and I’m ready to share my verdict.

Design and materials

The Green Kazoo is filled with 700-fill ProDown, a hydrophobic, responsibly-sourced down that offers impressive warmth for its weight. The bag uses 100% recycled materials throughout, including the face fabric and lining, and is certified to the Global Recycled Standard (GRS). It’s good to see sustainability built into the design as standard – brownie points to TNF here.

The outer fabric is 20D recycled nylon with a durable water repellent (DWR) finish. It handles light condensation and the damp conditions well, with no moisture ingress from the tent walls or groundsheet, despite feeling a little wet on the outside after a stuffy winter night.

The hydrophobic down helps maintain loft in wet weather, a real advantage for hillwalkers and bikepackers who camp out in variable conditions.

Performance and comfort

With a comfort rating of -8°C and a lower limit of -16°C, the Green Kazoo is clearly pitched at colder environments, but it managed to remain comfortable without overheating in low single-digit conditions in April. It warms up quickly once you’re inside and maintains an even temperature through the night – no walking up just before dawn shivering your socks off.

The trapezoidal baffle design helps keep insulation where it’s needed most, preventing the down from migrating and creating cold spots. There’s also an insulated draft collar and a snug hood that can be cinched in easily, both of which help trap that much-needed heat. Even during a night of 30mph gusts rattling the tent, I stayed super cosy.

The footbox is ergonomically designed with additional insulation — a small feature that makes a big difference in cold conditions. My feet stayed warm even when the rest of the tent, and my nose, felt chilly.

Internal comfort was good, with soft-touch fabrics and a roomier shoulder cut than some comparable bags. It’s not completely restrictive and there’s enough space to move around a little, though one of the bag’s drawbacks is that it’s not hugely roomy – more on that below.

Practical features

The Green Kazoo includes a 2/3-length anti-snag YKK zip, which allows for venting at the bottom in milder conditions. There’s a draft tube running the length of the zip to help prevent heat loss, and it proved effective during windier nights.

There’s a small internal stash pocket that can fit a phone or head torch — a helpful addition, especially when wild camping where you want essentials close at hand.

Packability is good for a down bag of this warmth. It compresses reasonably small using the included stuff sack, and the regular fit weighs around 1.4kg. It’s not ultralight, but it’s within the range that most backpackers and wild campers will find acceptable, particularly given its warmth-to-weight ratio.

Fit and sizing

Crucially for those 170cm and under, there is a short version, which lops 200g off what would otherwise have been a mid-weight winter bag. Getting this thing down to 1.2kg rather than 1.4kg has been wildly beneficial for me as a small woman, as it means I’m no longer heating up dead space. Plus, it both weighs less and packs down smaller in my bag.

However, it’s also quite a close fit through the torso. This is a snug bag all in all, so if you like more flex, either size up or consider looking at the Nemo Disco 15. Taller users may want to opt for the long version to avoid compressing the insulation at the feet or shoulders. The mummy shape is tapered enough to be thermally efficient without being claustrophobic.

It’s worth noting that, while the narrower fit is great for warmth, those who prefer a roomier feel or who tend to shift positions in the night may find it overly restrictive.

Durability and build quality

Build quality is solid, with high-quality stitching and no loose threads or baffles showing signs of stress after several weeks of use. The fabric feels lightweight but durable enough for regular bashing about.

Care will be needed around rocks or rough surfaces due to the thin face fabric, but this is common across most high-end down bags.

The DWR treatment held up well during the test, and the bag didn’t absorb any noticeable moisture despite a few damp ground conditions and high humidity. It was stored loosely between uses and lofted quickly each night without issue.

Value for money

An RRP of £390 puts the Green Kazoo at the mid-to-high end of the down sleeping bag market. It offers excellent thermal performance, sustainable materials and proven reliability in cold, damp conditions.

While it’s not cheap, you’re getting a very capable 3–4 season bag suitable for shoulder-season use in the UK and winter trekking in milder climates.

Compared to ultralight bags in the same temperature range, it offers similar performance for a fraction of the price, albeit at a slight weight penalty.

Verdict

The North Face Green Kazoo is a well-designed, high-performance sleeping bag that handles British winter conditions with ease. It’s warm, packable and thoughtfully made, with enough features to satisfy most wild campers and backpackers. While not the lightest or roomiest bag on the market, it strikes a strong balance between insulation, weight, and durability.

For more options, see our list of the best sleeping bags you can buy right now.

About the author

LFTO writer Fliss truly embodies the ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ philosophy when it comes to outdoor activities. She enjoys everything from ski touring to trail running, winter scrambling, kayaking, surfing, mountain biking, climbing, snorkelling and foraging, and spends almost every weekend outside with pals, chasing that type-one fun.