Gear Review: A Sleeping Bag for Stomach Sleepers

BY TIFFANY NIESLANIK

One thing has always held me back on camping trips—or, maybe, kept me up. I am, for better or worse, a stomach sleeper. In backcountry treks in the Tetons and family car camping at the Sand Dunes, I’ve tried as hard as I could to fall asleep on my back. I’d finally succeed, only to wake up gasping for air a few short hours later, fighting my way out of a mummy bag's death grip, the zipper having disappeared when I inevitably rolled over. 

Enter the NEMO Forte 20 sleeping bag, which claims to have been made for side and stomach sleepers. The Forte touts its “Classic Spoon shape,” which offers more room at the knees, elbows, and shoulders as the solution to my sleep problem. Intrigued, I decided to take a chance on it.

The curvy shape offers space to roll over to your side or stomach without shifting the whole bag around. The extra room at the shoulders gives me space to tuck my hands under my head and spread my elbows like wings. The Forte also features a fancy draft collar that can either be tucked in for greater insulation, or left on the outside of the bag for ventilation. The design allows me to be on my stomach with the sleeping bag fully zipped up and this flaptucked in around my shoulders, keeping cold air out. During a recent trip to the Colorado mountains, I was warm and cozy in just long underwear when the nights dipped into the mid-to-low 30s, thanks to these features. 

The three-season, synthetic Forte is available in regular or long lengths and features zipper vents for camping in warmer weather, too. It is lighter and packs down smaller than many car camping bags, but is definitely bulkier than most people would want for an extended backcountry trip. But in my opinion, this sleeping bag is a game-changer for stomach or side sleepers thanks to its shape.