Big Agnes Sidewinder SL 20 Sustainability Report

The Sidewinder SL’s 20-denier shell holds up well to regular backpacking use, though it’s not as rugged as some designs. Patches of synthetic insulation add resilience but will pack out faster than down. An anti-snag zipper and solid build quality give it a good lifespan if treated with care.

Choosing durable outdoor gear is perhaps the most effective way to reduce environmental impact—the longer it lasts, the less it needs to be produced. Our proprietary longevity rating evaluates overall build quality based on factors such as materials, fabric denier, component durability (including zippers and toggles), real-world performance as reported by our field testers, and our experiences with the brand. Overall, we feel strongly that reducing overall consumption is a cornerstone of sustainability.

The down insulation in the Big Agnes Sidewinder SL 20 is certified to the Responsible Down Standard. All of Big Agnes’s down-insulated sleeping bags and apparel adhere to the Responsible Down Standard, while its synthetic down sleeping bags use 50-100% recycled insulation.

The Responsible Down Standard (RDS), set by The Textile Exchange, is the leading certification for sustainably sourced down in the outdoor industry. The RDS ensures that down suppliers use sustainable land management practices, prioritize animal welfare, and provide workers with safe working conditions and fair wages. Third-party audits are conducted at all stages of the supply chain, starting with the farm that supplies the down. Recycled down is another responsible choice that helps reduce demand for newly sourced down while keeping existing materials in circulation.

The Sidewinder has a PFAS-free durable water-repellent finish. All new or updated Big Agnes products since 2025 are produced without intentionally added PFAS. Products that haven’t been updated may still contain these chemicals. For some of its down-insulated products, the company uses DownTek, which is a PFAS-free, Bluesign-approved water-repellent treatment.

The DWR (Durable Water Repellent) finish is a product’s direct defense against outside moisture, and commonly contains PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). These synthetic compounds, known as "forever chemicals,” are found in a range of gear categories, from jackets to footwear. They resist water, oil, and heat exceptionally well, making them ideal for outdoor use, but their nearly indestructible nature also means that they take an extremely long time to degrade in nature, if at all. PFAS can eventually end up in everything from soil to drinking water and have been linked to a range of health issues.

The synthetic insulation in the Big Agnes Sidewinder SL 20 is made from 100% post-consumer recycled polyester. Big Agnes doesn’t report the total amount of recycled content it sources, but it uses recycled materials in many products, including tents, sleeping pads, sleeping bags, and backpacks. These materials include NetPlus post-consumer nylon and Regen Ocean Robic nylon, which are both made from recycled fishing nets.

Outdoor gear can be made partly or entirely from recycled materials, the most common being nylon, polyester, wool, and down. Some products include a single recycled component or a partially recycled fabric, while others are 100% recycled (generally excluding accessories like zippers, Velcro, toggles, etc.). For our sustainability ratings, we evaluate the amount of recycled materials in a particular product and assign points accordingly.

The Sidewinder’s down insulation features a Bluesign-approved hydrophobic coating. Big Agnes isn’t a Bluesign System Partner. However, the down in its sleeping bags is treated with DownTek, a Bluesign-approved water-repellent technology.

Bluesign Technologies, based in Switzerland, operates a third-party textile certification system that ensures materials are manufactured to strict environmental, chemical, and worker safety standards. A Bluesign-approved material indicates that it has undergone a rigorous vetting process based on the criteria above. A Bluesign Product goes the next mile, containing at least 90% Bluesign-approved fabrics and at least 30% Bluesign-approved accessories.

Big Agnes maintains a supplier code of conduct that its manufacturing partners must adhere to. However, the company doesn’t enforce its code of conduct through a third-party program that provides certification and regular audits to ensure safe working conditions, fair wages, and reduced environmental impact. Therefore, it doesn’t meet our responsible manufacturing criteria.

This criterion evaluates a brand's commitment to fair wages, safe working conditions, and reducing its environmental impact throughout the production process. Responsible manufacturing is most commonly demonstrated through certifications and membership in programs such as Fair Trade Certified, Fair Wear Foundation, Worldwide Responsible Accreditation of Production, and the Fair Labor Association. We also recognize brands that prioritize local production, such as those that manufacture primarily in the United States or Europe, to reduce carbon emissions, maintain better oversight of working conditions, and comply with strict social and environmental regulations.

Big Agnes is taking steps to reduce packaging, such as removing individual poly bags from most tent poles and all camp furniture frames. It also uses recycled poly bags and transitioned its sleeping pad packaging from corrugated cardboard boxes to Forest Stewardship Council-certified paperboard wraps.

Packaging can add significant waste to an outdoor gear purchase and often ends up in landfills. Many brands are using recycled packaging and/or making efforts to reduce packaging altogether. For example, they may use a certain percentage of recycled cardboard or make efforts to use less plastic or paper across their packaging operation. In some cases, brands also use Forest Stewardship Council-certified paper products, which helps to ensure sustainable sourcing of forest materials.

Big Agnes offers extensive repair services for its products, assisting over 6,000 customers and providing over 1,500 parts for at-home maintenance in 2022 (the only year for which it discloses data). It performs repairs for free under its limited lifetime warranty against material and manufacturing defects, while damage due to misuse, wear and tear, or improper care is addressed at the company’s discretion for a reasonable charge.

Repair services extend the lifespan of outdoor gear and reduce overall consumption. Some brands offer comprehensive repair programs that can fix a wide range of issues, while others have more limited capabilities. If a brand's warranty policy only covers replacement, rather than repair, these programs usually do not meet this criterion.

Big Agnes operates a recycling program called 2nd Routt, which enables customers to trade in used gear for credit. Items sent to the program are either recycled, disassembled for repair parts, or donated. The company’s Circle Back sleeping pad is also designed to be recyclable through the program at the end of its life. While Big Agnes sells demo and open-box products, it doesn’t accept used gear for resale.

Resale and recycling programs help keep outdoor gear in circulation for longer and out of landfills. The most common form is a trade-in program, where consumers can exchange items for store credit, which is then resold. Some brands accept products back for recycling at the end of their life, thereby reducing waste. Occasionally, some do both.

Big Agnes tracks its greenhouse gas emissions across all scopes and has set targets to reduce them. However, it doesn’t publicly share its year-over-year emissions data or reduction targets. Its three U.S. facilities purchase 100% renewable energy through offset programs, though.

This criterion evaluates whether this brand measures its greenhouse gas emissions, along with its commitment to reduction and transparency in reporting. Typically, we require brands to follow established frameworks such as the Higg Index, Greenhouse Gas Protocol, or The Change Climate Project. Most companies use the widely recognized scope categorization system for measuring brand emissions. Those who earn the most points in this category have emissions reduction goals verified by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), a global organization that helps companies set greenhouse gas reduction targets in line with the goal of limiting global warming to well below 2°C. To verify their goals through SBTi, companies undergo a rigorous assessment process and continual follow-up to ensure consistent progress towards achieving their targets.

Big Agnes doesn’t publish an annual impact report.

An impact report is an important step toward transparency and accountability on the sustainability front. These reports vary in form but generally cover topics such as material sourcing, greenhouse gas emissions tracking, waste and water usage, supply chain analysis, and packaging efforts. For our sustainability ratings, we evaluate this criterion based on the depth and quality of the information provided in the report, and how often it is produced. Some brands produce their own impact report, while others are published by their parent company. In practice, we’ve found that reports produced by individual brands include more detailed information about their sustainability efforts.