Review: Naturehike CW400 Sleeping Bag
The Naturehike CW400 is a versatile, lightweight down sleeping bag with a square cut and full-length zip, allowing it to be used as a blanket on warmer nights.
Key Information
Price (at time of writing): R3299
Weight: 915g (measured)
Temperature rating: Comfort: 5–10°C; Transition: 0°C
Filling: 400g 750FP Goose Down
Design
Designed as a lightweight, mid-temperature sleeping bag, the CW400 omits some features like an internal pocket and chest- or zipper-baffle. For its intended temperature range, these aren’t really missed — and if the temperature dips, the square cut makes it easy to keep small temperature-sensitive items, such as your phone or batteries, inside the bag overnight.
The square cut slightly reduces heat retention but adds a lot of versatility. Being able to open the sleeping bag completely means it can double as a duvet-style blanket on warmer nights — something you can’t do with most mummy-shaped bags.
The cowl is wide, deep, and comfortable — whether left open or cinched down. When tightened, it adds a surprising amount of warmth, which helps when the temperature drops unexpectedly.
The lightweight 20D 400T nylon fabric feels soft against the skin and allows excellent compression for packing.
Sizing
The CW400 comes in medium and large. At 1.86m tall with a medium build, I found the large to be a good fit. However, hikers with broad shoulders may find it a little snug.
Temperature Rating
The stitched-on temperature patch lists a comfort rating of 15°C, but the manufacturer’s website lists 5°C — which matches my experience more accurately.
I spent several nights at around 5°C in total comfort while wearing light layers. When sleeping under the stars, I could feel some air movement, but adding a thin extra layer fixed that easily. To save weight, Naturehike left out zipper and chest baffles, which makes sense for this temperature range. I only noticed minor cold spots along the zipper once temperatures hit around 0°C.
Inside a tent, I stayed comfortable down to 0°C, needing only an extra layer when the temperature dropped further. That’s impressive performance for such a lightweight bag — making it suitable for most of the year in South Africa.
Cons
There are no major downsides, but if I had to nitpick: the lightweight nylon can occasionally get caught in the zipper. With a little care, though, this is easily avoided.
Conclusion
I’ve used the CW400 on several overnight hikes and most recently while guiding on the wild and beautiful Rim of Africa, where every gram counts. Its broad comfort range — even performing well at -1°C — makes it an incredibly versatile and reliable sleeping bag for three-season use.
A very capable, well-priced, and versatile sleeping bag that offers excellent value for money.
This bag was provided by Naturehike for review purposes and can be purchased from their online store.
For more information on sleeping bags, check out our Sleeping Bags 101 article.
