Over two decades of no-nonsense ultralight bags — designed in England, made in Europe, filled with the world’s finest Polish goose down.

“If there is no function to a feature, then it is dead weight.” — Criterion Down Sleeping Bags

Designed in UK • Manufactured in the EU • 870FP Polish goose down • VISIT CRITERION →

(€ = budget | €€ = mid | €€€ = premium | €€€€ = luxe) (★★★★★ = heirloom + zero-waste preorder |

Most ultralight brands talk about weight. Criterion has been proving it since 2003 — with sleeping bags so packable that reviewers compared the Ultralight 350 to “a small loaf of bread.” Born from frustration in a Warrington outdoor shop, this English brand uses 870 fill-power Polish goose down and Pertex fabrics to build sleeping bags with some of the best warmth-to-weight ratios available in Europe. No gimmicks, no unnecessary features — just engineering that lets you sleep warm and carry less.

Brand Intro

Criterion traces its roots to 1988 and an independent outdoor shop in Warrington, England. In the early 2000s, the shop manager turned managing director grew dissatisfied with available down bags and began manufacturing his own, founding the brand in 2003. After a rebrand in 2014, Criterion is now owned by its former Brand Manager, who continues the same uncompromising philosophy: Polish goose down, Pertex shells, trapezoidal baffles, and nothing else that adds weight without purpose. Production happens in the EU, with quality control at UK headquarters in Swinton.

Inspiring Story

In 2023, Criterion’s founder and original managing director passed away. Rather than folding or selling, the brand was taken on by the former Brand Manager — someone who had spent years building Criterion’s identity from the inside. The ethos survived intact: ethically sourced Polish goose down, RDS-certified, Pertex fabric, and a design philosophy that treats every unnecessary gram as a failure. It is a rare thing — a small British outdoor brand that outlived its founder without losing its soul.

Who is this for?

You’re a backpacker who has already cut weight everywhere else and now needs a sleeping bag that genuinely earns its place. You sleep below zero, you count pack volume as carefully as grams, and you’ve grown tired of expensive bags stuffed with synthetic fillers or low fill-power down. You want a bag from a brand that has been doing one thing — ethical, ultralight down insulation — for over twenty years.

DISCLAIMER Sustainability score is subjective. InEurope.eu finds this crucial, but conducts no audits. Assessment based on publicly available information and brand feedback

The information on this blog has been presented to the brand but not yet been verified.