Real owners lean toward the Western Mountaineering MegaLite: 93% of 54 owners recommend it, vs 69% of 54 for the The North Face Cat's Meow 20.
Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score
Across both owner bases, durability is the shared headline: Cat's Meow owners report bags going strong after 10 to 20-plus years, and MegaLite owners describe down that holds up over years of hard use. Where they part is warmth against the label, since Cat's Meow owners often find the 20-degree rating overstated, feeling cold in the 20s to 40s and calling it closer to a 32- to 35-degree bag, and they note it's bulky and slow to compress, though they prize it as a strong entry-level value around $179. MegaLite owners go the other way, staying comfortable into the teens and 20s past its 30-degree rating in a roomy, lightweight, premium-built package, while faulting the steep price, a cold spot at the feet for taller sleepers, a snag-prone zipper, and an awkward hood. Budget buyers wanting a tough, dependable starter bag lean to the Cat's Meow, while backpackers who will pay for real warmth and low weight lean to the MegaLite. The choice hinges on price versus how much warmth and packability the trip demands.
“I used the north face cats meow 20° bag for both my Pct thrus and was happy with it.”— jrice138 on Reddit
“Next to it are 2 North Face Cat's Meow synthetic mummy bags. They are older but still work great - classic product.”— cwcoleman on Reddit
“I did not like my North face cat's meow. I was very cold at 35-40 degrees in it in my puffy.”— GrimTuesday on Reddit
Across both owner bases, durability is the shared headline: Cat's Meow owners report bags going strong after 10 to 20-plus years, and MegaLite owners describe down that holds up over years of hard use. Where they part is warmth against the label, since Cat's Meow owners often find the 20-degree rating overstated, feeling cold in the 20s to 40s and calling it closer to a 32- to 35-degree bag, and they note it's bulky and slow to compress, though they prize it as a strong entry-level value around $179. MegaLite owners go the other way, staying comfortable into the teens and 20s past its 30-degree rating in a roomy, lightweight, premium-built package, while faulting the steep price, a cold spot at the feet for taller sleepers, a snag-prone zipper, and an awkward hood. Budget buyers wanting a tough, dependable starter bag lean to the Cat's Meow, while backpackers who will pay for real warmth and low weight lean to the MegaLite. The choice hinges on price versus how much warmth and packability the trip demands.
Owners point the Western Mountaineering MegaLite at backpackers and thru-hikers wanting an ultralight down bag, and restless side sleepers needing a roomy mummy cut.
The most-cited downside of the The North Face Cat's Meow 20 is warmth rating feels overstated, several owners got cold in the 20s-40s and say it performs more like a 32-35F bag than a true 20F bag. For the Western Mountaineering MegaLite, it's expensive.