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A good camping sleeping bag can really enhance your overnight outdoor adventure. It’s one of those essential pieces of camping gear that you should spend some time researching before buying to ensure you’re getting something that will help you get a good night’s sleep on the go.
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As the star piece of your camping sleep system, your sleeping bag will keep you nice and cozy during the night, ideally not too cold or too warm. The REI Co-op Siesta Hooded 20 is a great sleeping bag for most campers. If you prefer a down bag, take a look at the Kelty Cosmic 20.
Choosing a sleeping bag is a personal choice based on many different factors, like where you plan to use it and your body size, in addition to your preferences for shape, insulation, and price. In this guide, we’ve rounded up 10 of the best sleeping bags in categories that span from best double bag to the best backpacking sleeping bag.
If you don’t know where to start, skip to the Buyer’s Guide and FAQ sections for information on what factors to consider when purchasing a sleeping bag. Whether you’re looking to do some winter camping and need something extremely warm or you’re camping with kids and need a kid-sized option, we’ve done the research to provide some solid options.
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Your new favorite sleeping bag just might be the REI Co-op Siesta Hooded 20—an all-around great bag for a reasonable price. Its 98% recycled polyester synthetic fill is plenty warm for cold nights down to about 20°F. The recycled polyester shell is treated with a DWR (durable water repellent) finish to keep away moisture and stains.
The Siesta Hooded 20 also offers an insulated hood with drawstring cinches, which holds in heat and serves as a pillow pocket. You can tuck the hood away if you don’t need the extra warmth.
Other features on this functional bag include offset quilt construction, a two-way main zipper (plus an anti-snag zipper guard), and a short off-side zipper if you want to zip down just a little without risking it unzipping all the way during the night.
REI’s Siesta Hooded 20 also offers an interior stash pocket and comes with a carry sack. It’s a perfect bag for car campers who want something nice and warm without being too expensive or too warm.
Another excellent car camping sleeping bag is the Coleman Kompact 20. This quality bag is a standard rectangle shape and features Coleman’s compressible Coletherm Max lightweight fill, which is rated at 20°F for its lower limit and 30°F for its comfort limit (see our temperature ratings explained article).
Features include a Comfort Cuff design, which provides soft protection for your face, a Thermolock draft tube to keep heat from escaping from the zipper, ZipPlow snag-free zipper technology, and Roll Control to make rolling your bag quick and simple.
The Coleman Kompact 20 has a compact packed size of 9.8 x 9.8 x 15.7 inches, which is smaller than many camping bags, especially car camping bags that don’t typically prioritize weight and packed size like backpacking sleeping bags do. It is machine washable, includes a warranty, and comes with a stuff sack.
Temperature ratings: 15, 30, and 50 degrees Fahrenheit
The North Face Dolomite One Duo is perhaps the most versatile sleeping bag on our list, because it has multiple temperature ratings, depending on the configuration. On warmer nights, use the outer blue layer (50°F configuration). For cool nights, use the yellow layer (30°F configuration). And for colder nights, combine the blue and yellow layers (15°F configuration).
Double bags will be heavier by nature, and at over 8 pounds, this two-person bag is best for car camping. Its rectangular shape maximizes room to toss and turn, the top section is soft to the touch for luxurious comfort near your face, and there are interior pockets on each layer.
To add to its versatility, you can also fully unzip the Dolomite One Duo so it lies flat like a blanket or quilt.
If you like options and space for two, this might be the right sleeping bag for you.
Our pick for the best sleeping bag for cold weather is the Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass GORE-TEX, a mummy bag that features lightweight down insulation and is rated down to 0°F. This bag offers exceptional warmth-to-weight ratio and compressibility, and it can be used as a backpacking bag, if you can spare a few pounds in your pack.
The GORE-TEX INFINIUM WINDSTOPPER shell is water resistant and windproof, which helps keep the 650-fill-power duck down fill dry and fully lofted as you sleep. Mountain Hardwear says its down is RDS (Responsible Down Standard) certified.
Mummy bags provide efficient warmth, and this one also boasts some of the best features premium sleeping bags have to offer, such as an anatomically shaped foot box, premium lining material, a draft collar and adjustable down-filled face gasket, a two-way zipper and anti-snag slider, a glow-in-the-dark zipper pull, a full-length draft tube, an internal pocket, and sleeping pad loops.
You can zip the Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass GORE-TEX bag to another compatible Mountain Hardwear bag to turn it into a double bag. It comes with a mesh storage bag and a stuff sack.
When it comes to down bags, this is one of our favorite sleeping bags.
Coleman’s Big Bay 20 Big & Tall is roomier than most sleeping bags, because it’s designed to fit people who are up to 6’5″ tall. With an 85 x 36 inch interior, this bag is bound to make big and tall campers feel extra comfortable while camping.
This synthetic sleeping bag features Coletherm Max insulation, a contoured shape, a cinched hood, Comfort Cuff material around your face, a Thermolock draft tube, ZipPlow anti-snag technology, a soft fleece foot box, and a J-zipper for optional bottom-half ventilation if you’re a warm sleeper.
Like other bags, it includes a little sack for transport and storage.
Kelty’s Cosmic 20 camping sleeping bag is an excellent choice for those who prefer all-natural down over synthetic bags. Like other traditional mummy bags, this one tapers near the foot box to keep you as warm as possible. At less than 3 pounds, it offers excellent warmth-to-weight ratio, thanks to those lightweight 550-fill-power down feathers.
Kelty constructed its DWR-treated Cosmic 20 with trapezoidal baffle to improve thermal efficiency, plus it has incredibly soft, durable, and recycled 20-denier nylon shell fabric. Other features include an anti-snag zipper design, dual-locking sliders for warm sleepers who like to vent, and a full draft tube and collar.
This option also includes a stuff sack and a zippered internal pocket. You can purchase the Kelty Cosmic 20 in both a regular and long length.
A premium down bag fit for extreme temperatures, Sea to Summit’s Spark Down (0°F-45°F) is our top pick for a backpacking sleeping bag. Backpacking bags and ultralight bags are known for their small weight and packed size, which is ideal for carrying long distances in your pack. This one starts at a mere 12.8 ounces for the 45°F version.
This mummy bag is filled with RDS-certified 850+ fill-power goose down and treated with a non-PFC Ultra-Dry Down treatment. It has premium features like a technical water-repellent hood and foot box, a zipper draft tube, snag-free zippers, breathable 10-denier liner fabric, and a 10D shell with a non-PFC DWR. Sea to Summit says “ultralight doesn’t have to mean ultratight”—meaning it has plenty of space.
The full-length zipper version of this bag can be zipped to a compatible bag to double the width (you can also purchase this bag in a double size). It comes with a compression sack, which is handy for backpackers, and Sea to Summit offers its guarantee for the life of the bag.
This isn’t a cheap bag, but if weight savings is important on your adventures, the Sea to Summit Spark Down, with its multiple length and temperature-rating options, is one of the best backpacking sleeping bags around.
For less than $50, you can pick up this Coleman Palmetto Cool Weather synthetic-fill bag, perfect for car camping on nights between 30°F and 50°F. Recommended for heights up to 5’11”, this budget bag offers Coleman quality and has 7,800 reviews on Amazon, with an overall rating of 4.6 stars.
The Palmetto bag has a polyester cover and soft tricot fiber blend liner, a two-way patented zipper system to avoid snags, and Fiberlock Construction to keep insulation from shifting. It has typical Coleman technologies, like its patented Roll Control System for easy rolling and its Quick Cord patented packing system.
This camping sleeping bag is machine washable, zips with compatible bags to double the fun, and includes a five-year limited warranty. We think it’s the best sleeping bag $50 can buy.
For those who want to sleep in a warm sleeping bag and wear it too, the VOITED Slumber Jacket is your dream come true. It’s a puffy coat with arms and a hood that doubles as a full sleeping bag—simply pull the foot compartment out from its secret spot in the bottom of the Slumber Jacket and zip it closed around your feet.
VOITED uses PrimaLoft RISE, a compression-resistant, vegan insulation with an extreme temp rating of 23°F, a limit temp rating of 45°F, and a comfort temp rating of 52°F. The outer fabric is 50D Ripstop recycled REPREVE polyester that repels water and shields you from wind while maintaining breathability.
The Slumber Jacket is lightweight, ranging from 2.53 pounds for a small to 3.3 pounds for an extra large (and yes, it comes in sizes to ensure the perfect fit). It’s machine washable and backed by VOITED’s guarantee.
For kids up to 5 feet tall, REI’s Kindercone 25 stands out among kids’ sleeping bags thanks to its mummy shape, its loose-fitting hood with adjustable cord to hold in heat and house pillows, and its bright colors and graphics. The Kindercone 25 bag features a recycled ripstop polyester shell with DWR coating, a soft polyester taffeta liner, and synthetic polyester insulation.
Like other bags on our list made for adults, this one has nice features like a two-way anti-snag zipper and thoughtful construction to avoid cold spots. Unique to this kids’ bag is a permanently attached stuff sack, which allows you to adjust the length of the bag to your child’s height by cinching off the extra material. This features allows you to adjust the length of the bag as your child grows.
Here are some things to consider when shopping for a sleeping bag.
Sleeping Bag Temperature Ratings
A sleeping bag’s temperature rating is found through a standardized test performed by independent groups like the ISO (International Standards Organization). The ratings help consumers determine how warm a bag is designed to be. To put it simply, a 15°F bag is designed to keep someone warm inside even if it’s 15°F outside.
This is the basic answer, but it does get a bit more complicated. Take a deep dive into sleeping bag temperature ratings in our guide.
Insulation Types
Sleeping bags are typically insulated using down feathers or synthetic materials. While down provides a desirable warmth-to-weight ratio and a high degree of compressibility, it has its drawbacks. For instance, down bags may insulate less if they become wet, and down typically costs more.
In comparison, synthetic insulation handles moisture better. It won’t lose its ability to insulate if it becomes wet, and it also dries more quickly than down. However, as a general rule, synthetic fill weighs a bit more and compresses less than down.
Packed Size and Weight
If you’re car camping, packed size and weight may not be a driving factor in your choice, but it’s still worth taking a look at how heavy a bag is and how small it packs down.
Most backpacking sleeping bags weigh very little and compress down small for carrying long distances. Our pick among lightweight sleeping bags is the Sea to Summit Spark Down Sleeping Bag (0°F-45°F), which starts at just 12.8 ounces.
Shape and Unfolded Dimensions
Common shapes include mummy and rectangular bags. Mummy-shaped sleeping bags taper toward the bottom, and they’re designed to maximize thermal efficiency.
The standard rectangular bag is roomier in the foot box. Many bags offer a “contoured” shape that’s somewhere in between a rectangular bag and a mummy bag to cut down on excess space.
Before buying, check a bag’s dimensions to ensure you’ll fit comfortably inside of it. Many manufacturers offer a “long” version of their bags, which offers some extra inches for tall campers.
Durability and Water Resistance
A camping sleeping bag needs to be able to withstand outdoor use. Look for features like reinforced stitching, high-quality zippers, and durable fabrics.
The outer shell fabric should be water and wind-resistant, preferably with a DWR coating to help keep you and your bag’s insulation dry.
Features
Key features to look for when buying a sleeping bag include partial zips for ventilation, anti-snag zipper design, draft tubes to prevent heat loss through zippers, and small storage pockets to keep items within reach during the night.
If you want the option to zip your bag to another compatible bag, make sure it’s a full-zip bag that offers that functionality.
You may also want a bag with a hood, which can help hold heat in around your head. Some sleeping bags also offer pillow pockets to keep your pillow from sliding around as you sleep.
Budget
Finally, consider how much you want to spend. A budget bag can still give you a warm, comfy place to sleep, but if you need something for extreme cold conditions, you may need to invest in a more premium bag. Thankfully, there are quality sleeping bags at a wide range of price points.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s better, down or synthetic insulation?
It depends on what you prioritize. Go with down insulation if compressibility and a high warmth-to-weight ratio is important to you. Down often costs more and may lose insulating power when wet.
Synthetic insulation can do a fantastic job of keeping you warm, and many manufacturers have designed a fill from synthetic materials that are lightweight and compressible.
How do I choose the right temperature rating for a sleeping bag?
Choose a bag with a temperature rating that’s at least as low or lower than the coldest temperature you may face while camping. Also, consider whether you tend to be hot or cold while sleeping and adjust accordingly.
How do I clean a sleeping bag?
Each manufacturer will provide instructions for cleaning and care. Many synthetic sleeping bags can be machine-washed.
How can I make my sleeping bag warmer or more comfortable?
You can make a sleeping bag more comfortable by laying it on top of a sleeping pad, camping mattress, or camping cot. A sleeping pad and a sleeping bag liner can each offer additional insulation to keep you even warmer inside your bag.
Some sleeping bag manufacturers offer separate men’s and women’s bags, with women’s bags being smaller and men’s bags being larger/longer. Average-sized men and women can typically use unisex bags with no problem. Check each bag’s dimensions to make sure you’re selecting something that will fit your body well.
Final Thoughts
You won’t regret your diligence in selecting the perfect sleeping bag next time you’re slumbering comfortably on a camping trip. Consider the type of camping you like to do, what you can afford, and what features and specs matter most to you.
