A good night’s sleep in the outdoors is the refresher we all could use. There’s nothing comfier than snuggling up on a chilly night in a warm sleeping bag while camping. Whether you’re deep in the backcountry or under the stars in your own backyard, finding the best camping sleeping bag is a necessary step in completing your camping gear checklist.
That’s why we interviewed camping experts to find the best sleeping bags for any adventure. Ashleigh McClary, a gear expert and senior account manager at Backcountry, and Emily Pennington, a journalist, photographer and author of “Feral,” share their insights on what makes a sleeping bag warmer than others, which materials stand up best to the elements and what determines the packability and price of different types of bags.
Choosing the best sleeping bag for your next adventure depends on several factors, including climate, location and the type of camping you’ll be doing. Before you buy, understand where you plan to camp, what type of climate you plan to camp in, if you’ll be camping at a campground with your car or hiking into the backcountry and how much you’re willing to spend.
Temperature ratings, weight and packability are also key considerations, each of which is impacted by the insulation (or fill type) inside your sleeping bag. Down insulation offers an excellent warmth-to-weight ratio and packs down small. However, you’ll want to avoid camping in wet climates with down as it’s not waterproof. Synthetic insulation is more water-resistant and more budget friendly. On the other hand, synthetic sleeping bags tend to be bulkier and heavier than down sleeping bags.
What is the best sleeping bag insulation and material?
A sleeping bag’s shell and fill — or the internal and external components of a sleeping bag — play a huge role in both comfort and warmth while camping. Campers will want to consider both the fabric the sleeping bag is made of (the inner lining and outer shell of the sleeping bag) and what the sleeping bag is filled with (down or synthetic material inside the bag) to determine their ideal purchase.
Down insulation and synthetic insulation are the most common types of fill you’ll find inside sleeping bags. Each material comes with its own list of pros and cons — and campers need to consider the types of environments they’ll most often camp in before selecting their preferred fill.
Most often made of goose feathers, down provides the most warmth, lightest weight and smallest packable size of any type of sleeping bag insulation. Down bag quality is measured by the down fill rating, which ranges from 300 to 900 and above. The higher the loft — or fluffiness — of down, the more room it takes up and the more efficiently it traps warmth in cold weather. The higher the down rating, typically the more warmth it will provide and, while counterintuitive, the smaller the bag will pack down.
The downside is that down isn’t waterproof and takes a very long time to dry. Campers can find water-resistant down sleeping bags treated with durable water repellent (DWR), which helps protect the feathers during wet conditions.
“The main benefit of a synthetic bag is going to be the cost. They’re usually a bit less expensive,” McClary says. “Some synthetic bags are super comfortable but most of them are not going to be quite as comfortable as down. The way down wraps around your body and provides this super-light and airy feeling is hard to beat.”
Synthetic insulation, most often made of polyester, is the most affordable fill option for camping sleeping bags. Synthetic sleeping bags are hypoallergenic, will keep you warm even if they get wet and dry much more quickly than down. However, synthetic fill does not compress as small as down and is heavier in weight.
“The [most important] thing to know about temperature ratings for sleeping bags is that they’re subjective,” McClary says. “It totally depends on the person, whether they tend to sleep cold or sleep hot, and the weather conditions also play a big role in warmth.”
When deciding what temperature sleeping bag to buy, Pennington says to consider the average conditions and climate where you expect to camp. Factors like elevation, weather patterns and the typical seasonal temperatures will help you better understand what temperature rating of sleeping bag to purchase.
Temperature ratings — especially if you’re not familiar with the process for how they’re determined — can be pretty complicated. McClary groups camping sleeping bags into three main categories: summer, three-season and winter bags.
Three-season bags tend to perform best during spring, summer and fall camping, whereas summer and winter bags should be used during the more extreme months. “In my experience, summer bags are usually rated for 50 degrees to 35 degrees Fahrenheit, three-season bags for 35 to 20 degrees and winter bags for 20 to 0 degrees,” McClary says. “Anything rated below zero degrees is a specialized bag for extreme temperatures and weather conditions.”
McClary also says you’ll notice lab-tested ratings, which are marked with an “EN” and/or “ISO” on the bag, which indicate the bag was lab tested for its temperature rating. According to REI, European Norm (EN) was the original standard adopted by the sleeping bag industry, but today, a new entity called the International Standards Organization (ISO) oversees testing using a nearly identical set of rubric standards. Standard lab tests run by the ISO categorize sleeping bag temperature ratings into two categories: a comfort rating and a lower-limit rating.
Comfort rating is the degree at which a cold sleeper might start to feel cold. The lower-limit rating is an even colder temperature at which a warm sleeper might start to feel cold. And to make it even more complicated, the rating you see in the product name of a women’s sleeping bag is always the comfort rating, whereas the rating on a men’s bag is the lower-limit rating.
Do sleeping bags come in different shapes and sizes?
Sleeping bags come in a few shapes and sizes, each with some pros and cons. Most often used for backpacking, mountaineering or trips requiring lots of gear, mummy bags tend to provide the most warmth and are super compact. This shape follows the natural curves of your body and tapers at the feet — cutting down excess fabric and space where heat can escape.
Rectangle bags, on the other hand, have ample room for moving around at night. They tend to be a little on the more breathable (sometimes colder) side but are great for side sleepers or campers who tend to shift around in their sleep.
Sleeping bag quilts, which lay on top of your sleeping bag or can be used as a standalone blanket, do not have a bottom. These types of sleeping bags are great if you want an extra layer of added warmth or for use in the summer months when you want to easily put it on or take it off as temperature fluctuates. Backpackers also often use quilts without sleeping bags to cut down even more on weight, but they need to be paired with a well-insulated sleeping pad if you’re planning on sleeping in it on a chilly night.
Like much of the outdoor industry, sleeping bag brands continue to aim to produce more eco-friendly products made with environmentally conscious and sourced materials and more sustainable manufacturing processes.
This is especially true for sleeping bag insulation, which traditionally has been made with harmful, chemical-filled materials or unethically sourced down. Receiving a sustainable down certification from the NSF, including Responsible Down Standard (RDS) or Global Traceable Down Standard (GTDS) certifications, is just one of the ways brands can go above and beyond to responsibly source materials that respect animal welfare and can be transparently traced.
“[Sleeping bags] marked with Responsible Down Standard are a big deal,” McClary says. “It means a lot, for both brands and consumers, to receive this certification. RDS products go through very stringent testing and standards, and it usually takes years and scrutiny to receive them. So, if you see this on a garment or sleeping bag, don’t take it lightly. It means that the company is working really hard to be more sustainable and to be better.”
Washing your sleeping bag is an important piece of caring for your gear. It’s key to know that throwing your sleeping bag in the washing machine using regular detergent, especially if it’s a down-fill bag, is not ideal. “I recommend using a special down wash cleaner for your down bags,” McClary says. “Synthetic bags, on the other hand, you can use any kind of performance wash.”
McClary recommends Nikwax and Grangers brands for sleeping bag detergents. Both products have added waterproofing benefits and tout that they’re free from harmful chemicals that would damage the fabric.
“When I wash [my sleeping bags], I wash them alone. I also have a large washing machine, so it works for me to wash them at home. If you have a small-barrel washing machine, I would recommend taking [them to] an actual laundromat,” McClary says. “Lastly, when you dry it, you want to make sure that you dry it on low heat setting and use dryer balls. That’s going to help loft the sleeping bag back up, especially down sleeping bags, after cleaning.”
To help you find the most practical sleeping bag for your future camping adventures, we’ve rounded up 27 of the best sleeping bags on the market. From car camping at a local state park to thru-hiking the entire Appalachian Trail, cozy up and sleep tight with these expert-recommended and favorite picks.
A versatile choice for car campers and backpackers alike, the Ascent Down comes in 30- and 15-degree options with plenty of features to help keep comfortable while camping. A cinch hood helps trap heat on cold nights and a footbox zipper allows you to dump heat on hot nights. Need even more ventilation? A full front-zip flap opens flat, transforming the Ascent sleeping bag into a quilt.
Best used as a three-season backpacking bag, the Disco was specifically designed to fit a woman’s body. An integrated pillow pocket keeps your pillow from shifting around at night and vents on the top of the bag, which look like gills, can provide extra ventilation when unzipped on hot nights. The updated Endless Promise version of the Disco is 100% recyclable at the end of its life — just send it back to Nemo, and the company will handle the rest.
“I also love that the Nemo sleeping bags can be zipped together,” McClary says. “That’s a great feature because [a couple] with two different styles or preferences can combine their sleeping bag[s] into one large double bag.”
Patagonia’s Fitz Roy down sleeping bag is an 800-fill bag that boasts all the warmth with none of the frills and features. This bag is perfect for campers who want a sleeping bag that’s straightforward, simple and warm. A front zip makes it easy to get in and out of the bag without fussing with side zippers, and it also comes in short, regular and long sizing so you have a bag that fits your needs.
It can be super frustrating to slide off your sleeping pad in the middle of the night. That’s why Big Agnes designed this bag to attach to the sleeping pad under you so you stay put while you sleep. The Lost Ranger is a 3-in-1 bag that provides campers with an outer bag (which functions like a quilt), an inner bag (which is an entirely separate and removable sleeping bag) and a pad sleeve (which secures your sleeping bag to the pad).?
The three different sleeping configurations provide different levels of warmth. You can use the top quilt for summer camping or on trips when you want to travel as light as possible, the inner bag on colder nights or combine them for the warmest setup. This modularity means you don’t have to buy two separate sleeping bags for warm weather and cold weather.
“I can talk about this bag for days,” McClary says. “This mummy-shaped bag has a ton of room in it, and it actually converts to a quilt. I like recommending this bag because with a 25-degree Fahrenheit rating, it will be warm enough for most times of the year and in all kinds of weather.”
This is a beginner backpacking bag that will provide ample warmth, packability and weight without an enormous price tag. The fully synthetic, mummy-shaped bag is filled with water-resistant fill and comes with a stuff sack to compress it down even smaller when packing for a backcountry trip. This bag also comes in long, short and wide sizes to fit an array of body shapes.
“I love to recommend Nemo bags because they make high-quality products that I trust,” McClary says. “This bag specifically is made with super-comfortable polyester that’s soft on your skin, a large hood and a ton of other features.”
Additional features include a 100% recycled and machine-washable sheet, double zipper pulls on both sides for ample and custom venting and a foldable draft collar that makes you feel like you’re tucked into bed.
“I sell this bag more than any other bag,” McClary says. “They're just a really great price and perform super well for the money. The Groundwork comes in three different variations: a mummy, a single and a double. For someone going car camping, I recommend the single, which is rectangular in shape, or the double. If they’re going backpacking, then the mummy.”
Mummy bags aren’t for everyone. For folks who want to spread out, sprawl and shift during the night, make the Siesta Hooded 20 sleeping bag your pick. It’s made of recycled synthetic fill and a treated shell that repels moisture and stains. The oversized, insulated hood is big enough to fit a regular bed pillow from home and adds extra warmth on cold nights. The Siesta also comes in a double version for sleeping two campers side by side.
The Big Agnes Echo Park synthetic bags are tall and wide to fit a variety of body types and sizes. Ideal for car camping in warmer weather, this bag has a removable quilt cover that feels more like your comforter at home than a camping sleeping bag. A sleeping pad sleeve on the back of the bag keeps your mattress from slipping out from underneath you while you turn at night. This bag comes in a 20-degree-Fahrenheit rating too.
Concerned about weight in your pack? The Sea to Summit Spark is an ultra-light mummy sleeping bag that packs down smaller than a Nalgene water bottle and weighs next to nothing. Its 850+ loft down is RDS approved and water-resistant, making it a great all-around bag for backpacking in all seasons, especially because it comes in so many different temperature ratings: zero, 15, 30 and 45 degrees Fahrenheit.?
The 36-degree Flylite was built as a lightweight backpacking bag specifically for thru-hikers. It has no sewn-through baffles to help eliminate cold spots for added warmth. The down in this bag is not treated for waterproofing, though, so consider that when choosing this bag for your adventures (or make sure to pack a dry sack to stuff this bag in).?
The three-season, ultra-light Cosmic Ultra is Kelty’s latest take on its top-selling Cosmic Bag. The new trapezoidal baffle design improves heat retention and a natural-shaped foot box provides more room and comfort while sleeping. The bag is treated with a PFC-free, water-repellent coating for drier nights and a healthier environment.
The Magma is a super-light, ultra-compressible sleeping bag that will keep you warm and dry while backpacking, even when it’s wet outside. This bag is insulated with water-resistant 850-fill goose down, and REI claims this bag provides campers with the Co-op’s best warmth-to-weight ratio compared to any other bag it sells. The Magma 15 also comes in long, short and wide sizing to fit an array of body types.
Built for winter backpacking, the Rab Ascent 900 is fully featured to keep you warm even on the coldest nights. Its 900-fill down, large collar that blocks out drafts to increase heat retention and adjustable hood all contribute to a warmer night’s sleep. Its wide mummy shape and angled foot box provide more room than your average mummy bag, which makes this sleeping bag a top choice for side sleepers and folks with larger bodies.
Consider yourself a side sleeper? This is the bag for you. Specifically designed for campers who like to sleep on their sides or toss and turn in the night, the Sidewinder SL looks and feels like a traditional mummy bag but has additional technical specs to support side sleepers. Big Agnes body mapped where side sleepers need more insulation to keep in warmth and added extra down insulation to reduce pressure points along the hip.
“I love this bag because the way it unzips makes it feel a little bit more like your bed from home,” McClary says. “Nemo also makes this bag with a very specific foot box, a big hood, which is rare for a double bag, and a draft collar that can fold down kind of like your comforter would fold over in your own bed, making it super comfortable.”
If you’re a hot sleeper (or sleepers in this case), this double sleeping bag was designed for you. Customizable features help you cool down when you start to overheat, including a zip-off top layer, separate foot vents and two built-in blankets, one for each camper.
The HunkerDown Double, which also comes in a single size, is a super-spacious and warm two-person sleeping bag. This bag is known for its creature comforts like the extra-large hood that can fit two at-home-sized pillows, 600-fill down for fluff that mimics your comforter and a wraparound zipper that lets you turn this bag into a full-blown quilt.?
The Kindercone is a pint-sized backpacking sleeping bag for kids that will grow with them over time. This bag’s unique attached stuff sack at the foot allows you to adjust the length and cinch the sleeping bag to the ideal size. And even though it's a fully synthetic bag, it's still rated to keep kids warm down to 25 degrees Fahrenheit.?
Canvas sleeping bags aren’t the most common or sought-after bags due to their weight and bulk. However, on a car camping trip with the family, it’s a super-comfortable option for kids. The bag is built with a durable and heavy outer canvas shell. On the inside, kids will love the blanket-like feeling of the soft and warm fleece inner lining. Bonus: This bag comes in an adult size too.
Whether its intended use is for a family camping trip or a sleepover, this bag was built with kids’ needs in mind. The synthetic fill bag has a rectangular shape to accommodate kiddos who tend to toss and turn at night. Its outer shell is treated with a water-repellent coating to help with rainy nights at the campground or unexpected spills at a friend’s overnight birthday party. And an anti-snag zipper helps with unwanted struggles when tucking in at night.
The Ember from Sea to Summit is a lightweight and super-packable quilt that’s great for weight-conscious backpackers. The 30-degree-Fahrenheit temperature-rated quilt can be used on its own or cinched over another sleeping bag for extra warmth. Built-in snaps also allow you to securely attach this quilt to any other Sea to Summit sleeping bag.
“For ultra-light backpackers, I always steer them to Enlightened Equipment’s Revelation Quilt,” Pennington says. “It has cloudlike softness, ultra-high loft, 850-fill down stuffing and numerous venting options, should you wander into a warm evening.”
“My favorite car-camping sleeping bag is the Therm-a-Rest Vela quilt because it feels just like your quilt at home,” McClary says. “I even use this bag for my friends when I have too many guests for the number of bedrooms I have at my house.” The 650-fill Nikwax-treated down in this bag can also absorb 90% less water and dry three times faster than regular down, according to Therm-a-Rest, which means it’s a great bag for high-humidity or rainy car camping.
With sleeping bag warmth you can wear in and out of the tent, the Selk'Bag is made out of 100% postconsumer recycled material fibers (230 discarded plastic bottles to be exact) and is both warm and planet friendly. Rated to keep you warm down to 35 degrees Fahrenheit, the bag fits like a full-body suit and comes with a hood, kangaroo pockets for storage and zip-off booties for keeping your feet warm at night or to allow you to put on shoes to walk around the campground.
A sleeping bag you can wear, and walk around in, this one-piece sleeping bag suit lets you explore the campground in full freedom. Fully featured, this wearable sleeping bag includes front hip pockets, an internal pocket, an adjustable hood and several ventilation zips on the legs and thigh to let you dump heat if you start to overheat. It’s also treated with DWR to keep moisture from light rain and snow from soaking into the suit.?
