The Best Sleeping Bags of 2023, Tested and Reviewed The Sea to Summit Ascent Down ranked highest of 29 tested sleeping bags By Justin Park Justin Park Syracuse University Justin Park has been working as a sports, fitness, and hunting/outdoors journalist for 20 years. He reviews outdoor gear for TripSavvy, like ski equipment and inflatable paddle boards. TripSavvy's editorial guidelines Published on 02/17/23 Share Pin Email We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best products—learn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. TripSavvy / Dylan Thompson A quality night's sleep fuels your outdoor adventures, and a suitable sleeping bag is probably the most important piece of your camping sleeping system, which usually also includes a sleeping pad. Most people focus on how warm a bag is but fit also can make or break your sleep in the wild. Weight and packability are also significant concerns for backpackers who want to keep their packs as light and streamlined as possible. The materials and treatments are also important since they'll affect a sleeping bag's durability, breathability, and water resistance. Our testers took 29 sleeping bags outdoors to evaluate the top models for all the essential attributes above, plus quality, value, and looks. Keep reading to learn why our testers loved these top picks to find the right sleeping bag for you and how you get outdoors. The Rundown Best Overall: Sea To Summit Ascent Down Sleeping Bag at Seatosummit.com Jump to Review Best Overall, Runner-Up: Mountain Hardware Bishop Pass 15 Sleeping Bag at Backcountry.com Jump to Review Best Budget: Kelty Catena 30 Sleeping Bag at Amazon Jump to Review Best Value: Marmot 15F Down Sawtooth Sleeping Bag at Backcountry.com Jump to Review Best for Women: Big Agnes Women's Torchlight UL 20 Degree F Sleeping Bag at Bigagnes.com Jump to Review Best for Women, Runner-Up: Feathered Friends Egret UL 20/30 Women's Sleeping Bag at Featheredfriends.com Jump to Review Best for Side Sleepers: Big Agnes Sidewinder SL 20 Sleeping Bag at Amazon Jump to Review Best Ultralight: Rab 20F Mythic Ultra 360 Down Sleeping Bag at Backcountry.com Jump to Review Most Versatile: NEMO Disco 15 at Amazon Jump to Review Best Winter: Mountain Hardwear Phantom GORE-TEX Sleeping Bag 0F Down at Backcountry.com Jump to Review Table of contents Expand Our Picks Other Sleeping Bags We Tested How We Tested What to Look For FAQ Why Trust Tripsavvy Best Overall Sea To Summit Ascent Down Sleeping Bag 4.8 Sea to Summit View On Seatosummit.com What We Like A relaxed mummy shape allows more sleeping positions The zipper system ventilates for warmer nights What We Don't Like Pricey Our top pick is the high-end Ascent Down sleeping bag from the Australian outdoor brand Sea to Summit that delivers comfort, warmth, and packability. The bag should please a wide range of sleepers thanks to the relaxed mummy shape that allows more natural sleeping positions than sleeping bags with tighter shapes used to shave weight. One of our testers suffers from restless leg syndrome and loved the bag because he had fewer issues finding comfortable sleeping positions. The 750+ down fill provides a great warmth-to-weight ratio for this zero-degree bag, which our testers found very comfortable in sub-freezing temperatures while testing in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains and warmer environments such as Joshua Tree National Park. The Ascent Down series features a Free-Flow triple-zipper system that allows maximum ventilation and even conversion into a quilt when a zero-degree-rated bag is overkill. This versatility minimizes one of the main drawbacks of a zero-degree bag: they are often too hot for summer camping. There are also many intelligent features such as vertical baffles around the upper body to prevent down bunch as you shift in the night. There’s also an insulation tube along the full-length left-side zipper to prevent cold at that seam and an oversized hood with a draft collar to protect your head on extra-cold nights. Temperature Rating: 0 | Materials/Insulation: 20D nylon liner, 750+ down fill | Weight: 2 pounds, 14.7 ounces | Compressed Volume: 8.2 liters | Sustainability: Responsible Down Standard down insulation with non-PFC treatment TripSavvy / Sheri Wilson Best Overall, Runner-Up Mountain Hardware Bishop Pass 15 Sleeping Bag 4.8 REI View On Backcountry.com View On Mountainhardwear.com View On REI What We Like Good value for the weight and performance What We Don't Like Tight mummy shape restricts sleeping positions The Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass 15-Degree Sleeping Bag delivers sub-three-pound weight and three-season warmth for backpacking for less than most other performance sleeping bag brands. While it might not be enough for outings that hedge into winter temperatures, it’s a great compromise bag that should keep you warm in most camping situations from spring through fall. As a 15-degree-rated bag, the Bishop Pass 15 balances weight and warmth nicely, delivering a bag that’s just over 2 pounds but, unlike many zero-degree bags, can still serve you for midsummer nights. The Bishop 15 makes sense for most fair-weather backpackers who don’t want to shell out for multiple sleeping bags to cover different times of the year and regions in which they might camp. One of our testers spent several nights in the Bishop Pass 15 at around 40 degrees nightly low temperature and said she maintained a comfortable temperature. The Bishop Pass 15 uses 650-fill down for insulation which doesn’t have the same warm-to-weight ratio as the highest-end bags, but the bag’s overall weight is still low, and this down choice no doubt helps keep the bag’s cost below $300 while 800+ fill-type bags usually cost closer to $500 and more, including Mountain Hardwear’s own excellent Phantom 0-Degree. If you like the Bishop Pass but want something that you can use nearly year-round, check out the Phantom, but be prepared to pay around $800 and carry a touch more weight. Temperature Rating: 15 degrees | Materials/Insulation: 20D nylon face fabric, 30D nylon liner, 650-fill down | Weight: 2 pounds, 5.4 ounces | Compressed Dimensions: 8 x 15.5 inches | Sustainability: Responsible Down Standard down insulation TripSavvy / Nathan Allen Best Budget Kelty Catena 30 Sleeping Bag 4.4 Kelty View On Amazon View On Basspro.com View On Campsaver.com What We Like Simple, comfortable shape Comfortable for indoors and on warmer nights Affordable What We Don't Like Limited utility outside of summer temps While most R&D effort goes into making backcountry sleeping bags lighter, warmer, and more packable, many car campers, van lifers, and hut/yurt goers don’t need to pay a premium for those improvements need a solid sleeping bag. The Kelty Catena 30 fills that niche with a classic rectangular bag that’s just over $50 and perfect for vehicle camping and even for warmer summer nights in a tent. Kelty produces plenty of performance-minded outdoor gear—from tents to backpacks—but they also are known for making gear more accessible for the budget-conscious, and the Catena 30 fits that mold perfectly. For the price, it’s an excellent option for light-duty applications, even if you also own a pricier performance bag, since you can call the Catena into service when your 800-fill zero-degree bag is just overkill. Beginner campers will also appreciate the classic rectangular shape, which, while not as efficient for weight savings, allows a much broader range of sleeping positions and isn’t as hard to adjust to as a restrictive mummy shape. Our tester praised the Catena’s comfort, saying they mostly forgot they were sleeping in a bag versus regular bedding while van camping along the California coast. Despite being an entry-level bag, the compressed size and weight of the bag aren’t bad for summer use for shorter backpacking trips. The 30-degree rating will limit the range of colder climates; you can add a rectangular sleeping bag liner to add several degrees of warmth without needing to purchase an additional sleeping bag. Temperature Rating: 30 degrees | Materials/Insulation: 190T polyester taffeta, 50-denier 300T polyester, CloudLoft synthetic insulation | Weight: 3 pounds, 15 ounces | Compressed Dimensions: 10 x 18 inches | Sustainability: n/a Best Value Marmot 15F Down Sawtooth Sleeping Bag 4.9 Marmot View On Backcountry.com View On Campsaver.com View On Marmot.com What We Like Dual side zippers for warm-weather venting Wider in shoulders and hips for comfort Expandable mummy foot box What We Don't Like Bulky compressed size When shopping for performance backpacking sleeping bags, you might notice that the cost for incremental improvements increases dramatically the closer you get to the cutting edge in terms of weight savings, warmth-to-weight ratio, and packability. The difference between a $50 bag and a $150 might be dramatic, but the improvements gained by jumping from a $250 bag to an $800 one are not as much. For this reason, the $300 mark (right where the Marmot Sawtooth sits) is often the sweet spot for those looking for a light, warm, and packable bag without spending a rent payment. The Marmot Sawtooth 15 may not be the lightest or warmest bag available, but for a reasonable sticker price, you get a bag you can use year-round that won’t kill your pack or your back on more ambitious backpacking trips thanks to a sub-3-pound weight. Marmot also hits the sweet spot in terms of warmth with the Sawtooth 15 since the bag will be warm enough for most three-season trips but doesn’t come with the extra cost and weight of a true zero-degree bag. It also has unique dual vents at the shoulders to help you stay cool camping in warmer temperatures. Temperature Rating: 15 degrees | Materials/Insulation: 20D nylon, 650+-fill duck down insulation | Weight: 2 pounds, 14.2 ounces | Compressed Dimensions: 10 x 18 inches | Sustainability: Responsible Down Standard insulation TripSavvy / Nathan Allen Best for Women Big Agnes Women's Torchlight UL 20 Degree F Sleeping Bag 5 Big Agnes View On Bigagnes.com View On Moosejaw.com What We Like Highly adjustable fit thanks to side expansion zippers It packs down very small What We Don't Like Light-colored fabric shows wear easily Extra materials hurt the warmth-to-weight ratio While most sleeping bags are considered unisex, a few brands produce female-specific options that aren’t just rebranded unisex bags with more fun colors. Big Agnes’ Women’s Torchlight 20 uses a roomy mummy fit that’s contoured to a woman’s body shape to help fit better to minimize both tight spots and unnecessary extra room, which can also cause cold spots. The Women’s Torchlight also has a unique dual-zipper system for expansion that allows you to selectively expand the internal space of the bag to customize your fit. The panels can add as much as 5 inches of girth on each side, meaning the bag can accommodate a wide range of body sizes and shapes. Our tester said this bag was the most comfortable she’d ever used in 25 years of camping and that she doesn’t “want to climb out of the bag in the mornings because {she’s} so cozy and comfortable.” In addition to the expansion zippers, ventilation zippers are on either side to cool the bag down when used in warmer temperatures. Despite using a high warmth-to-weight ratio Downtek 850 fill, the bag keeps the amount of insulation lower, so it is only a 20-degree-rated sleeping bag. Our tester was comfortable using the Torchlight 20 during nightly lows in the 20s and 30s but said she’d likely purchase a warm-weather version of the same sleeping bag for midsummer use. The Torchlight 20 UL packs down extremely small but is about average in its weight for a high-end backpacking sleeping bag at 2 pounds, 5 ounces. This is likely a result of the extra materials used on the zippered expansion and ventilation systems, so you maybe be able to get a lighter women’s-specific bag if you don’t struggle with the fit issues that those systems address. Temperature Rating: 20 degrees | Materials/Insulation: ripstop nylon, polyester taffeta, 850 Downtek insulation | Weight: 2 pounds, 5 ounces | Compressed Dimensions: 6 x 7 inches | Sustainability: PFC-free down treatment TripSavvy / Signe Bamsey Best for Women, Runner-Up Feathered Friends Egret UL 20/30 Women's Sleeping Bag 4.6 Feathered Friends View On Featheredfriends.com What We Like Ultralight for the warmth rating It packs down very small What We Don't Like Expensive Our tester had zipper issues Feathered Friends may not be a household name in outdoor gear, but their high-end down apparel and sleeping bags have earned a cult following thanks to their handmade quality and intelligent design. The Egret UL 20/30 sleeping bag is an ultralight (less than 2 pounds!) backpacking bag that uses premium materials to achieve top-level performance with a women's tailored fit. The 950-fill down insulation is about as good as it gets in natural down quality for warmth-to-weight, and it shows in the product's overall weight. That said, this is still a 20-degree-rated bag, so if you run extremely cold or spend a lot of time camping during colder shoulder seasons, you may need to add a sleeping bag liner for added warmth or consider a zero-degree bag. Because the insulation is natural down, the Pertex 10-denier Endurance UL exterior serves an important purpose: keeping the bag waterproof while still allowing it to breathe so you don't get clammy at night. You get a silky 15-denier ripstop nylon inside the bag that offers a plush feel against your skin. (Our tester fell asleep on their couch the first time they tried testing the fit of this bag!) While this is a high-end bag that costs over $500, the price tag isn't as high as the premium sleeping bags from other bigger outdoor brands, and all the Feathered Friends products come with a lifetime warranty. While our tester loved this bag, they did experience a zipper failure that kept this from being our top pick for women. Temperature Rating: 20 degrees | Materials/Insulation: Pertex Endurance UL, Flite 15 denier ripstop nylon, 950+ insulation | Weight: 1 pound, 11.2 ounces | Compressed Volume: 9 liters | Sustainability: PFC-free down treatment Best for Side Sleepers Big Agnes Sidewinder SL 20 Sleeping Bag 4.9 REI View On Amazon View On Campsaver.com View On Midwayusa.com What We Like Address an all-too-common complaint with traditional bags Lightweight and packable What We Don't Like No zero-degree version People spend more than half their time in bed in a side-sleeping position. Yet, most sleeping bags are shaped like coffins, only natural for the minority of folks that prefer the “savasana” or “corpse pose” sleeping position. Big Agnes delivers a solution with the Sidewinder SL 20, which puts the head opening to the side and offers tailoring designed with the side sleeper in mind. In addition to being shaped to the side sleeper, the Sidewinder rolls with you as many side sleepers shift in the night and switch sides, which can bunch insulation and cause cold spots in other bags. If you bend your knees in the side position, the bag also bends with you, and while that sounds nice on paper, our tester confirms “that ergonomically contoured fit actually does move with you in your sleep as you flop from side to side. As an outdoor gear editor, I own and test a ton of sleeping bags. This one has become one of my favorites.” We also appreciate many other features that aren’t specific to side sleeping, such as a draft-preventing zipper garage, an adjustable hood with a draft baffle, and extra insulation in important places. While the bag uses body-mapped insulation and adds synthetic to the down in key areas, this is still a 20-degree bag, and our tester needs additional insulation when sleeping on nights when low temps went below about 30 degrees. Temperature Rating: 20 degrees | Materials/Insulation: ripstop nylon, 650-fill-power DownTek insulation | Weight: 2 pounds, 4 ounces | Compressed Dimensions: 8 x 17.5 inches | Sustainability: PFC-free DWR, Responsible Down Standards insulation Best Ultralight Rab 20F Mythic Ultra 360 Down Sleeping Bag 4.7 Rab View On Backcountry.com View On Moosejaw.com View On Motosport.com What We Like Class-leading weight and packability What We Don't Like Aggressive mummy taper may be restrictive for shifty sleepers The United Kingdom’s Rab is known for high-end down apparel and sleeping bags, and the Mythic 360 fills a niche for ultralight runners, bikepackers, and thru-hikers willing to pay a premium for featherlight warmth. The Mythic 360 weighs less than a pound and a half, and it gets there by cutting a few corners that won’t be a big sacrifice for most prospective users in this category. First, it has a fairly sharply tapered mummy shape which our tester found very comfortable but may constrict very shifty sleepers. Rab also uses a high-quality 900-fill down insulation that delivers a high warmth-to-weight ratio, and they don’t use so much that the bag gets bulky yet still manages a 20-degree warmth rating. There’s also a half-zip instead of a whole, so you can’t entirely blow the bag open to use as a quilt in warmer sleeping temperatures. The 7-denier nylon fabric is light and thin, and on the inside, it features Rab’s Thermo Ionic Lining Technology (TILT) which performs like an emergency blanket to reflect the body’s heat, maximizing performance in extreme cold. While there isn’t a water-repellent treatment outside, the down is a proprietary blend developed with Nikwax to make it hydrophobic (read: quick-drying despite being natural down). Temperature Rating: 20 degrees | Materials/Insulation: 7D ripstop nylon, 900FP European Goose Down | Weight: 1 pound, 5.4 ounces | Compressed Dimensions: 7 x 14 inches | Sustainability: PFC-free DWR, Responsible Down Standards insulation TripSavvy / Nathan Allen Most Versatile NEMO Disco 15 4.7 Amazon View On Amazon View On Backcountry.com View On L.L.Bean What We Like Accommodates side-sleeping and shifting positions What We Don't Like Heavy for the warmth rating and price The always-innovative Nemo adds space at the knees and elbows to accommodate shifting in the night and side-sleeping with a unique cut to the bag and some ingenious features. The bag gets there by adding more weight than similar bags in its class, but those who struggle with comfort due to restriction or overheating will be willing to pay the price in ounces for a better night’s sleep. Our tester summarized this lightweight bag as “plush” in their full review of the Disco 15, and that’s not typical praise for a backpacking sleeping bag. The comfort is mainly due to the forgiving shape, but it also employs a cushy Blanket Fold draft collar that cradles your head in warmth. This combines with the integrated pillow pocket, which accommodates Nemo’s own Fillo camping pillow but can also provide structure for improvised pillows such as rolled-up puffy jackets and clothing. Our tester found the Disco 15 comfortable down to about 20 degrees, but it’s not cut out for extreme cold, and if you want to extend the effective season of the Disco, you may need to add a liner into its ample space. It’s also a tad heavy for the warmth rating, but that’s the trade-off you make for best-in-class comfort. Temperature Rating: 15 degrees | Materials/Insulation: 30D nylon taffeta, 650-fill hydrophobic down | Weight: 2 pounds, 11 ounces | Compressed Dimensions: 9 x 12 inches | Sustainability: Responsible Down Standards insulation TripSavvy / Nathan Allen Best Winter Mountain Hardwear Phantom GORE-TEX Sleeping Bag 0F Down 4.7 Back Country View On Backcountry.com View On Mountainhardwear.com View On REI What We Like Wind- and waterproof but still breathable Oversized to permit liners for extreme cold What We Don't Like Expensive Usually, when a sleeping bag is described as “three-season,” people mean spring, summer, and fall. By contrast, the Mountain Hardwear Phantom 0 is most appropriate for fall, winter, and early spring in most areas because it’s so warm and likely too hot for most summer camping. As such, this is a specialized bag for backcountry skiers, expeditions, and other demanding applications. The Phantom uses 850-fill down and plenty of it to deliver a zero-degree rating and comfort down to about 13 degrees. Believe it or not, Mountain Hardwear also makes the highly cold-ready Phantom -40 bag if you need maximum warmth at any cost and a respectable weight. The Phantom 0 isn’t cheap, but you’re paying for an overall ultralightweight for a bag in this class at just over 3 pounds, not much more ounces than many backpacking-grade 20-degree bags. The Phantom uses a tapered mummy cut to keep the weight reasonable, but it’s fairly long and roomy by design to allow you to add an insulating liner or other items inside the bag. Mountain Hardwear also employs Gore-Tex Windstopper fabric to deal with the high winds found in extreme environments while allowing moisture to escape. It’s worth emphasizing that this is a warm bag unsuited for most fair-weather camping. Our tester spent several nights in the Phantom 0 with nightly lows at or above 30 degrees and found the bag too toasty for the conditions. While you’ll be glad for the warmth in the right settings, this isn’t like some of our other selections that hedge their bets on warmth by adding venting and other features to make their bags adaptable to warmer nights. Temperature Rating: 0 degrees | Materials/Insulation: 30D ripstop nylon, 20-denier nylon taffeta, 850-fill down | Weight: 3 pounds, 5 ounces | Compressed Dimensions: 9.5 x 17 inches | Sustainability: Responsible Down Standards insulation, bluesign-certified materials TripSavvy / John Somerall Best for Extreme Cold Therm-a-Rest Polar Ranger -20 Sleeping Bag 4.2 REI Co-op Shop View On REI View On Thermarest.com What We Like Light and highly compressible for transport Well-thought-out snorkel tube breathing opening What We Don't Like Too narrow an application for most campers If you are an Arctic explorer like Eric Larsen, who helped design this bag, you might need a bag this warm and expedition-ready. If, as our tester for this bag noted, "you're a casual camper who stops camping in November, it might be overkill." Whether or not you ever visit the South pole, there are plenty of places in North America where temperatures drop below zero and justify employing the Polar Ranger from Therm-a-Rest. There is, of course, a hefty amount of insulation in the Polar Ranger, with just over 2 pounds of 800 fill power Nikwax-treated waterproof down making up most of this bag's total weight. Even with all that insulation, the Polar Ranger is a very manageable 3 pounds and 4 ounces and packs down unbelievably small for its size. Unlike more recreational bags, the Polar Ranger closes up snugly around your head, leaving essentially just an opening big enough for your mouth called a "snorkel tube." Unlike the rest of the bag, the tube uses synthetic down to prevent breath condensation from affecting the warmth of that section. A simple magnetic closure also doesn't require fiddling when sealing up the last closure for the night. Temperature Rating: -20 degrees | Materials/Insulation: recycled nylon, 800-fill-power Nikwax Hydrophobic Down | Weight: 3 pounds, 4 ounces | Compressed Dimensions: 8.5 x 10 inches | Sustainability: Responsible Down Standards insulation, recycled materials TripSavvy / Grace Kelly Best for Warm Weather Therm-a-Rest Hyperion 32F/0C Ultralight Down Mummy Sleeping Bag 4.6 Amazon View On Amazon View On Campsaver.com View On Campsaver.com What We Like About as light as it gets Plush comfort without being too warm What We Don't Like Expensive for the warmth Interestingly enough, Therm-a-Rest, our top pick brand for Extreme Cold, also produces our favorite sleeping bag for warm-weather backpacking. There are many basic options if you just need something simple and cheap for warm-weather RVing or car camping. But if you’re covering long distances over multiple days backpacking in warmer climates, consider the ultralight, well-designed Hyperion 32 from Therm-a-Rest. Some 900-fill Nikwax hydrophobic down is the key ingredient here, providing enough warmth without adding much bulk or weight. The bag is comfort-rated down to 41 degrees, which means it fills a niche for campers spending time outdoors on cool but not freezing nights between about 40 and 55 degrees where you’d be cold without a bag but uncomfortable in a warmer option. Our tester spent about a dozen nights outside over a year and said the Hyperion 32 is most comfortable in the mid-40s. Perhaps the key “feature” here is the weight. At only 1 pound, this is one of the lightest backpacking packs you can buy and will satisfy ultralight hikers, climbers, and bikepackers for whom every ounce matters. It also compresses to roughly a 6 x 6-inch cylinder, making it easy to fit in minimalist backpacks and bikepacks. Temperature Rating: 32 degrees | Materials/Insulation: 10D ripstop nylon w/ DWR, 900-fill-power Nikwax Hydrophobic Down | Weight: 16 ounces | Compressed Dimensions: 5.5 x 6 inches | Sustainability: Responsible Down Standards insulation Best Double The North Face Eco Trail Bed Double 20 Sleeping Bag 5 Backcountry View On Amazon View On Backcountry.com View On REI What We Like Cozy, felt-like fabric near the head 100 percent recycled materials What We Don't Like Awkwardly placed internal pocket While there are many sleeping bags available in both left and right-hand zippers so they can be zipped together, there are advantages to a dedicated double sleeping bag. RVers and van lifers will appreciate the cozy warmth and relaxed traditional shape that allows two people to sleep comfortably together. The Eco Trail has a classic rectangular shape and, at nearly 8 pounds, is too heavy for backpacking long distances (and since only one person can carry it at a time), plus the 13 x 24-inch stuff sack is awkward to fit in a backpack. Still, the bag is rated down to 20 degrees, and our tester couple said it kept them cozy through nightly temperatures in the 30s, so it’s not just a glorified quilt. Obviously, the design precludes this from being a versatile option, and unlike separate bags that zip together, a single person wouldn’t use the Eco Trail solo. But for dedicated vehicle camping situations as a couple, such as RVs, vans, and even rooftop tents, the Eco Trail is a great solution built for two. Temperature Rating: 20 degrees | Materials/Insulation: 50D recycled ripstop polyester, 50D embossed polyester taffeta, 900-fill-power Nikwax Hydrophobic Down | Weight: 7 pounds, 8 ounces | Compressed Dimensions: 13 x 24 inches | Sustainability: 100 percent recycled materials TripSavvy / Dylan Thompson Best for Kids Big Agnes Little Red 15 Degree Sleeping Bag 4.8 Courtesy of Backcountry View On Amazon View On Backcountry.com View On Campsaver.com What We Like All the top features found in adult bags What We Don't Like Have to get a bigger size for larger kids If you have kids, you may have noticed they get both hot and cold more easily than adults. This is because they don’t have as effective temperature regulation as adults and, when camping, can mean they get cold in seemingly moderate temperatures, making a warm bag such as Big Agnes’ Little Red 15 a key component of happiness at the campsite. The Little Red fits kids up to 4 feet and 5 inches tall but has all the features an adult would want in a sleeping bag. There’s an adjustable hood to keep their head warm and cozy, a draft-eliminating collar and zipper, and it secures to their sleeping pad to keep them from sliding off in the night and getting chilled by bare ground. If your little ones are too big for the Little Red, Big Agnes has two steps up in size in the Wolverine and Duster models, which reach up to 5 feet, 6 inches tall to accommodate smaller teens. Temperature Rating: 15 degrees | Materials/Insulation: polyester shell and lining, M4 synthetic insulation | Weight: 1 pound, 12 ounces | Compressed Dimensions: 7.5 x 9 inches | Sustainability: n/a Other Sleeping Bags We Tested Coleman Green Valley (30-50F): Our tester thought this was a good value and a solid warm weather option but didn’t enjoy the somewhat scratchy liner fabric against their skin. Western Mountaineering MegaLite 30F Down: Our 6-foot, 4-inch tester was comfortable in this warmer option despite a tapered mummy shape. The bag is ultralight, but you’ll pay a premium for it. TripSavvy / Dylan Thompson Enlightened Equipment Revelation Sleeping Quilt: We appreciated the versatility of this unique design that relies on an insulated pad underneath to complete the sleeping system. This ultralight option kept our tester warm into the low 30s but will require some learning for those used to a traditional sleeping bag. Sea to Summit Spark Ultralight 28: This is an ultralight, highly packable down sleeping bag with lots of smart design features, but it’s pricey, and our tester had concerns about the durability of the minimalist fabrics. Zenbivy Bed 25: The Zenbivy Bed is designed to provide a sleeping experience more akin to your bed at home, with a sheet below you and a mummy-style quilt above that you can kick out of if needed and sleep in a more natural position. North Face Eco Trail Synthetic 20: A bit heavy and bulky, this bag is a throwback in the age of ultralight, ultra-packable expensive bags—a solid car camping option. Kelty Cosmic 20 Degree Down: This simple, affordable down bag kept our tester warm on a hunting trip with nightly lows down to 25 degrees. NEMO Forte 20: Our tester found the bag comfortable but wished it packed down smaller and struggled with the many zippers for both the opening and venting. REI Co-op Magma 15: This bag lacked the loft and comfort of similar products with similar insulation. Our tester also experienced issues with breathability that made the bag feel damp. TETON Sports Celsius 0F: This cold-weather bag kept our tester warm in near-freezing temperatures, but she regularly struggled to pack it up into the provided stuff sack. NEMO Jazz 30 Double Sleeping Bag: The bed-like design made it feel more like sleeping at home. Between the weight and impracticality of the compressed size, this is for car camping or home use. Kelty Tru.Comfort 20 Doublewide: Our tester couple enjoyed the comfort of sharing this double bag and found it kept them warm until they approached the bag’s warmth rating limit one night in the 20s. How We Tested A group of more than a dozen testers evaluated 29 sleeping bags on comfort, warmth, fit, packability, sustainability, durability, and style. Our testers were spread across different regions of the United States and tested the bags at home and for at least several full nights outdoors. All of the bags tested underwent the same battery of tests, from checking closures and fit at home to testing outdoors in vans and tents. What to Look for in a Sleeping Bag Temperature Rating The temperature rating system for sleeping bags can be confusing as there are often at least two temperature rating numbers listed: the comfort rating and the limit rating. The comfort rating can be considered the lowest temperature you can expect to stay warm in the bag. If you tend to run cold, you may want to add a few degrees here since that number is subjective. The limit rating can be thought of as the “survival” temperature. You won’t freeze to death in the bag at this temperature, but you likely won’t feel warm, either. Brands will often put the limit rating number in the model name of the sleeping bag, so a “20-degree” bag may start to get uncomfortably cold at a higher number, say 28 degrees, so be sure to look at both numbers before deciding if a particular bag is appropriate for your normal camping conditions. Materials and Insulation The majority of the volume and weight of a sleeping bag is usually some form of insulation, often natural down or synthetic insulations. The fill power number for a particular down insulation indicates the warmth-to-weight ratio, and higher is better and usually more expensive. This is why pricier bags will usually feel loftier, fluffier, and lighter than cheaper bags, and you’ll want to look for higher fill power numbers if you’re concerned with weight but need performance, too. Most inner and outer fabrics that form the baffles surrounding the insulation will be synthetics such as nylon or polyester. Manufacturers will usually list a Denier number for the fabrics, and lower numbers will be lighter and feel silkier against your skin but will be less durable as a result. If you prize durability over comfort and weight, you may want to pick a bag that uses higher-Denier fabrics. If weight is the primary concern, look for fabrics about 20D or less. Weight The difference in weight between the lightest and heaviest bags is only a few pounds, but for certain backpacking applications, those few pounds matter greatly. Saving even a few ounces in the weight of your sleeping bag when you’re hiking for weeks on the Continental Divide Trail in Colorado, for example, can make a big difference, especially if you’re able to save ounces for each piece of gear you pack on your back. To give a sense of the range, the lightest bag in our top picks comes in at 1 pound even, while the heaviest one (excluding the double option) is still less than 4 pounds. Most backpackers always want a lighter bag if they can afford it, but if you’re camping in extreme cold, you may need to accept higher weights since staying warm is more important than weight savings in those scenarios. Cost Car campers can save a lot of money by purchasing bags that are a bit heavier. The most expensive bags on the market cost what they do because brands have to use premium materials and intelligent design to create sleeping bags that are both warm but also ultralight and ultra-packable. You can get a perfectly serviceable and comfortable sleeping bag for less than $100, but it likely won’t be both light, low-volume, and warm. With cheaper bags, you’ll need to choose one or two of those attributes at best. The most expensive bags will usually achieve high marks in all three fields, but you’ll pay from $500 to $1000 to get there. Frequently Asked Questions How should I care for and wash my sleeping bag? Most campers come home exhausted and the last thing they feel like doing is cleaning their sleeping bag and properly drying it before putting them away again. That said, we recommend at least opening up your bag and airing it out before stashing it away until the next use. Even if you think the bag is perfectly dry and clean, it’s a good habit to at least remove the bag from its storage sack and shake it out for repacking, just to be sure.Most sleeping bags are stored in some kind of stuff sack and while you want them fully compressed for carrying, it’s best to expand those stuff sacks to their maximum before putting the bag away. Many higher-end sleeping bags will come with two storage sacks: one compression stuff sack to use on the trail and another larger bag that allows the bag to expand and keep you from permanently compressing the insulation. If your bag doesn’t come with one of these larger sacks, you can use something as cheap and simple as a kitchen trash bag to store your sleeping bag and save the compression sack for when you’re actively camping.If you camp frequently, it’s a good idea to wash your bag at least once a year to prevent it from prematurely showing signs of wear and to prevent unpleasant odors. Manufacturers will usually provide guidance on how to wash and dry your bag based on the specific materials used. If your bag has special treatments such as Gore-Tex or any DWR coating, you’ll want to use specialized detergents and treatments such as Nikwax products. What type of sleeping bag is best for me? The easiest way to narrow down your sleeping bag choices is to assess the climates you usually camp in as well as the style of camping you most employ. RVers who have supplemental heat can get away with much lighter sleeping bags and can ignore concerns about weight and packability for the most part. Ultralight backpackers will want to pay more for light and packable options.Likewise, if you mostly camp in warmer climates during the summer, you’ll want to avoid getting a bag that’s too warm, while high-elevation and cold-weather backpackers will need to look at bags with a comfort rating ideally a bit lower than the coldest nightly temperatures they usually experience.If you’re a beginner camper, start with something affordable with a more traditional rectangular shape that’s easier to get comfortable in. As you spend more nights outside in sleeping bags, you’ll get a better idea of your sleeping bag preferences and can upgrade accordingly later on. How do I choose the best sleeping bag for me? We’ve provided our top picks in many categories above to try and make recommendations specific to the many styles of camping and flavors of camper out there. If you don’t exactly align with any of those categories, try to rank the attributes of a sleeping bag that matter most to you and look for sleeping bags that get good ratings in your top three or four attributes. Common aspects that we looked at in our testing that you should consider are weight, comfort, warmth rating, packability, shape, durability, and cost. Narrow your search to a handful of likely candidates and then rank them on the aspects most important to you and a winner will likely emerge. Why Trust Tripsavvy Justin Park started camping when he was in the womb. Now based in Breckenridge, Colorado, he sleeps outdoors in a range of environments for hunting and fun, from Utah’s deserts to the high alpine of the Rockies. His current go-to sleeping bag is the Sea to Summit Spark 5-Degree bag for its lightweight warmth and small form factor. Article Sources TripSavvy uses only high-quality, trusted sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial policy to learn more about how we keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy. Skarpsno ES , Mork PJ, Nilsen TIL, Holtermann A. "Sleep positions and nocturnal body movements based on free-living accelerometer recordings: association with demographics, lifestyle, and insomnia symptoms" Nov. 1, 2017 Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Share Pin Email Tell us why! Submit Continue to 5 of 14 below. Continue to 9 of 14 below. Continue to 13 of 14 below.