John Muir famously set off for the mountains with “some bread and tea in a pair of blankets with some sugar and a tin cup.” I like his ultralight spirit and disdain for consolation on the path, however I’d be prepared to wager that if Muir have been round at this time, he’d carry an excellent down sleeping bag with him, if for no different cause than they’re lighter than outdated blankets. The tea is crucial although, I can not argue with that.
Whether you are following Muir into the backcountry, are planning the right household tenting journey, or are trekking the Camino de Santiago, there is a sleeping bag for that. No matter the way you journey, the place you are headed, or how a lot consolation you search, after years of testing, we have discovered the perfect sleeping luggage for everybody.
Adrienne So, Martin Cizmar, and Matt Jancer contributed to this information.
Be certain to learn by our different outside guides, together with the Best Sleeping Pads, Best Tents, Best Camp Stoves, and our Camp Cooking information.
Table of Contents
- Best for Backpackers: Mountain Hardware Bishop Pass 15
- Best for Car Campers: REI Siesta Hooded 20
- Best All-in-One Sleep System: Zenbivy Bed
- Best Ultralight: Sea to Summit Spark 15
- Best for Side Sleepers: Therm-a-Rest Questar 20
- Best for Warm Weather: Marmot NanoWave 45
- Best For Spring and Fall Trips: Magma 15 Sleeping Bag
- Best Expedition Bag: Rab Expedition 1000
- Best Quilt: Therm-a-rest Vesper 32
- Best for Kids: REI (*11*)
- Best Synthetic Bag: Marmot Ultra Elite 20
- How to Pick the Perfect Sleeping Bag
- How We Tested
- What All The Terms Mean
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The Best Sleeping Bag for Backpackers
Mountain Hardware’s Bishop Pass 15 affords the perfect warmth-to-weight ratio whereas additionally managing to pack down small and never be too costly. It is not excellent, however it strikes the perfect compromise for most backpackers, being heat sufficient for the shoulder seasons and light-weight sufficient (2 kilos and 5.4 ounces) that you just will not thoughts it even once you barely want it in the summertime. I’ve slept on this bag for greater than two weeks, with nighttime temps starting from 28°F to 65°F, and, sure, it was an excessive amount of within the warmth as a sleeping bag. But on these hotter nights, I unzipped it and lined myself like a heat blanket. For all the pieces else, I slept very nicely. It’s a flexible bag.
The Bishop Pass 15 makes use of 650 fill energy down wrapped in a 20-denier waterproof ripstop nylon shell. (Note: You’ll typically see 20-denier written as 20D; see beneath for extra on what these phrases imply.) One of the good issues about this bag is the draft collar and face gasket function, which does an amazing job of holding your head heat. With the drawcord cinched down, you may preserve much more physique warmth. This is among the few luggage I’ve examined the place I did not really feel the necessity for a hat. The insulation does an excellent job of staying the place it ought to; I did not discover any dangerous chilly spots on this bag.
My solely gripe about this bag is that it is tight—there’s not a lot room for something however me. That makes it environment friendly and retains you hotter, however this isn’t an excellent possibility for those who’re trying for one thing roomy (see the Therm-a-Rest Questar beneath). I additionally do not love the zipper. The pull glows in the dead of night, which is nice, and the zipper would not snag a lot, however in my expertise, it additionally would not pull as simply as others. Still, these are minor gripes a few bag that will get the remainder proper.
Specs:
- Temp score: 15°F/-9°C
- Comfort score: 26°F/-3°C
- Fill: 650 Fill Power Down
The Best Sleeping Bag for Car Campers
Car-camping sleeping luggage aren’t a spot to spend a number of cash. Should your finest efforts to cocoon heat round you fail, there’s, in any case, a automotive to retreat to. That’s why we love the REI Siesta Hooded 20—it is lots heat and inexpensive. It’s additionally not a mummy bag, since you’re not climbing Denali; why cramp your self if you do not have to? The Siesta’s rectangular minimize makes for a a lot roomier, extra comfy bag. The Siesta is product of recycled polyester all through, with a polyester filling. Despite that, the liner on this bag is noticeably softer than many others on this information.
The Siesta’s 20-degree score makes it sufficient for three-season journeys, and in contrast to most rectangular luggage, the Siesta has a hood, which helps on these chilly nights. What makes this such a flexible bag, although, is the double zipper system. There’s a full-length zipper, which suggests you may flip it right into a quilt on hotter nights, and there is additionally a second partial-length zipper on the opposite facet so you may have extra airflow once you need it. (You can even now zip two Siestas collectively, which wasn’t attainable with earlier variations.)
Specs:
- Temp score: 20°F/-6°C
- Fill: 650 Fill Power Down
Best All-in-One Sleep System
The Zenbivy Bed 25 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is arms down essentially the most comfy backcountry sleeping expertise I’ve ever had. It would not be my prime decide for excessive conditions, however as long as your anticipated temperatures slot in Zenbivy’s vary, it would not get extra comfy than this. The Zenbivy is not only a sleeping bag although. It’s a sheet, hood, and quilt-style bag that may be mixed in numerous methods relying on what you need.
The prime sheet that covers the sleeping pad is product of 50-denier polyester pongee, which is splendidly smooth and seems like your mattress at dwelling. The sheet has the hood portion of the sleeping bag hooked up to it. Then you lay the highest quilt (product of 20D nylon) over that. This is the good, loosest means to make use of the system, excellent for these heat nights. This is how I did most of my testing since I sleep somewhat heat. Should the temperature drop, you may zip the quilt foot field up right into a mummy bag configuration and zip the higher sides to the underside sheet. I did this on a few cooler nights within the Keweenaw Peninsula when it bought fairly frigid.