Sleep under the stars in the most remote wilderness places, fall asleep at the root of the highest mountains and sip some coffee while the setting sun casts its golden rays on your camp. Yes, backpacking is this much inspiring.
It is the combination of hiking and camping, but even for the seasoned camper, there are things worth knowing before hitting the trail for the first hiking expedition. This article provides meaningful information about the best backpacking sleeping bag products to help you find what you desire for your hiking and camping needs.
Our Top Picks
| Name | Weight | Dimensions | Temperature Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra Designs Mobile Mummy 600 | 3.05 lb | 18 x 14 x 14 inches | 25 Degrees Fahrenheit | Check price on Amazon |
| Alps Mountaineering Crescent Lake | 9 lb | 14 x 14 x 19 inches | 0 Degrees Fahrenheit | Check price on Amazon |
| Sea to Summit Spark SPII | 0.76 lb | 80 x 2 x 25 inches | 35 Degrees Fahrenheit | Check price on Amazon |
| Suisse Sport Alpine | 5 lb | 9.8 x 10.9 x 16.3 inches | 20-40 Degrees Fahrenheit | Check price on Amazon |
| Marmot Plasma | 1 lb | 7.24 x 7.8 x 14.65 inches | 30 Degrees Fahrenheit | Check price on Amazon |
| Sierra Designs Zissou | 2.3 lb | 25 x 16 x 10 inches | 30 Degrees Fahrenheit | Check price on Amazon |
| Wenzel Windy Pass | 4.25 lb | 33 x 3.5 x 84 inches | 0 Degrees Fahrenheit | Check price on Amazon |
Things to Consider Before Buying
When you are out hiking or camping, it is fulfilling to look forward to a good night’s sleep. Immersed in your outdoor escapades, you will require all the energy you can get so as to squeeze in a lot of adventures as possible. This is why choosing the best sleeping bag is essential since your bag will be your bed away from home.
In an outdoor adventure, having the right gear creates a whole difference between an awesome night and a night spent turning and tossing. There is so much to consider when it comes to choosing a sleeping bag. Here are a few pointers worth having in mind.
Insulation Options
Arguably, your sleeping bag is the most significant piece of the backpacking gear. You are a happy camper if you happen to own a cozy one. If it is very warm, sticky-like, rubber-room constrictive, or not warm enough, it will certainly ruin your night.
Image Credit phdesigns.co.uk
The idea is to find a bag that is well-suited for what you are doing. In that case, an important factor to have in mind is insulation. For the alpine trips, you need to find a sack that is rated about ten degrees below the coldest temperature you will be expecting to face.
For a summer trip in a mild setting, find a sack rated thirty to forty degrees. In a shower season, you should reach out for a twenty-degree sack with a three-quarter zip. Finally, if you will be car camping, pay attention to ratings, but aspects of cushions are of much significance, which is why you will be excited about the presence of an-inbuilt memory foam.
Down
The only downside to these bags is that they are costly and when wet, they lose loft, meaning that if they are soaked, they cannot keep you warm. However, this is not a deal breaker depending on where and when you are planning to go hiking. You should assess your needs so you can determine if the down option is suitable for your case.
Synthetic
The good thing about the synthetic bags is that they do not lose loft when they get wet. Therefore, they are able to keep you warm during wet conditions of the weather. They tend to be bulkier and heavier than their down counterparts, but it is still difficult to compare the two.
Nonetheless, synthetic bags stand out during wet conditions and if your situation requires you to have one, you will be more than pleased to own a bulkier and heavier sack.
These kinds of bags are recommended for use in wet environments. Additionally, for novices without the tricks or skills to keep their gear dry, a synthetic bag would be an ideal option for them.
Best Products on Today’s Market
Choosing the best sleeping bag does not have to be a difficult proposition. All you need to know are the important design features you should look for. After extensive research and considerations, we have selected the following products for you.
Sierra Designs Mobile Mummy 600
Price: Approx. $240
Weight: 3.05 lb
Dimensions: 18 x 14 x 14 inches
Specific features: Draft prevention, zipper-less arm ports, centrally placed, ventable zipper
Best use: Survival, hiking, outdoor adventures
Description: The Sierra Designs Mobile Mummy 600 is a surprising hiking gear as it moves along with you. With this sleeping bag, you are able to lie on whichever side you deem fit, whether it is on your back, on your side, or on your stomach. You can also wear the sack like a garment and walk around your campsite.
The mobile mummy is made up of two slots around the shoulders that will enable you to be comfortable in it while still using your hands on the outside. This makes the bag very resourceful and versatile when compared to competitor models.
Contrary to some sleeping bags, the mummy has a 58-inch zipper at the center, which makes it possible for you to stick out your legs while still inside the bag. Two clasps on its back latch a foot box at the back, creating a clear space for you to walk around worrying about dragging it on the ground.
PROS:
- The 600 Fill Duck DriDown ensures that you stay dry and warm, and it also dries remarkably fast.
- Its ultralight hood jacket is designed to move fittingly with your head, you are able to make convenient turns without any problems.
- The combination of curtains, tube, and draft collar offers effective draft prevention that keeps you warm inside.
- The storable footbox design is very useful; you can tuck it up with fastenings, allowing you to walk around the campsite while wearing the bag.
CONS:
- It packs down large given the design.
Related: You should also buy the Sea to Summit Compression Sack. We recommend this product for stowing your sleeping. It is a very reliable sack for the job.
Alps Mountaineering Crescent Lake
Price: $40 – $150
Weight: 9 lb
Dimensions: 14 x 14 x 19 inches
Specific features: 210T polyester liner; 210t polyester outer fabric, insulated chest and zipper baffle, tech loft + insulation
Best use: Survival, hiking, outdoor adventures
Description: It’s not only the size that will catch your attention, but the series of unique features that the Crescent Lake sleeping bags have. The Crescent Lake is made using the Techloft+ insulation, which consists of multi-hole fibers with the length of a staple.
These fibers have silicon finishing ensuring maximum insulation, loft, and compactness. The Alps Mountaineering Crescent Lake bag utilizes a two-layer offset construction referred to as a bag within a bag. Its mummy shape and contoured hood help in sealing up your warmth and keeping you as warm as you can be.
This backpacking sleeping bag is a great hiking gear to carry along on your tours, and what’s more, it will not take up much of your space. This sleeping bag is the most appropriate choice for alpine climbers and mountaineers, given the fact that it has a rating of 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Regardless of its resourcefulness, the bag is a bit heavy for light backpacking.
PROS:
- The design comprises of ripstop top fabric, which is not only durable but also highly rip-resistant.
- The bag uses tech loft+ insulation that offers maximum comfort and ensures you do not experience any condensation.
- It has a very versatile design that features two layer constructions for additional warmth, comfort and durability.
CONS:
- It is a heavy sleeping bag for ultralight backpacking trips.
Related: You should also buy the ALPS Mountaineering Compression Sleeping Bag Stuff Sack and the Klymit Static V Lightweight Sleeping Pad. The stuff sack can accommodate your sleeping bag and clothing; while the sleeping pad provides additional comfort when sleeping.
Sea to Summit Spark SPII
Price: Approx. $400
Weight: 1 lb
Dimensions: 80 x 2 x 25 inches
Specific features: High construction material, 0 deniers Pertex Quantum fabric, 55/45 fill ratio, contoured mummy shape
Best use: Survival, hiking, outdoor adventures
Description: The Sea to Summit Spark SPII is a one pound sleeping bag that can surprise you with its amazing features. It is an excellent choice for climbers and backpackers who need to save space while embarking on their hiking escapades.
In fact, it is a great contender for a specific application of light and fast backpacking owing to its almost negligible weight.
When embarking on outdoor adventures, it is imperative to get your sleeping bag small enough for portability aspect.
All packed up, the Sea to Summit Spark is smaller than a ball, making it easier to push it into the furthest corner of your backpack. If you value size and weight, this bag would certainly fit the criteria you are looking for.
Despite its merits, there are a number of issues that the owners of the Spark II model have noticed. One of this is its color. If you are a veteran hiker or camper, you would agree that white and camping do not go well together.
Due to its color, this bag gets dirty fast, and therefore, a dark color would be ideal for use on multi-day adventures. The other issue concerns the zipper. A two-zipped bag makes it easier for one to get in and out and can also enable ventilation of its inner lining.
I am not sure why the Sea to Summit Spark II comes with a single zipper, but my guess would be to minimize weight; which is also understandable.
PROS:
- The bag is compact, lightweight and convenient for ultralight backpacking and long distance expeditions.
- The bag’s warmth to weight ratio is remarkable, making it the ideal option for summer whether you are biking or thru hiking.
- Apart from its resourcefulness, the bag is very versatile because it balances warmth, weight and size.
CONS:
- The bag is resourceful and versatile during warm weather but not cold weather.
Related: We also advise you to buy Therm-a-rest NeoAir XLite Regular and the ALPS Mountaineering Compression Sleeping Bag Stuff Sack. The NeoAir XLite air mattress provides additional warmth and comfort; while the stuff sack provides more than enough space for stowing your sleeping bag, clothing and other sleeping gear.
Suisse Sport Alpine Sleeping Bag
Price: Approx. $40
Weight: 5 lb
Dimensions: 9.8 x 10.9 x 16.3 inches
Special features: Soft polyester lining, double-layer offset quilt construction, mummy shape
Best use: Survival, hiking, outdoor adventures
Description: Made from comfortable materials, the Suisse Sport Alpine Bag eliminates cold spots and maintains warmth to a level of about twenty degrees.
Its five-degree rating implies that it will keep you warm and alive even at five-degree temperatures. Therefore, you do not have to worry about cold nights since the Suisse Sport has you covered.
Slightly less than five pounds, this gear is somehow heavy for backpacking or hiking, but you could still use the bag for these purposes if the extra weight does not bother you. However, the sack compresses down, making it much easier to carry along.
The Suisse Sport would be an ideal bag for a novice or a starter, or any person who does not want to spend a lot of money buying premium bags.
It packs tight, has a low-temperature rating, is soft and comfortable to sleep in, and is cheap and easy to clean. There are much better sleeping bags on the market, but not within the price range of the mummy!
PROS:
- It is made of soft polyester fabric, which is high-performing in cold weather.
- It has the lowest temperature rating of +5 F, providing you with a comfort range of twenty to forty degrees Fahrenheit.
- It is fitted with double-layer construction that safeguards you from cold spots.
- The design consists of a draft tube that ensures you are warm inside while the cold air remains outside.
CONS:
- It is a bit bulky for ultralight backpacking.
Related: We also recommend you buy the ALPS Mountaineering Compression Sleeping Bag Stuff Sack. This particular product is well-built for stowing sleeping gear, such as your Suisse Sport Alpine Sleeping bag.
Marmot Plasma Sleeping Bag
Price: Approx. $600
Weight: 1 lb
Dimensions: 7.24 x 7.8 x 14.65 inches
Specific features: Ultralight, 30-degree rating, two-way zippers with garage,
Best use: Survival, hiking, outdoor adventures
Description: The Marmot Plasma Sleeping Bag is very lightweight and compact that you may feel like you left it behind. The bag is not designed for polar expeditions, but moderate and summer-season tours.
Its 875 super-high loft will keep you warm without taking too much of your space or slowing you down during your hiking expeditions. The insulation of Marmot Plasma has been treated using Down Defender to enhance its water-resistance.
Additionally, the ultralight but tough, Pertex Quantum shell consist of an external and internal DWR coating to rid you of moisture and keep the down as fluffy as new.
It is challenging to come up with a light camping gear with a traditional design, but this one utilizes vertical baffles that help in directing the heat to the foot box, keeping your feet warm without needing an extra down.
With this bag, drafts and leaking are minimized thanks to the collar, face muff, and the insulated draft tube, so you do not have to worry about cold air getting into your bag and disrupting your sleep.
PROS:
- The bag is remarkably lightweight, weighing around a pound, making it compact and suitable for ultralight backpacking trips.
- The regular left zip size is very convenient for both right-handed individuals and side sleepers, because it offers direct access to the zipper.
- It uses 875 + fill-power goose down that is sheathed in vertical baffles that not only surround your core but also transfer enough heat to your farthest point.
CONS:
- The regular left zip size may not be suitable for left-handed individuals.
Related: Consider buying the Ultralight Inflatable Sleeping Pad to use with your bag. We recommend this product because it is made of quality material, lightweight, convenient for backpacking, and easy to operate.
Sierra Designs Zissou
Price: $150 – $240
Weight: 2.3 lb
Dimensions: 25 x 16 x 10 inches
Specific features: 700 fill power insulation, 30 degrees Fahrenheit, ultra-compressible
Best use: Survival, hiking, outdoor adventures
Description: Renowned for their compressible properties and effectiveness in retaining heat, the fibers and feather of the goose down are soft and feel comfortable when sleeping. Despite the improvements in synthetic materials, this bag provides the best warmth/weight ratio of the insulation available.
One weakness of the down is that it does not retain much heat when exposed to moisture, but the Sierra Designs Zissou performs differently. Employing a one of a kind polymer application, the bag establishes a hydrophobic surface in every plume of down.
The treatment leads to an insulation, which dries thirty-three percent faster in case it gets wet and remains dry seven times longer compared to untreated bags. Even more impressive, this allows its insulation to preserve ninety-eight percent of its lofts, translating into retained heat which the untreated bags cannot achieve.
If you need a sleeping bag that offers ultimate comfort during camping, then the Sierra Designs Zissou is your best choice. The bag is also versatile; you can use it during warm nights or cold nights.
PROS:
- The bag’s design is not only lightweight but also ultra-compressible, thus very convenient for light backpacking trips
- The 700 fill DriDown compressible, lightweight and does a great job of keeping you warm and dry.
- Side wall baffles ensure that down is uniformly distributed, making sure you stay warmer throughout the night.
- The bag’s lightweight design, ultra-compressibility, and 700 fill DriDown make it the ideal choice for camping adventures.
CONS:
- Not suitable for three seasons.
Related: We also recommend you buy the AEGISMAX Compression Stuff Sack, the Sierra Designs DriDown Pillow, and the Klymit Static V2 Inflatable Sleeping Pad. The stuff sack provides enough room for your sleeping bag and clothing; while the pillow and sleeping pad are for added comfort when sleeping.
Wenzel Windy Pass Bag
Price: $40
Weight: 4.25 lb
Dimensions: 33 x 3.5 x 84 inches
Specific features: Polyester outer and liner, three-inch shoulder collar, 2-way coil zipper
Best use: Survival, hiking, outdoor adventures
Description: Wenzel prides itself in being a trusted American brand that helps campers and hikers get away from their day to day lives into an adventurous life in the wilderness.
Starting with awesome tents, inventory from Wenzel has developed to include everything from the home gadgets to outdoor furniture. Each of these products is designed to the highest standards of versatility, durability, and comfort.
The days of wet sleeping bags and drafty tents are long gone. The home-away-from-home tents, pump-inflated beds, and the roughing-it accessories exist to make you experience nature with minimum hassle.
The Wenzel Windy Pass Bag is a fantastic sleeping bag that makes your hiking and camping comfortable. The bag is made up of a premium Omega II fill (a blend of hollow and solid fiber) which is rated to zero degrees Fahrenheit.
The bag is also accompanied by extra warm features such as a tapered base, a hooded top, and a two-way coil zipper. With a combination of an easy stuffing gray sack, this mummy bag is certainly a favorite camping gear to have around.
PROS:
- The design consists of polyester outer and soft polyester pongee liner for better performance and durability.
- With a temperature rating of 0 degrees, the Wenzel Windy bag is designed for cooler weather.
- Has unique Omega II fill that is lightweight and non-allergic along with offset quilt build for warmth and comfort.
- It is an oversize bag suitable for maximum comfort.
CONS:
- It is oversize, bulky and not suitable for ultralight backpacking.
Related: Consider buying the ALPS Mountaineering Compression Sleeping Bag Stuff Sack. We recommend this sack because the available model will not re-fit the bag once removed, and you may destroy the fill.
The Wrap Up
The above information is meant to assist you to make an informed decision when it comes to getting the best sleeping bag for your hiking and camping needs. Today, the outdoor accessories market is huge, so it can be quite daunting for you to narrow down your options to a bag that best fits your need.
Image Credit: qrcodematrix.com
The balance between weight, height, and price is usually unique to every hiker. I hope that this guide will help you select a sleeping bag that is within your budget and meets all your requirements when you are out in the wilderness.
So, have you had any experiences with a sleeping bag before and, are there any other backpacking sleeping bags you think should be included in this review? Please let us know what you think in the comments section of this guide. We are more than anxious to hear what you have to say.
Whether I am indoors or outdoors, I treasure my sleep so a comfortable sleeping area is a must. I read countless reviews before zeroing in on the Suisse Sport Alpine Sleeping Bag and I must say I was not disappointed. I especially love it because it is long and spacious enough to fit my entire 6’2″ body and keep me warm and comfortable.
I’m also a tall man with a big frame so I’m very picky with my sleeping back. After trekking for hours, I do want to sleep comfortably. That’s why I was always on a lookout for spacious sleeping bags which are made of excellent materials that can withstand freezing temperatures. Good choice with the Suisse Sport Alpine!
I won 4 sleeping bags, two for single occupancy and two with double occupancy. One of my single occupancy sleeping bags is a Sea to Summit Spark SPI sleeping bag and I love it. It is lightweight and yet warm, and it compresses to a very compact size making it easy to carry.
Hi Katie and wow, you won it in a raffle or something? That’s so neat! You’ll love the sleeping bags and I’m sure you’ll be real warm and cozy when you use it for camping. You’re one lucky girl!