In life, there are few decisions that are more difficult to make than how to choose a sleeping bag. It’s one of those items that can really make or break a backpacking or camping trip.
After all, your comfortability while sleeping outdoors depends on it. However, if you’re not an avid camper, you probably don’t see much of a difference when it comes to sleeping bag options (and there are a lot of them out there).
I’m here to tell you, though, that not all sleeping bags are created equal. Each one offers different temperature ratings, sleep systems, insulation, and a variety of additional features that can enhance your ability to get a good night’s rest.
To help you choose a sleeping bag that will be the best fit for you, I’ve put together a comprehensive guide below:
What’s the Difference Between a Backpacking and a Camping Sleeping Bag?
There are three key differences between backpacking bags and camping bags to keep in mind. Backpacking bags …
- are lighter.
- can be compressed down smaller.
- offer more warmth while staying lightweight.
The differences between backpacking bags and camping bags are not always straightforward, though. When in doubt, go for a backpacking bag — especially if you plan to do both activities. This way, you’ll get the most warmth without loading up the weight in your pack.
Understanding Sleeping Bag Temperature Ratings
Sleeping bag temperature ratings indicate the lowest temperature they can keep an “average sleeper” adequately warm. It’s always best to pick a sleeping bag that has a temperature rating a little lower than the lowest temperatures you’re expecting. If you’re too warm, you can always open up the bag for more air, but there’s no way to make a cooler bag warmer.
It’s important to fully understand what temperature ratings and their terms mean. Here are some key definitions to help:
EN & ISO
An “ISO” or “EN” rating allows you to make a reliable comparison between any two backpacking sleeping bags. “ISO” and “EN” ratings are standardized rating tests whose results are comparable (EN being the older version, ISO being the newer, slightly more consistent version).
Comfort & Limit Ranges
ISO/EN testing gives a bag two separate temperature ratings: a comfort rating and a limit rating. “Comfort” rating tells you the lowest temperature a bag can keep a “cold sleeper” warm, and “limit” rating tells you the lowest temperature a bag can keep a “warm sleeper” warm.
If you’re not sure which one applies, women’s bags are often given “comfort” ratings, and men’s or unisex bags are often given “limit ratings”. Don’t see either of these terms listed? The temperature rating is probably a brand estimate and has not been ISO/EN tested.
No Guarantees
Always keep in mind that a temperature rating can’t 100% guarantee that a given bag will keep you warm to your liking.
Ratings are most helpful for comparing different brands of bags, given that all brands test bags in the same way. Sleep system data is a better way to determine how warm you’ll be in varying conditions.
How To Choose A Sleeping Bag: Your Sleep System
Your Sleeping Pad and Bag Work Together
Real-life variables like humidity, wind, clothing, ground conditions, personal preferences, and your type of shelter always impact your warmth and comfort in a sleeping bag. The most important thing to keep in mind is your sleep system.
What’s a sleep system? It has three main components:
- Your sleeping bag
- Your sleeping pad
- Your clothing
Sleeping bag test ratings are always based on a sleeper wearing long underwear and socks, and using a pad with an approximately 5.5 R-Value rating to make sure variables stay consistent across all brands and bags. So, if you use a less-insulated pad in the cold, or wear less clothing, your sleeping bag may not seem to perform to standard.
Understanding Sleeping Bag Insulation Types
The first step to choosing the right sleeping bag for backpacking is your insulation type. Here’s a handy chart listing the main differences between synthetic and down fills.
No matter what type of insulation you choose, keep in mind that a lot of care is put into designing sleeping bags so that the distribution of insulation between the liner and the outer shell stays even.
Down bags often have baffled constructions of some kind, while synthetics have quilted, offset quilted and/or shingled constructions. These designs make sure that sleepers don’t end up with cold spots, regardless of the type of filling.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Insulation
Down insulation
Down insulation is more expensive and more sought after than synthetic insulation because it’s lighter and packs down easily.
It’s also more durable, and can maintain consistent levels of warmth over a longer period of time. If properly cared for, down-insulated bags can even last decades! Here are answers to common questions about down insulation:
Understanding Fill Power
“Fill power” tells you the quality of down. The higher the number, the higher level of warmth for its weight. The most expensive down bags out there have the highest fill powers (closer to 800 rather than 500 fill-power) and are designed for extremely low temperatures or ultralight backpacking.
Water-Resistant Down Insulation
Down loses its insulation efficiency when it gets wet. For this reason, most sleeping bags treat their down insulation with a water-repellant.
RDS & TDS
Most down is sourced as a by-product of the meat industry. RDS (Responsible Down Standard) and TDS (global Traceable Down Standard) are designations that indicate that the ducks and geese providing down were treated humanely.
Synthetic Insulation
Synthetic insulation can provide quality performance at a lower price. Unlike down, its warmth efficiency is unaffected by exposure to water, making it an optimal choice for wet climates.
Most synthetics are made of polyester, listed as a variety of branded names. Sadly, there is no widely adopted “fill power” spec that can be used to cross-compare the performance of different synthetic fills.
Hybrids
Down/synthetic blend bags attempt to harness the best of both worlds. They are designed with synthetic on the bottom (so it compresses less), and down on the top (where it will loft better). The drawback to this model is that when rolled onto its side, the bag loses its advantage.
Understanding Sleeping Bag Weight
A sleeping bag’s insulation and its shape directly impact the weight most. High-efficiency insulations, such as synthetics or high-fill-power downs, provide more warmth for less weight. Since a bag needs more insulation to perform well in colder temperatures, it’s important to only compare bag weights of bags with similar temperature ratings.
Insulation fill weight
Overall bag weight is the weight you feel carrying the bag in your pack. Insulation fill weight, however, only indicated the weight of the bag’s insulation. This is sometimes used to loosely determine bag warmth, since it intuitively seems that more fill makes a bag warmer — but remember that a bag’s temperature rating is the most reliable indicator of warmth.
How sleeping bag shape can impact weight
If a bag is sleeker and closer fit to the body, it will weigh less than bigger, roomy bags. Here are the three main bag shapes:
Mummy Sleeping Bags
Mummy sleeping bags are designed with warmth and efficiency in mind. The fit is slim and close to the body, and it comes with a hood that can be tied tight around your head for extra warmth.
Keep in mind you’ll have to roll over with your bag instead of inside the bag when sleeping in a mummy bag.
Semi Rectangular
Semi-rectangular bags are often referred to as a “modified mummy” or “barrel” shape. This designation is given to a variety of shapes that try to optimize warmth and roominess at the same time.
Rectangular
If you’re looking for the most roomy option, rectangular camping bags come in a simple large rectangle shape that offer the most space.
How sleeping bag shape affects warmth
While sleeping, your body emits heat. Sleeping bags keep you warm by holding on to this heat that your body puts out. A closer-fit bag will be lighter than a bag of similar temperature rating that’s big and roomy.
How to Get the Best Sleeping Bag Fit
The shapes listed above are, of course, generalizations. Dimensions can vary across different bags and brands. Sleeping bags also come in different sizes:
Kids’ sleeping bags are smaller, scaled-down versions of adult sleeping bags that come at a lower price point. Companies are unable to ISO or EN test kids’ bags, but brands still provide a temperature rating estimate.
Sleeping Bags For Adults
Adult sleeping bags come in different sizes according to length. Most have a regular and a long size, though some also have a short size.
If you’re near the upper limit of a bag “fits up to” spec, test out that bag and the longer size to see which suits you best. The smaller bag will always keep you a bit warmer and will be a little more lightweight than the longer alternative.
Sleeping Bags For Women
Women’s sleeping bags are designed to fit the curves of an “Average woman’s” body. This means they are shorter in length, narrower at the shoulders, and have more room in the hips than a men’s or unisex bag.
Additional Sleeping Bag Features
Fabric
Backpacking bags usually have an outer shell made of ripstop nylon or polyester. Shell fabrics are often treated with DWR (durable water repellent) to keep moisture from getting through to the fill. The inside lining typically has a brushed texture to feel soft and comfortable against the skin.
Features to Protect Your Zipper
There’s nothing more annoying than snagging the zipper while opening and closing your bag — not to mention it causes fabric wear and tear. Look for bags with a guard along the length of the zipper, or a cover on the zipper itself to avoid this issue.
Draft Tubes, Collars & Yokes
To prevent warm air from escaping, some bags have draft tubes down the length of the bag behind the zipper. Some bags also have draft collars, or yokes that fit around your neck at the top of the bag to keep the warm air in.
Zipping Bags Together
For zipping bags together to work, one must have a left-hand zip and the other a right-hand zip of the same zipper type. Usually a men’s bag is a left zip and the women’s is a right zip. If combining bags proves difficult, you can also look into double bags made to fit two sleepers.
Pillow Pocket
A pillow pocket is an opening where you can stuff clothing inside to create a make-shift pillow for your bag. If you’re using a bag without a pillow pocket, bringing a pillow from home or buying a camping pillow is always an option.
Compatibility With Your Sleeping Pad
Some bags replace the underside insulation with a sleeve made to fit a sleeping pad. Pad loops can fit straps (sold separately) connecting your bag to the pad.
Stash Pockets
A stash pocket is a small pouch located near the chest at the top of the bag to keep essential items easily accessible.
Hoods
Hoods (particularly if cinched tight around the head) can provide additional warmth to a bag. Some hoods even have “differentiated draw cords” with different thicknesses to help you distinguish which cord adjusts the neck and which cord adjusts the hood.
Additional Accessories You Can Buy
Storage Sacks
Leaving a sleeping bag packed down in a stuff sack for extended periods can prevent it from lofting and decrease its ability to insulate fully. This is why many bags come with a larger sack made of cotton or mesh for long-term storage.
Liners
A separate, soft sleeping bag liner can help extend the life of your bag, minimizing wear and keeping it fresh and clean. It can also add additional warmth, so that a single bag can be modified to work in a variety of climates.
Stuff Sacks
A stuff sack comes with a bag (or is sometimes sold separately) to help you compress it down as small as possible for storing it later.
Wrapping Up How To Choose a Sleeping Bag
Hopefully this post has given you all the knowledge you need to choose the perfect sleeping bag for your camping style. If you want to know more about sleeping bas such as how to store them, wash them, and more, check out our everything you need to know about sleeping bags.
- About the Author
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Hey there, I’m Ryan, the face behind Beyond The Tent.
With decades of camping experiences, my journey into the wilderness began on the rustic trails of a farm in southern Minnesota, where my childhood was filled with explorations and camping by a picturesque river.
My family’s adventures across the United States, from the majestic Colorado mountains to the serene national parks and the pristine Boundary Waters Canoe Area of Northern Minnesota have given me a broad perspective. With each journey, whether in state parks or private encampments, and through the homely comfort of our camping trailers, we’ve amassed a trove of stories, experiences, and invaluable camping wisdom.