What the best sleeping bag has

  • Adequate temperature rating. Experts recommend purchasing a bag with a temperature rating just below your usual camping climate.
  • Easy venting. Zippers on both sides of the sleeping bag help keep you cool on hot nights. Easy venting can also help it dry after wetting.
  • Loops/locks for add-ons. Exterior loops let you anchor your sleeping bag to a sleeping pad, while interior loops let you attach liners and keep valuables secure.
  • A comfortable liner. Test your bag's interior liner to ensure you're happy with how it feels on your face and arms, and how loudly it rustles in your ear when you turn your head.
  • A good, strong zipper. Often the first part to break, a durable zipper will extend the life of your bag.
  • Appropriate length and girth for your frame. Many bags come in regular or long sizes, or with wider leg areas for restless sleepers.
  • An interior pocket for valuables. Interior bag pockets help keep contact lenses from freezing, mobile phones from getting stepped on, and flashlights from rolling too far from your grasp.

Know before you go

Where do you want to camp? Environment is your primary consideration. If you plan to do most of your camping in humid or wet conditions, you may want synthetic fill to repel moisture and retain its insulating loft, even when wet. If you're a desert camper, down bags are cozy and a good choice for a dry but cold environment.

How much will you be carrying? Campers who plan to hike to their campsite need to consider every ounce of pack weight, including that of their sleeping bag. Meanwhile, car campers can drive up to their campsites and won't need to worry if their bag tops 10 pounds. When determining the weight of your sleeping bag, don't forget to add on your sleeping pad, if any.

Value expectations: the dollars and cents of it

After the initial purchase, owning a sleeping bag is relatively low cost. Following manufacturer's suggestions, professional cleaning isn't usually necessary. Some higher-quality sleeping bags come with a smaller compression sack and a larger storage sack. It's important to use the storage sack when not camping so your bag keeps its loft (thickness) for as long as possible. If the bag did not come with a storage sack, it's wise to purchase a roomy low-cost net bag instead. Some experts even advise storing your bags by hanging them foot-up in a dry closet.

Buying tactics and strategies

  • Test your bag in a controlled environment. Some stores will let you borrow a bag for a night to test on your porch, or at least snuggle down on the showroom floor for a few minutes.
  • Consider return policies. Just like a pair of shoes, your sleeping bag has to fit you. Find out what the retailer's return policy is so if need be, you can swap it.
  • Think of your bag as a multi-year investment. Cared for properly, your sleeping bag should serve you on camping trips for several years. In that context, it may be worth buying a more expensive bag than you first planned.
  • When buying for kids, buy long. Children should also get years of use out of their sleeping bags. So look for a style they can grow into.
  • Look for off-season sales. Sometimes you can buy the bag you'll use next spring at the beginning of winter, for example.

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