Kelty Little Dipper

Bottom Line

Youngsters who want their own sleeping bag when on warm-weather camping trips or sleepovers will love the soft materials and easy packing of the Kelty Little Dipper 40 Junior. It's not insulated well enough for cold-weather camping, however.

Performance

For daytime naps and backyard campouts. The Kelty Little Dipper 40 Junior is a snug and stylish bag for toddlers and young children. The bag is built to withstand the ruggedness of camping, but the 40-degree temperature rating is not suitable for cool outdoor temperatures at night. However, parents say they love this sleeping bag, and their children do, too. The synthetic insulation will dry quickly if exposed to moisture, users write. One major letdown: the Little Dipper's small size limits its use to children under about 4 feet, 4 inches.

Comfort

Hidden pillow pocket. The tape-fastened pillow pocket allows kids to adjust the height and proportion of their pillow, which can be fashioned by inserting a blow-up pillow, small blanket, clothing or even a soft toy in the pocket. The high-denier polyester taffeta is easy on skin, and the Cloudloft synthetic insulation is fluffy enough for kids to use the bag on mild nights without feeling too chilled.

Ownership

Functional and cute. Parents say the Kelty Little Dipper is durable enough for daily use as a playtime accessory and as a comfy napping bag. "This children's bag is totally functional while still being 'cute'," writes one contributor at Campmor.com. The bag's zipper is easy for young hands to maneuver, and the attached stuff sack is roomy enough for kids to use without help. The bag comes in two color schemes, without being too gender-specific in the design.

Parents like the ability to fully unzip the bag and use it as a quilt, which makes it more versatile than a closed-foot mummy bag. "My son likes that the hoop cinches down like my mummy bag, so his ears don't get cold," one reviewer on OutdoorPlay.com writes. Parents also appreciate the use of an elastic adjustment instead of a pull cord, which could pose a tangling or choking hazard. Kelty sleeping bags have a one-year limited warranty for the product's original owner.