We buy all the products we test — no freebies from companies. If you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission, which helps support our testing.
You can't put a price on a great night's sleep. Staying warm and comfortable in the backcountry isn't just an important safety precaution; it helps you enjoy the outdoors to the fullest. Choosing a sleeping bag that balances warmth with weight is key for backpacking.
The best overall backpacking sleeping bag is the Western Mountaineering MegaLite. This USA-made bag is toasty warm and one of the lightest in our lineup, but you'll pay top dollar for top performance. If you love backpacking, this is a sleeping bag to invest in – we have friends who have carried Western Mountaineering bags for more than a decade.
For something more budget-friendly, the Exped Terra 15 is an impressively warm down bag and still weighs less than 3 pounds. It's overstuffed with down, which makes it incredibly comfortable. Yet it's just as packable as premium options, and costs one-third as much.
If you're looking at buying a sleeping bag for your first backpacking trip, we recommend the REI Co-op Trailmade 25. Even though it's not quite as warm as these other down sleeping bags, it's just right for summer trips (as long as you're not camping at high elevation). Despite its synthetic insulation, it's still surprisingly packable. Best of all, it's affordable and available in a variety of sizes.
We've been hitting the trails to test sleeping bags since 2011 and have now rigorously tested well over 100 top models. For this review, we purchased and tested 17 of today's best sleeping bags side by side, ranking them based on overall performance and value. From the snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevada to the sweltering deserts of Death Valley, our team of experts has spent countless nights considering every aspect of these bags. You care about your gear choices — we've done the legwork to make it easy to choose a great sleeping bag.
Editor's Note: We updated our backpacking sleeping bag review on October 19, 2026, after testing new bags from top brands like Nemo, Marmot, Big Agnes, and REI, plus a few popular Amazon options.
Quick Picks
Here's a quick list of our favorite Backpacking Sleeping Bag recommendations.
Like other ultra-premium down sleeping bags, the Western Mountaineering MegaLite offers maximum warmth with minimal weight in a bag that effortlessly packs down to 6.6 liters. But unlike other ultra-premium down bags we tested, it features a spacious interior that provides superior comfort, whether you sleep on your front, back, or side. “I'm a lifelong side sleeper, and I found plenty of room to roll over in this bag,” our lead tester said. If you don't need quite as much warmth but weight and packed size are priorities, consider the more snug-fitting Feathered Friends Hummingbird 30, which we measured to be about 1.3 pounds lighter and 1.1 liters smaller than the MegaLite.
Our gripes about the Western Mountaineering MegaLite are few and minor: the hood closure is a bit awkward, and it's not super comfortable when cinched tight. More notably, this bag is just plain expensive. If you really want to prioritize weight and space savings, the MegaLite or Hummingbird is where it's at, but the less expensive Exped Terra 15 goes toe-to-toe with them in terms of warmth and overall comfort. Still, we think the MegaLite is worth the investment for serious backpackers trekking in cold climates, especially given that this rugged bag has lasted us for many years. “This is the bag for the backpacker who wants everything and doesn't mind paying for it,” one of our testers notes. “If you've got the budget, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the MegaLite.”
Down insulation bags can get really pricey, really quickly. Fortunately, the Exped Terra 15 is an exception. It's stuffed with plenty of duck down for superior insulation compared with a synthetic sleeping bag like the REI Trailmade 25. While the insulation quality isn't as high as the Western Mountaineering MegaLite, there's plenty to go around, and this bag has standout features that boost warmth and comfort. A thick draft tube fully insulates you from air seeping through the zipper. The large draft collar and plush hood each have their own drawcord, so you can cinch them down tightly to create a snug cocoon. A large, easily accessible interior pocket keeps essentials like a phone or headlamp close at hand, while a glow-in-the-dark, anti-snag zipper makes it easier to get in and out of your bag in the middle of the night. Tester Arthur McMahon said, “Given how affordable this bag is, it's incredible how many features they packed in that genuinely help make camping more comfortable.”
The Terra 15 does have some limitations, especially compared to some of the more premium bags we tested. Even though it still weighs less than 3 pounds, it's a far cry from the ultralight bags that are becoming increasingly popular. The mid-tier down insulation (650+ fill power) doesn't compress as well as more premium down (800+ fill power), resulting in a 9-liter package that takes up about as much space as a basketball. We really do like the robust compression sack it comes with, though, which reduces it to as small a package as possible. If you can afford to spend a bit more, the REI Co-op Magma 15 is a little smaller and lighter, but the Exped Terra 15 is certainly the more budget-friendly option. All that said, most backpackers will find a lot to love about this sleeping bag. The warmth, comfort, and features are worth their weight in down, and we'd happily carry the Terra 15 on any backpacking trip.
Outdoor gear is increasingly expensive, and we rarely see any essential items as affordable as the REI Co-op Trailmade 25. Though this sleeping bag may be among the least expensive on the market, it's not limited in performance, at least among other synthetic bags we tested. One tester noted, “The Trailmade 25 is a great option for anyone going on their first backpacking trip. The price is approachable, and it has everything you need for a few comfortable nights in the backcountry.” Unlike other sleeping bags that sometimes come only in Regular and Short, the Trailmade 25 comes in multiple length and width options, making it more inclusive. As a synthetic-insulated bag, it'll continue to insulate even when wet, and the shell has a durable water-repellent (DWR) coating to effectively shed condensation.
Synthetic fill is heavier and compresses much less than down insulation. We tested the Trailmade 25 in Medium, which weighed 3 pounds and packed down to 8 liters. Even though this packed size is directly comparable to the Exped Terra 15, this down sleeping bag is much warmer than the Trailmade – the Terra was quite comfortable well below freezing, whereas we didn't want it to get much colder when the temperature dipped to 32°F while testing the Trailmade 25. To compare similar temperature ratings, the Feathered Friends Hummingbird UL 30 has a similar lower-limit rating to the Trailmade, but it weighs just over one pound and packs down to 5.5 liters. While the Hummingbird UL 30 is much more expensive than the Trailmade 25, it's a specialty ultralight bag. The Trailmade 25 may not be as “premium” as many of the other bags we tested, but it is still quite good at what really matters – keeping you warm and well rested.
The REI Trailmade 25 simply works. It may not be flashy or feather-light, but there's no arguing that it's an incredibly good value. Credit: Arthur McMahon
The Marmot Wraptor Down 15 reimagines one of the oldest parts of sleeping bag design, the zipper, and removes it entirely. Instead of one long zipper, overlapping, plush down flaps connect with a few simple snaps. But this bold design risk paid off with extraordinary comfort – our tester notes, “It feels like you're rolled up in a premium down comforter.” Without a zipper to limit your movement, you can maneuver between the flaps and gaps to find your preferred sleeping position. (And yes, that makes this a great choice for side sleepers, too!) Those same flaps also make it easier to ventilate the Wraptor 15, making it more versatile for warm summer trips than other similarly warm sleeping bags.
Despite the lack of a zipper, those extra flaps and snaps add a bit of weight, which keeps the Marmot Wraptor from being considered an ultralight sleeping bag. The mid-quality down isn't the most efficient insulator, either, so the Wraptor 15 is relatively heavier and bulkier than similarly rated bags. If you're an ounce counter, even the REI Co-op Magma 15 is lighter, while a bag like the Western Mountaineering UltraLite represents the best balance of weight and warmth (even if the Wraptor 15 packs down slightly smaller).
If you know you “sleep cold” or plan to go on colder trips in the spring or fall, the Western Mountaineering UltraLite is certainly worth considering. With 17 ounces of premium down, this bag is easily the warmest one we tested. Our lead tester self-identifies as a cold sleeper, and he used it at 12,000 feet in October without any problems staying warm. At the same time, its full-length zipper lets you quickly shed heat and cool off on warmer nights. He says, “Over a season's worth of testing, I slept quite comfortably in the Ultralite in temperatures ranging from 10° to 55°F.” The more affordable REI Co-op Magma 15 has a similar lower-limit rating to the Ultralite, but it doesn't have the continuous horizontal baffles that keep the insulation from bunching up and offer superior heat retention.
Unsurprisingly, exceptional performance tends to come at a premium price. Even so, many consumers will appreciate that Western Mountaineering is a small company producing all its bags in the USA. We feel most 3-season hikers can make do with a bag that is less insulated, lighter weight, and packs smaller than the Ultralite – even the similarly expensive Western Mountaineering MegaLite is a better option for most people. If warmth is paramount but so is your budget, the similarly sized Exped Terra 15 offers warmth on par with the Ultralite, yet it's less than half the cost. That said, if you're willing to pay top dollar for the best balance of warmth and weight, you can't find a better sleeping bag than the Western Mountaineering Ultralite.
The Feathered Friends Hummingbird UL 30 is our top choice for anyone counting ounces. Feathered Friends uses the highest-fill-power down we tested (950+) to create a really warm and shockingly lightweight bag. Somehow, this bag also features a sturdy full-length zipper that's virtually immune to snagging – a pretty unique feature among minimalist, ultralight sleeping bags. The Hummingbird also unzips so you can use it as a 2-person quilt if you'd like to share and keep your team's weight even more minimal. “Our testers fought over this bag when they wanted to keep their packs as small as possible,” reports our lead tester. “I agree, it's a nearly perfect sleeping bag for moving quickly and covering great distances.”
The Hummingbird UL 30 achieves its low weight and high warmth with a narrow fit. Side sleepers and anyone larger than the 5'10", 170-pound, relatively average frame of our testers might find the cut of this bag to be pretty restrictive. If you want a roomier fit, we recommend the Western Mountaineering MegaLite. As a specialty ultralight bag, this sleeping bag comes with a matching ultra-high price point. But if it fits your dimensions and your budget, few other bags offer the warmth-to-weight ratio of the Hummingbird UL 30.
While the Hummingbird UL 30 is our favorite ultralight option compared to your typical sleeping bag, we also have a review dedicated to comparing the best ultralight sleeping bags against one another.
The Hummingbird's supreme loft and smooth-operating, anti-snag zipper are what backpackers' dreams are made of. Credit: Arthur McMahon
Product Comparison Table
Sleeping bags for backpacking prioritize low weight and packed size so you can rest and recover a long way from home. Credit: Jack Cramer
How We Tested
We purchased the most popular backpacking sleeping bags for extensive hands-on testing. We measured warmth, weight, and packed size in the lab. Then we assessed performance metrics, including comfort, versatility, and design, in places like California's spectacular Sierra Nevada, Oregon's volcanic Cascades, Wyoming's Wind River Range, Zion National Park, and Death Valley National Park. Bags were tested at elevations ranging from 150 feet below sea level to 14,000 feet above sea level, with nighttime lows between 10°F and 70°F.
Sleeping under the stars can be an amazing experience. If you're in a down bag, be wary of rain or heavy dew. Credit: Jack Cramer
This review is also unique in that it directly compares products from Western Mountaineering and Feathered Friends. These specialty manufacturers have a reputation for sourcing some of the best goose-down products on the market, but their reluctance to offer free samples means few of their products appear in reviews. Fortunately, GearLab's policy of purchasing every piece of gear we test gives us the flexibility to include models from both companies in this comprehensive review. And we're glad we did — they're well-made sleeping bags that earned some of the highest overall scores.
No freebies from marketing teams for us - we purchase everything we test, so our experts are free to scrutinize every sleeping bag. Credit: Arthur McMahon
Why Trust GearLab
Lead tester Arthur McMahon is an intrepid explorer who has thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail and other famous backpacking routes, including the Teton Crest Trail and the Grand Sawtooth Loop.
They've all spent the better part of the last two decades in the backcountry, developing the expertise to evaluate all sorts of outdoor gear. For this review, they consulted with Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trail thru-hikers, NOLS alumni, manufacturer reps, and novice backpacker friends to ensure a diverse array of perspectives.
We extensively tested these sleeping bags in the field, and closely examined every feature in the lab.
How To Pick The Best Sleeping Bag For You
Consider the following questions to help guide your purchase. The more honest and practical your answers, the more likely you are to find the best sleeping bag for your needs.
What experience do you want to get from your sleeping bag and backpacking in general? Credit: Arthur McMahon
Think about the trips you plan to take, and consider how cold it could be – you'll be happiest if your bag keeps you warm on the coldest nights (you can always unzip it to cool down!). It's important to look at both the comfort rating and lower limit rating, but you should align the comfort rating with the lowest temperatures you expect. Think of the lower limit rating as more of an emergency benchmark — you don't ever want to be caught out in temperatures lower than that lower limit. Remember that other factors, like how many layers you wear and the R-rating of your sleeping pad, also matter.
As a general rule of thumb, men's bags tend to be longer and wider at the shoulders, while women's bags are often shorter and wider at the hips. However, more and more brands are selling unisex sleeping bags. Instead of buying based on the label, match your own body to the dimensions of the sleeping bag you're interested in. The better the fit, the happier you'll be with your purchase.
A sleeping bag can only do so much if the pad beneath you isn't doing its job. While the bag traps warm air around your body, the insulation compressed underneath you provides very little protection once your weight flattens it out. That's where a sleeping pad's R-value becomes critical. R-value measures how well a pad resists heat loss into the cold ground, and it often has a bigger impact on overnight warmth than many campers realize. As a general guide, pads rated around 1 to 2 work best for warm summer nights, 3 to 4.5 are solid three-season options, and 5+ models are better suited for late fall, winter, or snow camping. In real use, a lightweight summer pad with an R-value of 2 may feel fine on a 60°F night, but that same pad can make a 30°F trip feel far colder than your sleeping bag's rating suggests. Even a highly rated sleeping bag can underperform when paired with an under-insulated pad, while a quality pad with the right R-value can noticeably improve comfort and help your bag perform closer to its intended temperature range. In colder conditions, choosing the right sleeping pad is not an accessory decision — it's an essential part of your sleep system.
Using a warmer sleeping pad, or using a foam pad and an inflatable pad, can let you take your sleeping bag outside of it's normal range. Credit: Luke Lydiard
Down insulation offers excellent warmth for its weight, packs smaller, and can last for many years with proper care, which is why experienced backpackers often prefer it. The catch is moisture — if a down bag gets wet from rain, condensation, or poor storage and you don't know how to dry it properly, it can lose much of its loft and provide very little warmth until it's fully dry. Synthetic insulation is typically heavier and bulkier, but it continues to insulate better when damp, dries faster, and requires less careful handling. That makes it a more beginner-friendly and dependable option for first trips, wet climates, or anyone who values reliability over saving space. In short, down is often the premium choice in ideal conditions, while synthetic is often the smarter choice when conditions are less predictable.
Traditional sleeping bags remain the best choice for many campers because they are simple, warm, and intuitive to use. They include a hood, enclosed footbox, and full wraparound design that helps seal in heat on cold nights. Quilts remove the insulation beneath you, where it gets compressed anyway, and rely on your sleeping pad for bottom insulation, saving significant weight and bulk. The tradeoff is a steeper learning curve and more potential for drafts if you don't set it up properly. For beginners or cold sleepers, a sleeping bag is often the safer choice. For experienced backpackers focused on cutting pack weight, a quilt can be a smart upgrade.
Quilts like the Enlightened Equipment Enigma 20 often cut features and conveniences to save on weight and space. Credit: Arthur McMahon
Not everyone needs the latest, greatest, and lightest bag. It truly depends on your goals, style, and terrain. For some, comfort comes first. For others, weight and pack size will drive the choice. How far you plan to venture and the terrain are huge variables. If you're only planning to walk a few miles each day, a 3.5- to 4-pound sleeping bag won't make or break your trip, and could save you hundreds of dollars. However, if you plan to gain several thousand feet of elevation or are planning multiple nights, lowering your weight to around 2 pounds will make a real difference in your overall pace, efficiency, and fatigue. For extended trips or those that require extra gear, it is definitely worth investing in an ultralight bag that weighs under 2 pounds. This is all to say: don't feel pressured to get the lightest bag on the market; get the lightest bag you can afford that facilitates your dream trips. If you want to cut your weight even further, you'll likely need a sleeping quilt instead, which can often cut that weight in half.
Your sleeping position can greatly affect which backpacking sleeping bag feels comfortable through the night. Back sleepers can often take full advantage of traditional mummy bags, since the tapered shape aligns well with a straight sleeping posture and maximizes warmth by reducing extra interior space. Side sleepers, however, often need more space through the shoulders, hips, and knees, since turning or curling up inside a narrow bag can feel restrictive and lead to an iffy night of sleep. Side sleepers will likely prefer roomier mummy cuts, spoon-shaped designs, or quilts that allow easier movement. In practical terms, back sleepers can usually shop by temperature rating and weight first, while side sleepers should focus on fit and interior space, since the warmest bag in the world won't matter if you can't get comfortable inside it.
The top-scoring Hummingbird UL is a great ultralight sleeping bag, but as a specialty option, it's not necessarily the best bag for everyone. Credit: Jessica Haist
Analysis and Test Results
Good design is a balancing act, and that's certainly true for backpacking sleeping bags. Add enough insulation to keep you warm in every situation, and the bag can become too heavy. Cut that weight by shortening the zipper, and you reduce the ability to vent excess heat. It's all a game of tradeoffs. The push and pull between our testing metrics means you can either take our overall advice – our award-winning recommendations – or focus on specific aspects that matter most to you.
Sleeping bags come in a wide range of prices, even though they ostensibly serve the same purpose. After extensive testing, we can confidently say that a bag's price reflects real performance differences. Anyone able to shell out for a high-end sleeping bag – like those from Feathered Friends or Western Mountaineering – will get one that lasts a decade or more if properly cared for. However, there are affordable options that are notable for their balance of price and performance:
Worse Value
Better Value
What's the Best Value?
For less than half the price of the premium options we tested, the Exped Terra 15 offers an exceptional value. Although it's a little heavier and bulkier than other premium down sleeping bags, it's just as warm and comfortable. The REI Co-op Trailmade 25 fares well against other synthetic sleeping bags, and the price can't be beat. It will be bulkier than any down sleeping bag, including the Terra 15. But compared to other synthetic bags, it offers the best balance of warmth and weight.
At such an affordable price, the REI Co-op Trailmade 25 is a hard bargain to pass up, especially for first-time backpackers. Credit: Arthur McMahon
Warmth
A sleeping bag's warmth depends mainly on the quality and quantity of its insulation. Down-insulated models are generally lighter, more packable, and more expensive. They can also keep their loft for a long period if you take good care of them. Bags with synthetic insulation are usually heavier, bulkier, and less expensive. That said, wet down loses all of its insulating properties, and it can take a long time to dry down after a soaking. Synthetic bags also lose some warmth when wet, but overall, they keep you warmer than down bags in these circumstances. So, synthetics can be better choices for particularly wet activities (like packrafting) or damp environments.
A high Warmth score doesn't necessarily mean it's the best bag for you. For most “3-season” camping – that is, spring, summer, and fall – a bag that scores a 7 or 8 will likely be warm enough. Warmer bags are better for frosty nights at elevation, or to camp a little earlier in the spring or a little later into the fall. However, we still wouldn't recommend a bag that scores a 9 or a 10 for winter camping – check out our review of winter sleeping bags if you plan on regularly camping in temperatures below freezing.
The Western Mountaineering MegaLite was plenty warm for our chilly nights out. Credit: Elizabeth White
For down bags, you can roughly estimate warmth by considering the fill power and fill weight. Fill powermeasures the “loftiness” of the down fill, corresponding to how much air a certain weight of down can trap. More trapped air translates into more trapped body heat. Sleeping bags usually contain down with a fill power between 500 and 900, with higher numbers indicating higher insulating ability.
Fill weight is simply the amount of down inside the sleeping bag. Though manufacturers like to boast about fill power, we think fill weight matters more. Two sleeping bags with the same fill weight and fill power might not provide identical warmth, but they should be pretty close. However, other design elements (like hood design, zippers, baffles, draft collars, etc.) can also play a role.
Estimating the warmth of sleeping bags with synthetic insulation is trickier because proprietary materials make comparing manufacturers nearly impossible. However, the fill weight should allow for a rough comparison; as with down, more insulation is warmer than less.
To standardize sleeping bag warmth measurements, the European Committee for Standardization developed the EN 13537 standard, a test designed to provide consistent temperature ratings for all sleeping bags. The ISO (International Standards Organization) is a new entity that has joined the discussion, overseeing bag testing using a method that is almost identical to the EN bag test. Although specific testing protocols may arbitrarily favor certain designs and offer limited insight into real-world warmth, EN and ISO ratings seem more accurate than manufacturers' previously advertised temperature ratings. Feathered Friends, The North Face, Western Mountaineering, and Teton Sports are three brands in our review that do not currently participate in EN or ISO testing for the models included.
Not every brand participates in EN or ISO testing. We list these temperatures when brands make them available; if they don't, we list them as 'Not Available' in our specifications chart, underneath our Product Comparison Table.
EN and ISO ratings can be confusing to understand at first. You may see a listed temperature on a sleeping bag, like 30°F, and assume that you'll be comfortable in that bag at that temperature. But that's not necessarily the case. EN and ISO provide ratings at three different temperatures: Comfort, Lower Limit, and Extreme.
Comfort: This rating is recommended for most users. It represents the lowest temperature at which a “standard woman” or cold sleeper can get a comfortable night's sleep.
Lower Limit: This is the lowest temperature at which a “standard man” or warm sleeper can sleep for eight hours without waking due to frigid temperatures.
Extreme: This is a rating for survival only, indicating the lowest temperature for a person to avoid hypothermia, though significant discomfort and danger remain possible.
Because warmth is subjective, we evaluated it with real human testers. We spent three nights in each model in a 48°F room, putting each bag to the test outdoors when temperatures dipped into the 20-35°F range, and even beyond. We compared the bags to each other and their EN/ISO ratings. The difference between the warmest and coldest bags is greater than each company's ratings suggest.
Tents create a warmer sleeping environment, which is something to be aware of if you want to leave them behind, as our testers often do. Credit: Jack Cramer
Fit, length, and width also affect warmth. Your body has to heat all the space before you feel warm, so shorter people (under 5'6") should consider a short sleeping bag. Short bags feature prominently in our women's sleeping bag review, and many top brands like REI, Marmot, and Exped now offer unisex bags in various sizes. For maximum warmth, size your bag to fit snugly but not tightly.
Some sleeping bags, like the REI Trailmade and Exped Terra, are available in multiple sizes. Getting a bag that properly fits you is key to maximizing warmth and comfort. Credit: Arthur McMahon
Other features that greatly affect warmth include zipper baffles and draft collars, which add insulation where heat easily escapes through the zipper and hood. They're less necessary for a summer backpacking trip, but we like to see them on bags rated 20°F or below. Bags like the Western Mountaineering UltraLite combine features like these with high-quality down to maximize warmth. The unique Big Agnes Lost Ranger 3N1 0 actually combines two sleeping bags to maximize warmth. But unlike the UltraLite, the tradeoff is significant weight and bulk.
All of that high-quality down and maximized fill weight make the Western Mountaineering UltraLite one of the loftiest, and thus, warmest bags on the market. Credit: Jack Cramer
The name of the Jeaouia Lightweight Cold Weather is deceptive at best, and dangerous at worst. While some people might consider 50°F 'cold,' among the sleeping bags we tested, this one will not keep you warm on anything but a summer night. The same goes for the equally inexpensive MalloMe Everyday 3 Season – neither of these sleeping bags should be trusted for anything close to cold weather.
All bags are designed to be used with a good sleeping pad to insulate you from the ground. Without one you'll be lucky to sleep at all near a sleeping bag's temperature rating. Credit: Jack Cramer
Weight
The longer or more challenging your trips are, the more important weight becomes. Experienced backpackers know that the saying “every ounce counts” is a result of spending days on trail — the more weight in your backpack, the more you're going to feel it mile after mile. Generally, you want to keep your backpacking kit as light as possible, while considering your budget and other comforts, of course. A sleeping bag's weight depends on the amount and type of insulation, the fabrics used, the bag's dimensions, and its features. Generally, higher-quality materials weigh less, but they cost more. Switching to a shorter zipper or a trimmer fit can reduce weight, but it may affect comfort. We tested and measured all the bags in this review in size Regular.
To evaluate the weight, we used a digital scale to weigh each bag separately, without any included items or compression sacks. Although we report the weight of stuff sacks individually, scores are based solely on the bag's weight. This assumes most users will opt for an aftermarket compression sack that compresses better and may be lighter.
The Hummingbird is our favorite backpacking sleeping bag for when we want to go light. Pair it with a backpacking tarp to really trim the weight of your overnight kit. Credit: Jack Cramer
The lightest and heaviest bags in this review differ by 3 pounds: the Feathered Friends Hummingbird UL 30 (our lightest bag) and the Sea to Summit Boab Synthetic 15 (the heaviest bag we tested). That's an enormous difference in backpacking, where you're sometimes carrying a week's worth of necessities on your back. If you select similarly heavy gear for your entire overnight kit, the weight difference will quickly grow to double-digit pounds. That could easily be the difference between making it to camp before dark or turning back before your knees and back give out.
The Feathered Friends Hummingbird weighs several pounds less than the heaviest bag we tested: the Sea to Summit Boab.
A sleeping bag is one of the top three heaviest items backpackers carry. A really light model, like the 1.3-pound Feathered Friends Hummingbird, is one of the most ultralight-friendly bags we tested, and can cut several pounds off your load. Other ultralight-friendly bags worth considering are the Western Mountaineering MegaLite (1.5 pounds) and Sea to Summit Spark Down 15 (1.6 pounds), both known for exceptional comfort and warmth. All three of these bags are pricey, but if you plan to do a lot of backpacking or are considering a long thru-hike, we think it's worth the investment.
Take ultralight principles to the extreme and it's possible to trim enough weight off your overnight pack to enjoy activities like climbing, skiing, or backpacking for weeks on end. Credit: Jack Cramer
Comfort
For many, sleeping outdoors is uncomfortable enough. Although some can sleep like a log on a busy city bus, they might find a sleeping bag unfamiliar, restrictive, and disruptive to their sleep. To evaluate comfort, we considered several factors: each bag's dimensions and fit, the fluffiness of the insulation, the feel of the interior fabric, how easy it is to ventilate, and, in some cases, the materials' noisiness. The bag's overall comfort score is our best subjective judgment of how all these factors combine to help you sleep better.
Sleeping bag manufacturers and designers try to improve comfort in numerous ways. Some more creative options include the NEMO Disco Endless Promise 15, which is shaped like a broad hourglass rather than a tapered sarcophagus. The bottom of this hourglass offers an extra 16 inches of girth compared to ordinary bags, which gives side and tummy sleepers ample room to stretch their legs in any direction. This extra space for the hips and feet was noticeable even when compared to tapered bags with similar shoulder measurements.
The NEMO Disco Endless Promise 15 works well for side sleepers because of its ample interior space. Credit: Arthur McMahon
Lower-quality synthetic bags may not be as fluffy as premium down ones, but they tend to be more spacious. Rectangular bags like the Sea to Summit Boab Synthetic 15 and Jeaouia Lightweight Cold Weather offer plenty of room for your legs to splay out, even if the extra space takes longer to warm up. Both bags feature a zipper that runs around the entire footbox, turning the one-person bag into a two-person blanket.
A square footbox, like the one on the Jeaouia sleeping bag, gives your legs and feet more room to spread out. Credit: Arthur McMahon
Though we like certain aspects of the aforementioned bags, they don't quite compare with the Western Mountaineering MegaLite. Its high-quality down and soft face fabric combine to create a cozy cocoon of luxurious loft. While it has more space around the shoulders and torso than a standard mummy bag, some folks may still find it restrictive.
The difference between a poor and a premium loft can be monumental: the Jeaouia Lightweight Cold Weather (left) compared to the REI Co-op Magma 15 (right). Credit: Arthur McMahon
The Marmot Wraptor 15 is a nice alternative to the mummy bag, which ditches the zipper for overlapping down-filled flaps and a low-profile magnetic lock. This design also lets you wrap yourself up tightly in a mummy-style bag when needed, or sprawl out on less frigid nights. And the wide 64.6-inch hip girth leaves plenty of room to find your ideal sleeping position– it's ideal for the side sleepers among us.
The soft materials and zipperless design of the Martmot Wraptor 15 make it such a comfy bag to sleep in. Credit: Arthur McMahon
It's no big deal for heavy sleepers, but our crew's lightest sleepers always commented when certain crinkly fabrics disturbed their sleep. The two common complaints were with the shell of the Feathered Friends Hummingbird UL and the hood fabric of the NEMO Disco Endless Promise 15. Though earplugs can easily resolve this issue, plenty of other bags are available if noise is often an issue.
If you want some wiggle room in your bag, Nemo options are a great choice, but some models are noticeably louder than others. Credit: Jack Cramer
Packed Size
Sleeping bags are usually one of the largest items in your overnight pack. So, choosing a bag that compresses smaller is a good way to reduce your overall load.
All the bags we tested include at least a regular stuff sack – a bag that's small enough to stuff the sleeping bag into, but just secures with a simple drawstring. If you really want to minimize packed size, we recommend additionally purchasing a compression sack.
Compression sacks help reduce the packed size of your sleeping bag. Most of the bags we tested came with a regular stuff sack, while a few (top left, second photo) included a compression sack.
Overall, the compressed volumes we observed closely matched each bag's weight – the Feathered Friends Hummingbird UL 30 is both the lightest and most packable bag we tested. A few exceptions to this rule include the Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass 15, which compresses roughly 10% smaller than its weight would suggest, and the Western Mountaineering UltraLite, which packs down 15% larger than comparable bags.
Some bags take more effort to pack away than others. The Exped Terra 15 is a down bag that stuffs easily into its spacious compression sack. Credit: Arthur McMahon
Although these discrepancies are worth noting, all the bags included in this review are small, especially compared with cheap car-camping bags or the backpacking behemoths of yesteryear. So, we don't think packed size should be the crucial factor in distinguishing today's sleeping bags. The Sea to Summit Boab Synthetic 15 is the one exception – it may actually be too big for some to carry in their backpacks.
Warm but bulky, the Sea to Summit Boab was a pain to pack away. Credit: Arthur McMahon
Features
“Features” is a catch-all for performance characteristics our other evaluation criteria didn't cover. We look at extras such as small stash pockets, sleeping pad attachment systems, and the bag's zipper quality. These are quality-of-life extras that enhance the overall experience on the trail, making your tent feel a little more like a home away from home.
We also assess how well a bag is made. Are all of its materials similarly durable? Do its warmth, weight, and dimensions make sense for its intended use? Is there anything surprising that either improves or detracts from our overall experience?
A zippered interior pocket, such as this one on the Exped Terra 15, provides a secure spot to stow odds and ends, like a smartphone, headlamp, or freeze-sensitive water filter. Credit: Arthur McMahon
Dark interiors turn the bag into a black hole for small items stuffed away, like a headlamp or electronics, while bright liners make them easy to find. Both Nemo bags, the Trailmade 25, the Bishop Pass, Enigma 20, Sea to Summit Spark, and several others feature light-colored liner fabrics, often yellow.
Lost something inside your sleeping bag? Bright liners can help you easily see what you're looking for. Credit: Ian McEleney
We're also big fans of the full-length zippers on the Feathered Friends and Western Mountaineering bags. Both companies' bags have an internal strip of plastic in the adjacent fabric to direct the fabric away from the zipper teeth and reduce the risk of snagging. Feathered Friends bags also feature a Y-shaped, anti-snag zipper slider.
The Feathered Friends bags that we tried feature anti-snag, Y-shaped zipper slides. They also have an internal strip of flexible plastic to prevent the zipper from snagging on the interior lining. Credit: Arthur McMahon
Most sleeping bag zippers include a pair of the interlocking pins on one end that allow you to connect and disconnect the left and right sides of the zipper. Easy to overlook, these tiny pins are necessary for restarting a zipper if it gets misaligned. Some designs sew the zipper ends directly into the bags — this design creates a possible problem. The teeth can get misaligned, or the zipper slider can pop off one side. With most bags, just restart the slider at the pins. But if misalignment happens in the backcountry and a bag doesn't have these pins, you may not be able to restart the zipper or close the bag properly.
The pins at the bottom of most zippers (center) are necessary to get it restarted if the teeth become misaligned. Unfortunately, the bags on the left and right both lack these important pins. Credit: Jack Cramer
Other Notable Sleeping Bags We Tested
Even though we've tested tons of sleeping bags over the years, not all of them make the final cut for our comparative selection. That doesn't mean they aren't still lightweight, warm, comfortable, and a very reasonable option for your next backpacking trip. Below are the bags that didn't quite make the cut, but that are still well worth considering:
Feathered Friends Swallow 20 YF – This is a lightweight, 900+ FP bag that's under 2 pounds and has a slightly larger packed volume than similarly warm bags like the Western Mountaineering MegaLite. This bag gets seriously warm and is a great option for colder-weather trips in the fall and spring.
NEMO Forte 20 – A roomy and fairly warm bag that won't break the bank; it's packed with synthetic fill and has a unique “Classic Spoon” shape that's made for side sleepers. It's also made entirely of recycled materials, and the entire bag is recyclable at the end of its life.
Rab Neutrino 400 – This bag straddles the line between premium and mid-tier, and performs like it as well. It nearly stands toe-to-toe with some of the more premium down bags we tested, and you can save a little bit of money by choosing the Neutrino.
Enlightened Equipment Enigma 20 – While quilts like this one are becoming more and more popular with some experienced backpackers, the complexity of setup and sacrifice of warmth and comfort don't outweigh the ounces saved (literally). It's better to compare this one against other quilts in our ultralight sleeping bag review.
Mountain Hardwear Phantom 30 – Again, a popular option among the ultralight crowd, it's not fair to compare it against other popular backpacking sleeping bags. Yes, it's very lightweight, but it's not nearly as warm as other comparable bags – for the price, we'd rather take the Feathered Friends Hummingbird UL 30.
The North Face Cat's Meow 20 – A legendary synthetic sleeping bag, this was the first bag for many backpackers. However, as time and technology have progressed, modern options are now warmer, more comfortable, and pack smaller.
TETON Sports Trailhead – While it may be inexpensive – though still not the cheapest of the popular sleeping bags on the market – your money is better spent on a higher-quality sleeping bag like the REI Co-op Trailmade 25.
The Rab Neutrino is a super comfortable sleeping bag, it's just a bit bulky compared to other, more modern options. Credit: Jack Cramer
Conclusion
There is a lot to consider when shopping for a backpacking sleeping bag. The number of products to choose from is extensive, and we've found that marketing claims can at times be misleading if not downright deceptive. That's why we perform such rigorous real-world testing to ensure our reviews are as helpful as they can be for you during your buying process.
If you're unsure what kind of sleeping bag you need, start with our general sleeping bag review for an overview of our favorites of all styles. Then read our individual sleeping bag reviews once you narrow down your options.
