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You can't put a price on a great night's sleep, and staying warm and comfortable in the backcountry is not just an important safety precaution; it also helps set you up for maximum enjoyment when outdoors. Choosing a sleeping bag that balances warmth with weight is key for backpacking.
We've been testing backpacking sleeping bags since 2011, having now purchased and rigorously tested upwards of 100 of the top models available. Each bag has undergone rigorous hands-on testing in the lab and backcountry, from snowy peaks in the Sierra Nevada to Death Valley's sweltering desert. Our experts considered every aspect of sleeping bag performance, including warmth, weight, and comfort. You care about your gear choices; we've done the legwork to make selecting a great sleeping bag easy.
Our favorite overall backpacking sleeping bag is the Western Mountaineering MegaLite. This USA-made bag is toasty, comfortable, and one of the lightest-weight bags in our lineup. If you're looking for something a bit more budget-friendly, the Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass 15 weighs a few more ounces, but it's still under 2.5 pounds and offers superior warmth.
Editor's Note: We updated our backpacking sleeping bag review on May 14, 2025, to include a new product from REI and our findings on the Endless Promise version of the NEMO Disco 15.
The Western Mountaineering MegaLite performs exceptionally in every way, earning the top spot as our favorite all-around option tested. Like other ultra-premium bags with down insulation, it offers an outstanding warmth-to-weight ratio in a bag that packs down extremely small. But, unlike other ultra-premium down bags we tested, it also features spacious interior dimensions that provide superior comfort no matter your sleep style. “I'm a lifelong side sleeper, and I found plenty of room to roll over in this bag,” our lead tester Ian McEleney said. If you don't need quite as much warmth, but weight and packed size are a priority, consider the more snug-fitting Feathered Friends Hummingbird 30. For virtually any overnight backcountry activity, the MegaLite is an excellent choice. But on particularly cold nights, its slightly heavier sibling, the Western Mountaineering UltraLite, is even a bit warmer, earning a perfect 10 in our warmth tests.
SPECIFICATIONS
Insulation
850+ FP Down
Temp Rating (Lower Limit)
22°F (EN Limit)
Measured Weight (Size Regular)
1.5 lbs
Compression/Stuff Sack Weight
1.0 oz
Fill Weight
13.0 oz
Our gripes about the Western Mountaineering MegaLite are few and minor: the hood closure is a bit awkward, and the zipper is good but not great. More notably, its high price is likely to dissuade many consumers. Nevertheless, we think it's worth the investment for serious backpackers, especially considering this bag may potentially last for over a decade if well cared for. One of our testers reports, “This is the bag for the backpacker who wants everything and doesn't mind paying for it, and I wouldn't hesitate recommending it if you've got the budget.” We also love the Feathered Friends Swallow 20 YF, which is very similar in warmth and packability, but not quite as comfy. If you have a bunch of REI rewards, consider the REI Co-op Magma 15 for its excellent performance and premium build, assuming you don't mind packing up a few more ounces and working with a slightly less packable package. Both Western Mountaineering and Feathered Friends are high-quality bags manufactured in the United States, which some shoppers may feel warrants their higher price tags.
A sack full of feathers isn't cheap. Fortunately, the Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass 15 provides amazing bang for your buck. It's filled with a generous 21 ounces of 650-fill power duck down and weighs just over 2 pounds, giving it a great warmth-to-weight ratio. While it has only the standard set of sleeping bag features, those it includes are well done. Tester Ian McEleney notes, “I appreciate its long zipper, and glow-in-the-dark zipper pull — they make answering nature's call in the dark far easier.” The bag's liner is also smartly designed in a bright color, making it easier to find small items inside than many other models in darker shades. It also has generous measurements that will allow most backpackers to sleep comfortably. If you're looking for the cheapest down bag in the lot, check out the Kelty Cosmic 20. It doesn't perform nearly as well, but it costs much less.
SPECIFICATIONS
Insulation
650 FP Duck Down
Temp Rating (Lower Limit)
15°F (EN Limit)
Measured Weight (Size Regular)
2.3 lbs
Compression/Stuff Sack Weight
1.9 oz
Fill Weight
21.0 oz
Most casual backpackers probably won't notice the downsides of the Bishop Pass, but it has a few limitations when compared across the lineup. It is not as light as ultra-premium options like the Feathered Friends Hummingbird UL 30 or the Western Mountaineering MegaLite, and its 650FP down insulation is not as lofty as the higher fill power down found inside more expensive competitors. This is likely why more fill is inside, making it a heavier bag overall. Our testers found the 15-degree rating to be consistent with the lower limit EN ratings of similar bags, keeping in mind it will lose most of its insulating power if it gets wet, just like any other down bag. Critiques aside, we think the Bishop Pass is the best budget down bag currently available. If you're searching for the least expensive option, the TETON Sports Trailhead is a decent synthetic alternative, though it's much less warm for around the same weight, and we wouldn't take it anywhere with truly chilly nights.
Outdoor gear is getting more expensive, and we rarely see any key items for our backpacking kit sold in the price range of the REI Co-op Trailmade 20, let alone one of the most important pieces. Though this sleeping bag may boast a low price tag, it's not limited in features or performance — for a synthetic bag. It's comfortable for all but the most rowdy sleepers or the biggest hikes. Lead tester Ian McEleney says, “For the occasional backpacker in a rainy climate or anyone wanting to test out backpacking without making a significant financial commitment, I think this is a great choice — it's a perfect introductory bag.” The Trailmade 20 has several great details, including long zipper pulls, different drawcords for different parts of the hood, and a bright yellow interior that makes finding that lost sock in the morning easy. Because it has recycled polyester insulation, it will also keep you warmer than down if you happen to get wet.
SPECIFICATIONS
Insulation
Synthetic - recycled polyester
Temp Rating (Lower Limit)
21°F (ISO Limit)
Measured Weight (Size Regular)
3.2 lbs
Compression/Stuff Sack Weight
1.6 oz
Fill Weight
34.9 oz
A few tradeoffs come with the REI Co-op Trailmade 20's low price. In general, synthetic insulation just isn't as light and packable as down is for a comparable temperature rating. This proves to be the case here. Though not the heaviest synthetic bag we tested, the Trailmade is heavier than all the down bags in our review, and even with a compression sack (not included), it's still bulky. We got it down to nine liters of pack volume during testing, which was far less compact than most other down or synthetic options in the lineup. Though you'll rarely be in below-freezing temperatures when summer backpacking, our testers who run cold found they became a bit chilly when using this bag down to 20 degrees. If you want to stay warm, the Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass 15 or NEMO Disco Endless Promise 15 are well-priced down options worth considering. Nevertheless, we think the Trailmade 20 is an excellent synthetic value worthy of consideration. An even lower-priced, though also lower-performing, synthetic bag is the TETON Sports Trailhead.
The top and bottom of the hood closure on the Trailmade are controlled with two different types of cord, which makes it easy to customize tension in different parts of the hood.
If you know you “sleep cold” or have plans for colder trips in the spring or fall, the Western Mountaineering UltraLite is the bag for you. With 17 ounces of 850+ fill power down and a legit draft collar, this is the warmest bag in our test. Our cold-sleeping lead tester used it at 12,000 feet in October and had no problems staying warm. At the same time, its full-length zipper and horizontal baffle construction provide ample options to shed heat and cool off on warmer nights. He says, “I slept quite comfortably across an expansive range of overnight temperatures ranging from 10° to 55°F, without any problem.” The REI Co-op Magma 15 also has a low limit temperature of 9°F and a lower price. Yet it doesn't have continuous horizontal baffles nor the same superior heat retention as the UltraLite.
SPECIFICATIONS
Insulation
850+ FP Down
Temp Rating (Lower Limit)
14°F (EN Limit)
Measured Weight (Size Regular)
1.8 lbs
Compression/Stuff Sack Weight
1.0 oz
Fill Weight
17.0 oz
Unsurprisingly, exceptional performance as seen in the UltraLite 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 less insulated bag boasting a lighter weight and smaller packed size. For instance, the Mountain Hardwear Phantom 30 is lightweight and packs up very small for anyone simply needing something for those warmer nights. Drawbacks aside, if you want a fantastic sleeping bag that's almost guaranteed to keep you toasty under most 3-season conditions, the UltraLite is our top recommendation.
The Feathered Friends Hummingbird UL 30 is our top choice when saving weight is paramount. Feathered Friends uses the highest fill power down we tested (950+) to create a really warm and shockingly light bag. The ultralight shell and liner fabrics help, too. Somehow, this bag also features a sturdy full-length zipper that's virtually immune to snagging. That same zipper provides ample venting options and the flexibility to share it as a quilt with a partner during an ultralight bivouac. “Our testers fought over this bag when they wanted to keep their packs as small as possible, and I agree, it's perfect for when you are going to be moving quickly and covering distance,” reports lead tester Ian McEleney. The absolute lightest bag in our review is the Therm-a-rest Hyperion 32, but it didn't prove as warm as its stated rating and has fewer useful features than the Hummingbird UL 30.
SPECIFICATIONS
Insulation
950+ FP Down
Temp Rating (Lower Limit)
30°F (not EN rated)
Measured Weight (Size Regular)
1.3 lbs
Compression/Stuff Sack Weight
1.0 oz
Fill Weight
12.0 oz
The Hummingbird UL achieves its low weight and high warmth by utilizing narrow dimensions. Slender backpackers, heavy sleepers, and others who don't find a mummy bag confining probably won't mind its dimensions. But others might not find it to be the ideal choice. We recommend the Nemo Forte 20 if you want a more roomy fit. Also, the ultra-high fill power down of the Feathered Friends Hummingbird UL comes with a matching ultra-high price point. If you can look beyond these downsides, you get a traditional mummy bag that supplies an unparalleled warmth-to-weight ratio and a cozy night's sleep. There may be no better bag out there when ounces really count the most — we haven't come across it yet.
We take a good look at the zippers and surrounding bag fabric to make sure everything runs smoothly when we zip it up. Enjoying the sleek Hummingbird after a day of adventuring.
Credit: Ian McEleney
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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
Our review team has researched hundreds of the most popular backpacking sleeping bags before selecting and purchasing the most popular among them to undergo extensive hands-on testing. We measured warmth, weight, and packed size in the lab. We assessed performance metrics, including comfort, versatility, and design, in California's spectacular Sierra Nevada, 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, 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 because it directly compares Western Mountaineering and Feathered Friends products. These specialty manufacturers have a reputation for sourcing some of the best goose down products on the market, but their reluctance to give away free samples means that not many of their products end up in reviews. Fortunately, GearLab's policy to purchase every piece of gear that 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 achieved some of the highest overall scores.
Our testing of backpacking sleeping bags is divided into five different metrics:
Warmth (25% of total score weighting)
Weight (25% weighting)
Comfort (20% weighting)
Packed Size (15% weighting)
Features (15% weighting)
Why Trust GearLab
Lead tester Ian McEleney started playing outside in New England, and like many others, over time, he has made his way west. He now lives and guides in the Sierra Nevada as an AMGA-certified alpine guide who has helped over 1,000 clients select the ideal gear for their backpacking, mountaineering, and climbing goals. Co-author Jack Cramer is an accomplished climber, former member of the Yosemite Search and Rescue team, and undeniable gear nerd. They've both 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, National Outdoor Leadership School alumni, manufacturer reps, and novice backpacker friends to ensure a diverse array of perspectives.
Recording our thoughts during a field test with the Feathered Friends Hummingbird.
We stuffed all the sleeping bags we tested, including this Western Mountaineering UltraLite, into this Granite Gear 11-liter compression sack and then measured the dimensions to calculate compressed volume.
The authors of the our backpacking sleeping bag reviews with a pile of several million goose feathers.
We tested these bags to see how well they held up during our backpacking trips in various climates and seasons.
Analysis and Test Results
Good design is a balancing act, and that's certainly true for backpacking sleeping bags. Add enough insulation to make the bag warm enough for every situation, and it can become too heavy. Cut that weight by shortening the zipper, and you reduce the ability to vent excess heat. It's a game of tradeoffs that varies by personal preference and planned usage. To evaluate today's top sleeping bags, we selected five performance areas that are sometimes at odds with one another: warmth, weight, comfort, packed size, and features. The push and pull between these metrics results in bags that are good for different uses and users. We've accounted for every performance aspect so you can hone in on the ones that most matter to you.
Worse Value
Better Value
What's the Best Value?
Sleeping bags come in a broad range of prices for products that ostensibly serve the same purpose. After extensive testing, we can confidently say that a bag's price reflects real performance differences. Nothing came close to the Feathered Friends and Western Mountaineering bags in terms of absolute performance — they demonstrated clear superiority in overall design, build quality, and warmth-to-weight ratios. Anyone willing to shell out for a high-end sleeping bag will get something that will last a decade or more if properly cared for. However, these exceptional sleeping bags are beyond the budget of many backpackers.
For less than half the price of the premium bags, the Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass 15 provides an exceptional deal. Although a little heavier and bulkier on the trail, you will likely sleep just as well once you get it to camp. The synthetic REI Co-op Trailmade 20 is the other high-value bag in our test. It fared well compared to the other synthetic models in our review, and the price can't be beat. For backpackers with a bigger budget, a bargain bag can be used for car camping, travel, or emergencies, and a premium bag can be saved for trips when performance really matters.
Our high value bags, the Bishop Pass (above) and Trailmade 20 (below).
Credit: Ian McEleney
Warmth
The warmth of a sleeping bag depends primarily on the quality and quantity of the insulation. Models with down insulation are generally lighter, more packable, and more expensive. They can also keep their loft over 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 the insulating properties, and it can take a long time to dry down after a soaking. Synthetic bags will also lose some warmth when wet, but overall, they will keep you warmer than down bags under these circumstances. So, synthetics can be better choices for particularly wet activities or environments.
For down bags, you can make a rough estimate of the warmth by considering the fill power and fill weight. Fill power is a measurement of the “loftiness” of the down fill, corresponding to the amount of 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 more, we think fill weight is much more important. 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.
The 21°F EN temperature rating was plenty warm for our chilly nights out.
Credit: Ian McEleney
Estimating warmth is trickier for sleeping bags with synthetic insulation because of the variety of proprietary materials. This makes a comparison between manufacturers nearly impossible. However, the fill weight should allow for a rough comparison; as with down, more insulation is warmer than with less. The REI Co-op Magma 15 has the highest fill weight of any down bag we tested, yet it wasn't the warmest of the down bags we tested (even with a matching 850 down fill power). In several cases, lighterweight bags proved even warmer in testing due to combined design choices that enhanced their insulating properties.
In an attempt to standardize sleeping bag warmth measurements, the European Committee for Standardization developed the EN 13537 standard, which is 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. Though the peculiar details of the testing protocols may arbitrarily favor certain designs while offering limited information on warmth under real-world conditions, the EN and ISO ratings seem more accurate than the manufacturer-advertised temperature ratings of the past. Feathered Friends, The North Face, and Teton Sports are three brands in our review that do not currently participate in EN or ISO testing for the models included.
Due to these issues, we evaluated warmth using 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 more significant than each company's ratings imply. The same field tester, for example, slept comfortably in the Western Mountaineering UltraLite at temperatures 10° below its 20°F rating, and shivered in a Therm-a-Rest Hyperion 32 in temperatures 10° above its 32°F rating.
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 and design also affect warmth. If your sleeping bag is too roomy, your body has to heat all that extra space, making you feel colder. This goes for length and girth, so shorter humans might want to check out our women's sleeping bag review, which features shorter models. A bag that fits too tightly results in your body squeezing against the insulation, reducing its ability to trap heat. For maximum warmth, size your bag to fit snugly but not tightly. Other design features that can affect warmth are zipper baffles and draft collars. Both features are extra bits of insulation positioned to stop heat from escaping from the zipper and hood, respectively. They're unnecessary for a summer backpacking sleeping bag, but we like to see them on bags with 20°F ratings and below. The Rab Neutrino 400 and Western Mountaineering UltraLite are two bags that feature excellent draft collars
Features like draft collars and zipper baffles (seen here on the Nemo Disco 15) can help ensure that your body heat stays trapped inside the sleeping bag, boosting the overall warmth.
Credit: Jack Cramer
As you'd probably guess, a higher score in this metric means a warmer bag. However, a high score doesn't necessarily mean it's the best bag for you. More likely, if you're looking for a bag for most 3-season conditions, a score of 7 or 8 will probably be enough. For most hikers, the bags with the highest warmth rating are best suited for frosty nights at elevation or perhaps the shoulder seasons. For folks whose backpacking season starts on April Fool's Day and goes through Halloween, consider a 9 or 10.
Keep in mind that for your bag to perform up to its temperature rating, you need a quality sleeping pad. It's not hard to find online complaints about bags not meeting their temp ratings, but this could be due to an incomplete setup. We know some folks sleep colder than others, but in some cases, we believe the culprit is an inadequate sleeping pad. Additionally, take care of yourself to get the most out of your bag's feathers and outdoor adventure. It helps not to be cold when you get into your bag, to be well-fed and hydrated, and to remove any wet clothing that might chill your skin.
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
Although warmth is hard to measure objectively, weight is easy, and this is one of the most important metrics to consider for human-powered travel. The longer or more challenging your trips are, the more important this becomes. A sleeping bag's weight is a consequence of the amount and type of insulation, the specific fabrics used, the bag's dimensions, and the nature of the features. Generally, higher-quality materials weigh less, but they cost more. Switching to a shorter zipper or a trimmer fit is one potential way to reduce weight, but it can 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 by itself, without any included stuff or compression sacks. Although we report the weight of stuff sacks individually, scores are based solely on the bag's weight. This is under the assumption that most users will opt for an aftermarket compression sack that is more effective at compression and potentially lighter weight.
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
There is an almost 2.4-pound difference between the lightest and heaviest bags in this review: the Therm-a-Rest Hyperion 32 and the Nemo Forte 20. That's an enormous difference in the world of backpacking. 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.
A sleeping bag is one of the three heaviest items backpackers carry. A really light model, like the Feathered Friends Hummingbird UL, can be one piece in the puzzle of cutting 10-15 pounds from your load. While this bag is pricey, it can have a positive impact not only on your joint health and longevity but also on your overall enjoyment of your outdoor experiences. A more affordable, lightweight choice is the Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass 15. At 2.3 pounds, it's not the lightest bag, but the few extra ounces are easy to see past when you're spending half as much money.
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
To sleep well, you have to be comfortable. For most people, this is a simple task involving their beds with blankets and thermostats nearby. The job can be much harder outdoors when you're at the mercy of Mother Nature and zipped inside an ill-fitting tube. Although some people can sleep like a log on a busy city bus, many find the unfamiliar and restrictive environment of a backpacking sleeping bag to be disruptive. If you're in the former group, rejoice! You can ignore our comfort evaluations. The latter should devote special attention to this metric.
To evaluate comfort, we considered several factors: the dimensions and fit of each bag, the loft or fluffiness of the insulation, the feel of the interior fabric, and, in some cases, the noisiness of the materials. Although being too warm or cold can affect your comfort, we assess that with our separate warmth metric. Thus, a bag's comfort score is our best subjective judgment of its fit, loft, feel, and noise performance.
The biggest comfort difference between the narrow Hummingbird (top) and the roomy Forte is around the hips and feet.
Credit: Ian McEleney
Three bags provide impressive comfort in two different ways that are worth discussing. The Nemo Forte 20 is shaped like a broad hourglass rather than a tapered sarcophagus. The bottom of this hourglass offers an extra 12 (or more) 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 is the same shape but four to six inches wider for even more space to move around.
The Disco 15, and most Nemo sleeping bags, provide tremendous space at the foot of the bag which makes stretching your legs much more enjoyable.
Credit: Jack Cramer
Though we like the interesting shape of the Nemo bags, their insulation is not particularly lofty, and the other materials aren't exceptionally soft. The final standout in this metric is the Western Mountaineering MegaLite, which covers these bases. Its 850+ fill power down and 12-denier ExtremeLite fabric combine to create a cozy cocoon of luxurious loft. While it has some of the most space around the shoulders and torso, the standard tapered mummy shape and narrow footbox won't be appreciated by everyone.
Ultra-premium loft on the left, regular loft on the right.
Credit: Ian McEleney
As these examples illustrate, a bag's comfort is inherently subjective; choosing one that matches your preferences is essential. Those who don't detest the shape of a mummy bag will likely prefer the luxurious materials of the MegaLite. Meanwhile, side sleepers may find the innovative shape of Nemo's Forte and Disco superior.
If you want some wiggle room in your bag, the Nemo options are a great way to go.
Credit: Jack Cramer
A facet of comfort we didn't think about before testing was the noisiness of the fabric. Our crew's lightest sleepers immediately noticed that certain crinkly fabrics could disturb their sleep. This issue was most noticeable with the Pertex Endurance shell of the Feathered Friends Hummingbird UL. Though earplugs easily resolve this issue, you should probably avoid this fabric if you're concerned about noise. Fortunately, the Hummingbird can also be purchased with a much quieter, more durable, and cheaper — but slightly heavier — Pertex Quantum shell fabric.
Waking up to the neighborhood views right outside of Boulder, CO using the Feathered Friends Hummingbird 30
Credit: Justin Simoni
Packed Size
The bigger your backpack, the further its mass is from your center of gravity. This can make hiking with your pack more strenuous, leading to premature fatigue and ultimately less fun outdoors. Sleeping bags are usually one of the largest items in your overnight pack. Therefore, getting a bag that compresses smaller is a good way to reduce the size of your load and overall burden. As with weight, the more time you spend on the trail, or the more challenging that trail is, the more this becomes important.
All the bags we tested include a regular stuff sack or compression sack for storing them inside your backpack. The regular stuff sacks, however, are ineffective at compressing a sleeping bag. Therefore, to evaluate packed size fairly, we used the same 11-liter Granite Gear Air Compressor compression sack to measure each bag's minimum compressed volume.
Compression sacks help reduce the packed size of your sleeping bag. Most of the bags we tested came with a regular, non-compressive stuff sack.
Credit: Jack Cramer
By and large, the compressed volumes we observed corresponded closely with the weight of each bag. A couple of exceptions are 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.
One of our warmest bags in the included stuff sack (right) and a compression sack (left).
Credit: Ian McEleney
Although these discrepancies are worth noting, all the bags included in this review are small, especially compared to cheap car camping bags or the backpacking behemoths of yesteryear. So, we don't think packed size should be crucial to distinguish between today's nicest sleeping bags. However, depending on your plans and budget, it may be worth checking the difference in packed size between a premium and budget backpacking sleeping bag you're considering.
One of our least warm models (above) with one of our warmest (below). Size matters.
Credit: Ian McEleney
Features
“Features” is a catch-all category encompassing the performance characteristics that our other evaluation criteria did not address. Often, this evaluation metric separates high-performing inexpensive bags from lower-performing models like the Teton Sports Trailhead and Big Agnes Anthracite 20. The assessment considers extras like small stash pockets, sleeping pad attachment systems, and the qualities of the bag's zipper, among other things. We also assess the overall execution of the bag. Are all of its materials similarly durable? Do its warmth, weight, and dimensions make sense for its intended use?
Bote Nemo bags, the Trailmade 20, the Bishop Pass, and several others feature light-colored liner fabrics, often yellow. It's common for our testers to bring small items into the sleeping bag with them at night. This could be anything they want to keep warm, like electronics, or items they use in bed, like a headlamp or a pair of socks that might be removed sometime at night. Dark interiors turn the bag into a black hole for such little things, while bright liners make them easy to find.
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 a Y-shaped zipper slide and an internal strip of flexible plastic to prevent the zipper from snagging.
Credit: Jack Cramer
Another design example we like is the sleeping pad attachment system on the Therm-a-Rest Hyperion 32. While some hikers want the option to attach their sleeping bags to their pads so that they don't slide around at night, our testing team doesn't. So we're delighted to see that the Hyperion's attachment system is designed to be removable, leaving the decision up to you whether the extra weight is worth the benefits. We've tested other sleeping pad attachment systems that don't offer similar adjustability. Not all attachment systems are equal.
The straps on the underside of the Hyperion that you can use to secure it to a sleeping pad are also easy to remove if you'd rather save weight.
Credit: Jack Cramer
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. A few models have done away with the pins, choosing instead to sew the ends of the zipper directly into the bags.
A zippered pocket on the inside to hold odds and ends is a feature we like that's found on most bags.
Credit: Ian McEleney
This design creates a possible problem. Even if you're careful, a zipper will occasionally snag. When that happens, there is always a chance that the teeth will get misaligned or the zipper slider will pop off from one side. With most bags, just restart the slider at the pins. But if misalignment occurs in the backcountry with the The North Face Cat's Meow or Therm-a-Rest Hyperion, restarting the zipper or closing the bag properly could be impossible. Furthermore, fixing a misaligned zipper will likely require cutting it off the bag, realigning the teeth, and sewing it back together.
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
How To Pick The Best Sleeping Bag For You
Ignoring our test results for a moment, consider the following questions to help guide your purchase. The more honest and practical your answers are, the more likely you'll get the best bag for your needs.
How Cold Will It Really Be?
Choose a model suitable for the overnight temperatures you're in most, not for the coldest trip you might go on in the future. Many strategies exist to use your normal bag outside of its temperature range, including a hot water bottle, a warmer sleeping pad, or sleeping in more clothing.
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
Consider Your Insulation Options
As we mention often in this review, down is the best choice when weight and space are important and when you can keep your sleeping bag dry. Synthetic insulation can be a better choice for the occasional less-experienced backpacker in a damp or humid climate — like on the East Coast or the Pacific Northwest. It can also be a good option when weight doesn't matter and you're trying to keep costs down. Beginner backpackers may want to start with a low-cost synthetic until they understand their ongoing interests and needs better.
What's Your Sleeping Style?
Some backpackers lie down, close their eyes, and don't move for eight hours. Others seem to be in a one-sided wrestling match all night. Think about your sleeping style; maybe ask your partner. Less active sleepers can benefit from the lower weight and bulk of a more narrowly cut bag. Backpackers who move around a lot in their sleep or tend to feel a bit claustrophobic without space to move may get more rest with something more roomy.
The Hummingbird is a good choice for backpackers who don't roll around a lot in their sleep.
Credit: Jessica Haist
Conclusion
Deceptive marketing claims, a tremendous number of models on the market, and preposterous prices make sleeping bag shopping a daunting task. Our extensive testing process and thorough assessments aim to crack the code for three-season backpacking sleeping bags. 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. Depending on your activities, you might be happier in a specialty ultralight option or a sleeping bag designed for car camping. Considering the right apparel like a top-rated rain jacket or a great hiking boot can also make a huge difference when it comes to your comfort and fun level. Happy backpacking!
