Reviews You Can Rely On

How We Tested Backpacking Sleeping Bags for Women

By Jessica Haist ⋅ Review Editor
Monday April 15, 2024
sleeping bag womens - testing sleeping bags is hard work!
Testing sleeping bags is hard work!
Credit: Ian McEleney

Over a decade of backpacking seasons, we have spent countless nights sleeping on the ground outside. We took these bags backpacking in the mountains and deserts and on many nights of car camping. We tested the limits of these bags' warmth, spending cold nights in the alpine where temperatures went below freezing, out in snow and thunderstorms, and spent some very warm nights at low elevations and climbing destinations.

Warmth


Spending many nights at high elevation in the mountains, early spring through late fall, we were able to test each sleeping bag's warmth. We evaluated each bag's fill materials for quality and amount as well as the fit and features like baffles and shape to determine the warmest of the bunch.

sleeping bag womens - this bag was almost too warm for us on summer nights in the alpine!
This bag was almost too warm for us on summer nights in the alpine!
Credit: Jessica Haist

Weight


We weighed all the bags - which one was the lightest? Which was the heaviest? Which had the best warmth to weight ratio that made it worth it to carry around with us?

sleeping bag womens - the sea to summit flame is a lightweight choice for long backpacking...
The Sea to Summit Flame is a lightweight choice for long backpacking trips.
Credit: Jessica Haist

Comfort


Which bag was the softest, cushiest cloud we could sleep in, and which had the roughest materials? Were they too big, too small, or just right?

sleeping bag womens - the marmot teton 15's top fully opens up due to having a zipper on...
The Marmot Teton 15's top fully opens up due to having a zipper on either side.
Credit: Ian McEleney

Packed Size


What bag had the most compressible materials? Did they come with a compression sack to squeeze them down to the smallest possible package? Size does matter in this metric.

sleeping bag womens - packed size is important. models that came with compression sacks...
Packed size is important. Models that came with compression sacks pack down smaller than if packed in a normal stuff sack.
Credit: Jessica Haist

Features


Some features just added weight but weren't that useful. Others were essential to the bag's functionality. We used them all and evaluated their worthiness.

sleeping bag womens - the big agnes torchlight ul has interesting expansion panels, that...
The Big Agnes Torchlight UL has interesting expansion panels, that are a unique innovation for folks who need the extra room. They also decrease both warmth and add weight.
Credit: Ian McEleney

We stuffed, compressed, packed up, and carried all of these bags for several outdoor adventures and then zipped, unzipped, toggled, and, of course, slept in these bags to test them to the fullest.

sleeping bag womens - our men's and women's sleeping bag testers out in the field with...
Our Men's and Women's sleeping bag testers out in the field with their products.
Credit: Ian McEleney