Greatest Backpacking Sleeping Baggage of 2023

A good sleeping bag is one of the most important investments an avid outdoors person will make. To evaluate the best backpacking sleeping bags, we took key performance factors into account, including warmth, packed size and weight, materials, extra features, and value.

Our Buyer’s Guide at the end of this article details the performance features we suggest considering when narrowing down your choice.

Here, we break down the best sleeping bags for backpacking, which means a focus on weight and compression size. Every bag on this list is among the best backpacking sleeping bags on the market right now, so be sure to read through the features and click through to find the best bag for you.

Scroll through to see all of our recommended buys or jump to the category you’re looking for. At the end of our list, be sure to check out our handy comparison chart, comprehensive buyer’s guide, or FAQ section.

The Best Backpacking Sleeping Bags of 2023

Backpacking Sleeping Bag Comparison Chart

Why You Should Trust Us

Every year, GearJunkie editors shut their laptops and take a long weekend to evaluate the best camping gear out there. We set up camp, unpack gear, crack beers, and spend days and nights testing, using, and abusing gear.

It’s not just about putting the gear through a battery of tests to stress it to its limits — although that does occur — it’s about using the gear the way you would.

Not only do we have decades of experience among the lot of us, but we are also critical and perceptive to the nuance of needs for each user. You may not agree with our opinions, but we strive to make our judgments fair and justified. We stick to the same standards and metrics for each product we test.

There are a lot of great sleeping bags to choose from and we are here to narrow the field and help you find the perfect one for you — one that fits your budget and your needs.

Contributor Ryan Baker camps, backpacks, climbs, and ski tours as much as he can. He currently owns four sleeping bags rated from -40 degrees Fahrenheit to 32 degrees. He prefers light, down bags with wind stopper or water repellant membranes but knows that a good synthetic bag has its place in the arsenal as well.

He has over 3 decades camping in the front and backcountry, from fishing trips to big wall climbs and high-altitude mountaineering to summer ridgeline shiver bivvies. In desperate times, he has used pine needles and a rope in lieu of a sleeping bag. From those grim experiences, he states earnestly that a good sleeping bag is a piece of gear that is worth every penny.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose a Sleeping Bag

A good sleeping bag is a foundational piece of gear for the outdoor enthusiast. Consider where and when you want to use your bag. Are you planning a summer outing at low elevation or a winter getaway in the mountains?

Not every bag will cover the gamut of conditions you will encounter in the outdoors but most can cover a broad spectrum. A cold-weather bag will work in the summer but nasty, stuffy, sweaty nights will ensue. Just as with any piece of gear, choose the right tool for the job.

We utilize five factors to consider when purchasing a sleeping bag: warmth, packed size and weight, materials, extra features, and value. No one bag can excel in all categories without costing you a fortune. Our goal is to direct you toward the perfect sleeping bag for your needs and your budget.

Keep in mind that brands often offer multiple sizes in one bag. There will be short, regular, long, left zip, right zip, or a women’s version. Dead air space in a bag creates more air to warm up, creating a colder bag or at least one that requires more heating time. In some situations, extra space is beneficial.

For example, in cold environments, it is nice to have a few extra inches in the bottom of the bag to stash clothes to keep warm or a water bottle filled with hot water. Deciding what side you want the zipper on can come down to handedness, connecting to a partner’s bag, or preferring a certain side to sleep on.

Women’s bags often have more space in the hips and extra insulation. Usually, that adds extra weight for the same rated bag in a men’s version.

Warmth

Temperature ratings are a great place to start when selecting a sleeping bag. Most of us have a favorite campground, mountain range, or beach that we plan on visiting regularly. Determine the coldest night in that locale and you have your minimum comfort range.

The Mountain Hardwear Phantom 15 provided excellent warmth in testing with six inches of 850-fill down. Lightweight options such as the REI Magma 15 and Therm-a-Rest Hyperion save a lot of weight by using lighter fabrics or shorter zippers. They offer similar temperature ratings but usually have less loft and durability. If you know that you run cold, give yourself a margin of comfort above the listed rating.

Fill ratings for down are determined by measuring the amount of loft one ounce of down will expand to. For example, one ounce of 850-fill down lofts to fill 850 cubic inches. This means that more air is trapped in tiny fibers between the feathers compared to lower ratings, trapping more warmth. Down bags will always be warmer, by weight, than synthetic bags due to the superior loft of the down at any rating.

The International Standards Organization does laboratory testing to attempt to rate sleeping bags scientifically by reducing variables. A mannequin with sensors is placed in the bag to test temperature changes in a controlled environment. Of course, we are not mannequins! Metabolic rates, preference, and tenacity can alter which bag is better for you.

Still, the ratings are a great way to compare warmth across brands. We recommend that cold sleepers choose a bag on the warmer end of the spectrum, even for summer camping.

Packed Size & Weight

Packed size is of particular importance when backpacking. While regular camping sleeping bags focus more on comfort, you want your backpacking sleeping bag to have an appropriate warmth-to-weight ratio for your adventure. The weight and packed size of a bag are directly tied to the materials it is built from. Down always packs smaller than synthetic insulation at the same temperature rating but is on average more expensive.

Anyone looking to minimize pack weight should consider something like the REI Magma 15. This bag packs down to three liters and weighs just one pound twelve ounces. Compare that to the NEMO Forte with synthetic insulation which is much bulkier at over 3 pounds with a similar temperature rating.

The ability to pack your bag into the smallest stuff sack possible means more room for gear (or snacks!). The Rab Mythic Ultra is insanely compact and is great for warm summer bivvies when you want to be ultralight or to add to another bag to multiply the warmth. It’s a good idea to consider the volume and storage capabilities of the backpacking backpack you plan to use on your excursions before choosing your sleeping bag, as this will be one of the bulkier items in your kit.

Materials and Construction

A bag’s insulating material will greatly alter its weight-to-warmth ratio. The downside of down (ahem) is that if it gets wet, it loses its warming power.

Virtually all modern, high-quality sleeping bags (like those in this guide) use a hydrophobic down, such as the Nemo Disco 15. Hydrophobic down requires treating the down material with a durable water-repellent (DWR) product.

This chemical treatment coats the down and inhibits moisture from absorbing into it as readily as untreated down. This treatment also allows damp down to dry more quickly. This is not a waterproofing treatment. Hydrophobic down products will do better at resisting water, but they are not impervious to it.

Unlike down, synthetic insulation stays warm when wet but is bulkier and heavier than down. If you plan to be in heavy rain or on a raft trip, consider the NEMO Forte. The other benefit to synthetic insulation is that it is less expensive to procure than down.

As we said before, down is warmer than synthetic insulation gram for gram. As the fill power (also called CUIN) rating for down climbs higher, so does the price. A 950-fill down does a much better job of trapping heat than a 600-fill down.

That is not to say that a higher value will be warmer; the amount of insulating material is also a factor. For example, a bag with twice as much 600-fill down can maintain heat as well as a bag with half that much in 950-fill, but it will consequently be markedly heavier.

For shell fabrics and liners, most sleeping bags from reputable brands will use synthetic materials that repel water and hold warmth when wet. The diameter of the thread itself used in fabrics is measured in deniers. A high denier count correlates pretty strongly to being a stronger material. So, a higher denier rating correlates with more durability.

The caveat to all this is that 20-denier Cuben fiber is stronger than 20-denier polyester because the Dyneema is stronger than the polyester fibers at the same thickness.

Some bags have a breathable membrane such as the GORE-TEX shell on the Montbell Down Hugger. Ripstop is a way of reinforcing fabric with heavier threads woven in to resist abrasion and tearing.

Taffeta is among the most common choices to line inside of a bag. Unlike the coarse feel of ripstop, taffeta has a pleasant silky feel and is more breathable. This makes it an ideal choice as a next-to-skin fabric.

Pay attention to the fabric behind the zipper as well. A late-night trip to the bush can cause fumbling and tearing of fabric if it gets caught in the zipper, as we experienced on the Sea to Summit Flame. Top brands will sew sturdier material in the zipper zone to prevent this, but it adds weight.

Baffles in a sleeping bag are sewn separations that keep the down in place to prevent it from bunching up. It is important to consider baffle size and placement in a down bag. After years of use, the feathers tend to migrate into clumps. A little care and proper maintenance can prevent this.

The Montbell Down Hugger has done away with baffles altogether with a unique web design, while the Rab Mythic Ultra employs trapezoidal baffles to further prevent down migration.

Finally, draft tubes and collars are insulation-stuffed barriers between you and places that lose a lot of heat. This is in places such as along the zipper or around your neck. These barriers are crucial to keeping cold air out. Draft collars rest on the chest and neck area to keep the heat in the bag from escaping.

Extra Features

The budget-friendly Kelty Cosmic has a great cellphone pocket, and the Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass 15 can zip together with another bag that has a zipper on the opposite side. This is great if you want to cuddle with your partner.

A novelty in this category is the Mountain Hardwear Lamina ECO AF, which stands out because of its eco-friendly materials. Also, consider the expandable zippered gills that increase the circumference like in the NEMO Disco. This is advantageous if you are a side sleeper or want to draw your knees up at night. Most bags also allow two-way zippers to promote venting at the feet while the majority of the zipper towards the head stays zipped.

Extra features are what we consider to tip the scales between two similar products when making a difficult decision. With so many options on the market, the deciding factor when purchasing a new bag can be the difference between a static cinch cord instead of a bungee.

In our view, extra features are just that, nothing that affects the performance of a bag but only adds flair or novelty.

Women’s-Specific Sleeping Bags

Some sleeping bags, such as The Big Agnes Torchlight UL, are designed with women in mind, and have features that some may find beneficial. As mentioned above, women’s bags are usually more spacious, accommodate wider hips, and have extra insulation (often in specific areas).

Some sleeping bags have a women’s-specific version that you can choose (which sometimes just means it’s shorter), while other models are designed solely for women. Sometimes the changes make a noticeable difference for women, other times a men’s or unisex model will work just fine.

Value

You should expect to make a substantial investment for a long-lasting, high-quality sleeping bag. Don’t be surprised to see price tags that approach (or exceed) $500.

From high-priced bags like the Western Mountaineering Alpinlite to the economical Kelty Cosmic, manufacturers assure that their sleeping bags have undergone rigorous testing and development to ensure that they keep adventurers safe in some of the harshest environments.

Buying a quality sleeping bag is as important as buying a good backpacking tent. It is not only a matter of comfort but also safety and well-being. Your sleeping bag is a crucial piece of gear to give you the night’s rest you need to tackle your goals and enjoy the backcountry.

This list of the best backpacking sleeping bags has something for every hiker and outdoor enthusiast — from the starry-eyed novice to the wizened wilderness sage.

FAQ

The decision primarily is a question of insulation types. Two categories prevail: synthetic and down. Synthetic bags, like the NEMO Forte, are bulkier and overall heavier when compared to a down-filled bag at the same temperature rating. They also tend to be less expensive and stay warm when wet (unlike down).

Down-filled bags, like the Western Mountaineering Alpinlite, tend to cost more and be more delicate to abrasion and tearing as feathers can leak out, diminishing insulation. The advantage of down-filled bags is they pack extremely small and can provide more warmth with less material and therefore, less weight.

The short answer is more than you probably should. Compressing down feathers damages them over time but they can squeeze down magnificently.

Our testers have compressed a -40-degree bag into a 10L compression sack. That is not recommended but if you need space in your pack, you will do whatever you have to.

Packing down takes patience. Applying gentle pressure to remove air from between the down can squeeze it into tight spaces. Check with your manufacturer’s listed pack size. This is a good indication of how far to take it.

For example, one of our favorite sleeping bags, the Montbell Down Hugger, has a 3L listed pack size in the regular length. Compare that to the NEMO Forte at 12 L at a comparable temperature rating.

When you store your down sleeping bag, always put it in the large provided sack or bag about the size of a 55-gallon trash bag to prolong the life of the down and allow for full expansion while in storage.

This is largely dependent on what your needs are. For backpacking, long hikes into a campsite with just a backpack to haul your gear, the general consensus is that you will want a pack under 3 pounds.

Ultralight sleeping bags, like the Rab Mythic Ultra, are measured in ounces, not pounds. Yet, with every ounce you sacrifice, most often you’re losing material.

This can mean less durable materials, less size or comfort, and potentially higher prices with more advanced tech. For car camping, weight will really be a secondary concern to comfort — it’s more what will fit in the trunk of your car. In that scenario, the roomy NEMO Forte starts to look pretty appealing.

When it comes to warmth and packability, nothing beats down. That’s not to say that synthetic options aren’t warm or packable — or that someday synthetic insulation might catch up to or surpass down — but down is the hands-down winner for now. Consider the 32-degree Therm-a-Rest Hyperion that packs down to 3 L.

Synthetic bags do have their place, however. By its nature, synthetic is engineered to maintain its performance characteristics when it’s wet. The same cannot be said for down. While synthetic isn’t quite as packable, it has come a long way in becoming a pack-friendly option.

For example, the Big Agnes Sidewinder weighs in at 2 pounds 4 ounces and boasts more room than most other bags we tested. If price is a primary consideration, synthetic is considerably more affordable than high-quality, high-loft down.

Warmth ratings are a guide, not a rule. The degree listed on a sleeping bag is a measure of a bag’s comfort zone. Typically, a 20-degree bag will keep the average user comfortable at 20 degrees, but we all regulate heat differently.

Many bags, like the Kelty Cosmic 20, feature dual zippers. This allows the bottom of the zipper to be opened as a vent while most of the bag stays zipped shut.

If you run cold, a 20-degree bag may feel too cold in 30-degree temps. If you run hot, you can get away with a 30-degree bag in 15-degree weather or below. Keep this in mind if you run hot or cold on either end of the spectrum.