Buy the wrong sleeping bag and you’ll have lots of sleepless time in atent to regret yourdecision. Buy the right oneand you’ll sleep better than you do at home. Here arefive tips to help you choose wisely.
Always Go Warmer
Temperature ratings are pretty accurate, but they don’t account for human variability. Some of us run hot. Others run cold. To be safe, I suggest purchasing a bag that’s rated 10to 15degrees cooler than the lowest temperature you expect to encounter. It’seasy to unzip your bag to vent extra heat, but it’s hard to warm up if you’re cold.
Choose the Appropriate Fill
As a rule of thumb, down has the best warmth-to-weight ratio and packability. If you’re going someplacewhere weight matters (backpacking, bike packing), go with down. Synthetic is better when wet and tends to be cheaper. Go with synthetic if you car camp or plan to spend a lot of time in the rain or near the water.
Find the Right Shape
Historically, sleeping bags have come intwo shapes: mummy bags, which are warm but restrictive, and rectangular bags, which are roomybut don’t retain heat as well. Today, there are more options. Take, which provide the warmth of a mummy bagbut give youmore space to roll around. Orthe , which has slots at the topso you can sleep with your arms outside the bag.
Be Realistic
Super-lightweight, ultra-warm bags are sexy, but they’re overkill for most of us. Plus,they canbreak the bank (think $600 to$800). A standard 15- to30-degree three-season bag like the $170 North Faceshould be enough for the majority of us who like to backpack and car camp from spring through fall.
Don’t Forget a Good Sleeping Pad
Sleeping pads will keep you warmer by insulating you from the cold ground. Avoid a flimsy piece of foam—go for something that elevates your body, like the two-inch-thick . Even if you buy the nicest sleeping bag on the market, a lousy pad willruin your night because you’ll feel every rock and twig underneathyou.