It's inevitable: Every time we go camping, we find ourselves sitting by the campfire, having the same conversation about how it feels so good to be outside, how beautiful the sunset is, and how we should do this more often. And no matter where we are, that conversation always ends with: “This is my happy place.”
When we’re backpacking, though, that feeling literally doubles! And that's mostly because backpacking requires quite a bit of preparation, like planning a route, knowing where camping is permitted, shopping for trail-ready foods, and packing just the right gear for the trek.
Your bedtime gear — tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad — is arguably the most vital part of your backpacking setup. This trifecta is often the heaviest and most expensive, and consumes the most space, too. While some people will buy the lightest, most minimalist gear possible, we're firm believers that if you're going to skimp anywhere to save some weight or money, your sleeping setup is not the place to do it. Because if you’re going to truly enjoy all of nature’s beauty and get any sort of recovery sleep after a brutal hike (or four), you’ll need a tent, pad, and sleeping bag that are up for the challenge.
Sleeping bags, like all other outdoor gear, span an unbelievable range of price and quality. And their huge amount of tech specs can be gibberish to the untrained eye. Options range from one that a novice backpacker would use for both backcountry and car-camping, to ultra light bags for ounce-counters. But no matter what, the basics in build are roughly the same. This is a big investment, after all — so it’s best you understand what you’re looking at.
Best Down Sleeping Bags
- Best All-Around: REI Magma 15 Down Sleeping Bag
- Most Comfortable: Big Agnes Anvil Horn 15 Down Sleeping Bag
- Best for Side Sleepers: Nemo Disco 15Down Sleeping Bag
- Lightest Full-Coverage Quilt: Thermarest Ohm 32 Down Sleeping Bag
- Most Dreamy: Cotopaxi Sueño 15 Down Sleeping Bag
- The Gateway to Quilts: Sierra Designs Nitro 800 Quilt 20
- Best Bargain: Kelty Cosmic 20 Down Sleeping Bag
- Best Ultralight Summer Bag: Western Mountaineering HighLite 35 Down Sleeping Bag
- Most Versatile: The North Face One Bag Sleeping Bag
- Honorable Mention: Feathered Friends Flicker UL Down Quilt
What to Consider
Insulation type: Sleeping bags are either stuffed with down or synthetic feathers, and some bags have a blend of the two. Synthetic bags are cheaper and perform better when wet, but they're heavier and don’t compress down nearly as small. Down sleeping bags are more expensive, but they're the gold standard for most backpackers, as they weigh less, compress smaller, are more durable, and can keep you pretty darn toasty in freezing temps. We pretty much always recommend down over synthetic — that's why this review will focus on down sleeping bags only. And to keep your sleeping bag smelling fresh for years to come, we recommend using Nikwax Down Wash Direct every so often.
Temperature ratings: Every bag has a number in the title that refers to their temperature rating (in Fahrenheit). This rating system can get pretty complex, so we’ll keep it simple: Choose a bag that is rated slightly below the lowest temperatures that you will most commonly encounter. For instance, if nights in the summer will drop down to 40 degrees, but a chilly fall night could get down to 25 degrees, you’re best to choose a three-season bag that’s rated at 15 or 20 degrees to cover every occasion.
Fill power: Every sleeping bag also has a number called “fill power," ranging from lows around 600 to highs around 950. A higher fill power is a higher quality down, which in turn affects the warmth-to-weight ratio: more warmth and less weight is obviously better. For example, a bag with 400-fill down will require twice as much down (and therefore be twice the size, roughly) as a bag with 800-fill down. That’s why a higher fill-power number is much more desirable. Clear as mud?
Shape: Mummy bags are the most common. They have a tapered shape with less wasted space and fabric, making them smaller, lighter, and more thermally efficient than other shapes. Semirectangular bags have more space to wiggle, which also means more fabric and — you guessed it — a heavier product. Quilts are all the rage nowadays, especially for minimalist backpackers, as they really minimize bulk, such as a large hood than some campers rarely use.
Weight: Sleeping bags can get pretty darn heavy, so the “overall bag weight” is important. We’d recommend staying around 3 pounds or less if your budget allows (lighter = more expensive). You can get a solid bag that compresses well, keeps you warm, and will last you quite some time, for around $300. Some ultra light bags (in this review) can weigh as little 1 pound when stuffed with top-quality down and stripped of extra features, but you'll pay a premium for the weight saving.
How We Chose
To assemble our list of the best down sleeping bags for camping and backpacking, our editors thoroughly examined a large variety of current options. We carefully considered fill power, temperature rating, warmth-to-weight ratio, shape, durability, extra features, and of course, price. Many of these down sleeping bags were chosen based on positive firsthand testing experiences in the backcountry and at base camp by the car. Others were selected after hours of research on new technology, trends, and surveys of user reviews.
In this review, we have combined our passion for nature with our knowledge of the outdoor industry to help you make an educated decision and choose the best down sleeping bag for you, so you, too, will consider quitting your day job and disappearing indefinitely. Careful, there!
Best All-Around
REI Magma 15 Down Sleeping Bag
For frequent backpackers who want the best warmth-to-weight ratio and can't shell out $500, REI’s Magma 15 should be a serious consideration.
The Magma's shining star is its down filling. This high-quality 850-fill goose down is water resistant, temperature rated at 15 degrees, and Bluesign approved for environmental and occupational safety. With a weight of 28 ounces and a compressed size of just over 5 liters, it's an impressive combination for enthusiastic backpackers in colder climates.
Best of all? It’s built to last. The Downproof Pertex shell fabric resists wear and tear, and the new zipper cover with internal anti-snag strip will prevent jams when you're half-awake, stepping out for a wee.
Bottom Line: This bag competes in the sub-$400 range with a killer combo of weight, warmth, durability, and packability.
- High-quality 850-fill goose down
- Pretty lightweight (28.2 ounces)
- Built to last
Best for Side-sleepers
Big Agnes Anvil Horn 15 Down Sleeping Bag
Big Agnes
rei.com
$269.95
If you’ve never tried a Big Agnes System bag, get with the times. They have an integrated sleeve on the underside that holds most inflatable sleeping pads, which is the perfect solution to keeping restless sleepers from slipping and sliding off their pad. We swear by this design, and pretty much always favor it when camping.
This rectangular bag has much more wiggle room than a mummy bag, with a Free Range Footbox, giving you space to spread out a bit. It features DownTek’s 650-fill hydrophobic down, is temperature rated at 15 degrees, weighs 40 ounces and packs down into the 8-by-17.5-inch stuff sack (regular size). It comes in regular, long, and wide-long versions, so there's something for people of all sizes.
If comfort takes precedence over weight-saving, and you’re working on a fixed income, this bag should be a serious contender. We’ve used it on wet, multi-night trips with lower mileage, where a few extra ounces is tolerable and rain is prevalent, and we’re always happy to have a roomier bag with extra features when we bed down.
Bottom Line: High quality with comfort-enhancing features for the budget-conscious.
- Rectangular shape and enlarged footbox is super roomy
- Three size options offers versatility
- Sleeping pad sleeve is a must-have (for us)
Most Feature-Packed
Nemo Disco 30 Sleeping Bag
Calling all side sleepers. The Disco has Nemo's unique "spoon shape," with more space at the elbows, hips, and knees, so you can move freely within the bag as you switch from side to side. Being constricted is a feeling that can really affect sleep quality for side sleepers (that's us!), and this bag nearly eliminates those troubles.
The Disco 30 weighs 31 ounces and stuffs into the 11-by-8-inch sack, which is pretty darn comfortable, considering the amount of comfort you'll get. It's by no means bulky or heavy, and the added comfort is 100% worth leaving behind an extra pair of underwear or two (personal opinion).
True to Nemo form, this bag has plenty of unique, well-thought (if not overbuilt) features that proved worthwhile to us on a cold, rainy night off the grid: "Thermo Gills" that can be unzipped to let hot air out without allowing cool drafts in, a waterproof footbox that prevents cold toes when condensation invades your tent, an integrated sleeve to keep your pillow in place, and a blanket fold by your chin that leaves you with a "tucked in, ready for bed" feeling.
Bottom Line: Side sleepers have met their match, and a host of additional features really maximize comfort.
- Spoon shape is a game-changer for side sleepers
- "Thermo Gills" make it easy to regulate temperature
- The extra bulk could be seen as unnecessary to back sleepers
Best Bargain
Kelty Cosmic 0 Down Sleeping Bag
For around $200, Kelty’s Cosmic 0-Degree Down sleeping bag is a lot of bag your buck. Its might not be the lightest or most compressible bag around, but it's easily one of the most affordable zero degree bags around, and it comes from a well-respected brand in Kelty. For the budget-wise car-camper who will occasionally backpack in below-freezing temps, Kelty delivers a lot of bang for your buck.
Rated at 0 degrees, this mummy-shaped bag is capable of three-season backpacking. It’s stuffed with water-resistant 550-fill down, so you won’t have a soggy bag all weekend if some moisture sneaks through the seams of your tent. It weighs a hefty 42 ounces and packs down to 16 by 10 inches.
Perhaps our favorite quality is this bag’s fabric — it’s a nylon taffeta that rivals the softness of your guest bedsheets. We’ve had some cozy nights in this bag, and will definitely keep it in rotation well into the fall.
Bottom Line: If you're always cold, this will keep your body warm and pockets full.
- Competitive price
- Pretty darn warm
- Super soft nylon material
- Not the lightest, nor most compressible
Best Ultralight Summer Bag
Western Mountaineering HighLite 35 Down Sleeping Bag
Western Mountaineering
$380.00
A review of the best down sleeping bags would be incomplete without mention of Western Mountaineering. Its two founders have been making high-quality gear from the finest raw materials for 30 years now, and they’ve become a household name for backpackers.
Weighing in at just 1 pound (yes, 1 pound!), this is the lightest sleeping bag on our list. And while it's toward the top of our price range, it's Western Mountaineering's most reasonably priced bag. The HighLite has a mummy shape, 850-fill down that compresses super small, and a water-resistant coating on the fabric.
It's rated at 35 degrees, so it's more of a summer option than a three-season one. But if you frequent warmer temperatures, having this incredibly small and lightweight bag as part of your arsenal will free up tons of space in your pack. What you choose to do with that space — fill it with hoppy beverages, or leave it vacant for efficiency — is totally up to you.
Bottom Line: If summer is your season, this 1-pound bag could be the start of your trek down the ultra light route.
- Could be cold at higher altitudes
Most Versatile
The North Face One Bag Sleeping Bag
Three bags for the price of one? Sign us up! The North Face’s One Bag is a three part system that may seem like a gimmick, but it's a pretty strong competitor for car-camping when your take a deeper dive.
It all starts with a base bag that can be combined with either or both of the other two layers, depending on the weather, to deliver comfort at three different temperature ranges: 5, 20, and 40 degrees.
While this bag has a mummy silhouette, it’s much roomier than a traditional mummy sleeping bag. It’s loaded with a combo of 800-fill down and synthetic fibers, weighs a total of 3.75 and stuffs down to 17.5-by-13.5 inches. This makes it the heaviest and largest option we reviewed. But the comfort is top-notch, and having options is a nice feature that is hard to overlook.
Bottom Line: For less than $300, this bag's versatility and comfort are ideal for car camping.
- Three bags for the price of one
- The heaviest in this list at 3.75 pounds
Honorable Mention
Feathered Friends Egret YF 20/30 Women's Sleeping Bag
Feathered Friends
Feathered Friends
$369.00
Feathered Friends' gear has been handmade in Seattle's industrial district since 1972 with 100% responsibly sourced down. Most of their gear is pricey, but they make some attainable options like this, too.
The Flicker is their best-selling line. The 30-degree option features 900-fill down that weighs 24 ounces (medium) and packs down to 8 liters. The full-length zip can be opened on warmer nights, or closed up for full, toasty coverage. It's offered with multiple temperature ratings (20 and 30 degrees), lengths (small or medium), and colors (Marine and Iris).
It's a bit heavier and less packable than most comparably-priced bags, but for anyone who values American-made quality and responsibly-sourced down, Feathered Friends is worth a look.
Bottom Line: A quality American-made sleeping bag from a well-respected brand.
- Made in Seattle
- Responsibly-sourced, high-quality down
- Expensive for a 30-degree bag, the entry-level option in this line
Marmot Yolla Bolly 30 Down Sleeping Bag
The Gateway to Quilts
Sierra Designs Nitro Quilt 800 35-Degree
Sierra Designs
Sierra Designs
$249.95
Quilts are all the hype nowadays for backpackers, and it just makes sense: less bulk where it's less effective (underneath) for weight savings. And Sierra Designs has really nailed it with their Nitro Series quilts.
Weighing in at just 1 pound 6 ounces, this 35-degree quilt has 800-fill down that packs down super small into the 13-by-7-inch stuff sack. Its unique shape means that your upper body will rest directly on the sleeping pad, but by stuffing your mitts in the insulated hand pockets, you can wrap yourself up however snugly (or loosely) you choose!
This quilt also has a "Hide-away hood" for those occasional sub-zero nights, so you can peek your face out and keep the rest of your head wrapped up.
We took the Nitro Quilt backpacking, hoping to save weight and space, but anticipating that we may sacrifice some warmth or comfort. Boy were we wrong! As a side sleeper, having the extra space up top is clutch, while being able to reposition easily without letting heat out was a game-changer. It might just be time for you to consider a quilt, too.
Bottom Line: With less material, this quilter is lighter and more efficient than a mummy bag.
- Very lightweight, considering the sub-$300 price tag
- Innovative hand-pockets and hide-away hood
- Runs colder and can be draftier than a sleeping bag
Lightest Full-Coverage Quilt
Therm-a-Rest Corus 20 Down Sleeping Quilt
Therm-a-Rest
rei.com
$259.95
All quilts strive to balance comfort with weight-saving, and Therm-a-rest seems to have it figured out. At just 18 ounces, the Ohm is light as a feather! How did they manage?
For starters, this bag’s 900-fill down is some of the highest quality around, so it packs smaller and keeps you warmer than others. Its semi-rectangular shape adds space at the chest and shoulders, while a cinch cord helps keep warmth inside down to 32 degrees.
We thought this bag performed excellently for a few nights in the 40-degree vicinity. With an extra layer of clothing, we could see the Ohm being solid at near-freezing temps, too. Its weight and compressibility kept our overnight pack light and our feet fast, and its comfort makes the Ohm a contender for summer nights at the campsite, too — especially if trunk space is limited.
Bottom Line: Super light for backpacking, yet comfy and spacious enough to be your do-it-all bag in the summer.
- Super light
- Semi-rectangular shape is more spacious
- High-quality 900-fill down
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