sleeping bag

There are plenty of good things about outdoor activities. They are healthy, fun, and exciting, but the best thing is, you don’t have to be the world’s richest guy to do them, you just need the essential gear. One of the primary gear for camping is the sleeping bag, therefore, we have gathered up the best affordable sleeping bags for those who are on a budget.

The prices of sleeping bags vary from tens to thousands of dollars, but if you are not planning to go to the Himalayas, you don’t have to spend loads of money on a sleeping bag.

If you have the right guidance, you can buy a pocket-friendly sleeping bag without sacrificing quality.

But before jumping right into the list there are a few things to know about sleeping bags, such as shapes, temperature ratings, insulation types, etc. If you already know what to look for before buying a sleeping bag you can skip the information, and if you want to learn more about sleeping bags you can look at our comprehensive article about Features and Types of Sleeping Bags.

What to Look For When Buying a Budget Sleeping Bag

• Weight
• Compressed Size
• Temperature Rating
• Shape
• Insulation

Weight

Weight is one of the most important things to consider when buying an affordable sleeping bag, especially if you are planning backpacking.

You might end up with a sore back if you don’t choose your gears light and proper. Therefore consider buying a bag under 3 lbs if you are looking for a budget sleeping bag for backpacking.

Shape and insulation are the biggest factors in weight. Down insulated bags are lighter than synthetic bags. And mummy sleeping bags tend to be lighter compared to rectangular sleeping bags. Therefore most of the best ultralight sleeping bags are Mummy Shaped Down Sleeping Bags.

Compressed Size

Packing the smallest yet the most convenient gear is every backpacker’s first priority. Considering the sleeping bag will be one of the biggest items on your backpack, choosing a bag with a small pack size is important.

Down sleeping bags are more compressible compared to synthetic bags. Also, since mummy-shaped sleeping bags have a tapered form and are made with less fabric, they are much more compressible than rectangular bags.

Insulation

There are two kinds of insulation for sleeping bags.

Down: This kind of insulation is lighter, more compressible and provides more warmth, but they are more expensive compared to synthetic sleeping bags. The biggest disadvantage of down sleeping bags is they tend to lose their warmth in damp conditions.

Synthetic: These types of sleeping bags are less compressible than down bags and have a low Warmth to Weight Ratio. But they are much more budget-friendly and durable compared to down insulated bags.

Since you are looking for the best cheap sleeping bag, you should know that most of the pocket-friendly sleeping bags are synthetic.

But don’t worry, If you are okay with carrying a sleeping bag that weighs 3 lbs and can be compressed up to 8” x 14”, a synthetic sleeping bag will be more than enough.

Temperature Rating

Most brands use EN 13537 standard for temperature ratings. There are three rating types for sleeping bags according to EN 13537. Those are Comfort Temperature, Lower Temperature, and Extreme Temperature.

Comfort Temperature: The lowest temperature a woman can sleep comfortably.

Lower-Limit Temperature: The lowest temperature a man can sleep in a hunched position.

Extreme Temperature: The lowest temperature a woman can sleep and survive.

Shape

There are four types of sleeping bag shapes.

Rectangular: This type is the most common sleeping bag type. Rectangular sleeping bags are heavier and less compressible than other types, but since they provide a great amount of space for sleeping, they are extremely comfortable. If you are looking for the best affordable sleeping bag for car camping you should definitely go for a rectangular sleeping bag.

Mummy: This type of sleeping bag is great for backpacking and mountaineering. Mummy bags are lighter and more compressible due to their tapered form, but not the best when it comes to comfort. Since they offer many great features, they tend to be more expensive than other types.

Semi-Rectangular: They are a mixture of mummy and rectangular sleeping bag. They have less Weight to Warmth Ratio than mummy bags but they are more comfortable.

Double Sleeping Bags: As can be understood from the name, these types of sleeping bags are for two-person camping.

Note: Most of the rectangular sleeping bags (and some mummy sleeping bags) can be zipped together to make a double sleeping bag. Therefore, if you plan to go camping without your spouse sometimes, instead of buying a double sleeping bag, buying two rectangular sleeping bags is more feasible.

Best Affordable Sleeping Bags

5 Best Affordable Sleeping Bags Comparison Table

TETON Sports TrailHead

Best for: Best Affordable Cold Weather Sleeping Bag for Backpacking

• Shape: Mummy
• Weight: 2 lbs 14.4 oz
• Pack size: 6.5″ x 14.5″
• Size:  87″ x 32″ (at the shoulders) x 22″ (at the foot)
• Insulation: Synthetic
• Temperature Rating: 20˚F
• Outer Shell: 75D Diamond Ripstop
• Inner Lining: Double-Brushed P5 Poly Hi-Count

Teton Trailhead is a mummy shaped synthetic sleeping bag. Although it is an inexpensive bag, it provides almost every feature of an expensive sleeping bag.

Some of those great features are a draft tube to reduce the heat loss through the zipper, an adjustable hood, an interior pocket, a well-designed foot-box to increase the comfort and warmth in the feet area.

Overall, TETON Sports TrailHead is one of the best budget cold weather sleeping bags for backpacking.

Outdoor Vitals Atlas

Best for: Best Affordable Down Sleeping Bag

• Shape: Mummy
• Weight: 3 lbs 13 oz
• Pack size: 8″ x 11″
• Size: 75″ (Length) x 64″ (Shoulder Girth)
• Insulation: 500 FP Down
• Temperature Rating: 15˚F
• Outer Shell: 30d 320t Nylon DWR Coating
• Inner Lining: 50D 320T Polyester Pongee

Outdoor Vitals Atlas is a down insulated, mummy-shaped sleeping bag. If you are on a small budget, and still want the features a down bag provides, it is perfect for you.

The great thing about this bag is, even though it is much cheaper than any other down sleeping bag it still offers almost every feature that an expensive down bag does. Such as; great compressibility, lightness, high Warmth to Weight Ratio.

If you also travel with your loved one sometimes, don’t forget that if you get one right zip and one left zip Outdoor Vitals Atlas, you can zip them together to make a double sleeping bag.

TETON Sports Celsius

Best for: Best Budget Backpacking Sleeping Bag for Comfort

• Shape: Rectangular
• Weight: 5 lbs
• Pack size: 10″ x 15″
• Size:  80″ x 33″
• Insulation: Synthetic
• Temperature Rating: 0˚F
• Outer Shell: Tafetta
• Inner Lining: SuperLoft Elite Hollow Fiber

TETON Celsius is a rectangular-shaped, synthetic insulated sleeping bag. If comfort is your first priority and if you don’t mind compromising on weight, we strongly recommend Teton Sports Celcius. It offers the comfort of a rectangular bag but weighs only 5 lbs and can be compressed up to 10″ x 15″.

Sleepingo Double Sleeping Bag

Best for: Best Budget Double Sleeping Bag

• Shape: Double
• Weight: 6 lbs
• Pack size: 12″ x 15″
• Size:  87″ x 59″
• Insulation: Synthetic
• Temperature Rating: 50˚F
• Outer Shell: 210T Polyester
• Inner Lining: Textile Combination of Tetr

Sleepingo is a synthetic insulated, double-wide sleeping bag. If you are planning an outdoor trip with your loved one and if you are tight on the budget you should definitely go for Sleepingo Double Sleeping Bag.

Most of the double sleeping bags are extremely big when compressed and weighs more than 10 pounds. The best thing about this bag is; unlike most of the double sleeping bags, this bag can be compressed up to 12″ x 15″, and weighs 6 pounds. All those features make it one of the best affordable sleeping bags for camping.

If you are planning a trip in winter with your “significant other”, you shouldn’t choose this bag since its comfort temperature is 50˚F. In that case, you should increase your budget a little bit and go with TETON Sports Mammoth Queen-Size.

Hyke & Byke 0 Degree

Best for: Best Budget Sleeping Bag for Cold Weather Camping

• Shape: Mummy
• Weight: 3 lbs 6 oz
• Pack size: 8″ x 11″
• Size: 78″ long x 28″ wide at the shoulders
• Insulation: 625 FP Down
• Temperature Rating: 0˚F
• Liner: 400T 20 D Ripstop Nylon 

Hyke & Byke is a down insulated, mummy-shaped sleeping bag. Most of the cold weather sleeping bags are extremely expensive due to the costs of insulation material and heat loss reduction features, but this bag features everything you need for cold weather camping.

It has great compressibility and a high Weight to Warmth Ratio, which makes it one of the best affordable sleeping bags for backpacking in winter.

Packing the lightest gear is the most important thing for backpacking. Considering that your sleeping bag will be the heaviest item in your backpack, you should choose it wisely. To help you to find the most suitable lightweight sleeping bag for you, we have gathered up the top 6 best ultralight sleeping bags by making comprehensive researches and comparisons.

Before going into the list. You should know that there are other features to be taken into consideration before selecting the best sleeping bag. Such as;

• Insulation
• Shape
• Compressed Size
• Temperature Rating
• Size

If you already have some knowledge about them Skip the “How to Choose” and go straight to the best ultralight sleeping bags!

How to Choose a Sleeping Bag

As we mentioned earlier there are several things to consider before jumping into buying the cheapest, or the lightest one. The sleeping bag is one of the most important gears for camping, especially during cold weather.

Insulation

There are two main categories for sleeping bags when it comes to insulation. They are down-filled and synthetic.

Down: Insulation material for down sleeping bags is basically the down of goose or duck (the feathers which keep the egg warm). Down-filled sleeping bags are much lighter and more compressible than synthetic sleeping bags, but they are more expensive. And not every down-filled sleeping bags provide the same efficiency the quality of down sleeping bags varies and is measured by the fill power. Higher the fill power, the greater the insulation. Generally, above 800 FP is considered as a high-quality sleeping bag.

Synthetic: Insulation material for synthetic sleeping bags is generally polyester. Synthetic sleeping bags are not as light as, or as compressible as down sleeping bags, but they are budget-friendly. If you like to camp in the rainy seasons, you should go for a synthetic sleeping bag. Even though the down technology has improved a lot lately, down-filled sleeping bags still tend to lose their effectiveness of protection from the cold in damp conditions.

Shape

There are four main categories for sleeping bags regarding shape.

Rectangular: They are much more comfortable than other types since they provide a great amount of space to sleep but they are heavier and bulkier than other types.

Mummy: These types of sleeping bags have the highest warmth to weight ratio. They are considered the best type of sleeping bags for backpacking and mountaineering due to their small compressed size, weight. All those features make mummy shape sleeping bags the first option for someone who is looking for the best ultralight sleeping bag.

Semi-Rectangular: They are much comfortable than Mummy sleeping bags but, they are not the best when it comes to weight.

Double Sleeping Bags: These types of sleeping bags are made for two-person. They are perfect for camping with your significant other.

Compressed Size

A sleeping bag can be light but bulky at the same time. So before jumping into buying the lightest sleeping bag, you should consider the dimensions of the compressed size.

Temperature Rating

There are 3 types of temperature ratings for sleeping bags:

Comfort Temperature: The temperature you can sleep comfortably.

Lower Temperature: The temperature you can sleep comfortably in a hunched position.

Extreme Temperature: The lowest temperature you can sleep to survive.

Most of the brands use Extreme Temperature rating during marketing, so look for the Comfort Temperature before purchasing. If you don’t find Comfort Temperature, go for a sleeping bag that is tagged for at least 15 degrees warmer than the weather in the place you will be camping at.

Size

Most of the sleeping bags come with three different sizes; Short, Regular and Long. In this article, the mentioned dimensions are the dimensions of regular size sleeping bags. But If you are a bigger or a shorter fellow don’t forget to look for the long or short size dimensions.

If you would like to know more about sleeping bags, make sure to look at our comprehensive article about different types of sleeping bags.

6 Best Ultralight Sleeping Bags

Western Mountaineering Ultralite 20

• Shape: Mummy
• Weight: 1 lb 13 oz
• Compressed Size: 7″ x 13″
• Size: 72″ (Length) x 59 ” (Shoulder Girth) x 51″ (Hip Girth)
• Insulation: 850 FP Down (Goose)
• Temperature Rating: 20˚F
• Outer Shell: Extremelite Shell Fabric

Western Mountaineering Ultralite 20 is an 850 FP Goose down-filled mummy shaped sleeping bag. It is one of the lightest sleeping bags on the market. It is slightly more expensive than other sleeping bags on the list but it has almost every feature you should be looking for on a sleeping bag. The hood has drawcords, so you can cinch it down to keep the heat inside, in extremely cold conditions. The bag has draft tubes behind the zipper and around the neck area to reduce the heat loss.

It has horizontal continuous baffles to transfer down, from front to back so you can arrange the amount of heat transfer for a specific area. If the price is not a big issue for you Western Mountaineering Ultralite 20 is one of the best ultralight sleeping bags.

Marmot Sawtooth 15

• Shape: Mummy
• Weight: 2 lbs 8 oz
• Compressed Size: 7.5″ x 16″
• Size: 72″ (Length) x 62 ” (Shoulder Girth) x 57″ (Hip Girth)
• Insulation: 650 FP Down (Duck)
• Temperature Rating: 15˚F
• Inner Lining:  20-Denier Mini Ripstop Nylon

Marmot Sawtooth is a 650 FP down insulated Mummy shaped sleeping bag. The bag has drawcords on the hood, it can be cinched down to keep the heat inside. Due to its great design, it provides a great amount of space in the foot area to increase comfort.

It has a draft tube along the zipper to reduce heat loss. It has a dual-direction zipper which allows unzipping from the bottom for venting if it gets too hot. The main zipper has an anti-snag slider to prevent the zipper’s teeth from catching the fabric.

Kelty Unisex Cosmic 20

• Shape: Mummy
• Weight: 2lbs 6.6 oz
• Compressed size: 8″ x 15.5″
• Size: 72″ (Length) x 62 ” (Shoulder Girth) x 58″ (Hip Girth)
• Insulation: 600 FP DriDown
• Temperature Rating: 20˚F
• Outer Shell: 50D Polyester Ripstop Shell
• Inner Lining: 50D Polyester Tafetta

Kelty Unisex Cosmic 20 Degree is a 600 FP DriDown insulated mummy shaped sleeping bag. Its Dridown insulation is specially designed to work better than traditional down insulation in damp conditions.

Its hood has drawstrings so you can cinch it down on to decrease the heat loss on cold nights. It has a two-way slider so if you feel hot you can unzip only the bottom side of the zipper for venting. Cosmic 20 has a draft tube behind the zipper to reduce the heat loss through the zipper. It also has anti-snag material at both sides of the zipper to prevent the zipper from tearing the fabric off.

Hyke and Byke Shavano 32°F

• Shape: Mummy
• Weight: 2 lbs 2 oz
• Compressed Size: 6.5″ x 9″
• Size: 78″ (Length) x 28″(Shoulder Width) x 22″(Hip Width)
• Insulation: 650 FP Down (Duck)
• Temperature Rating: 30˚F
• Inner Lining: DWR 400T Rip-Stop Nylon  

Hyke and Byke Shavano 32°F is a 650 FP down-filled mummy sleeping bag. It has horizontally designed baffles to retain heat evenly. One of the most important features of the bag, it has a small channel along the left side of the sleeping bag to transfer fill from one baffle to another. For instance; If your feet get colder than your upper body you can move fill from the top baffles to bottom baffles to get your feet cozy and warm.

It has a draft tube to reduce heat loss through the zipper. The bag also features a two-way slider, if it gets hot, it can be unzipped only from the bottom side for venting. The hood has drawcords that allow you to chinch it down and keep the warmth inside in cold weather.

Klymit KSB 20

• Shape: Mummy
• Weight: 2.75 lbs
• Compressed Size: 8.5″ x 13.5″
• Size: 82” (Length) x 30” (Shoulder Width)
• Insulation: 650 FP Down (Duck)
• Temperature Rating: 20˚F
• Inner Lining: DWR 20D Sil-Nylon

It is a 650 FP down-filled mummy sleeping bag. The bag has horizontal baffles to facilitate an even temperature distribution from head to toe. Dual-direction zipper of the sleeping bag allows venting from the bottom if it is too hot. It has a draft tube to reduce heat loss through the zipper.

The bag feature Length Lock Technology which basically allows you to shrink the sleeping bag for your size. DWR coated outer material keeps the down from getting wet and losing its effectiveness. The draft collar has a pocket to keep the valuables inside.

Nemo Disco 15

• Shape: Semi-Rectangular
• Weight: 2 lbs 11 oz
• Compressed Size: 9″ x 12″
• Size: 72” (Length) x 64 ” (Shoulder Girth) x 59″ (Hip Girth) x 62 (Knee Girth)
• Insulation: 650 FP Down (Duck)
• Temperature Rating: 15˚F
• Inner Lining: 30D Nylon Taffeta w/ DWR
• Outer Shell: 30D Nylon Ripstop w/ DWR
• Foot-box Fabric: 40D Nylon Ripstop OSMO™ w/ DWR

Nemo Disco 15 is a semi-rectangular shaped, moist resistant, 650 FP down-filled sleeping bag. It is one of the most comfortable sleeping bags due to its award-winning design. It is one of the best sleeping bags for side sleepers.

The bag features Thermogills on the front side which are basically two zippers that allow you to vent the sleeping bag and adjust the temperature. It also has a draft tube to reduce heat loss through the zipper. The hood of the sleeping bag has drawcords to simplify adjustment. Besides its high Warmth to Weight ratio, Nemo Disco 15 provides a great Comfort to Weight ratio.

One of the best features it offers is, if you are planning to travel with your loved one, you can purchase two Nemo Disco 15 Men’s and Nemo Disco 15 Women’s and zip them together to make a double sleeping bag.

Camping in the cold weather can be extremely excited and relaxing, but mother nature shouldn’t be underestimated, we need to be prepared for every condition before our outdoor activities. Choosing the proper gear is the most important thing for being well prepared. Since the sleeping bag is the most important gear for cold weather camping we have researched over 50 products and found 14 best cold weather sleeping bags for backpacking and car camping.

Best Cold Weather Sleeping Bags for Backpacking

For backpacking, we need sleeping bags that have a high “warmth to weight ratio” and small compressed size. Here are the best backpacking sleeping bags for cold weather.

Cold Weather Backpacking Sleeping Bags Comparison Table

Hyke & Byke Eolus 0

• Shape: Mummy
• Weight: 3.2 lbs
• Compressed Size: 7″ x 10″
• Size: 78″ x 28″ (at the shoulders) x 26″ (at the foot)
• Insulation: 800 FP Down (Goose)
• Temperature Rating: 0˚F
• Inner Lining: 400T 20 D Ripstop Nylon Fabric 

Hyke & Byke Eolus 0 Degree is a mummy-shaped Sleeping bag that has vertical baffles to facilitate even temperature distribution from head to toe. It is one of the best backpacking sleeping bags for cold weather, due to its high warmth to weight ratio.

It’s relatively inexpensive than other sleeping bags that provide the same features. It has a snag-free /two-way zip which prevents zipper teeth to tear the fabric off and gives you the freedom of unzipping only from the bottom side for warm nights. It has adjustable drawstrings on the hood to be able to sleep comfortably at both cold and warm nights and comes with the compression sack.

Teton Sports Tracker 5

• Shape: Mummy
• Weight: 3.75 lbs
• Compressed Size: 8″ x 14″
• Size: 87″ x 34″ (at the shoulders) x 22″ (at the foot)
• Insulation: Synthetic (PolarLite Micro Insulation)
• Temperature Rating: 5˚F
• Outer Shell: 75D Diamond Ripstop
• Inner Lining: Double-Brushed P5 Poly Hi-Count

Teton Sports Tracker +5ºF is a synthetic, mummy-shaped sleeping bag. Even though it is extremely budget-friendly it has almost every feature expensive sleeping bags offer, such as water-resistant shell, anti-snag zippers, zipper draft tube, soft liner, and drawstrings on the hood. If you have a small budget and looking for a sleeping bag that can protect you up to 5 ˚ F Teton Sports Tracker 5 is one of the best cold weather sleeping bags.

Hyke and Byke Snowmass 0

• Shape: Mummy
• Weight: 3.38 lbs
• Compressed Size: 8″ x 11″
• Size: 78″ x 28″ (at the shoulders) x 26″ (at the foot)
• Insulation: 650 FP Down (Duck)
• Temperature Rating: 0˚F
• Inner Lining:  400T 20 D Ripstop Nylon Fabric 

Hyke and Byke Snowmass 0 Degree is a down insulated mummy-shaped sleeping bag that has horizontal baffles to facilitate even temperature distribution from head to toe. It also has a small channel along the left side of the sleeping bag to transfer fill from one baffle to another. For instance; if your feet get colder than your upper body you can move fill from the top baffles to bottom baffles.

Its zipper has two sliders; that feature allows you to open the bottom of the sleeping bag while keeping it zipped up around your upper body, so you can walk with the sleeping bag or use it for venting your feet if it gets too warm. It has drawstrings on the hood area to provide the flexibility of sleeping at both cold and warm nights easily. Considering its features Hyke and Byke Snowmass 0 Degree is one of the best cold weather sleeping bags.

Marmot Sawtooth 15

• Shape: Mummy
• Weight: 2 lbs 8 oz
• Compressed Size: 7.5″ x 16″
• Size: 72″ (Length) x 62 ” (Shoulder Girth) x 57″ (Hip Girth)
• Insulation: 650 FP Down (Duck)
• Temperature Rating: 15˚F
• Inner Lining:  20-Denier Mini Ripstop Nylon

Marmot Sawtooth is a 650 FP down insulated mummy-shaped sleeping bag. The hood has drawcords, you can cinch it down to feel warmer in cold conditions. It provides a great amount of space in the foot area to increase comfort. It has a draft tube to reduce heat loss through the zipper. Its two-way zipper design provides ventilation in warm conditions. The main zipper has a anti-snag slider to prevent the zipper from catching the fabric.

Teton Sports LEEF 20

• Shape: Mummy
• Weight: 3.45 lbs
• Compressed Size: 6.5″ x 12.5″
• Size: 87″ x 34″ (at the shoulders) x 22″ (at the foot)
• Insulation: Synthetic: PolarLite Micro Insulation
• Temperature Rating: 20˚F
• Outer Shell: 40D Ripstop
• Inner Lining: Double-Brushed P5 Poly Hi-Count

Toton LEEF 20 Ultralight is a synthetic insulated, mummy-shaped sleeping bag. It has drawstrings on the hood so you can cinch it down to keep the heat inside. It has a baffle behind the zipper to reduce the heat loss. Although it is an inexpensive sleeping bag it provides great features like anti-snag zippers, big foot-box, sturdy material. It comes with a stuff sack that has straps to compress the bag even tighter.

Outdoor Vitals Atlas

• Shape: Mummy
• Weight: 3 lbs 13 oz
• Compressed size: 8″ x 11″
• Size: 75″ (Length) x 64″ (Shoulder Girth)
• Insulation: 500 FP Down
• Temperature Rating: 15˚F
• Outer Shell: 30d 320t Nylon DWR Coating
• Inner Lining: 50D 320T Polyester Pongee

Outdoor Vitals Atlas is a 500 FP down insulated mummy-shaped sleeping bag. Even though it is one of the most inexpensive down sleeping bags, it still provides great features, such as drawstrings on the hood to keep the heat inside, DWR coated outer shell to protect the down from getting wet, and draft tube (to reduce the heat loss through the zipper). It has horizontal baffles to facilitate even temperature distribution.

One of the best features it offers is, if you are planning to travel with your loved one, you can purchase one right-hand and one left-hand atlas zip them together to make a double sleeping bag. If you are tight on a budget but still want the features that down provides, it is perfect for you.

Kelty Unisex Cosmic 20

• Shape: Mummy
• Weight: 2lbs 6.6 oz
• Compressed size: 8″ x 15.5″
• Size: 72″ (Length) x 62 ” (Shoulder Girth) x 58″ (Hip Girth)
• Insulation: 600 FP DriDown
• Temperature Rating: 15˚F
• Outer Shell: 50D Polyester Ripstop Shell
• Inner Lining: 50D Polyester Tafetta

Kelty Unisex Cosmic 20 Degree is a mummy-shaped sleeping bag. It has Dridown insulation which works better than traditional down insulation at wet conditions.

Its hood has drawstrings so you can cinch it down on to decrease the heat loss on cold nights. It has a two-way zipper so you can unzip from the bottom side while the upper side is zipped up, if you feel hot you can take your feet or leg out to vent. Cosmic 20 has a draft tube behind the zipper to reduce the heat loss through the zipper. It also has anti-snag material at both sides of the zipper to prevent the zipper from tearing the fabric off.

Nemo Forte 20

• Shape: Semi-Rectangular
• Weight: 3 lbs 5 oz
• Compressed Size: 8.5″ x 12″
• Size: 78″ (Length) x 66″ (Shoulder Girth) x 62″ (Hip Girth)
• Insulation: Synthetic
• Temperature Rating: 20˚F
• Inner Lining: Nylon Taffeta

Nemo Forte 20 is a semi-rectangular shaped, moister resistant, a synthetic sleeping bag. It is one of the most comfortable sleeping bags due to its award-winning design. There are Thermogills on the front side of the sleeping bag which are basically two zippers in the middle area allows you to vent the sleeping bag and adjust the temperature. It also has a draft tube to reduce heat loss through the zipper. The hood of the sleeping bag has drawcords to simplify adjustment. If you are looking for the most comfortable sleeping bag for 20-30F temperatures Nemo Forte 20 is perfect for you.

Western Mountaineering Ultralite 20

• Shape: Mummy
• Weight: 1 lb 13 oz
• Compressed Size: 7″ x 13″
• Size: 72″ (Length) x 59 ” (Shoulder Girth) x 51″ (Hip Girth)
• Insulation: 850 FP Down (Goose)
• Temperature Rating: 20˚F
• Outer Shell: Extremelite Shell Fabric

Western Mountaineering Ultralite 20 is one of the lightest mummy-shaped sleeping bag. It is an 850 FP Goose down-filled sleeping bag. It is highly expensive considering other sleeping bags but it has almost every feature you should be looking for on a sleeping bag. Western Mountaineering Ultralite 20 has drawstrings on the hood for adjustment. It is designed to provide maximum efficiency, it has draft tubes behind the zipper and around the neck area to reduce the heat loss.

It has horizontal continuous baffles to transfer down from front to back so you can arrange the amount of heat transfer for a specific area. If the price is not an issue for you Western Mountaineering Ultralite 20 is one of the best cold weather sleeping bags.

Best Cold Weather Car Camping Sleeping Bags

For car camping, compressed size and weight are not as important as backpacking. Therefore, we can choose more comfortable sleeping bags since we have a bigger room to pack. Here are the best sleeping bags for car camping.

Teton Mammoth Double

• Shape: Double
• Weight: 16.5 lbs 
• Compressed Size: 28″ x 15.75″ x 15.75″
• Size: 94″x 62″
• Insulation: Synthetic: SuperLoft Elite Hollow Fiber
• Temperature Rating: 0˚F
• Outer Shell: Taffeta
• Inner Lining: 100% Cotton Flannel

Teton Mammoth Double is a synthetic insulated double size sleeping bag. Even though it is a double sleeping bag, it still provides the same features that single sleeping bags do, such as, anti-snag two-way zippers, zipper & shoulder draft tubes(to reduce heat loss). Teton Mammoth Double has a soft cotton inner liner to increase comfort. If you are looking for a sleeping bag to use with your loved one it is perfect for cold weather trails.

Coleman Palmetto Winter

• Shape: Rectangular
• Weight: 4 lbs
• Size: 71″ (Length)
• Temperature Rating: 50˚F
• Outer Shell: Polyester
• Inner Lining: Soft Tricot Fiber Blend Liner

Coleman Palmetto is an inexpensive rectangular-shaped sleeping bag. It has two-way / snag-free zipper to prevent zipper teeth to tear the fabric off and to give you the freedom of unzipping only from the bottom side for warmer nights. The sleeping bag has a Thermolock feature in order to reduce heat loss through the zipper.

It has a patented design to roll and pack easily. It is heavy and bulky, therefore, not suitable for backpacking. But if you are on a budget Coleman Palmetto is one of the best sleeping bags for car camping.

Browning Mckinley -30

• Shape: Rectangular
• Weight: 10 lbs
• Packed Size: 13″ x 27″
• Size: 90″ x 36″
• Insulation: Synthetic: Techloft
• Temperature Rating: -30˚F
• Outer Shell: 210 Nylon Diamond Ripstop
• Inner Lining: Brushed Polyester Liner

Browning Sleeping Bag is a synthetic rectangular-shaped sleeping bag. Since it has great insulation, two-layer construction, and innovative zipper design; It gives you a great amount of space to sleep comfortably, also keeps you warm even until -30 F.

The good thing about Browning Mckinley -30 F sleeping bag is that you don’t feel like you are sleeping in a coffin in this sleeping bag.  If the big packed size is not an important issue for you, we would strongly recommend Browning Mckinley -30F. Also, a stuff sack comes with the sleeping bag.

Coleman Dunnock

• Shape: Rectangular
• Weight: 5 lbs
• Size: 81″x 39″
• Insulation: Synthetic: Polyester
• Temperature Rating: 20˚F
• Outer Shell: Cotton 
• Inner Lining: Soft Cotton Flannel Liner

Considering its price, the Coleman Dunnock Sleeping bag provides great features. Since it is a rectangular-shaped sleeping bag, it has plenty of space to sleep. One of the features of the sleeping bag is Lock-Control design on the edges to make packing easier and it has Thermolock feature which reduces the heat loss through the zipper. It has a snag-free zipper design to prevent the side zipper’s teeth from tearing the shell fabric off the sleeping bag. It is really sturdy for an inexpensive sleeping bag.

If you are planning a trip with your partner, two bags can be zipped together to create a double sleeping bag. It is not a suitable sleeping bag for subzero degrees, and it is bulky. But If you don’t have a big budget and looking for an inexpensive car camping sleeping bag, Coleman Dunnock Cold Weather Sleeping Bag is more than enough for you.

Coleman Silverton 0 Degree

• Shape: Mummy
• Weight: 5.2 lbs
• Size: 82″ x 32″
• Insulation: Synthetic: Coletherm Polyester
• Temperature Rating: 0˚F
• Outer Shell: Polyester 

Coleman Silverton 0 Degree is a synthetic insulated mummy-shaped sleeping bag. It has a great amount of room in the foot box to increase comfort. Coleman Silverton 0 degree provides the Thermolock feature which reduces the heat loss through the zipper. The sleeping bag has a two-way zipper, so, you can open the bottom side for more ventilation. It has a snag-free zipper design to prevent the zipper’s teeth from tearing the shell fabric off. It has drawstrings on the hood.

Since it is heavy and bulky it is not suitable for backpacking. But if you are looking for an inexpensive car camping sleeping bag for cold weathers, Coleman Silverton 0 degree is perfect for you. Also, a stuff sack comes with the sleeping bag.

How to Choose The Best Cold Weather Sleeping Bag

There are things to consider before purchasing a sleeping bag, such as insulation type, shape and provided features. Below we will briefly cover each one of them, but if you would like to know more about sleeping bags, make sure to look at our comprehensive article about different types of sleeping bags.

Shape

Rectangular Sleeping Bags: They are more comfortable than other types of sleeping bags since they provide a great amount of space in the sleeping bag, but they are less efficient for warmth.

Mummy Sleeping Bags: Due to their tapered form they surround the user’s body, therefore, they provide more warmth. Since mummy sleeping bags have less fabric they are lighter but less comfortable than other types of sleeping bags.

Semi-Rectangular Sleeping Bags: They have a tapered form as well, but they are not as narrow as mummy sleeping bags at the bottom. For warmness, they are more efficient compared to rectangular sleeping bags, and they are more comfortable compared to mummy sleeping bags.

Double Sleeping Bags: This type of sleeping bag is made for two-person. They are perfect for camping with your partner.

Insulation

There are two types of sleeping bags when it comes to insulation which is down and synthetic.

Down: Insulation material for down sleeping bags is simply the down of goose or duck (the feathers which keep the egg warm). Down sleeping bags are much lighter and more compressible than synthetic sleeping bags, therefore they are the best type of sleeping bag for backpacking. They are generally more expensive than synthetic sleeping bags due to their warmth to weight ratio and compressibility. The most important thing to look for when purchasing a sleeping bag is fill-power. Fill-power represents the quality of the down insulation. Greater the fill power, the more “warmth to weight ratio”, you will get.

Synthetic: The second type of insulation for sleeping bags is synthetic. They are heavier and less compressible than down sleeping bags, therefore, they are more affordable than down-insulated sleeping bags. The biggest advantage of synthetic sleeping bags is they don’t lose their effectiveness in damp conditions as well.

Features

Cinchable Hood: Some sleeping bags have drawstrings on the hood, that feature allows the user to cinch the hood down to keep the heat inside. So look for a sleeping bag that has drawstrings to feel warmer in cold nights.

Zipper’s Heat Loss Protection: A sleeping bag’s weakest spot is the zipper area when it comes to heat loss. Therefore most of the quality sleeping bags provide a draft tube or a baffle behind the zipper to reduce the heat loss through it.

Two Way Sliders: Even though sleeping bags are made for protection from the cold, sometimes inside of the sleeping bag might be too warm. To obtain the optimum temperature some sleeping bags provide two-way sliders. With two way sliders, you can unzip the bottom of the sleeping bag for ventilation while keeping the upper area zipped.

Inner Pocket: It is not the most important feature to look for, but some sleeping bags provide an inner pocket to keep your valuables from the cold.