Best Backpacking Sleeping Bags: Trialed & Tested [2024 Edition]

The Hummingbird is lightweight, packable, and uses high-end down to deliver a super warm and comfortable bag. A perennial favorite among trailgoers, it’s a worthy winner of our best backpacking sleeping bag award.

At 950+ fp the Hummingbird uses highest quality down available. The use of premium fill-down results in an ultralight mummy bag that weighs 1 lb 8 oz and packs down to just 9 liters. It also makes it as comfortable and cozy as sleeping bags come.

The temperature rating of 20℉ (lower limit) combined with low weight marks this model out as one of the best warmth-to-weight ratios on our list. It also makes it great for cold sleepers or those who plan on backpacking or camping in the shoulder seasons.

The high warmth rating is tied to the slender profile of the Hummingbirds shape, which is both a strength and weakness. The 58”/52” shoulder/waist measurement is one of the narrowest we came across in testing, so larger folks and active or side sleepers may feel a little claustrophobic. On the plus side, this narrow profile improves thermal efficiency on cold nights.

The Enlightened Equipment Revelation is a versatile, handcrafted and great value quilt that’s our top pick for warmer-weather backpacking or backpackers who like a little more legroom.

The Revelation is available in six different temperatures ratings, ranging from 0℉ up to 50℉, so it’s easy to find one to suit the climate you’ll be camping in. While the Revelation can be cinched closed around the footbox area it will be draughtier than a traditional mummy bag, meaning that the comfort rating is closer to 15-25℉ higher than the Lower Limit (dependent on whether you’re a hot or cold sleeper).

The Revelation is filled with 850 FP goose down and uses 10D shell and inner liner fabrics to keep you toasty while keeping the weight down. This, in combination with the lack of full zip, means the Revelation weighs just 1 lb 14 oz, giving it a great warmth-to-weight ratio.

The main benefits of this quilt are versatility and the roomier fit. Having that full-length zipper allows you to use it as either a bag or duvet while the baggier sizing makes it more suitable for side and restless sleepers.

The off-the-shelf version of the Revelation is available in four sizes, but if you’re willing to pay a little more (and wait a little longer) you can order a bespoke model, choosing your preferred down type, temperature rating, length, width, and colors. You also have the option to add a draft collar.

The biggest downsides to the Revelation are that there’s no hood and a bigger gap between the Lower Limit and the Comfort Limit. If you’re planning on camping outside of summer, therefore, it’s best combined with a sleeping bag liner and/or a high R-value sleeping pad.

*All specs listed are for the 10℉ version of the quilt.

The Kelty Cosmic Down 20℉ is one of the cheapest down sleeping bags available, but don’t let the low price tag fool you. This is still a high-quality mummy bag and a worth winner of our best budget backpacking sleeping bag award.

The Cosmic Down use 16.37 ounces of 550FP goose down stuffed into trapezoidal baffles, creating a bag with a Lower Limit of 21℉ and a Comfort Limit of 32℉ (it’s also available in a 0℉ and a 40℉ version). That 32℉ limit should easily see you through all but the chilliest of nights in the shoulder season in comfort.

While warm and cheap, there’s a trade-off with weight and packed size. Weighing 2 lb 13.5 oz., and packing down to 10.7L, it’s one of the heaviest and bulkiest down bags on our list. However, it’s significantly smaller than comparable synthetic bags such as the Marmot Trestles 15.

The CD is available in three sizes (short, regular, and long), with the regular offering 62” around the shoulders and 58” around the waist. It is also available in a women’s sleeping bag version.

If you need to knock off a little weight, and your budget can stretch a little further then the Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass is a slightly more expensive option but shaves nearly a pound off the total weight.

The NEMO Disco is an excellent choice of sleeping bag for backpackers who like a little more room, or are cold sleepers or plan on backpacking in cooler climes.

The spoon-shape design gives the Disco significantly more room around the waist and feet compared to most sleeping bags. Measurments of 64”/59”/62” (shoulder/waist/feet) make it by the far the roomiest model on our list. This makes the NEMO Disco a good option for active or side sleepers who feel uncomfortable in mummy bags.

The Disco comes in both mens and women’s versions and is rated to 15℉ lower limit (30℉ available). While warm, our testers were particularly enthusiastic about the Disco’s temperature regulation. This comes courtesy of the bag’s proprietary Thermo Gill™ vents, which allow you to release body heat without letting cold drafts in.

The Disco also other technical features that just make it stand out. This includes a DWR footbox, a pillow sleeve in the hood, and a Blanket Fold™ draft collar that lets you feel nicely “tucked in”.

At 2 lbs 11 ounces overall, and with a stuff sack size of 12.5L, this is a hefty and bulky down bag. Nevertheless, it’s a winner if comfort and warmth are your main priorities.

The Feathered Friends Swallow 30 sleeping bag is a perennial favorite among trailgoers owing to its well-thought-out features, toasty insulation, and packability.

The Swallow’s 950+ fill power makes it one of the highest-quality bags we tested. Our testers were amazed by (and in love with!) the amount of loft and its excellent warmth-to-weight ratio. At 1 lb 9 oz., it’s a little heavier than other 30-degree bags we tested, but those few ounces are accounted for by a wider fit, tough shell, and a comfortable lining – all well worth having.

The features in this bag also impressed in the field, particularly the fuss-free zipper and well-designed hood. Less impressive is the lack of a draft collar, but this wasn’t a dealbreaker.

The Swallow is a little heavier than the Hummingbird, but it’s also more spacious, measuring 60″ at the shoulders and 56″ at the hips (compared to 56″/52″). This makes it a great option if you’re a restless sleeper, side sleeper, or just prefer a little legroom.

The Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass 15 is a great value buy if your budget can’t stretch to a higher-end premium bag.

While weighing 2 lbs 5.4 oz, the Bishop Pass 15’s lower temp rating (15℉)makes it more versatile and suitable for summer, spring, and fall nights. Our testers mostly agreed that having a quiver-of-one bag was a ‘pro’ (it saves you buying another for other seasons), but only if you do some of your backpacking in colder climates or outside of the summer months.

The other downsides noted by our testers were a trimmer profile around the hips, which may be a little too tight for more active sleepers, and the 12.25-liter packed size. However, bags with this temp rating often cost significantly more, so it’s well worth a punt if you’re a colder sleeper and are happy carrying an extra few ounces.

The Big Agnes Sentinel 30 DoubleOne wins our testers’ vote as the best sleeping bag for couples courtest of its affordable pricing, roominess, and high-quality build.

This 105” doublewide bag is filled with 20 ounces of 650 fill DownTek™ goose down and is rated to 30℉(lower limit). This makes it good for most summer adventures. The Sentinel has a loose fit, so it’s susceptible to cold air creeping in and, therefore, runs colder than the lower limit – worth bearing in mind when buying.

The Sentinel has several interesting features such as a pillow sleeves to stop your pillows from wandering mid-slumber and an internally cinched hood drawcord that ensures you’re not groping around in the cold. It also has a stretchy sleeping pad sleeve and pad coupler that allows you to attach your pads easily.

The drawbacks with the Sentinel are common to all doublewide bags — packed size, weight and warmth. Weighing a hefty 3 lb 8 oz and with a packed storage sack size of 20.9L, the Sentinel is going to take up a lot of room in your backpack.

The Feathered Friends Tanager 20 sleeping bag is one of the best ultralight sleeping bags on the market. It’s simple, light as a feather, and amazingly warm for the weight.

The Tanager packs 12.6 ounces of 950+ fill goose down and has a cozy lower limit of 20℉, which will see you through most 3-season backpacking trips. Given that it weighs just 1 lb 2.6 ounces, the 30℉ comfort limit is the best warmth-to-weight ratio we have seen.

Like many ultralight sleeping bags, one area that the Tanager cuts weight is by using thin materials in the construction. The Pertex® Quantum® 7D fabric is the thinnest material we’ve seen used, and it does require an extra level of care around the campsite.

To strip back the weight further the Tanager does not feature a hood, and rather than a zipper running the length of the entire bag, FF has done away with it completely. If you don’t mind the extra wiggle/dexterity it takes to get in/out of your bag, great. If you prefer convenience, look elsewhere.

Overall, this is one of the best sleeping bags out there for the weight-conscious backpacker and features the highest warmth-to-weight ratio we’ve seen. The title of best ultralight, however, goes to the Sea to Summit Spark due to its lighter weight and inclusion of a hood and a zipper.

The Sea to Summit Spark SPll 28 is an amazingly lightweight and packable bag that still packs a lot of warmth, making it ideal for summertime backpackers keen to shed every ounce.

The Spark weighs an incredible 1 lb and 1.3 oz, making it the lightest bag we tested, beating the Tanager and Hummingbird by a few ounces. The high-quality, 850+ fill goose down means great compressibility and, as a result, a 6-liter packed volume – the smallest of all the bags we tested.

Despite its low weight and packed size, the Spark has a lower limit of 28℉, giving it one of the best warmth-to-weight ratios. While not warm enough for the shoulder season, this makes it perfect for summer backpacking in most regions.

The Spark has a 10D nylon shell and a 7D taffeta liner. As these are on the skinny side, it will require a little extra care. The only other downside is the fit. The Spark is the trimmest model on our list with shoulder/hip/feet dimensions of 59”/51”/35” — if you hate being restricted in your bag or are a larger backpacker, then the Tanager and Disco are better options.

The Marmot Trestles line of bags may be just the ticket if you’re looking for a synthetic sleeping bag or have a tighter budget. We tested the 20-degree version, which has a great temperature rating and an amazing price.

The Trestles comes in multiple temperature ratings (0℉, 20℉ & 30℉), all of which use HL-ElixR Eco Micro recycled synthetic fibers for insulation. The 20℉-rated bag packs has a comfort rating of 32.2°F, so is great for summer and warmer shoulder season backpacking. The synthetic insulation will also keep you warm when damp, which isn’t the case with down.

The biggest downside to the Marmot Trestles Elite Eco is its weight. While it packs down to 8.4 liters, the 20℉ version of the bag weighs 2 lbs 6 oz, which will make it a little too heavy for some.

The North Face Eco Trail is a durable and roomy synthetic sleeping bag that is one of the cheapest we tested. It’s a great option if you are looking for an affordable car camping bag that’s good for the occasional short backpacking trip.

It is filled with 100% recycled polyester insulation which is rated to 20℉ lower limit (29℉ comfort), which should keep you toasty even if the temperature drops below freezing.

The Eco Trail is a roomy 63”/59” across the shoulders and hips, making it a good option for side and active sleepers. These spacious dimensions are only beaten by our top pick for side sleepers, the Nemo Disco 15℉, which is far pricier.

Using 30/40 Denier fabrics, the Eco Trail is the most hardwearing and durable of all the bags we tested. Great if you need something that can take a more punishment when your out in the wild.

The downsides to TNF Eco Trail are its weight and packed size. At a whopping 3 lbs 14 oz., it’s a heavy option. As with all synthetic materials, it’s less compressible than comparable down bags. Its pack volume of 19L makes it about 25% smaller than our other synthetic pick, the Marmot Trestles, but double the volume (or more) of most down bags.

Unless you really want a synthetic bag or want a more durable bag for a mix of short backpacking trips and car camping, then we’d pick the Cosmic Down over the TNF Eco Trail. That said, the Eco Trail is a solid bag at a very cheap price if you don’t mind its weight and packed size.