Best Women’s Backpacking Bag
This down-filled sleeping bag is designed specifically for women—that means a wider cut in the hips and more generous insulation in the feet and chest. It compresses down small for 3-season backpacking and comes with a mesh sack for at-home storage. The interior is buttery soft and even roomy enough for side sleepers to get comfortable.
Best Men’s Backpacking Bag
As synthetic bags go, the Hyper Cat is among the lightest and most compact on the market, even rivaling some lower-fill down sleeping bags. (Part of what makes this bag so packable is that there’s less insulation on the back, so keep in mind you’ll need a sleeping pad to stay warm in lower temperatures.) The beauty of synthetic is that it dries quickly and keeps you warm even when wet. It has a sleek design with a central zipper that stops at the waist, minimizing potential drafts.
Best Kids’ Bag
- Kelty Big Woobie 30, $60
The Big Woobie is perfect for your little ones’ first sleepaway camp, family camping trips, and backyard campout adventures. Snug down to 30 degrees, this mini mummy bag has a soft animal-print or dinosaur lining for a special kid-friendly touch. Fits all campers up to 4 feet tall.
Best Couples’ Bag
This double-sized DriDown sleeping bag makes it as easy to snuggle with your partner in a tent as it is at home. The zipperless design features an integrated comforter that moves with you and makes it easy to get in and out.
Best Winter Bag
Feathered Friends’ high-tech bags are handmade in Seattle, and you can expect them to hold up for decades. The Snowbunting’s exceptional warmth comes from goose down with a 900+ fill power and the outer shell is made from Pertex Shield waterproof fabric to lock out moisture. If you need a sleeping bag to keep you warm and dry in a blizzard, this is it.
Best Ultra-Lightweight Bag
If pack weight is something you obsess about, you’ll love the Revelation from Enlightened Equipment. Rather than a traditional mummy bag, the Revelation is a quilt that can be used flat for warm weather, or cinched into a mummy shape and attached to a sleeping pad if you need more warmth. The lack of hood, full-length zipper, and added padding shave off precious ounces and decrease volume.
Best for Side-Sleepers
- NEMO Disco 15 and NEMO Rave 15, each $300
If you typically snuggle up in the fetal position at night, you’re not alone. It’s by far the most popular sleep position, but traditional mummy-style bags can make it difficult to get comfortable on your side. Enter the new spoon-shaped bags from NEMO (the Disco model for men and the Rave for women) with extra room at the elbows and knees that allow you to sleep any way you please.
Best for Restless Sleepers
- Eureka! Lone Pine 20, $100
This wide-cut mummy bag allows for extra room for side sleepers and those who need to toss and turn in order to get comfortable. Grippy fabric on the bottom also prevents the bag from slipping and sliding in the night. This is a great choice for car campers and infrequent backpackers.
Best Classic Camp Bag
If weight and size are not issues, you can’t beat the comfort of an old-school flannel-lined camp bag. This cozy classic from L.L. Bean is perfect for sleepovers, car camping, and Scout trips. You’ll be using it for decades to come.
Best Summer Camping Bag
- Kelty TruComfort 35, $109
If you’re strictly a summer car-camping type of person, you can’t go wrong with a Kelty TruComfort sleeping bag. It’s an oversized mummy that features a built-in two-layer blanket system so you can start off with fewer layers and easily adjust as the night gets cooler. You can also open a bottom zipper so you can stick your feet out, a fan-favorite feature.