The Best Sleeping Bags for Camping of 2024: Staff Picks

Three-season warmth, thoughtful features and spacious geometry (thinking of you, side sleepers) make the REI Co-op HunkerDown 20 a versatile pick for many types of campers.  

Equipped with 600-fill-power down, the HunkerDown delivers no-nonsense warmth in temperatures as low as 20°F while still compressing (stuff sack included) into a cylinder just a hair over 9 liters (or about the size of an average camp pillow). An oversized hood keeps pillows of all sizes in place (including your favorite headrest from home), while the built-in draft collar retains your body heat if temps dip in the night—and if they don’t, a wraparound zipper offers plenty of ways to ventilate. In keeping with the REI commitment to the planet, the HunkerDown 20 features Bluesign®-approved down insulation, polyester lining and recycled polyester shell. 

Because the HunkerDown 20 features a more traditional, rectangular geometry, there’s ample room for those who shift and shimmy in their sleep, points out Elizabeth Nguyen, senior retail specialist in the camping department at the REI store in Atlanta, Georgia. (Learn more about sleeping bag geometry options here.) Multiple customer-reviewers agree, including one from Spokane, Washington: “I sleep on my side with an inflatable pillow between my knees, and this bag has enough room to allow that.” Another customer-reviewer says the bag “had plenty of room” for their 5-foot-10-inch frame.  

While this bag isn't the lightest or most compressible option in our lineup, it appeals to campers across experience levels: Its less-restrictive silhouette (compared to a mummy-shaped bag) makes the HunkerDown 20 a great option for those newer to camping who want comfort and movement. Its three-season warmth appeals to more experienced campers who go out more often.  

“That HunkerDown 20 title is well-earned,” says Carlos Rodriguez, department manager at the REI store in Wichita, Kansas. He gushes over the way the down molds into his body, adding “I have to give [it] a Carlos, double thumbs up. If you’re saying you can only pick one, the HunkerDown 20 is it. That is an extension of my home.” Buy here. (It also comes in a double.)

New to camping? The roomy Coleman Arch Bay 30 Sleeping Bag will help you feel right at home. The bag’s rectangular silhouette—which is a spacious 81 by 33 inches with a 66-inch shoulder girth—provides room to stretch. It’s also built with a trifecta of stay-warm attributes like a draft tube on the zipper to prevent heat loss, a cozy cuff at the neckline and fully recycled Ecotherm™ fill that keeps users comfortable down to 36.6°F. That temperature rating works well for beginners, who are more likely to try camping for the first time during spring, summer and autumn months, says Elizabeth Nguyen, senior retail specialist in the camping department at the REI store in Atlanta, Georgia.   

Packing up is also a little easier with this sleep sack. Tiny clasps at the edges of the bag allow you to secure it in place before you pack it. Just fold the bag lengthwise, fasten the two sides together, then roll.   

The Arch Bay 30 is simpler than other sleeping bags out there (you won’t find stash pockets or a cinch collar, for example), but thoughtful touches like a contoured layer of fabric above the neckline to keep your head or pillow in place and a ZipPlow zipper to prevent frustrating fabric snags contribute to the bag’s 4.7-star user-review rating (at the time of this writing). Those just-enough features combined with an approachable $70 price point make it the perfect starter bag for someone new to camping. Buy here. 

Saving money on gear can come at the expense of comfort, weight or warmth—not with the REI Co-op Trailmade 20.  

“[The Trailmade bags] are really good, economical bags,” says Carlos Rodriguez, department manager at the REI store in Wichita, Kansas. 

The three-season sleeper is slightly broader in the shoulders compared to more traditional mummy bags, while still delivering a warmth-boosting, weight-reducing kick. A cinchable face muffler, full draft tube and offset quilt construction (this means two or more layers of insulation are layered to prevent cold spots) work together to keep users toasty on chilly nights. Since rainy days are always a possibility in the backcountry, the bag features water-resistant, recycled synthetic fill along with a durable water repellent (DWR) finish on the recycled polyester shell.  

A contoured hood designed to cradle your noggin (or your favorite camp pillow), snag-resistant zippers and an external, zippered pocket placed high on the chest (great for stashing a phone or headlamp) are nice-to-have features. 

Like all Trailmade apparel and gear, the Trailmade 20 Sleeping Bag is created with “inclusivity, simplicity, approachability and functional design” at the forefront. (Read more about it here.) Case in point: The Trailmade 20 comes in six different size options, depending on the user’s preferred bag height and width. 

“While it certainly isn’t an ultralight bag, its weight still comes in under 4 pounds, even for the long-wide version,” says Tim Bird, department manager at the REI store in Farmington, Utah. “All of that for right at $100? It’s tough to beat.” Buy here. 

Not a fan of cold-weather camping? This sleeping bag might change your mind.  

The Echo Park 0 was built specifically to be a “cozy oasis of comfort when the temps drop,” says Cory Barbiere, senior product designer for Big Agnes. 

This is thanks to simple yet impactful design touches. For instance, where many sleeping bags use a slippery polyester lining, the Echo Park 0 interior is a polyester-cotton blend that ensures the bag doesn’t feel cold to the touch when the user first snuggles in. The proprietary FireLine synthetic insulation, made with 60% post-consumer recycled content, uses both hollow and solid polyester fibers to add comfort- and warmth-enhancing loft. Plus, using synthetic insulation instead of down means the bag remains warm even if liquid gets past the exterior’s water-repellent finish.  

The Echo Park 0’s oversized fit was another intentional choice, Barbiere says. The sleeping bag is large enough to accommodate wearing extra layers to bed, using a sleeping bag liner, stashing a hot water bottle in the foot box or even inviting in a furry friend to cuddle. The specialized collar and zipper, along with a hood designed to cinch around the user’s head, keep drafts at bay, while two hand pockets inside the top corners make it a breeze to pull the bag’s neck up around your own. Finally, a sleeve system on the back connects to your sleeping pad to prevent unconsciously shimmying off and ending up on the cold ground during the night. 

Other features to love: an internal stash pocket, a so-called “pillow barn” to keep your headrest in place and double zippers that not only facilitate entry from both sides of the bag but allow the Echo Park 0 to transition into a camp blanket. Storage and stuff sack included. Buy here. 

Exped might have more aptly named the MegaSleep Duo the "Quatro": You're getting a bag that can be deployed as a 25° double bag, a 40° double bag, a 25° single bag or a 40° single bag. It's another well-loved pick among several of our staffers, too, and it's easy to see why a bag that offers this much versatility would garner this much love.

Karen Cutter, a sales lead at the REI Knoxville, Tennessee, store, explains why this Exped bag's concept works so well for her. "I did this exact same thing in the past by buying two sleeping bags with different temperature ratings. Depending on the weather, we'd flip the warmer side up or down. I loved that versatility." Cutter also adds: "With the Exped, you can also create two separate sleeping bags, which you can't do with a traditional double bag. So, the fact that you can create two separate bags and you have the temperature range—I just think that's awesome."

Matthews agrees, and is especially impressed with the simplicity of temperature adjustment: "All you have to do is flip it on over." Matthews also approves of the brand's performance over the years: "Exped's quality shines in all their gear."

Sarah Miller, a sales manager at the REI store in Marina, California, points to the story the specs tell: "Width can really play into how much people like a double bag, and this is one of the widest options (126" at the shoulders) available." Miller adds: "And the fact that it only weighs 5 pounds is awesome for portability." The bag's microfiber insulation is indeed extraordinarily light and compressible for a synthetic fill.

"It also has a fun little (duffel bag) carrying case," she says. "Who doesn't love that?" Buy here.

Buying a single bag for both camping and backpacking makes perfect sense when it's a kids' sleeping bag. A child's preference for camping over backpacking—or vice versa—isn't fully formed yet. They're also going to outgrow any gear you buy in a few years. REI Co-op's venerated Kindercone backpacking bag is the perfect answer—it comes with built-in growth-spurt insurance. The included stuff sack, which is attached to the bottom of the bag so you won't lose it, can be cinched to make the bag shorter when your child is younger; as your child grows, simply move the cinch point down to lengthen the bag.

Kindercone, which in various iterations has been in the REI Co-op bag line for more than two decades, has just the right mix of toughness and tech required in a kid's bag. The sturdy shell and two-way anti-snag coil zipper resist rough use, while its polyester materials offer resistance to spills and drizzle. The Kindercone is estimated to provide warmth down to 25°F, which should help kids stay comfortable, even on a cool-weather trip. Sarah Miller, a sales manager at the REI store in Marina, California, points out that the bag's mummy-bag shape—one of it obvious backpacking features— is key here: "The slim shape isn't merely a backpacking advantage, it's also a warmth advantage because a kids' small body doesn't have to work so hard to heat the bag up."

Because the sleekly built Kindercone tips the scales at just a hair over 3 pounds, budding backpackers should also be able to carry their bag—just like their adult trip leaders.

Even the material choices in the Kindercone consider your child's future. Both the shell and lining are recycled polyester that's certified to meet bluesign® criteria. Buy here.

When they created the Jazz 30, the design wizards at NEMO set out to offer a bedlike sleeping experience in a camping bag. Karen Cutter, a sales lead at the REI Knoxville, Tennessee, store, calls it a truly impressive engineering feat: "Oh, my gosh. I don't own this bag—yet—but I want it really badly. I think this bag would absolutely offer the most comfortable sleep."

The Jazz 30 even comes with its own silky-soft bed sheet (made out of recycled polyester to help you sleep a little more soundly at night). You can also remove the sheet to simplify laundry chores. NEMO designers added recycled materials throughout the bag, too: in the shell, lining and synthetic Stratofiber insulation.

It doesn't end there: NEMO also gave a lot of thought to your mattress needs, souping up the Jazz with an integrated sleeve that can securely cradle the camping pad of your choice. It's big enough to accommodate a 78-inch-long, 30-inch-wide, 4-inch-thick mattress. The insulated underside of the bag also has a soft quilted layer that's reminiscent of your mattress at home.

Multiple customer-reviewers also note the bag's spaciousness. "I'm 6 feet and 212 pounds, and it's very roomy," says a customer reviewer from San Diego, California.

Inside the Jazz is a recycled Stratofiber synthetic insulation, which offers reliable all-conditions warmth. The 30° F (lower limit) temperature rating is legit, too, because this camping bag has been through rigorous ISO testing. Even the bag's "comfort rating" comes in at 32° F, which suggests its warmth level is consistent for a wide range of body metabolisms. Buy here.

Admittedly, a blanket is an outlier in an article devoted to sleeping bag picks, but Rumpl has created such a beloved piece of gear that we couldn't leave the brand's blankets out of our roundup. Campers use them as a campfire shawl, an impromptu ground cover and, of course, another layer of warmth in their sleep systems. Wheelchair campers often use blankets for their sleep setups, too, because sleeping bags can be hard to manage with limited leg mobility.

Sarah Miller, a sales manager at the REI store in Marina, California, also points out that a Rumpl works just about anywhere: "It's a camp blanket and it's an office blanket." Miller also explains that Rumpl's many water-resistant flavors work well in both environments: "I spilled so much stuff on that blanket, and still it has persisted. You just wipe it right off and continue." (Miller also got a Rumpl for her partner to use in his office.) The Original Puffy version is machine washable.

Cutter says that her Rumpl was one of the first purchases she made after becoming an REI employee. She loves the blanket's practicality: "Because it's a sleeping-bag material, it's great around camp because it doesn't pick up any dirt or grass." Cutter is also impressed with the warmth: "The second you put it around your body, you can feel it starting to heat up. It's super cozy."

The Rumpl might also be available in more versions than any other camping gear. The Original Puffy version has a synthetic material and fill, both of which are made using recycled materials. There's also the NanoLoft Puffy and Down Puffy. Rumpls come in two basic sizes: 1-person (72" x 52") and 2-person (84" x 80"), plus a travel size (52" x 38"). Most of the variations involve pattern and color: The product page looks more like an art gallery than a gear assortment. Buy here.

Our experts sing the praises of the REI Co-op Magma 30 Down Trail Quilt, pointing to its minimal weight (just 1 pound 8.5 ounces for the long-wide version) and ability to squish down to roughly the size of a Nalgene water bottle.  

Water-resistant, 850-fill-power goose down and 15-denier recycled ripstop nylon in the shell help trap heat to earn the Magma a 30°F temperature rating. A nonfluorinated durable water repellent (DWR) finish on the shell helps keep the fabric dry so it can retain warmth in rainy conditions. That impressive list of features earned the Magma 30 a spot in the minimal backpacking setup of Tim Bird, department manager at the REI store in Farmington, Utah. In 2021, Bird pedaled 187 miles around Lake Tahoe with the quilt. He continues to be impressed by how such a lightweight bag can stand up to the rigors of the trail. “I’m generally pretty tough on my gear,” he says, “but the Magma 30 is still warm, compressible and allows me to move around quite a bit without feeling cold or restricted. And my quilt still looks practically new.” 

Worried about losing your quilt as you sleep? Not with the Magma 30. Two pad cords help keep this top layer in place. For added warmth, create a toe box using the zipper-and-cinch attachment at the quilt's bottom. 

Carlos Rodriguez, department manager at the REI store in Wichita, Kansas, addresses the higher price point. At $329, it’s one of the more expensive options in this lineup, but Bird says the features that make it light weight, compressible, breathable and warm are well worth the investment. Buy here.