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Nov 05, 2024

Best sleeping bags in 2024, tried and tested | CNN Underscored

Best sleeping bag: Nemo Disco 30 Endless Promise Best budget sleeping bag: REI Siesta Hooded 20 A warm and comfortable sleeping bag tops the list of must-have gear for any camper, whether you’re

Best sleeping bag: Nemo Disco 30 Endless Promise

Best budget sleeping bag: REI Siesta Hooded 20

A warm and comfortable sleeping bag tops the list of must-have gear for any camper, whether you’re sleeping near your car at a local state park or snoozing deep in the backcountry. Simply put, you need a reliable sleeping bag to sleep comfortably outdoors. Modern sleeping bags come in all shapes, sizes and insulation types, each suited for individuals of all different body types and sleeping preferences.

To make sleeping outdoors as comfortable as possible, campers will want to choose a sleeping bag that provides warmth in cold temperatures, can fend off the chill of the ground beneath you and will provide cozy comfort all night long while you rest under the stars. The best sleeping bags are easy to pack, warm enough to withstand various temperatures and weather conditions and comfortable enough to ensure a restful sleep.

We spent the spring and summer camping seasons testing sleeping bags of all temperature ratings and design styles, comparing warmth-to-weight ratio, packability, comfort and water resistance. We also looked at core features like hoods, draft collars and zipper quality. After months of testing, we narrowed down the best sleeping bag of 2024 along with a runner-up.

Nemo Disco 30 Endless Promise

The most feature-filled sleeping bag of our testing pool, the Nemo Disco 30 Endless Promise is a “camp anywhere” bag that will keep you comfortable and warm wherever your adventures take you, from car camping to backpacking and everywhere in between.

With a roomy fit, lightweight design and highly compressible down, this bag works great in both the front and backcountry. Nemo's sustainability standards are also unmatched, from the Disco’s fully recycled construction to the brand’s end-of-life product upcycling program.

Our favorite for all body types, the REI Co-op Siesta Hooded 20 is an ideal car camping companion. You can stretch and sprawl out with ease in this oversized synthetic sleeping bag or unzip it to turn it into a throw blanket to share. The Siesta was also designed with a massive hood for added warmth and comfort and can fit a regular-sized pillow from home inside. If comfort while car camping is your goal, make this affordable sleeping bag your pick.

I’m the type of camper who won’t compromise on comfort when sleeping outdoors. I firmly believe there’s no reason to sacrifice a restful sleep no matter if you’re deep in the backcountry or close to home at a car campground. The truth is, you can sleep comfortably outdoors even in the middle of the wilderness. You need to know which camping gear will keep you cozy, warm and protected when you’re away from the comfort of your bed at home. At the top of that list is a reliable sleeping bag.

The key to choosing a comfortable sleeping bag is finding a full-featured bag that has a solid warmth-to-weight ratio, has an inner liner that’s soft against your skin and is packed with safeguards to help protect you from the elements, like durable water resistance (DWR) treated fabric. After testing more than 10 sleeping bags this camping season, I found one that checks all these boxes: the Nemo Disco 30 Endless Promise.

The Nemo Disco uses top-of-the-line materials and thoughtful design features that make this one of the most comfortable sleeping bags we’ve slept in. It’s warm enough for the core camping seasons (spring, summer and fall) and is versatile enough to bring car camping and backpacking. Not only does the Nemo Disco rise to the top of the list for its performance, but we were also blown away by Nemo’s sustainability standards, which easily make this sleeping bag the most environmentally friendly of any sleeping bag on the market.

We took the Nemo Disco 30 Endless Promise on several spring and summer car camping trips out west and in the Midwest. We put the Disco to the test by assessing its packability, custom features and warmth in a variety of temperatures. It swiftly rose to the top as our favorite sleeping bag for its versatility, high-quality build and overall comfort. While the Nemo Disco 30 Endless Promise is billed as a backpacking bag, we would argue this bag works just as well for car camping too.

Plus, if you’re going to buy a sleeping bag, why not opt for one that will work for both front and backcountry? That’s one fewer sleeping bag you need to buy and a piece of gear you can take with you no matter the type of camping. Other bags that stood out for their versatility in the back and frontcountry include the budget-friendly Kelty Cosmic Down 20 and the ultrasoft and comfortable Therm-a-Rest Questar 20. These bags pack down to a small enough size to bring into the backcountry but provide plenty of room, space and comfort for more casual camping too.

One of the worst experiences you can have while camping is shivering yourself to sleep because you came underprepared with an unreliable sleeping bag. You won’t need to worry about keeping warm with the Disco, as its lofty 650-fill down is rated to keep you safe and warm down to 21 degrees Fahrenheit. This bag ranked as one of the top in our list for warmth-to-weight ratio, especially if you opt for the Nemo Disco 15, which weighs 2 pounds and 14 ounces but provides warmth down to 16 F. Other bags that slightly beat the Disco for lighter weight and more impressive warmth rating include the more expensive Montbell Down Hugger 650 #2 and Big Agnes Sidewinder SL 20.

The Disco also features an oversized draft collar that helps block cold air. When wrapped under your chin, it feels like a puffy scarf cuddled around your neck. The REI Siesta Hooded 20 and Therm-a-Rest Questar 20 are also known for their oversized draft collars that trap heat and provide extra comfort, like what you get with your comforter at home. But don’t worry, if you get too warm you can easily fold the draft collar down on all of these bags for quick ventilation.

Speaking of ventilation, this sleeping bag has a convenient, built-in Thermo Gill system to fine-tune the internal temperature of the bag. A set of dual zippers on the top of the sleeping bag unzip to expose a thinner fabric that improves breathability and airflow. While camping in above-50-degree temperatures in Wisconsin this summer, the Disco’s Thermo Gills allowed me to dump out heat as I warmed up throughout the night. I wish this sleeping bag had a footbox zipper to poke out your feet and let in airflow at the bottom of the bag. That said, none of the sleeping bags we tested in our pool included this feature.

Another bummer when camping is when your sleeping bag gets wet. Thankfully, the 650-fill down inside the Disco is hydrophobic, meaning it’s been treated to repel moisture. Water-resistant treatment of the Disco down is not unique, however. All other bags we tested, except the Kelty Cosmic Down 20, come with hydrophobic down treated with water repellency. Where the Disco stood out with water resistance is its reinforced, waterproof footbox and hood. The top and bottom of the Disco bag are lined with a thick and durable recycled material treated with PFAS-free waterproofing. This extra layer of waterproof fabric helped prevent tent condensation from soaking through the bag’s fabric. Even when camping during rainy nights and cool mornings, the inside of my sleeping bag didn’t get wet despite rubbing up against the tent walls at the top and bottom of the shelter.

Packability is also a prime consideration when picking out a sleeping bag. The Disco comes with a stuff sack that compresses the bag to be slightly larger than a Nalgene. While this bag is a top pick for car camping and backpacking, rest assured you can compress the Disco down small enough to fit into a backpacking backpack with plenty of room to spare. We were also impressed with how lightweight this sleeping bag is at 2 pounds, 4 ounces. It’s not quite as light as the Montbell Down Hugger 650 #2 at 1 pound, ​​15 ounces, but you’ll pay significantly more for a bag that ultralight.

The Nemo Disco’s unique spoon shape stands out among all the sleeping bags we tested. The shape sits at a sweet spot of packability and comfort, removing unnecessary bulk while providing ample room in the shoulders, elbows and knees. Side sleepers will love the Disco for its spoon shape that lets you shift from side to side while snoozing. The Big Agnes Sidewinder SL 20 is another great option if you’re often bothered by sleeping bags that get tangled up while you turn at night.

The Nemo Disco is more expensive than similar bags on the list like the Big Agnes Sidewinder SL 20 and Marmot Lost Coast 30. Our justification to spend more on this bag versus others is that the Disco is much more feature-filled, its Endless Promise sustainability standards are unmatched and it’s much more versatile in terms of warmth-to-weight ratio than any other bag we tested.

If budget is a major concern, plenty of other sleeping bags in our testing pool provide warmth and comfort and compress down to a small size. The Kelty Cosmic Down 20 is $110 cheaper than the Nemo Disco but boasts an impressive warmth-to-weight ratio. The REI Siesta Hooded 20 is another great option too specific for car camping. It doesn’t pack down nearly as small as the Disco but provides way more room to spread out if affordability and accessibility are core components of what you’re looking for in a sleeping bag.

Related article How to sleep comfortably outdoors, according to experts

When it comes to car camping, bigger sleeping bags make all the difference if you want a little extra comfort. But bigger doesn’t mean worse on your budget. The REI Siesta Hooded 20 was our favorite sleeping bag for car camping at a reasonable price. While this synthetic sleeping bag doesn’t pack down very small, we loved it for its inclusive size that fits most body types. It was the largest of all the sleeping bags we tested, as its synthetic insulation does not compress to small sizes like the ultralight bags, such as the Montbell Down Hugger 650 #2. But that’s OK when you’re simply in search of a car camping sleeping bag that provides a bit more room to move around at night and room for creature comforts like a standard pillow or extra blankets for layering inside.

You, of course, won’t want to bring this sleeping bag into the backcountry for its heavier weight and bulkier size. If a budget backpacking sleeping bag is what you’re after, pick the REI Co-op Trailmade 20 or Kelty Cosmic Down 20 instead, which pack down to half the size of the Siesta. The Siesta’s large, boxy shape is more conducive for comfort camping where you can spread out or even open the sleeping bag to create a large down throw blanket (ideal if you’re camping on an air mattress or inflatable sleeping pad).

A standout feature of the Siesta is its massive hood that allows you to fit a standard-sized pillow inside the top of the bag. This means you’re able to sleep with the same creature comforts you might have on your bed at home in your camping tent outdoors. The hood also provides extra warmth on extra-cold nights. The Siesta Hooded bag comes in a double size ($230) that’s big enough for two humans or a camper and their dog.

At a $149 price point, this bag is also one of the most affordable across all of the sleeping bags we tested. Other budget bags we tested include the REI Co-op Trailmade 20, best for beginner backpackers, and the Stoic Groundwork Single 20 if you prefer a smaller, mummy-shaped car camping bag. Most similar in shape and size to the lighter, down-filled Kelty Galactic 30, the REI Siesta Hooded 20 will keep you slightly warmer but will cost you more space in your trunk when car camping.

We camped in the Siesta Hooded sleeping bag in chillier spring weather that dropped into the high 40s and on warm summer nights that hovered in the 60s. We found the temperature rating and insulation are conducive to various temperatures, making it a versatile pick for car camping. Even with the same temperature rating, the REI Co-op Trailmade 20 did provide a bit more warmth than the Siesta Hooded 20 due to its tighter mummy fit. However, we did appreciate the extra room inside of this bag that allows ample room for you to wrap up in a fleece blanket or sleeping bag liner for warmth.

Down insulation tends to provide even more warmth than synthetic sleeping bags. If you still want a boxier-fit sleeping bag with down fill, try the Kelty Galactic 30 sleeping bag that will give you similar warmth without spending much more. It will also save you space in your trunk, as it packs to about half the size of the Siesta.

Our best sleeping bag testing process began by narrowing down top-selling sleeping bags on the market. We identified sleeping bags for our testing pool from first-person experiences and researched other best-reviewed product roundups across notable industry websites. Next, our editors created a thorough test rubric to assess the performance of each product in our testing pool.

For physical product testing, we slept in each sleeping bag in various climates and temperatures, including cool spring evenings, warm summer nights and chilly shoulder seasons. We also tested the ease of use of the zippers, compressed each sleeping bag in their stuff sack to test packability and assessed the comfort and warmth of each sleeping bag. Finally, we considered the price of each sleeping bag tested to gauge if they were worth the cost based on their overall performance.

Although they’re just one component of your overall camping checklist, sleeping bags are a crucial part of camping comfortably outdoors. Sleeping bags help maintain your body temperature and protect you from the elements, especially in inclement weather like snow and rainstorms.

There are many factors to consider when choosing the best sleeping bag for your next outdoor adventure, including temperature ratings, weight, comfort, shape, packability and price point. Before buying a sleeping bag, ensure you understand the weather you will most often camp in, the common distances you’ll travel and how much you want to spend. Each of these considerations will help narrow down the best sleeping bag for you.

To choose the right temperature-rated sleeping bag, campers should note the type of climate they plan to camp in most often. Does it tend to rain where you plan to camp? Do temperatures tend to fluctuate throughout the seasons? Another important consideration is compression, specifically if it’s important to purchase a sleeping bag that packs down to a small size. Campers should think about which type of camping they’ll do most often. Will you be hiking into the backcountry? If so, a down sleeping bag may be your best choice. Will you be car camping at a local state park? A larger, synthetic sleeping bag may work just fine. All of these factors will play a role in which type of insulation to pick, the ideal weight of your sleeping bag and, ultimately, the price you’ll pay.

Campers have several choices of sleeping bag insulation, including down, synthetic and natural fibers like cotton or wool. The type of insulation you choose when buying a sleeping bag will determine how warm (or cold) you’ll be overnight, the packability, the weight and the overall water resistance. Each insulation material type comes with pros and cons, from packability and weight to warmth and price point. Campers should consider the environment they plan to camp in to best select a type of fill that will suit their needs while camping outdoors.

Down insulation and synthetic insulation — also known as the fill of the sleeping bag — are the most common types of sleeping bag insulation you’ll find on the market. The shell of the sleeping bag — the external material used on a sleeping bag — also plays a role in keeping you dry and warm while camping. Campers should consider both the inner fill and outer shell of the sleeping bag to determine the best sleeping bag for camping for the conditions they plan to camp in.

Down insulation, which is most often made of goose feathers, provides the most warmth, lightest weight and greatest packability of all other sleeping bag insulation. Down bag quality is determined by down fill rating, which ranges from 300 to 900 and above. The higher the loft, or fluffiness, the more efficient it is in trapping warmth while camping in cold weather. The higher the down rating, typically the more warmth it will provide and, while counterintuitive, the smaller the bag will pack down.

The downside of down is that it’s not waterproof. Some sleeping bag brands treat down fill with a hydrophobic treatment to help repel water. However, in most cases, down takes a very long time to dry after getting wet. Campers in wet climates should seek water-resistant down sleeping bags treated with DWR to protect the feathers from getting waterlogged.

Synthetic insulation, most often made of polyester, is the most affordable fill option for camping sleeping bags. This type of insulation is hypoallergenic and will keep you warm even when your sleeping bag gets wet. Synthetic insulation dries much quicker than down. That said, synthetic fill does not compress as well as feathers do and also tends to be heavier than down fill.

Temperature ratings also play a big factor in choosing the best sleeping bag for camping. Often marked with an “EN” and/or “ISO” on the exterior of the sleeping bag, temperature ratings help indicate what temperatures the sleeping bag will perform best in. According to REI, the “European Norm (EN) was the original standard adopted by the sleeping bag industry.” Today, however, a new entity called the International Standards Organization (ISO) oversees testing using a nearly identical set of rubric standards. Standard lab tests run by the ISO categorize sleeping bag temperature ratings into two categories: a comfort rating and a lower-limit rating.

Comfort rating denotes the temperature rating at which a camper who tends to feel cold while sleeping may start to feel cold. The lower-limit rating denotes when a camper who tends to feel warm while sleeping might start to feel cold. And, to make it even more complicated, the rating you see in the product name of a women’s sleeping bag is always the comfort rating, whereas the rating on a men’s bag is the lower-limit rating.

Which temperature rating you choose depends on how cold or warm you tend to sleep as well as the type of environment you plan to camp in. Consider your sleeping habits and the region or climate you will camp most in when picking a sleeping bag for your future adventures. Do you tend to run cold while you sleep? Is the weather unpredictable where you tend to camp? Answering these questions will help you pick the best sleeping bag for you.

The most comfortable sleeping bag in our testing pool by far.

A close runner-up to our top contender, the Therm-a-Rest Questar 20 was easily the most comfortable sleeping bag of the entire lineup we tested for its wide mummy-shape fit, softness and polyester taffeta material. Sleeping in this bag in the backcountry and while car camping felt like being wrapped in a plush, down blanket like the ones we’re used to at home. This bag boasts an impressive weight-to-warmth ratio too at just 2 pounds, 3 ounces in weight and promising warmth down to a low limit of 20 F.

The Questar 20 fell to second place for its higher price point and more specific backpacking use case but would make a great purchase for anyone looking to own a catchall sleeping bag for both frontcountry and backcountry, especially if you’re OK spending a little more. It will keep you warmer in temperatures under 30 F compared to the Nemo Disco 30 Endless Promise and is 0.4 ounces lighter too. That said, its steep price might deter beginner campers.

This roomy sleeping bag was made for side sleepers.

If you’re like me, you prefer to sleep on your side. That also means you’re no stranger to getting twisted up in your sleeping bag while tossing and turning throughout the night. Enter the Big Agnes Sidewinder SL 20. This down sleeping bag was built for side sleepers as an alternative to getting tangled in your sleeping bag while camping. Big Agnes also designed this bag with body-mapped insulation to improve warmth with extra fill and minimal pressure points on the sides of the bag to help fend off discomfort and unwanted chill.

While sleeping in this bag, I woke up significantly fewer times than in other mummy bags like the REI Co-op Trailmade 20 and Stoic Groundwork Single 20, which feature a tighter shape and fit than the Sidewinder SL. It’s not as roomy as the REI Siesta Hooded 20 but has higher-performing down insulation and packs down twice as small, making it an ideal pick for when you need to save space while car camping or on shorter backpacking trips. Compared to the Nemo Disco 30 Endless Promise, this bag isn’t quite as roomy, is bulkier and heavier and the fabric isn’t as soft. So, ultimately, we ranked this bag lower on the list.

A budget, synthetic backpacking sleeping bag with an impressive warmth-to-weight ratio.

Affordability is not the first thing that comes to mind when you think of camping gear, but REI Co-op is an exception, as its gear is often easier on the wallet without sacrificing performance. The Trailmade 20 sleeping bag costs $100 but does not skimp on warmth or comfort despite its low price. Billed as a beginner backpacking sleeping bag, we love that you can use the Trailmade for car camping too. This bag isn’t as soft to the touch as the similarly priced and designed Stoic Groundwork Single 20. If comfort is your goal, opt for the Groundwork for a silkier feel, the REI Siesta Hooded 20 for a roomier fit or the Kelty Cosmic Down 20 for a slightly more expensive but significantly lighter and more compact bag.

The Trailmade 20 is also the most varied in terms of sizing, as it comes in short, regular and long lengths as well as a wide fit in each length. That means, no matter what your body shape and size, you’ll likely be able to find a fit that works for you when buying this bag.

Even warmer than the REI Trailmade, this synthetic sleeping bag checks all the boxes on weight, warmth, packability and price point.

Big and bulky but super comfortable, the Stoic Groundwork Single 20 is a great option if you’re looking for a budget sleeping bag that’s as comfortable as it is affordable. You’ll have a hard time packing this down for a backpacking use case. However, if car camping is your jam, consider the Groundwork if you’re not concerned with space. This bag only comes in one size but fits folks up to 6 feet tall. We appreciated that it’s wider compared to lighter but more expensive mummy bags like the Montbell Down Hugger 650 #2.

It is most similar in shape and use case to the Kelty Cosmic Down 20 and REI Co-op Trailmade 20 but is much heavier by over a pound. That said, if you’re going for comfort, the Groundwork is, in our opinion, the most comfortable of these three budget sleeping bags for its silky-soft nylon interior and exterior fabric and thick synthetic insulation that will keep you comfortably warm down to 20 F.

While it’s not as compact as our winner, campers on a budget will love this mummy-shaped sleeping bag.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a down sleeping bag under $200. The exception is the top-selling Kelty Cosmic Down 20, which outshines all other bags for its low cost and top-shelf performance, especially with compression and water resistance. The Cosmic Down is super packable and features an impressive warmth-to-weight ratio that promises to keep you comfortably warm between 30 F and 20 F. While it didn’t win our top spot for its lesser-featured design and not quite as plush comfort as the Nemo Disco 30, this bag did exceed expectations on a late summer car camping trip in Wisconsin.

We recommend this bag if you’re looking for a budget backpacking bag or a more compact car camping bag with a fair price tag. We were slightly disappointed that down feathers were poking through and leaking out of seams. It’s clear the quality may be lagging as compared to pricier bags like the Nemo Disco 30 and Therm-a-Rest Questar 20.

A size-inclusive sleeping bag for car camping that won’t break the bank.

If you want a budget sleeping bag and prefer one that’s rectangular, opt for the Kelty Galactic 30. It weighs just 0.2 ounces more than the Kelty Cosmic Down 20 but packs down to about the same size — around double the size of a Nalgene. It won’t keep you quite as warm or pack down as small, but it provides significantly more room to move around while you sleep and is the same price as the Cosmic Down 20.

We love this bag for its simple design and no-frills features that keep the price down without sacrificing the necessities: comfort, warmth and compressibility. While the feathers in this bag are not treated with DWR to repel water, the Kelty Galactic 30 and Cosmic Down 20 are constructed with shell and liner fabrics treated with PFAS-free DWR.

While affordable, this car camping bag is not as packable as others we tested.

Consider the Marmot Lost Coast 30 the Goldilocks of the sleeping bag world. It’s not too expensive or bulky but just right in warmth, weight and price tag. This sleeping bag is a safe bet if you want a slight upgrade from the Kelty Cosmic Down 20 and Kelty Galactic 30 without spending much more. It’s about an ounce lighter than the Cosmic Down 20 and has a wider fit. The Marmot Lost Coast 30 also uses 600-fill down compared to the Cosmic Down’s 500-fill down, meaning it’s slightly warmer for its weight.

If you’re looking for a car camping bag that packs smaller than similar-priced bags like the REI Siesta Hooded 20, you’ll get the best bang for your buck with the Marmot Lost Coast 30. The down in this bag is also treated for water resistance in wet conditions. This bag was not as soft to the touch and was slightly larger than the Kelty bags. We would’ve liked to see some standout specs in terms of material, weight and compressibility for this bag to rank higher on our list.

An ultralight and ultra-plush sleeping bag built for the backcountry.

The lightest of all the sleeping bags we tested, the Montbell is best for ultralight backpackers. It rivals the Nemo Disco 30 and Therm-a-Rest Questar 20 for its impressive packability that compresses to about the size of a Nalgene. As far as cost, it falls in the middle of these two closest competitors at $339. Much like the Big Agnes Sidewinder SL 20, Montbell designed this down sleeping bag for folks who tend to move around while they sleep at night. The bag was designed with a special weave that orients the threads at a 45-degree angle, which helps the fabric twist and move with you as you twist and turn, hence the name “down hugger.”

I did feel that the Sidewinder was a little more forgiving than the Montbell because of its slightly wider fit. However, if your goal is the lightest-weight bag possible, opt for the Montbell. The Montbell Down Hugger is probably too niche and expensive for most campers unless you’re looking to keep your backpack load ultra light for lengthy backcountry trips.