Hiking, camping and backpacking, regardless of the season that you go in, can be a chilly experience, especially if you don’t have the right sleeping bag for the occasion. Warm sleeping bags, however, make sure that you get a good night of sleep so that you’re ready for a whole new day in the outdoors. Of course the minimum temperature of your sleeping will depend on a lot of things, not least being your own body temperature and what kind of sleeper you. Cold sleepers, for instance, should invest in an extra warm sleeping bag.
Warm Sleeping Bags
Features to look for when trying to decide on a warm sleeping bag.- Minimum Temperature – The conditions that you’re using your sleeping bag in, along with the season that you’re going in will help to determine what kind of minimum temperature you should be looking in a sleeping bag. Just remember that if you’re a cold sleeper it would be a good idea to add a few degrees to that number.
- Shape – When it comes to sleeping bag warmth, a mummy shaped sleeping bag is a better investment than a rectangular sleeping bag. A mummy sleeping saves on both weight and bulk, but more importantly, it eliminates dead space inside the sleeping bag that absorbs your body heat and doesn’t give anything back.
Best Warm Sleeping Bags
A few of the better warm sleeping bags, at a few different temperature points.- Marmot Plasma +30 - If you're looking for a warm 3 season sleeping bag you won't do much better than the Plasma, which has a minimum temperature of 30 degrees. It uses very high quality 900+ fill down, which provides more warmth for less weight than any other insulation material. It also has a draft collar, to keep the warm air that your body generates inside the sleeping, and also keep the cold air out. It also won the 2011 Backpacker Magazine Editor's Choice award, so you can be assured it's a high quality product. It weighs 1 pound 6 ounces, which is 630 grams.
- Mont Bell U.L. Super Spiral Down #1 - With a lower minimum temperature rating of 15 degrees is this sleeping bag from Japanese manufacturer Mont Bell. It uses 800+ fill down to help you stay warm, and has a water repellent finish on the outside to keep water away from the down. It also has a big, thick down draft collar, a zipper tube and a drawcord on the face opening, all to keep you warm at night. Mont Bell also uses a innovative diagonal cut, which squeezes around you at night, further adding to your warmth. It weighs 2 pounds 4 ounces, or 1.02 kilograms.
- Mountain Hardwear Phantom - For winter camping you need a good 4 season sleeping, and with a minimum temperature rating of 0 degrees and a weight of just 2 pounds 10 ounces, or 1.19 kilograms, the Phantom is one of the best. You get the necessary features to stay warm, like a draft collar and 800+ fill down, and a few extras too, like the alpine mummy cut, which eliminates as much dead space within the sleeping bag as possible without sacrificing comfort. If you want warm and lightweight, this is an excellent option.
