An obligatory attributes of a sleeping bag for winter tenting and backpacking are heat insulation, compressibility, low weight, and ample inside house to retailer gear and water so it doesn’t freeze in a single day. Value may be a part, though a incredible winter sleeping bag will final fifteen years or extra if maintained and saved precisely. For winter backpacking and fully completely different cellular pursuits paying homage to backcountry snowboarding and ski mountaineering, we advocate you get a down-insulated winter sleeping bag on account of it packs up heaps smaller and is method lighter weight.
We anticipate among the many greatest bang in your buck is a 0-degree sleeping bag since you may enhance its heat with a low-cost sleeping bag liner similar to the Sea-to-Summit Reactor in the event you want to sleep in colder temperatures than that. Nonetheless a -20 or -40 bag typically is a pleasant wager in case you’re a chilly sleeper or decided to sleep in additional excessive circumstances.
Listed beneath are our extreme 10 really helpful down-filled winter sleeping baggage for cold-weather backpacking. For added data and reply to frequent questions, see our analysis necessities and in search of suggestion beneath.
1. Marmot Lithium Sleeping Bag
2. The North Face Inferno 0 Sleeping Bag
3. NEMO Sonic 0 Down Sleeping Bag
4. Sea-to-Summit Spark 0 Down Sleeping Bag
5. Western Mountaineering Kodiak 0 Down Sleeping Bag
6. Feathered Mates Snowbunting ES 0 Sleeping Bag
7. Mountain Hardwear Phantom 0 Down Sleeping Bag
8. Therm-a-Leisure Polar Ranger -20
9. Western Mountaineering Puma MF -25
10. Feather Mates Snow Goose ES -40
Winter Sleeping Bag FAQs
Mummy Sleeping Bag or Quilt?
A mummy sleeping bag is hotter and extra cosy than an ultralight down quilt underneath 20 ranges Fahrenheit. Whereas quilts are frequent for heat native climate use, mummy baggage are far quite a bit a lot much less drafty when the mercury drops beneath 20 ranges. Furthermore they present a heat in a single day house the place you may protect water, filters, and footwear in a single day to forestall them from freezing. That is extra sturdy to do with an ultralight quilt, which is often shorter and sized slender to steer clear of reducing weight. Sleeping in temperatures beneath freezing undoubtedly modifications your habits and requires a particular skillset and kit tips than frequent three-season tenting or backpacking in hotter native climate.
Down vs. Artificial Insulation
Down insulation is extra compressible and hotter by weight than artificial insulation. How heaps hotter? The right artificial insulation is barely equal to 600 fill energy down. What about moisture accumulation contained throughout the bag? In case you’re merely going out for one night time or only some nights in zero-degree native climate, it’s unlikely that you simply simply’ll perspire sufficient to considerably in the reduction of the insulation value of a down bag. It’s a extraordinarily fully fully completely different story in case you’re on an expedition the place you’re sleeping out in -40 diploma native climate each night time for weeks on finish. Even then, most mountaineering guides and explorers nonetheless go for down-filled sleeping baggage over artificial ones on account of they’re hotter, pack up heaps smaller, and are heaps lighter weight to hold. You can too dry out a sleeping bag all by means of a go to contained in the picture voltaic to rid of it any extra moisture. Individuals do it steadily.
Waterproof Down vs Non-Waterproof Down
There’s no such subject as waterproof down. Whereas so-called down waterproofing therapies enable correct proper right down to dry sooner if it’s going to get damp from perspiration, most premium sleeping bag makers obtained’t apply it to account of it reduces the perceived insulation value of 800, 850, 900, advert 950 fill energy goose down.
Temperature Ranking
What’s the greatest sleeping bag temperature ranking to get for winter backpacking? Whereas there are constructive to be regional variations, a zero-degree sleeping bag is often a incredible baseline temperature to function for on account of you may merely make it hotter by 20 ranges by carrying insulated garments or through the use of a sleeping bag liner, which might forestall a bit of cash. A zero-degree bag may also be utilized in hotter temps as quite a bit as about 20-30 ranges by cracking open the zipper or loosening up the hood and venting it in case you’re too heat. The load and packability of a zero-degree sleeping bag may be fairly low-cost in contrast with a minus 20-degree bag or minus 40-degree bag and generally doesn’t require the acquisition of a fair greater backpack to hold.
Greatest Kind of Insulation
In case you propose to do any winter backpacking, you’re going to wish a down-insulated sleeping bag on account of it’s the warmest insulation obtainable by weight. It compresses very efficiently, making it very packable. Intention for down fill powers of 800, 850, or 900: the upper the higher. Larger fill energy down traps extra heat by weight than decrease fill energy down. Individuals usually ponder whether or not or not goose down is biggest than duck down. All down is graded the an similar method, in a species-independent method. In a number of phrases 800 fill energy goose down is type of just about pretty much as good as 800 fill energy duck down, solely costlier on account of there’s a smaller current.
Sleeping Bag Dimensions
It’s common to sleep with boot liners or boots, water bottles, and fully completely different objects, like water filters, that ought to not freeze in a single day. This implies you’ll need some extra house in a cold-weather sleeping bag to retailer the gear whereas nonetheless sustaining your personal consolation. Along with added shoulder, hip, and foot width, some individuals get an extended sleeping bag to allow them to retailer gear beneath their ft. Winter nights are extended and it pays to be cosy, notably if it’s a ought to to sleep with chilly, damp boots and water bottles.
Gender
Most zero-degree winter sleeping baggage are unisex. The one exception to that is Featured Mates which makes seven women’s specific sleeping baggage by our final rely together with 0, -10, and -25 diploma winter sleeping baggage.
Must-have Decisions
Winter sleeping baggage ought to have a draft collar, zipper draft tubes, and snag-free zippers at a minimal. Partial dimension zippers, common baffles, vents, and even waterproof down are all nice-to-haves, nonetheless you may get by with out them to steer clear of shedding on price or on account of they’re not strictly wished.
Draft Collar
Most winter sleeping baggage have draft collars and I give it some thought a cold-weather obligatory. A draft collar is a tube of insulation that drapes over your chest and neck and seals contained in the bag’s heat. With out it, the great and cozy air contained throughout the bag will rush out spherical your neck if you change spherical inside. The perfect draft collar is a down tube that covers the doorway of your chest. Larger-end baggage add a second draft collar all through the as soon as extra of your shoulders and neck and supply extra controls, so you may tighten or loosen it.
Zipper Draft Tubes
Draft tubes are down-filled tubes of cloth that cowl up the facet zipper so your legs don’t may be discovered contact with it (on account of it’s chilly). Furthermore they stop chilly air from leaking into the bag by means of the needle holes which might be created when stitching the zipper to the bag. Most winter baggage have a minimal of 1 zipper draft tube, though some have two, each extreme and backside, that fall into place if you zip up your bag.
Snag Free Zipper
Snag-free zippers stop the facet zipper’s tooth from tearing the shell material of your bag and spilling its insulation. The zipper is often bordered by stiff material tape, to maintain up it away from the down baffles and stop it from getting snagged on the bag’s outer shell.
Good-to-have decisions
Water-Resistant Down
Waterproof down is a lovely to have, not a ought to have in a winter sleeping bag. The reality is most individuals can protect their sleeping baggage dry. In case you uncover moisture on the ground of your sleeping bag contained in the morning, it doesn’t point out that the down inside is moist. Merely drape it over your tent contained in the picture voltaic everytime you eat breakfast and it’ll dry in a short while.
Common baffles
Common baffles usually run horizontally all by means of a bag. They help you shake the down contained in the baffles and change it to a particular location. For instance, in case you’re too heat, you may shake the down so it fell down the perimeters of the bag, comparatively than protect it in your chest. Whereas common baffles allow you to customise the distribution of down for quite a few wishes, many individuals want baffles that protect the down in a single place reliably and totally. It’s one quite a bit a lot much less subject to fret about.
Partial dimension zippers
Partial dimension zippers are typically used as a weight-saving function, nonetheless, they’re going to in the reduction of use all by means of a wider temperature differ by limiting your venting selections.
Vents
Vents like NEMO’s Thermogills can improve the temperature differ of a sleeping bag, nonetheless they’re only one strategy of conducting this aim.
Which is biggest in winter, a mummy sleeping bag, or an rectangular sleeping bag?
Mummy baggage are usually lighter weight on account of they’re form-fitting, making them elevated for winter backpacking if you want a light-weight, compressible sleeping bag. Rectangular sleeping baggage may be merely as heat, nonetheless they’re extra acceptable for winter tenting, not backpacking, on account of they’re not as form-fitting, they’re heavier, and have quite a bit a lot much less environment nice hoods to maintain up your head heat.
Can you employ a quilt instead of a sleeping bag in winter?
It actually depends upon how chilly you wish to go. Most individuals swap from quilts to mummy sleeping baggage at about 20 ranges Fahrenheit on account of sleeping baggage are heaps greater at blocking chilly drafts than quilt-pad attachment straps. A quilt can actually work correct proper right down to 0 ranges in case you enhance it with a down hood (effectively replicating a mummy bag hood and draft collar) to maintain up your head, neck, and higher chest heat. Beneath zero, you may try stacking quilts nonetheless I terribly advocate testing out this technique at house ahead of trying it someplace the place it counts.
What’s among the many greatest insulation, down or artificial?
In case you’re taken with winter backpacking, your greatest wager is to get a down sleeping bag with the right down fill energy (see beneath) you may afford on account of it’s ounce-for-ounce lighter weight and extra compressible than a winter sleeping bag full of artificial insulation. Winter backpacking gear may be very heavy if you add up the burden of insulated boots, a high-capacity backpack, a four-season tent, winter sleeping pad(s), a liquid gasoline differ, gasoline, snowshoes, crampons, and so forth. so it actually does pay to steer clear of shedding as heaps weight and pack house as you may through the use of the lightest and smallest winter sleeping bag that can protect you heat.
Which is biggest, waterproof down, or frequent untreated down?
So-called waterproof down isn’t actually waterproof, nonetheless waterproof. In case you dunk it in water, it’d in all probability fail to insulate, though it’d in all probability dry forward of untreated down. Subsequently, in case you propose on sleeping in snow caves or out contained in the open in a bivy sack, waterproof down could also be a bigger various provided that down will dry sooner if the material shell of your bag will get moist. In case you’re sleeping in a comfortable tent with a water-proof flooring, it nearly actually doesn’t matter that heaps, along with in case you’re on a multi-day journey the place the buildup of perspiration passing by means of your insulation and out the breathable shell of your sleeping bag can accumulate contained in the down, degrading its loft and skill to retain heat. Waterproof down may be elevated in these circumstances.
What’s down fill-power?
Down consists of fluffy filaments which might be heaps like human hair. A single ounce of frequent high quality down accommodates about 2 million of those filaments which interlock to maintain up heat air in and chilly air out. This layer may be very springy so you may scrunch it up by compressing it, nonetheless it’d in all probability spring as soon as extra into type nearly instantly. Fill energy measures the lofting energy of goose down which is its skill to lure air. To measure fill energy, one ounce of down is compressed in a small glass cylinder. When the burden is eradicated, the down’s skill to spring as soon as extra may be measured. Down with a higher fill energy ranking is extra resilient to compression, lofts elevated, and may lure extra air. Aside from being hotter, this furthermore implies that sleeping baggage or parkas with greater fill scores require quite a bit a lot much less insulation by weight to offer the an similar diploma of heat than an merchandise made with decrease high quality down.
Is there a heat distinction between goose down and duck down?
No. Fill energy is measured the an similar method all by means of fully fully completely different animals and species. In a number of phrases 750 fill energy goose down provides the an similar diploma of insulation as 750 fill energy duck down.
Is there a price distinction between fully fully completely different down fill-powers?
Optimistic. The upper the fill energy, the dearer will perhaps be. Costs have dropped in present events nonetheless since there’s a worldwide surplus of down, the upper fill powers maintain the most expensive.
What’s among the many greatest down fill-power for a winter sleeping bag?
The lightest weight, most compressible winter sleeping baggage are insulated with 800, 850, 900, or 950 fill energy down. A 950 fill-power down bag is extreme of the road.
How reliable are winter sleeping bag temperature scores?
Whereas heat native climate sleeping bag scores have flip into rather more function in present events with the adoption of worldwide temperature ranking requirements and third-party testing, the an similar can’t be talked about about winter sleeping bag temperature scores. Whereas the EN and ISO temperature scores revealed for heat native climate sleeping baggage rated to 10 ranges and better have confirmed to be dependable, evaluation have confirmed that it isn’t a statistically dependable option to value the temperature ranking of sleeping baggage rated beneath 10 ranges, together with all winter sleeping baggage.
As a replacement, sleeping producers value their very private sleeping baggage by having individuals sleep in chilly rooms, primarily walk-in freezers, to see throughout the event that they preserve heat at fully fully completely different temperature settings. This would possibly generate very subjective outcomes relying on who does the testing, whether or not or not or not they’re male or feminine, what their physique weight is, how efficiently a sleeping bag matches them, the heat of the extended underwear they’re carrying, whether or not or not or not they’re carrying a hat or not, what sleeping pad they’re utilizing, as quickly as they final ate, and so forth.
So who are you able to notion? Your greatest wager is to purchase a winter sleeping bag mannequin that’s been on the market within the market for some time and has a loyal following of people that may attest to the accuracy of its temperature ranking.
Feathered Mates and Western Mountaineering have constructed their enterprise spherical word-of-mouth testimonials, which is why individuals want their winter sleeping baggage over all others. No particular person else provides the differ of different or technical decisions equipped by these two producers.
Can you employ a 0-degree winter sleeping bag instead of a -20 diploma winter sleeping bag?
There are all types of methods to increase the differ of a 0-degree sleeping bag for colder native climate, notably if gear weight or bulk is a giant concern:
- by carrying insulated clothes inside your sleeping bag with the intention to increase its surroundings pleasant temperature ranking
- sleeping with scorching water bottles
- sleeping with chemical hand heaters
- utilizing a sleeping bag liner
- stuff your whole spare clothes inside so your physique has to warmth quite a bit a lot much less open house
- eat a heavy dinner with a whole lot of fats and protein ahead of going to mattress
- and so forth…
It’s best to experiment with these in your yard or inside strolling distance of your car ahead of you want to rely on them in a wilderness survival state of affairs.
In case you may be on a crucial expedition and your information requires a -20 diploma or -40 diploma bag for sustained frigid native climate, it is important to go looking the advice of with them about utilizing a winter sleeping bag rated for hotter temperatures. Many guides lease cold-weather baggage, which might forestall the expense of shopping for one for one-time use.
One other selection is to cancel journeys the place you discover the native climate will likely be too chilly in your sleeping bag. As a winter backpacking journey information, my companions and I routinely cancel journeys the place the native climate forecast requires -20 nighttime temperatures on account of it’s actually no pleasing to sit down exterior and soften ingesting water in native climate like that. There’s no disgrace in bailing on a go to when it’s too chilly exterior to get pleasure from your self.
Do women want hotter winter sleeping baggage than males?
Women are inclined to sleep colder than males, so it’s really helpful that they get a sleeping bag that’s 10 ranges hotter when in search of a unisex or males’s sleeping bag. For instance, women can purchase a -10 diploma winter sleeping bag with the intention to take care of as heat as a person in a 0-degree winter sleeping bag. Nonetheless, that’s not the case, in case you purchase a winter sleeping bag designed for a lady. A women’s 0-degree winter sleeping bag should sustain you as heat as a males’s 0-degree sleeping bag.
What’s the excellence between males’s and ladies’s sleeping baggage?
Women’s sleeping baggage are typically shorter in dimension, narrower contained in the shoulders, and wider contained in the hips. They might even have extra insulation over the chest, contained in the hood, and contained in the footbox, since women have a extra sturdy time retaining their heads, arms, and ft heat.
How do you measurement a winter sleeping bag?
Sleeping in a winter sleeping bag is totally fully completely different from sleeping in a three-season or summer time season season sleeping bag on account of you want to sleep with a variety of of your gear from freezing in a single day (boots, water bottles, electronics) or on account of you want to positioned on extra insulated garments in your sleeping bag like a down parka and down-filled pants.
To measurement up, individuals usually get a longer-sized sleeping bag or one which has a wider shoulder girth. Shoulder girth measures the circumference of the sleeping bag at shoulder peak. When turning right into a winter sleeping bag, you wish to in the reduction of the quantity of additional inside free-space that your physique has to warmth up whereas not compressing the loft of your insulation by getting a bag that’s too tight.
For instance, a 5′ 10″ tall man may resolve to get a 6′ 6″ extended bag instead of a 6′ extended sleeping bag with the intention to retailer a variety of of his gear contained in the sleeping bag foot topic. Alternatively, you may resolve to get a bag with wider shoulders or chest measurements so you may hug your extra gear at night time to maintain up it heat or tuck it behind your as soon as extra (in case you’re a facet sleeper.) That’s at all times been my various, instead of getting a longer-length sleeping bag.
How do you determine your wishes and preferences? Try on a whole lot of sleeping baggage whereas carrying your in a single day gear, even when it means in search of baggage and returning them to retailers throughout the event that they don’t match.
What are important decisions to hunt for on winter sleeping baggage?
After match, important decisions are having a draft collar, draft tubes, zipper guards, and a well-fitting hood. It’s furthermore important to get a sleeping bag with a breathable exterior shell that can vent perspiration nonetheless is waterproof. Sleeping baggage with waterproof/breathable shells are typically quite a bit a lot much less breathable than these and by no means using a water resistant/breathable exterior material.
What’s a draft collar?
A draft shade is an insulated tube of insulation that covers the very best of your chest and as soon as extra and seals in all the heat beneath it in your bag so it may successfully’t escape. It prevents what’s often known as the “bellows have an effect on”, the place the great and cozy air spherical your legs and core is compelled out by means of the very best of your sleeping bag if you change spherical at night time. You possibly can obtain the similar have an effect on by wrapping a neighborhood climate or down jacket spherical your elevated chest or neck as efficiently.
What’s a draft tube?
A draft tube is an insulated tube of insulation that runs alongside the zipper and prevents chilly air from leaking in your sleeping bag or heat air from leaking out. Some sleeping baggage similar to the Western Mountaineering Puma -25 have two interlocking draft tubes, one above and one beneath the zipper.
What’s a zipper guard?
A zipper guard is a bit of cloth or stiffened material tape that runs alongside a zipper and prevents it from snagging on the within lining of your sleeping bag. It’s an compulsory function of a sleeping bag on account of it eliminates snags that can stop you from closing the zipper in frigid native climate.
What’s a sleeping bag baffle?
A baffle is a cloth tube containing down or artificial insulation. They’re usually oriented horizontally or vertically in sleeping baggage.
What are common baffles?
Common baffles are material tubes full of down insulation that at all times run horizontally spherical a sleeping bag. They allow you to shake the down inside them to maneuver it the place you need it, usually to the very best of a sleeping bag, or down the perimeters. Present in high-end quilts and sleeping baggage like these from Feathered Mates or Western Mountaineering, common baffles are a terribly fascinating function for some individuals that permits you to change the insulation to the climate of you which ones are chilly. For others, it’s a curse, on account of the down insulation can shift the place you don’t need it to go, creating chilly spots.
What are block baffles?
Blocking baffles, furthermore often known as facet block baffles or V-block baffles are utilized in excessive loft, winter expedition sleeping baggage to forestall down from shifting from the very best of a sleeping bag to its sides.
What are the professionals and cons of sleeping baggage which have waterproof breathable exterior shells like Gore-tex?
Sadly, they’re principally cons. The thought of defending a sleeping bag with a water-proof/breathable shell material is fascinating on account of it might point out that you simply simply don’t want to preserve a bivy sack to sleep in a snow shelter or fear about getting inside condensation on the ground of your sleeping bag if you contact your tent’s partitions at night time. Nonetheless expertise has confirmed that defending the floor of a sleeping bag with a water-proof breathable shell tends to lure extra perspiration contained throughout the insulation of a sleeping bag than one with a heaps lighter shell material.
Reverse to what you’d anticipate, waterproof/breathable provides are literally far quite a bit a lot much less breathable than quite a lot of the non-waterproof shell provides used on the floor of sleeping baggage throughout the present day. You possibly can get the an similar waterproof income by spraying a DWR coating on the ground of those lighter-weight, extra breathable provides, which is able to repel water droplets that fall onto the ground of the bag, inflicting them to bead and roll off, an similar to a rain jacket. Most sleeping producers already do that on the manufacturing unit. Nonetheless when the DWR coating wears off, you may apply it at house utilizing Nikwax TX Direct or comparable merchandise.
Along with, most sleeping bag producers don’t tape or seam seal all the seams of their baggage, which is de facto required for true waterproofing. Take into account all the tiny needle holes contained in the baffling of a down bag. Taping or seam sealing all of them may be very costly. In distinction, most bivy baggage made with waterproof/breathable provides have taped seams or may be merely sealed with a seam sealer. You actually can’t do the an similar with a sleeping bag.
What’s the greatest exterior material for a winter sleeping bag?
You need an exterior shell material that’s extremely efficient sufficient to be sturdy and has good breathability, with an excellent sufficient weave and/or a DWR coating that can make water roll off its flooring. Pertex Defend and microfiber calendared nylon are good examples of provides with these properties.
How ought to a winter sleeping bag hood match?
That is an space of non-public various, nonetheless you want a hood that can match spherical your head with none air gaps that leak heat. It should be simple to regulate (many aren’t), change with you in case you roll onto your facet, and not at all flip into saturated with water vapor if you exhale at night time by means of your mouth. Among the many greatest strategies to hunt out out hood match is to get inside a sleeping bag and take a look at it out. It’s important to get a hood which you can spend 12 hours or extra in comfortably since winter nights are so extended.
How compulsory is a excessive R-value sleeping pad?
A winter sleeping bag and by no means using a excessive R-value sleeping pad is form of a sheep with out wool. With out one, your physique warmth will likely be sucked into the chilly flooring. We advocate utilizing a sleeping dangerous with an R-value of 5 or elevated. R-values are additive, so it’s also possible to use two sleeping pads, one stacked on extreme of the opposite to understand a higher composite R-value. Many winter backpackers will carry a foam pad, which may be utilized as a seat when cooking or snow melting, along with an inflatable sleeping pad for consolation. When deciding on winter pads, we advocate utilizing ones which had been rated utilizing the mannequin new sleeping bag customary, such on account of the Therm-a-Leisure XTherm, which has an R-value of 6.9
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