The Ultralight Backpacking Site

Lightweight Sleeping Bags

There are lightweight sleeping bags for everyone, but we are all so different. Some can't sleep in a mummy bag. Others can sleep in anything. Some won't be gentle enough to use a fragile high-tech bag, while others seem to make their gear last forever. Ray Jardine swears by his hand-made quilts, but many of us don't have the time nor skill to sew.

There is no one answer to which lightweight sleeping bag is best. Some of us will need two or three different ones for different situations. One of the big choices is whether to go with a down or synthetic bag. You'll find examples of what's available for both types, at the bottom of the page. I haven't tried the sleeping bags listed (except the HighLite, which I highly recommend).

Lightweight Down Sleeping Bags

Down is lighter as an insulation. People have been speculating for decades that we are just about to see a new synthetic material that, ounce-for-ounce, insulates as well as down, but it hasn't happened yet. Down bags are much more compressible than the synthetic ones, so they take noticeably less space in the pack. They also can be rejuvenated by throwing them in the dryer with a shoe. This "fluffs" up the down. I have seen 30-year-old down sleeping bags that have virtually all of their original loft after a treatment like this.

You might think now that a down bag is the ultimate lightweight sleeping bag. Well...maybe. The primary problem with down is that it is worthless when wet. This can be a serious problem. I have been through a week of rain, camping under a tarp, and managed to keep my down bag dry. But I had to be very careful. Also, down will sometimes leak out, especially if you tear a seam.

Lightweight Synthetic Sleeping Bags

Good lightweight synthetic sleeping bags take abuse well, and they keep insulating even if they are wet. The well-designed ones are getting very close in weight to down bags. They still take a lot more space in your pack, however, and the insulation always breaks down after a few years. They are so worry-free while they are relatively new, though. It is a tough choice.

My Ultralight Sleeping Bag is a page about what I am using now, and what is available out there. There is actually a synthetic summer bag that weighs only 17 ounces. That's lightweight.

My Five-Ounce Sleeping Bag tells my story of a cold night in a warm five-ounce sleeping bag.

Sleeping Pads explains some of your options, and how to go without, if you are traveling really light.

Sleeping Bag Ratings : Temperature ratings are done by the manufacturer, but there's a better way.

The Secrets Of Staying Warm argues that knowing how to keep yourself warm keeps you safe and lets you go with even lighter lightweight sleeping bags.

The Ultralight Backpacking Site | Lightweight Sleeping Bags