In this side-by-side product review Outside Pursuits leads you through everything you need to know in order to pick the best winter sleeping bag for your specific needs whether it be tent camping, hiking or backpacking.

We review and compare the top-rated cold weather sleeping bags, and choose our Editor’s Choice. Also, the functional and technical criteria that make these bags different is discussed in our buyers guide section called, How To Pick The Best Winter Sleeping Bag. What is the best winter sleeping bag for the money?

Best Winter Sleeping Bags

	Coleman Brazos Cool Weather Sleeping Bag	Teton Sports Celsius XL Sleeping Bag	WINNER OUTFITTERS Mummy Sleeping Bag
Temperature Rating	20-40°F	0°F	35°F
Weight	5.56 lbs	5 lbs	2.8 lbs
Filling	polyester	SuperLoft Elite 4-Channel Hollow Fiber	polyester
Special Features	Knit lining; machine washable; roll control and quick cord for storage	Wide, oversized bag; hood; compression sack	Waterproof; Ripstop material; hood; compression sack; mummy style
Customer Ratings	4.3 / 5.0 Stars	4.5 / 5.0 Stars	4.5 / 5.0 Stars

Also see: Winter Sleeping Bags Comparison Table

Quick Answer: The 5 Best Winter Sleeping Bags

1. Coleman Brazos Cool Weather Sleeping Bag
2. TETON Sports Celsius XL Sleeping Bag
3. WINNER OUTFITTERS Mummy Sleeping Bag
4. Coleman North Rim Adult Mummy Sleeping Bag
5. MalloMe Single Camping Sleeping Bag

 Winter Sleeping Bag Reviews

#1  Coleman Brazos Cool Weather Sleeping Bag

The Coleman Brazos is my top recommendation for an all around comfortable, warm, and affordable winter sleeping bag. This bag will keep you warm, even if it’s freezing outside. Part of the lining is knit which is soft against your skin, keeping you cozy even in below freezing weather.

It reminds me of an older, first generation flannel sleeping bag, but with a modern spin. Sometimes rolling up a thicker, warmer bag can be frustrating, the bag never quite wants to stay in place, but the Brazos has a “roll control” toggle system that keeps it in place while you’re rolling.

Once you’re done rolling your bag, it’s simple to use the elastic straps to quickly keep your bag in place for storage. This all makes it perfect for car camping–just throw it in the back seat or trunk and head out on an adventure in any season.

Since 1900, Coleman Company has been among the most-respected product makers in the US. From its humble roots as a gas lamp maker, to designing high tech camping gear, Coleman delivers hundreds of top-rated products.  See this product video that features the Brazos, a great choice for an economic, high-quality general purpose winter sleeping bag.

#2  TETON Sports Celsius XL Sleeping Bag

Need a warm, affordable sleeping bag that will keep you cozy in more extreme winter weather? The Teton Sports Celsius is my favorite of all the extreme cold weather sleeping bags.  You may be able to see your breath as you crawl in, but it’s temperature rated down to 0° fahrenheit, so you can get a good night’s sleep even when it’s freezing outside.

Because it’s one of the warmest sleeping bags for this price, you won’t wake up in the middle of the night, tossing and turning to stay warm in this bag. The Teton is made to be a wide, oversized bag that could possibly fit two.

I prefer it as a single person comfortable, roomy winter sleeping bag that keeps me warm and comfortable without the constraints of a mummy bag. When it’s freezing outside, my head and ears tend to get cold, but  Teton Sports makes a great solution.

The wide hood at the top of the bag will hold your pillow in place and cover the top of your head. when it’s extra cold outside. Here’s a product video that highlights all of the great features of the Teton Sports Celsius XL.

#3  WINNER OUTFITTERS Mummy Sleeping Bag

The Winner Outfitters mummy bag is my favorite pick for the best backpacking sleeping bag under $100. Whether you’re headed out for a quick car camping trip, or a long backpacking trip where every ounce counts, this lightweight bag is ideal.

At just 2.8 pounds, it adds hardly any weight to your pack making it perfect for three to four seasons of backpacking, depending on the temperature. It’s temperature rated to 35 degrees, so it’s not for extreme cold, but will certainly keep you warm in the late fall and early spring, depending on your location.

It’s also the best compact sleeping bag for the price I’ve found. The mummy shape keeps the weight down and allows it to more easily fit into the compression stuff sack included from Winner Outfitters when you’re packing up to hit the trail again. I like that the mummy shape on this bag is a little wider at the bottom than most, giving your feet just a little more room to move around at night.

This bag is waterproof, so if you use it as an outdoor sleeping bag, it will keep dew and mist from seeping in and making you wet and cold. The hood at the top of the bag has a drawstring that I love. It will keep your head warm and your pillow (or balled up sweatshirt, depending on what you use on the trail) in place while you sleep.

#4  Coleman North Rim Adult Mummy Sleeping Bag

The Coleman North Rim mummy bag is an excellent choice for a four season sleeping bag. It’s an excellent extreme weather sleeping bag since it’s temperature rated down to 0° fahrenheit, so you’re be warm and comfortable despite the snow and freezing weather outside of your tent.

If you’re looking to beat the cold and wrap up in a thermal sleeping bag for a good night’s sleep after a long day of hiking or ice fishing, this is your bag.  At 5.8 pounds, it’s a little on the heavier side for backpacking, but the compression sack works well to help this bag fit into your backpack to move easily between campsites.

The ripstop material takes off some pressure. You’ll feel like you can be a little rougher with your bag and it will be less likely that you’ll snag or catch the material on fishing or cooking gear. It also has a mummy shape which keeps it compact and easy to fit into the stuff sack.

The hood has a drawstring which keeps in the heat around your head and pillow all night, so you won’t wake up cold searching for a hat or extra layer. You will simply sleep until the sun is up and it’s time for more coffee and adventure.

#5 MalloMe Single Camping Sleeping Bag

This excellent MalloMe Camping Sleeping Bag is one of the best backpacking sleeping bags on the market. It’s lightweight and has a compression sack, so it fits easily into a backpack without adding unnecessary weight and bulk.

I love that this bag is also waterproof, so if there’s a leak in your tent or you want to use it as an outdoor sleeping bag, you’ll stay warm and dry, even with morning dew. It’s temperature rated to 20 degrees, so you’ll stay warm through four seasons of use.

The hood helps trap in heat around your head, keeping you extra cozy and warm while you sleep. My favorite feature is that this bag completely unzips and becomes a flat comforter if you’d like to use it on top of an air mattress or simply as a blanket on the ground or in damp grass.

After a long backpacking trip, you can throw this bag in the washing machine to clean it before your next trip.

Winter Sleeping Bags Comparison Table

How to Pick the Best Winter Sleeping Bag

• Temperature Rating
• Weight
• Price and Durability
• FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions

There’s nothing quite like crawling into a cozy, comfortable, warm sleeping bag after a day of outdoor adventure. Getting a restful night of sleep can be challenging in your own bed, and even more challenging when you’re sleeping in the wilderness during cold weather seasons.

You want to wake up refreshed and ready for the day, not cold, wet, or uncomfortable. Finding the right sleeping bag for the season can improve your entire camping trip, and it doesn’t have to break the bank.

There’s no reason you can’t camp year round, you just need the right here to help you for you and your budget. I’m here to help you through that process by giving you my best cold weather sleeping bag reviews.

When you’re planning a multi-day camping or backpacking trip the overnight temperatures are an important concern for both safety and comfort. Fortunately, modern materials technology has enabled outdoor sleeping in temperatures even below zero degrees farhenhiet.

Choosing the best winter or cold weather sleeping bag will depend greatly on where and how you intend to use your winter sleeping bag: are you car camping or backpacking? Fishing or pushing yourself to the limits?

You’ll want to consider weather, storms, and seasonal temperature fluctuations in your area. Additionally, sleeping bags last for years, so it’s good to be diligent about your research and find the right balance between temperature, weight, comfort, and durability.

Temperature Rating

The most important factors are comfort and temperature rating. Depending on where you live or the weather forecast for your outing, you may only need a 2 season sleeping bag. However, I personally prefer to be warm rather than cold; you can always simply sleep on top of your bag if you get too hot.

But you can’t add warmth if it’s too cold. I would recommend to anyone that they purchase a cold weather sleeping bag. The temperature ratings on winter sleeping bags  vary from 0 to 35 fahrenheit, so be diligent about your needs.

35 is cold, but 0 is going to be miserable, if not downright dangerous, without the right extreme weather bag.  These ratings aren’t always perfectly accurate, so be aware of your own body type and needs before heading out on a winter camping adventure.

Weight

A second consideration is weight. If you’re going on an extended day backpacking trip that includes many miles of hiking, you’ll want to find the best backpacking sleeping bag that is compact, has a stuff sack, and weighs under 5 pounds.

Like I mentioned above, goose down sleeping bags weigh less, but can be less effective when wet, not to mention they’re not machine washable.

Price and Durability

Sleeping bags can last for a decade, so you’ll want to make a good investment. If you’re not an active camper and will only use your bag as a 2 season sleeping bag, you can certainly find one for under $40. However, most winter sleeping bags, and the best compact sleeping bags, are going to be more expensive.

To get the most for your money, you’ll want to look for factors that will increase durability, such as material, care, and storage. Most high quality bags do have ripstop material as a part of their outer shell to prevent tearing. You’ll also want to look for a waterproof or water resistant bag or shell.

If you know your tent will keep you dry in any conditions, you could opt for a waterproof stuff sack to protect your bag will hiking. Most synthetic outdoor sleeping bags are machine washable, so after a long trip you can get out the grime by washing and hanging it out to dry.

The final way to ensure your bag lasts as long as possible is through storage. Stuff sacks are great and come free with the best compact sleeping bags, but you don’t want to store your bag in the stuff sack long term.

If you keep it compressed at all times, the poly filling will begin to break down which means it will no longer be able to do its job keeping you warm.

When you’re not on the trail, be sure to store your synthetic sleeping bag in the larger sack it comes in, not the compact stuff sack. This will keep the fibers from breaking down prematurely, and, more importantly, will ensure it acts as the warmest sleeping bag possible for your camping trip.

FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions

Question: What’s the difference between a camping bag and a backpacking bag?

Answer: People often use the terms camping and backpacking interchangeably, but they’re often quite different outings. If you’re going backpacking, you’ll certainly be looking to cut unnecessary weight from your pack and gear in any way possible without impacting safety.

If you’re looking for the best backpacking sleeping bag, you’ll need to consider both weight and size. That is, you’ll want your sleeping bag to be well under 5 pounds, and it will need to fit snugly into a small compression sack so it can fit in the bottom of your backpack.

However, if you’re going car camping, you can bring a slightly heavier bag that simply uses elastic straps or toggles to hold it in place after rolling it up. You’ll only need to worry about comfort and temperature rating; you won’t have to worry about weight or fitting it into a pack if it’s just going in the trunk or back seat of your vehicle.

Question: Do I need a mummy bag or a rectangle bag?

Answer: This, of course, depends on a number of things. The mummy bag is a traditional width at the top, but then narrow starting at about mid thigh and continues to narrow down to your feet. A rectangle bag is just that–a rectangular shape that has a uniform width throughout.

The first aspect to consider is if you’re using your sleeping bag for backpacking or car camping. That is, do you need it to fit not only in a stuff sack, but also in the bottom of a backpack. If the answer is yes, you’ll most likely want a mummy bag.

Because of the smaller amount of material, it tends to be lighter and more compact than a traditional rectangle-shaped bag. If you primarily use your bag for car camping and it doesn’t need to fit snugly into a backpack, then you can choose either.

The other main aspect to consider is body type and sleeping preference. If you like to spread out in your sleep, often move from side to side, or are a larger person, the mummy bag may feel too constricting for you. feeling a little snug throughout the bottom of your bag, from about mid-thigh down?

Question: What’s the difference between a synthetic filling and goose down?

Answer: The main differences are price, weight, and performance in wet conditions. Essentially, if you want the lightest bag possible for a backpacking trip, you’ll want to buy a goose down sleeping bag. On average, they tend to be over 1 pound lighter for the same temperature rating.

They are also more compressible; that is, they fit into a smaller stuff sack and take up less space in your backpack.  However, they also tend to be more expensive. If you’re looking for the best backpacking sleeping bag under $100, it’s going to be hard to find a warm enough down bag for that budget.

However, Aegismax makes a high quality goose down sleeping bag for a reasonable price.  You can find a warmer four season sleeping bag for less if you go with synthetic. The last area of consideration is weather.

Synthetic bags will keep you warmer if they get wet. Down bags will only keep you warm if they are 100% dry, and they can take a longer time to dry out than synthetics.

Thanks for reading The 5 Best Winter Sleeping Bags. We hope this article has helped you to discover the best choice for a snowboard helmet that meets your needs. Also see, How To Prepare For A Winter Camping Trip.

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How We Researched

To come up with the best winter sleeping bags, we researched a variety of sources for reviews such as REI, Backcountry, Moosejaw, EVO along with our own personal experience.

We also consulted online magazines for product research and reviews to get as much unbiased information as we could. To help weed out fake reviews we used Fakespot.com to make sure we only looked at genuine reviews.

With so much quality gear available, we had to narrow it down based on what we felt were the best options were for the price. The author, Madison Haire, is an avid camper. She knows how to keep her whole family warm and dry even in the worst cold weather conditions.

To help narrow down the selection she used her personal experience along with recommendations from fellow winter campers she has talked to at campsites around the nation.

After extensive research, we came up with our list to help you choose the right one for you.

Sources