Choose a Sleeping Bag for Backpacking

Many people heading off on long-term backpacking trips will take a sleeping bag, especially if they are keen campers, but which are the best multipurpose bags?

On long trips, it is likely you will encounter varying climates, and the constant travel means your sleeping bag of choice should be sturdy enough to last the course. If you have a fair chunk of money to spend, you can find bags which are light and easy to pack, reducing their footprint in your backpack. The question is how to balance the competing factors of cost, weight, temperature rating and pack size in order to find the best all-around sleeping bag.

One major decision is the type of fill inside your bag. Choose goose or duck down for light, compressible bags, or go with synthetic fills for a cheaper but less compressible option.

The temperature rating of a bag is the lowest temperature to which it will keep the average human comfortable. Of course, this temperature is highly variable depending on age, gender and metabolism speed, but for most backpacking trips a bag rated to 8 degrees Celsius will be sufficient.

Of course sleeping bags can only do so much, and proper accessories such as a sleeping mat can be a huge help when it comes to increasing comfort. Adding a sleeping bag liner can boost the warmth provided by thinner bags if you are in cold climates.

Whichever bag you choose, properly drying it out and plumping up the fill will make it last longer. For most people, the major constraint will be the cost of the sleeping bag, but keep these ideas in mind in order to find the best option in your price range.