10 Reviews: Best Sleeping Bag for Cold Weather (Mar 2023)

With the Kamp-Rite Kitmat Mummy sleeping bag, you won’t have to worry about having cold toes anymore. Fantastic for keeping warm during chilly weather while also being useful for scouting, camping, sleepovers, and tailgating! Lightweight at about 4 pounds, but robust duty, including weatherproof polyester material, and drying extremely quickly. This sleeping bag can withstand temperatures up to 25 degrees and can be washed in a machine, so there is no need for you to be concerned about that.

Western Mountaineering’s Versatile 10F sleeping bag is worth the cost if you’re seeking a winter sleeping bag that can pack light and move quickly. It just weighs 2 pounds and can keep sleepers warm in temperatures as low as 10 degrees. The 850-fill is high and compacts well. People particularly enjoy the breathability features, such as interlocking draft tubes and a clever collar design, which keep air moving while keeping backpackers warm and comfortable inside.

"I own several Western Mountaineering bags of all temperature ratings, and I don't buy anything else because they're the best. But the Versalite is the last one I bought, and probably the last one I will buy. Because it's all that and more. It is super light true to spec, and warmer than I will ever need in three seasons. .."

by Stuart J

The 0F Phantom from Mountain Hardwear is a great all-around winter bag. It is possible to lose heat through the head. That’s why the Phantom’s four loft chambers in the hood are so appealing. In addition, the draft collar and face gasket aid to keep warm air trapped inside the bag. This bag, which has 850-fill goose-down insulation and weighs less than 3 pounds, is great for backpacking and hut trips because it packs tiny and weighs less than 3 pounds. The Phantom’s 10D recycled nylon ripstop holds up to normal backcountry wear and tear, which is unusual for lightweight outdoor gear. A DWR finish repels moisture from the outside, which is useful in the event of snow.

"I have been using this bag for colder camping. I am alway cold when I sleep, especially winter camping. This is one of the few bags I've found that will keep me warm even through the coldest nights. On top of being warm it is also fairly light..."

by miranda

This sleeping bag is ideal for trekking in icy conditions, with 37.5 ounces of 800-fill-power down. Yes, it’s a splurge, but if you’re going on a long excursion, it’ll be well worth the money. Many people like how large the bag is since it allows for tossing and turning as well as layering for those chilly wilderness evenings. The foot box is fairly cozy if you prefer a little additional thickness around the feet. The glow-in-the-dark zipper handle and down-filled draft tube are two ingenious design features.

"... It’s extremely comfortable for sure and I find any excuse to use it. The waterproofing is quite impressive, when I first got the bag I just laid it out back and dumped nalgenes on it and sure enough that bag was bone dry. I enjoyed this bag so much..."

by Michael215

If you only go on a few cold-weather outings a year, the Rab Ascent 700 is an excellent mid-level winter backpack. The bag is rated to a low of roughly 10 degrees and comes in a mid-weight, middle-of-the-road pricing range. When it comes to value, the Ascent holds up its half of the deal for the price. the bag’s spaciousness—sleepers on their sides, stomachs, backs, and whatever else have plenty of room to move around.  In addition, the trapezoidal baffle design eliminates the cold pockets that can form in conventional bags.

"..The neck baffle is always a nice addition as it adds a little more warmth, the draw cords are for that baffle and for the face to really synch is all the way down to keep the warmth in. Double ended zips are handy for when you might want to let a little cool air in at the mid..."

by Anonymous

The Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass is an economical bag that outperforms other bags of a comparable price point and zeroes degree rating in terms of performance. It has a soft draft collar that is ergonomically contoured and an enlarged draft tube that is designed to keep warm air in while allowing cold air to escape. The DWR treatment on the shell performed admirably in both the light rain and the soaking tests, and it resisted being saturated for a significantly longer period of time than the competition in its category.

"For the price, I was very pleased with this sleeping bag. I took it out on a winter backpacking trip in the Berkshires of MA for one night. It easily compacted into the bottom compartment of my backpack..."

by Josh

The Marmot Col is an excellent choice for trips, during which you will probably spend many consecutive days inside your sleeping bag, trying to keep warm while you wait for the weather to change. This backpack has a lot of space, so you can store things like water bottles, boots, additional clothing, and anything else you don’t want to get frozen in it. Because it has such a large interior, one of our reviewers discovered that he could even read while sitting totally within the bag.

"..It’s extremely comfortable for sure and I find any excuse to use it. The waterproofing is quite impressive... I enjoyed this bag so much I also got a 0* and will soon pick up a 20* as well. I’d say if this bag is in your budget and you’re eyeballing a -20 for all weather conditions you just can’t go wrong here."

by Michael215

Eric Larsen, a guy who has explored both the Poles and Everest — AKA a guy who knows cold helped design this center zip bag. The side zip ports allow you to extend your arms to drink your morning coffee without losing the heat you’ve built up, yet draft tubes keep the cold out when zipped. Thermarest mattresses have integrated clips for a slip-free sleep, and the down is responsibly sourced. The Polar Ranger is suited for extremes, with a four-below-zero comfort rating and a twenty-below-zero limit.

"I've now used this for one season of winter camping and can report that it's a great piece of gear! I've taken it on winter camping trips where temperatures dropped down to -30C,-25C, and -12C. The bag performed really well under all of those conditions. T..."

by Stephanie W.

Another budget-friendly bag, this time from Marmot, with a few extra features that distinguish it from other synthetic-fill mummies. The main, full-length two-way zip is on one side, and a second zip on the opposite side allows you to fold down the top of the bag when the temperature rises too high, or for easier entry and exit. A stash pocket is located on the chest, and “feely” draw cords make it simpler to tighten and zip up in the dark.

"] Love this bag! Been down the grand twice in winter. Treated me well! I trashed the zipper and marmot treated me well. Durable and warm. I do wish all these bags would eliminate the second short zipper and glow in the dark zipper handle. Waste of money, loss of insulation, more to break, more weight. But overall I only buy marmot bags."

by Ben rad

Marmot’s Lithium bag, just like their Trestles bag, has a zip down front for access and heat venting, and it’s rated to 0 degrees Fahrenheit. However, in this version, you get 800 fill power down, which drives up the price but cuts the weight by nearly half and reduces the pack volume by about 10 liters. In addition to that, there is a multi-baffle hood that can be drawn tight, ensuring that the temperature of your head is maintained uniformly throughout the night.

"Cold-sleeping tall female, here. For this first time camping at freezing temps I am warm with this bag! It does take some work to compress it down since it's so fluffy..."

by Lori