Best Backpacking Sleeping Bags of 2024

The Feathered Friends Swallow YF 20 and women’s Egret YF 20 are some of the highest quality down bags for backpacking on the market. CleverHiker Senior Gear Analyst, Casey Handley, has used the Egret YF in frigid conditions – including a string of 20-degree nights in Utah, a winter campout in Nevada’s Sheep Mountain Range, and a late-season hike on Broken Top Mountain in Oregon with snow on the ground. 

These models are very light, feel soft against the skin, and are filled with responsibly sourced 900+ fill-power goose down – which is about as nice as down comes. This is one of the few instances where we would actually trust a 20-degree bag to keep us warm when the temperature drops to 20 degrees (Feathered Friends doesn’t list EN temperature ratings, but we’ve found their ratings to be more conservative than most of the competition). 

One of the biggest features that makes them so warm is the very generous draft tube – a down-filled tube that blocks cool air from entering through the zipper. Many premium sleeping bags include a draft tube, but the one on the Swallow and Egret is more robust than others and really locks in the warmth. Other warmth-preserving features include a draft collar around the neck and hood and a fitted but comfortable cut that eliminates dead space inside the bags.

Certainly the high price is one of the first things you’ll notice about the Swallow YF and Egret YF, but we can assure you they’re worth every penny if you’ll use them often. Ounce-counting backpackers might even prefer the Swallow UL and Egret UL which cost a bit more but provide the same reliable warmth as their YF counterparts at an even lower weight.

Feathered Friends Swallow YF 20 Full Review

Every detail on the Western Moutaineering UltraLite is dialed in – it has a no-snag zipper, a 360° draft collar, and a full-length draft tube that all come together to give it one of the best warmth-to-weight ratios available. Many manufacturers name their bags with the EN lower limit – the temperature at which the average warm sleeper can sleep for eight hours without waking (not necessarily comfortably). Western Mountaineering uses a more conservative number between the EN Lower Limit and EN Comfort Rating of their bags to better reflect the temperature that most users will find more comfortable.

To put it simply, most users will find the UltraLite to be comfortable enough for a good night’s rest all the way down to 20°F. During her fall thru-hike of the Arizona Trail, Senior Gear Analyst, Casey Handley (female, warm sleeper), even experienced a couple of evenings that dipped into the teens and she stayed warm and comfortable in the UltraLite.

The UltraLite comes with a sizable price tag, but it will last for decades if treated well. Though it’s our favorite Western Mountaineering sleeping bag in terms of warmth-to-weight and comfort, some members of the CleverHiker team find it a bit narrow. If you don’t mind carrying a couple of extra ounces in favor of a roomier bag, you’ll probably love the AlpinLite 20 which is just a wider UltraLite. Cold sleepers who need some extra insulation should also give the VersaLite 10 a look. This bag sits right in between the UltraLite and AlpinLite as far as width since the design is optimized for the best balance of comfort and warmth.

The REI Magma 15 has the most extensive size-run we’ve seen offered for sleeping bags, and we’re really excited about the move to provide inclusive sizing. This unisex bag is warmer than their predecessors and have a refined fit that is comfortable for a wide variety of body shapes.

The Magma 15 is comfort-rated to 21°F (as opposed to the 28°F comfort rating of the previous unisex version). A sleeping bag’s EN/ISO Comfort Rating is the temperature at which most cold sleepers will remain comfortable, so those who have a hard time staying warm should be cozy in this bag well below freezing. Warm sleepers can certainly take the Magma 15 into the teens (provided you’re using a well-insulated sleeping pad), so it’s a great winter bag for all.

Part of what makes the Magma bag so warm is its trimmed-down design. The true mummy shape is highly efficient because it eliminates the dead space your body would otherwise have to warm up. Though there’s still some room to move in the Magma, the leg girth is a bit narrower than many similar models. Some hikers may find the space a bit tight, but there are wide models available for each length option (short, medium, long) for those who need a little more wiggle room.

This backpacking sleeping bag is highly compressible for efficient packing. If you’re a cold sleeper or you’re looking for a sleeping bag that’ll excel on high alpine and winter adventures, the Magma 15 is an excellent choice.

REI Magma 15 Full Review

The Enlightened Equipment Revelation is the sleep system we reach for most often when we want the benefits of an ultralight quilt over a more robust sleeping bag. Its versatile design has been a game changer on our backcountry trips – it can be cinched up tight for cold nights or opened up fully like a blanket when it’s warm out. 

CleverHiker Founder, Dave Collins, has been using the Revelation as his go-to sleep sack for nearly a decade. He’s carried this quilt for over 100 nights and well over a thousand trail miles of epic adventures, such as his Wonderland Trail thru-hike and traverse through Bryce Canyon. He has a 20-degree Revelation which he loves for trips where temperatures stay above freezing and a 10-degree Revelation he packs when he expects the weather to dip into the 20s.

The excellent craftsmanship of the Revelation makes it a popular choice for thru-hikers wanting to keep weight low without sacrificing durability. As we mentioned earlier, we’ve been using ours for years and it’s still one of the best investments we’ve made in our backpacking setup.

Those wanting to save even more weight should also give the EE Enigma a look – it features a sewn footbox that makes it more heat-efficient. Several members of the CleverHiker team prefer the Revelation for its versatility, but Managing Editor – Ben Applebaum-Bauch – favors the Enigma. He used it for his CDT thru-hike, and it’s the quilt you’ll catch him rocking most of the time. Both options are great, but colder sleepers will likely benefit more from the boost in warmth provided by the Enigma.

It’s important to keep in mind that quilts don’t have a back or a hood and generally aren’t as warm as sleeping bags. Think about the conditions you typically backpack in before deciding to go with a quilt if you’ve never tried one before. If you mostly backpack in warmer summer months, the Revelation could be an excellent choice. You can always boost your warmth in the backcountry with a warm hat, puffy jacket, and an insulated sleeping pad, so quilts are still useful beyond the summer months if you pack some supplemental warmth for chilly nights.  

If you don’t need your quilt right away, you can choose to custom order your Revelation with your desired color, size, and temperature rating. We bumped up a size in length and width for full coverage on chilly nights – this brought the total weight of our Revelation up to about a pound and a half. The 20°F model keeps us warm to right around freezing or just a little below, which is some pretty impressive warmth for that weight.

If you’re curious about how the Revelation compares to our other favorite quilts, check out our list of the Best Backpacking Quilts where it ranks number one.

Enlightened Equipment Revelation Full Review

This year’s Kelty Cosmic Ultra 20 (men’s / women’s) model utilizes 800-fill-power Dridown, whereas the Cosmic Down 20 model is filled with 550-fill-power down. Consequently, the Cosmic Ultra is significantly lighter and more compact than its predecessor. Dridown is treated with a water-resistant coating, reducing the likelihood of soaking through in wet conditions, and it also dries quickly if the bag does become wet.

Though the Cosmic Ultra is still among the heaviest and bulkiest sleeping bags on our list, you won’t find a better down sleeping bag at a better price. If you’re concerned about weight but really need to stay within a specific budget, we recommend investing in a lightweight sleeping pad to make up the difference.

The Cosmic Ultra is more durable than many other bags thanks to its thicker shell fabric. The outer is made with 20-denier nylon as opposed to the more common 10 or 15-denier shells used to construct the majority of the bags on this list. Kelty also includes premium features – like a stash pocket, draft collar, and draft tube – and this plush bag is plenty warm for temperatures down to freezing.

Kelty Cosmic Ultra 20 Full Review

Synthetic sleeping bags are an awesome option for hikers on a budget and for those who aren’t down with down fill. The Marmot Trestles Elite Eco 20 (men’s / women’s) has some surprisingly cool features for how little it costs, and it’s also lighter than many other synthetic options.

Though it won’t quite match up to an 850+ fill-power down bag, the Trestles packs down decently small and is pretty light despite its recycled synthetic fill. Still, it’s one of the heavier and bulkier sleeping bags on our list, so you’ll have to choose between saving weight and bulk or saving money.

One of the biggest reasons to go with a synthetic-fill sleeping bag is that it will keep you warmer than a down bag when wet and it’ll also dry out quicker. Lead tester, Casey, used the Marmot Trestles on her thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, and the synthetic fill was a real lifesaver through the soggier sections of the Great Smoky Mountains and Virginia.

One pretty unique feature that makes the Trestles special is its blanket-fold zipper. This ¼ length zipper allows you to flip the top of the sleeping bag down – much like you would your comforter at home – when you want warmth at your feet but ventilation up top. Other features, like the internal stash pocket for keeping important items safe in freezing temperatures and the included compression sack, make the Trestles a truly great buy.

Marmot Trestles Elite Eco 20 Full Review