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What is the Best Sleeping Bag for Cold Weather?

The best sleeping bag for cold weather hiking and camping is a mummy sleeping bag. Mummy bags are made from a combination of synthetic and natural materials, and often filled with goose down feathers. Due to their construction design, and their use of proper materials which excel at heat retention, these bags are very resistant to icy cold weather, and some are even rated for temperatures as low as -25°F (-32°C)!

Mummy sleeping bags are best for cold weather camping because they have no exit points for the warm air to escape from inside the bag. This is because they’re comfortably secured around the shoulders and neck which traps the air inside, unlike many quilt sleeping bags. In addition, another advantage is many mummy bags cannot be fully unzipped as a quilt sleeping bag can, so they’re much more insulated around the foot box to protect the feet, which are often at the highest risk of freezing if you’re sleeping in very cold temperatures.

In contrast to a mummy sleeping bag, a quilt sleeping bag tends to be more open, and a bit more spacious, which makes quilts better for staying cool in warm or hot weather, and camping in temperatures above freezing.

Quilts are also better if you prefer your feet to be outside the sleeping bag on warm nights because quilts can unzip all the way to the bottom for better airflow, and even unzip fully to become a blanket or comforter.

Most people agree that quilts are more comfortable because you have more room to toss and turn, and stretch out, but the trade off for more comfort is less of an ability to resist extreme cold temperatures. Plus, speaking from experience, over time you can get used to being in a mummy sleeping bag, even if you’re claustrophobic. It’s a bit of a challenge though.

With this information in mind, below you’ll find the official Paragon Trails List showcasing some of the best, and most highly rated mummy sleeping bags available on the market today for cold weather hiking and camping. (Coming Soon!)

As our primary article is a work in progress, we’ve included one of the products which will be on this top five, and it’s the fantastic mummy sleeping bag made by Hyke & Byke called the “Eolus,” which is one of the most affordable, durable, comfortable, and highly rated mummy sleeping bags money can buy.

If you would like to learn more about hiking and camping in the cold weather, and you’re interested in hearing more information about the different types of sleeping bags, as well as a couple of different ways to stay warm during icy cold at nights, keep reading down below.

[The Official Paragon Trails Top 5 Best Mummy Down Sleeping Bags For Ultralight and Lightweight Hiking and Backpacking Is Coming Soon! – Thank You For Your Patience!]

More Information

Generally speaking, mummy bags are best for people that sleep on their back, plus they’re great for extreme cold weather, while quilt sleeping bags are better for side-sleepers because they have a bit more room to toss and turn, and they’re great for warmer weather due to their flexibility to completely unzip.

One may become accustomed to either type of sleeping bag over time, but side-sleepers will find it a bit more difficult to use a mummy sleeping bag at first since they’ll feel a bit constricting in the first few weeks of use. While it takes a bit of time to get used to mummy sleeping bags for cold weather camping, they’re much warmer for the winter, so it’s worth the transition.

One other important thing to get used to while camping in cold weather is wearing socks while sleeping out on the trail. While it is difficult for some people to wear socks at night, and some people will automatically protest, covering your feet at night will help to stave off hypothermia, and wearing socks at night is second only eating a good hot meal before bed.

Best Thermal Socks for Cold Weather Camping

If you’re looking for a great pair of socks, you’ll typically want wool or synthetic socks since they’re great at wicking away moisture, so they’ll keep your feet nice and dry, and keep you much warmer during icy cold nights.

There are numerous different socks on the market, but DG Hill’s thermal socks are exceptional, and they come in a wide variety of colors such as: Striped Black and Grey, Striped Blue and Purple, Pink, Black, Purple, Silver, and Snowflake.

These are some of the highest rated, and most durable thermal winter socks available, so if you’re in the market for a pair of very warm socks, you can view more information about DG Hill’s socks by clicking the image below.

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The best sleeping bags for cold weather hiking and camping are mummy sleeping bags. Some bags, like those on our top five list posted above, are rated all the way down to temperatures as low as -25°F (-30°C)!

Mummy sleeping bags outperform quilt sleeping bags for extreme cold weather because mummy bags are often filled with more insulating materials such as goose down feathers, and they’re also more secured around the neck in a way that quilt sleeping bags are not.

Quilt bags are best for warmer weather that’s above freezing since you can keep your feet outside the bag and keep cool if the night is warm, and they’re also better for side-sleepers, while mummy bags are best for back sleepers.

While very high quality mummy sleeping bags may be on the expensive side, they’re great for winter camping, and they aren’t even as heavy as they used to be as ultralight materials have developed greatly.

If you’re looking for a really nice cold weather sleeping bag, please do check out our top five list posted above, we’ve done a great deal of research to bring you some of the best sleeping bags on the market.

Regardless, thank you so much for reading, we hope you have a wonderful day, and as always, Happy Paragon Trails!

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