The Sleeping Bag Material Known To Keep You The Warmest While Camping In The Cold

Staying warm when camping in colder climates is tricky. You have to be able to carry a sleeping bag with you (these are the best sleeping bags for solo camping), and not rely too much on extra blankets and bulky travel heaters, especially if you're backpacking or hiking to your campsite. There are hundreds of sleeping bags on the market made for different weather conditions and the length of your trip. However, one sleeping bag material is known to keep you the warmest while camping in the cold. And, it may just last you longer, too. 

Among all of the options, and trust us, there are a lot of sleeping bags on the market, down appears to be the best option for staying warm throughout the night. On Reddit, campers who have tried both down and synthetic sleeping bags almost all recommend going with down. And while you're at it, splurge on a good sleeping bag to get the most use out of it. One Reddit user says that when they get a new sleeping bag, they go "down all the way. Smaller pack size, lower weight and they last longer." Another repeated this remark, claiming "the synthetic bag will lose loft the more it's compressed over the years that won't come back. The down bag will be as good as new, years later." So, down is also more likely to stay warm over the years compared to synthetic sleeping bags. Hopefully, then you won't need this clever DIY camping heater to keep you warm in your sleeping bag.

Down is probably the warmest material you can get in a sleeping bag, according to frequent campers. So, which down sleeping bag will keep you the warmest? The common wisdom is that there is not a "best" sleeping bag that you can buy; more so, there will be sleeping bags that best fit your particular needs. If you're looking to buy a down sleeping bag, these have great reviews and are loved by those who have used several sleeping bags in the past. 

If you're really looking to splurge, the Feathered Friends Swallow UL 20/30 Sleeping Bag gets great reviews (Gear Junkie gave it a rating of 9/10) and retails on their website for $659. This is quite steep for a sleeping bag, but it's their best seller. For a much more affordable option, and one that is recommended for new campers and hikers, Kelty's Cosmic 20 Sleeping Bag retails for $169.95 to $199.95 at REI, depending on what options you select. One reviewer said of this sleeping bag, "This is a fantastic product. It is extremely lightweight and stuffs easily into its sack. It fits into the sleeping bag pouch of three different packs with very little effort. I have been out in the woods 2 times now, where the temps have hit high 30s, and I've been more than comfortable." There are also many sleeping bags in between that will fit different climates and user needs. 

Looking for more ways to stay warm? Seasoned campers swear by this dead-simple sleeping bag hack for warmer nights.