Sleeping Bags are a Four-Season Product for the Outdoor Inclined

No matter where you camp, a good sleeping bag will make the experience more enjoyable. Photo by Ron Kruger

Sleeping bags are a universal product for sportsmen. We use them camping, fishing, hunting and hiking. But since they’re such a common product, comfort, quality and functionality are often overlooked in favor of availability and price. That’s a mistake.

Sleeping bags typically considered “high-end” are the feather-lite mummy bags that only weigh a couple of pounds but keep you warm when temperatures drop to 40 degrees below zero. These features are important if you’re climbing mountains, but can also result in constricted, uncomfortable nights.

Chances are, you’re hauling your sleeping bag to camp in the bed of your truck, so size and weight don’t really matter. You’ve been around long enough to appreciate the importance of a good night’s rest after a long day afield. Comfort is what you’re after. If you’re going to spread your sleeping bag out on a cot or air mattress, then you need a sleeping bag that’ll keep you warm, is roomy, has adequate padding, will last for decades, and is easy to get in and out of. These five sleeping bags fit the bill.

Mezzo Loft™ 30 Synthetic Sleeping Bag

The Mezzo Loft 30 is a blend of size, weight and comfort. At 36” wide it offers plenty of shoulder room, and at only 4 lbs. 4 oz. it’s incredibly light and compresses quite small. The Mezzo Loft was designed to use a sleeping pad that slides into the fitted sleeve on the bottom of the bag. The hood across the entire top adds warmth, and can also work as a pillow. Two of these bags can be zipped together to form a double bag.

Cabela’s Alaskan Guide® Mummy Sleeping Bag

Cabela’s Alaskan would be a perfect bag to take on a trip to its namesake state. At 34” wide it offers the space of a rectangular bag, but also incorporates a mummy bag hood for added warmth. The Alaskan weighs only 5 lbs. 2 oz. and comes with a compression sack, so it won’t take up a lot of space if you’re flying out to camp. It’s nylon exterior is water-resistant, downproof and breathable.

Butler Bags Mild Climate Sleeping Bag

Made in the U.S.A. by backcountry aficionados, Butler Bags are built to last. This is a bag you could roll out on the bare ground and sleep comfortably in, while knowing there’s nothing the ground can throw at your Butler Bag to rip it. At 41” wide, this bag is roomy and the flannel interior lining is pleasant. The exterior features marine grade canvas and the brass zipper is bomb proof.

L.L.Bean Down Sleeping Bag with DownTek, Rectangular 20°

If you’re going to be sleeping on an air mattress, sleeping pad, bed or couch,

the L.L. Bean Down Sleeping Bag is a great choice. This sleeping bag is filled with premium down. It’s warm, lightweight and weather resistant. There’s more down on the top and sides for warmth where you need it, but the bottom is so thin you need to sleep on a pad or mattress for comfort.

Slumberjack Country Squire 20°F

At 42”, the Country Squire is the widest bag in the test and it feels like it when you crawl into this ultra-comfortable sleeping bag. The top and bottom is stuffed with synthetic insulation that offers substantial padding. The 12 oz. cotton duck exterior is strong and durable. This is a bag you can comfortably in on the ground. It comes with a handled duffel bag for storage and transportation that’s big enough to also store clothes, a pillow or another blanket in. A removable cotton liner is easily removable and washable to help keep interior feeling clean. The heavy zipper rolls right along without snagging.

See you down the trail…

Brandon Butler