Camping often sounds fun and adventurous. However, on cold nights, it tends to lose a bit of the fun aspect. That is because you find yourself shivering throughout your winter camping trip. Comfort while camping is of the utmost importance. Therefore, when the sun goes down, having a proper sleeping arrangement – particularly in winters – can be a lifesaver. You may have packed appropriately for the entire trip, but campers often forget to pay attention to their sleeping bags. Then, they end up getting colds and coughs as the temperature drops, and their unfit sleeping bag cannot keep them warm enough.
Sleeping bags are not famous for being inexpensive. However, if you seek the best budget winter sleeping bag, then we have got you covered. Read on as we bring you the top quality yet most affordable sleeping bags to get the best sleep while camping in the cold.
Best Budget Winter Sleeping Bags
Table could not be displayed.Sleeping bags are not straightforward products to buy. They have so many aspects that make them unique. Hence, navigating through the endless sleeping bag models can get a tad confusing. We have narrowed down not only the best but also the most affordable winter sleeping bags for you, saving you the hassle.
5. Kelty Cosmic 0°F
Kelty Cosmic is among the best inexpensive harsh weather sleeping bags that are excellent for four-season camping. This bag gives water-resistant down insulation, a lengthy zipper supported by a draft pipe, and a super warm hood. The bag is loaded with 600-fill-power DriDown; it is a traditional down covered with a hydrophobic layer.
The bag can deal perfectly with wet climates as it dries up much quicker. Eventually, it keeps you very cozy in damp weather conditions. It has a hood at the top that you cinch down to retain heat. The hood contains a drawstring on both top and bottom so you can string it tightly for the extra-cold evenings.
Pros
- Anti-snag zipper
- Maximum comfort
Cons
- No compression sack
Great Foot-Box: Kelty also offers a fantastic foot box in this sleeping bag, as keeping your feet warm can affect your entire body’s temperature. The foot box has a natural fit, so you get a lot of space down there as it works well for retaining warmth. The bag is snug and lightweight, so sleeping in it can become a wholly joyous experience. It also has a zipper, and behind that comes a draft tube to bar cold air from getting through the zipper.
4. Big Agnes Anvil Horn 15°F
Big Agnes Anvil Horn is the perfect pick for winter camping as it features draft blocking, an insulated hood, and high-grade waterproof down insulation. The bag employs 650-fill-down insulation that offers the best warmth. The vertical baffles of the bag deter the formation of cold spots by keeping the down insulation from moving around.
This bag has more insulation on the top than on the bottom. This conserves weight without forfeiting much on the warmth aspect because the down material below can compress and fail at effectiveness. As this bag has less insulation on the underside, you need a sleeping pad. Its hood has a drawcord to snug it around the head and capture maximum heat. The hood also proposes a pillow barn to keep your pillow in one place.
Pros
- In-built flex pad sleeves
- Roomy foot space
Cons
- Coldness tends to seep in some
Superior Water Repellency: This sleeping bag is prepared with a water-repellent substance. Down material can easily get wet; however, Big Agnes ensured that this sleeping bag has the maximum water resistance, keeping it dry much longer than untreated down. The material of the bag is polyester with a water-repellent solution, and the lining is soft taffeta polyester.
3. Hyke & Byke Eolus 15°F
This sleeping bag by Hyke & Byke features a streamlined layout with straight baffles to give even temperature dispersion from top to bottom. This budget-friendly four-season sleeping bag has strong, lightweight components that are sure to keep the sleeper cozy and comfortable if camping under a tarp or snoozing at some peak cold point.
The bag utilizes 800-fill-power with goose down, which has extraordinary compressibility and phenomenal warmth. It has a full-length zipper along its right side with dual sliders that let you free the underside of the bag while you keep it zipped around your head. This characteristic allows for fantastic ventilation and complete freedom for leg movement.
Pros
- Roomy foot box for toes
- Snug and spacious
Cons
- Its zipper tends to snag
Enhanced Temperature Regulation: For additional temperature regulation, the hood of the sleeping bag has numerous drawcords that you can modify to give optimal thermal control. To conserve the most out of your body heat, it has a shoulder baffle that you can cinch around your neck to contain the cold. The hood has a particular construction to fit a little camping pillow when you free the drawcord. When you completely cinch it, it locks around the face to establish a relaxing and cozy cocoon that keeps your head, ears, and neck super warm in the coldest climate.
2. Therm-a-Rest Hyperion 20°F
The Hyperion offers this bag insulated with 900-fill-power in goose down. It features the best insulating materials, can absorb 90% less water, and can dry up three times quicker than most sleeping bags. It also comes with a draft blockade feature, a warm hood, and a thermal layout for keeping warm.
This bag utilizes a zoned construction to conserve weight. This implies that it has 70% of the insulation on the top and the remaining 30% on the ground. The weight of the user’s body can compress the insulation on the underside of the sleeping bag. For this, Therm-a-Rest puts forth this construction to decrease weight without giving up the warmth.
Pros
- Comes with a compression sack
- Consistent warmth circulation
Cons
- A very narrow foot area
Thermal Efficiency: It consists of a thermally effective baffled formation that employs lightweight mesh separators. These keep its insulation material from moving around too much. Hence, that decreases the likelihood of cold spots formulating. Due to the reduced insulation, you must get a sleeping pad, and for that, the bag has incorporated Synergy Link connectors. The elastic loops keep your sleeping pad underneath you.
1. ALPS Mountaineering Crescent Lake 0°F
ALPS Mountaineering Crescent Lake is a huge and super thick sleeping bag. It will not hurt your hip if you are partial to sleeping on your side. It features two drawstrings in the hood; one works as a draft collar around your neck, and the other is for the hood. The draft collar is terrific for retaining body heat.
The bag is very plush, and if you own a low-quality thin pad, this bag will turn your sleeping time into the most comfortable experience. If weight or packing size does not bother you, then the Crescent Lake can be an excellent product. It is much warmer than many of the sleeping bags with this price tag.
Pros
- Durable
- Premium quality
Cons
- Heavy
High-Grade Insulation: The bag has superb insulation via Tech Loft+. It has fibers that underline a siliconized finish for the best and most suitable insulation. It also uses a dual coating offset construction. Additionally, it features a zipper with plenty of insulation, so getting in and out of this bed is very easy. When you wake up in the morning, you will find that any condensation that formed on the bag dries rapidly.
Buyer’s Guide
Sleeping bags can be a blessing if you fancy camping in cold conditions. However, a lot goes into determining which sleeping bag will work best for you. Here are a few factors for your consideration that will be highly beneficial in making the right choice.
Insulation Level
Sleeping bags come isolated with either down or synthetic insulation. Down insulation has a greater warmth-to-weight ratio, and so down sleeping bags are lightweight and pack smaller. Nonetheless, they are also much more costly and can lose their insulating tendencies quickly if they get wet. To minimize this issue, many vendors treat their down insulation with some water repellency to ensure better and longer warmth and dryness.
The trait of down insulation is assessed with the fill-power index, which generally varies from 400 to 900. Down insulation is much more suited to winter sleeping bags because when the temperature drops, nobody can tell how cold it might get, and down insulation ensures to retain as much warmth as possible
Temperature Rating
The temperature rating of a sleeping bag is the aspect that shows the lowest temperature at which the sleeping bag can keep the sleeper warm. A 0°F bag will have more density and keep you warmer than a 15°F rating sleeping bag will, which will keep you cozier than a 20°F bag will. Many brands offer the same model in varying temperature ratings. As a result, you can enjoy their unique features and have the temperature rating of your preference.
Size
Sleeping bags generally come in two sizes: regular and long. The general rule is to opt for a large size if you are taller than six feet. Nevertheless, it is better to scan the sizing to ensure that the sleeping bag will fit you easily and comfortably. With appropriate size, you will also have enough foot space; otherwise, you might have to bend your legs while sleeping.
FAQs
1. What should I wear in a winter sleeping bag?
The more layers of air you can build around your body, the warmer you will be. Therefore, wearing more clothes inside of your sleeping bag will help you stay warmer and retain warmth. A layer or two of clothing should be enough. But if you get cold, then double up on socks and a hat. You do not want to wear too many clothes. Just wear enough to keep you cozy yet comfortable as you snooze.
2. Which one is better: waterproof down or untreated down?
Waterproof down is not waterproof, but water-resistant. If you dip it in water, it will fall short in insulation, although it will dry sooner than untreated down. Thus, if you plan to slumber in the snow, waterproof down is the better option, for it will dry up much quicker if the fabric shell of the sleeping bag gets damp. If you are resting in a cozy tent with a waterproof ground, it probably does not factor in that much.
However, if you are on a multi-day trip where the perspiration buildup – passing through the insulation and out the shell of your sleeping bag – can easily amass in the down, impairing its capacity to retain warmth, then waterproof down would be a better choice in such circumstances.
3. What differentiates men’s sleeping bag from women’s?
Women’s sleeping bags are of smaller length, narrower in the shoulder area, and wider in the torso area. They may also have additional insulation over the chest, more warmth in the hood and the foot box.
4. What is a draft collar?
A draft collar is an insulated duct of insulation that wraps the top of your chest and back area and locks in all of the warmth below it in your sleeping bag, so it does not run out. It staves off the effect where the warm air around your limbs is pushed out through the top of your bag when you move around while sleeping.
5. How often should I wash my sleeping bag?
It is advisable to wash your bag once every 20 to 25 uses if you are not using a separate sleeping pad. However, if you do, you will perhaps only need to wash your bag once in 50 uses.
6. Can I wash my sleeping bag in the washing machine?
Most sleeping bags allow machine-washing with a front-loading washer or top-loading machine. You must remember that some home front-loaders can be compact and energy-efficient and may not provide your bag sufficient room to tumble and clean thoroughly.
Final Words
There is a variety of sleeping bags available in the market. Hence, selecting the one that is the most suitable for you can be challenging. However, we are confident that our list of products and the guide will help you make the right purchase. You should always consider the important factors before getting a sleeping bag to ensure it will give you the maximum comfort, value of money, and be with you for a long time.