The sleeping bag is plenty long for my husband and the wide rectangular shape gives him plenty of room to move around. With this Coleman Warm Weather Sleeping Bag with Wrap N Roll, you’ll have no problem handling the heat and the warmth while still maintaining comfort. In fact, it’s great in cool weather too, ensuring that you’re properly wrapped up and protected from the outside weather. And when you’re camping, nothing’s more important than a good night’s sleep.
Browse through a wide collection of sleeping bags and find the perfect pick. Similar to The North Face’s One Bag above, Big Agnes’ Lost Ranger 3N1 uses an innovative layering system for adapting to shifting conditions. In this case, you get two down-filled coleman canopy bags (the One Bag has a synthetic outer bag and down midlayer) that can be paired together on cold nights or separated in warmer temps. At 2 pounds 13 ounces all in, it adds up to a highly versatile system that crosses over nicely for backpacking, too.
The hood is the nicest add-on because it helps retain heat and adds comfort. It’s cinchable, with a simple nylon cord and plastic toggle that aren’t that fancy but get the job done. The nicest comfort touch is the added fleece in the footbox; it adds a touch of coziness to an already plush and comfortable bag.
It’s much smaller than a traditional rectangular bag—especially one that’s fleece-lined—so it stows better in a trunk, and you don’t lose out on comfort. Brushed polyester cover and Tricot fiber blend liner make bag soft and breathable. “Thermolock” draft tube helps prevent heat loss through the zipper on colder nights, and it unzips at the bottom to provide ventilation on warmer nights. Super comfortable and wide enough to turn on your side while sleeping. Our annual family camping trip does not involve hiking and then camping so we weren’t looking for tiny sleeping bags.
Mummy bags are popular for both camping and backpacking, but rectangular bags are roomier and can offer an even better sleeping experience. Our top pick in this category is REI Co-op’s Siesta Hooded 20, which replaces the Siesta 25 for 2023. For a reasonable $139, you get a high-quality bag with a useful 20-degree temperature rating, which is great for three-season car camping in a variety of conditions. Added up, the Siesta is comfy, well appointed, and a fantastic value.
The interior of a sleeping bag varies quite a bit between designs, but one general rule of thumb is that comfort correlates closely with price. Comparing two of our top picks, Coleman’s cheap Brazos 20 uses a tricot lining that’s reasonably cozy but less soft than The North Wawona Bed (especially the smooth fleece-like panel along the top of the Wawona’s interior). For those who plan to get out a lot, opting for an upgraded design may be worth it. You don’t need to wash your sleeping bag after every camping trip, but you should clean it once or twice a year, depending on how much you use it. Using a front-loading washing machine (never use a top-loading agitator-style machine), wash your sleeping bag with a small amount of mild liquid detergent on a warm, gentle cycle and rinse it with cold water. Coleman recommends using a fabric softener, but do not use bleach.
The compromises in choosing the cheaper fill type are relatively minimal for camping. With a car or camper to transport all of your gear, the larger stuffed size and extra weight are much less of a concern than when your sleeping bag has to be crammed into a pack and carried on your back. And should the insulation get wet, synthetics continue to keep you warm, unlike down feathers. For a full explanation of the two insulation types, see our article on down vs. synthetics. No matter where your travels take you, from national parks to backwoods to back porches, a camping sleeping bag remains a trusty companion. Since space and weight are not at a premium when you can drive to your destination, the comfort dial can get turned way up.
The superior box stitching keeps the insulation from shifting to help eliminate cold spots. Look through sleeping bags that will keep you warm throughout the night thanks to the Thermolock™ draft tube that prevents coleman chair heat from escaping through the zipper. These sleeping bags also come with a convenient interior tuck pocket that lets you securely store small essentials, so you don’t have to sleep with them in your pockets.
There’s no need to suffer through the night in a constricting mummy bag, so options in this category tend to lean more towards a traditional rectangular shape or a roomier mummy. Below we rank our top picks for 2023, and if you need some background information, our comparison table and buying advice dive into topics like fill type and temperature rating. To complete your camping kit, we’ve also tested and written about camping mattresses and camping tents. To crown the Big Bay the best value sleeping bag, I tested it against 12 other models, including mummy bags, rectangular bags, odd-shaped bags and synthetic and down bags (and a combination of the two). In a controlled environment, I ran a heat-retention test using a wire probe thermometer and hot water bottles. I also laundered each bag at home using my front-loading washing machine and dryer.