Sleeping Bags for Backpacking There are several different bags in this series, varying by temperature rating and length. The difference between this backpacking series and our car-camping series is in weight and how well they will pack down, although there is some overlap with the models – those bags are perfectly fine either way. Generally, the backpacking bags will fit better in your pack and are a bit lighter, although they can be used for car-camping as well. The bags that only appear in the car-camping option are probably a bit warmer than the same temperature rating in the backpacking line simply because they are heavier. Lastly, if you get one of the 0° or 15° bags for a backpacking trip, they are big boys, so you would need a big pack to carry it. Now that you are good and confused, let’s clear it up.
All of the bags we carry are top-quality; well-designed, relatively lightweight bags that will help keep you warm and dry at night. All of our bags have a synthetic material fill; natural down is slightly lighter and more expensive, but if you get it wet, you’re basically screwed for a few days until it dries out. Synthetic filled bags will still function fairly well even if they get wet. For those reasons, we decided to stick to the synthetic fills for all of the bags we carry, although they don’t stuff down as well as the down ones. And yes, we fully wash each bag between rentals, so you won’t be catching any bugs or anything from the prior renter - here’s me in action. Lot’s of fun.
Select the bag with the temperature rating a bit lower than what you expect the nighttime temp to drop down to – for example, if you think it might get down to 35° at night, we suggest a bag with a 25° or 30° rating. But, know that the lower the temperature rating, the more the bag will tend to weigh.
Most of our bags are “Regular” length, which means it’s designed for 6-footers and under. If you played some basketball as a forward, these regulars might be a little cold in bad weather if you can't cinch all the way up at the top. In that case, select the ‘long’ option. The extra length isn’t too important in the summer though.
Our sleeping bag options for backpacking include:
Kelty 40/45° Light Year Regular
Weight: 2-2.5 lbs
Stuffed size: Approx. 7" x 12"
Great for summer and warm weather use
Kelty 20/30° Light Year
Weight: 2.5-3 lbs
Stuffed size: Approx. 9" x 16"
Use if you think it will be below 40° at night and for cold sleepers
Kelty 20/30° Light Year - Long
Weight: 2.5-3 lbs
Stuffed size: Approx. 9" x 16"
Use if you are much over 6’ tall, and you think you’ll need to cinch up the head cover part of the bag
Kelty/Sierra Designs 0° – 15°
Weight range: 3.5-4.5 lbs
Stuffed size range: Approx. 11" x 20"
These are big bags, even when stuffed. You’d need a big pack to carry them.
Kelty 30° Kids
Weight:
Stuffed size:
Use for kids up to 4’10”. Note that if weight is an issue, these are heavier and bulkier than some of the adult-sized bags.
For summer Arizona nights, or if you want to add another 5–10° warmth to any bag above, we rent bag liners that are also good as a standalone bag at 55-60° or more.
To maximize comfort and the warmth capacity of the bag, always use a mattress such as one of our various Thermarest options. Don’t try to save a few bucks and plan to just sleep directly on the tent floor – you’ll be in for one miserable night. And the mattress pad can have as much to do with how warm you are as the bag. Another hint – if you have excess room lengthwise in your bag, stuff some of your clothes in the bottom to help keep your feet warm and reduce the amount of air inside the bag your body heat has to try to warm up, or throw in a hand warmer packet. We'll do our best to ship the item that you requested, however, sometimes we may ship you an equivalent item if we are currently out of stock on the item you specified.
See our Advice Pages, including more info on sleeping pads, sleeping bags and general info on getting a good night’s snooze in the woods or just give us a call.
