How to find the best sleeping bag under $100

This guide is designed to help you find the best sleeping bag under $100 and will teach you all about sleeping bags and what to look for in selecting one for you.  Below are my specific sleeping bag recommendations, under those reviews is the guide on what you want to look for in selecting a sleeping bag under $100.

When looking at purchasing sleeping bags there are different things to look for.  Sleeping bags are typically designed to be for certain weather or to be lightweight, some are designed to be used in zero degree weather, some are designed to be as light as possible so that you can take them with you on your backpacking trips while carrying as least weight as possible.  

There are also some features that you will want to look at such as the shape of the sleeping bag, what side the zipper is on the sleeping bag, sleeping bag hoods, and what kind of insulation the sleeping bag uses are some things to keep in mind when looking at sleeping bags.

Sleeping bag temperature

Sleeping bags are mainly designed to be used in certain temperature ranges, there are some designed to be used in three seasons which would be spring, summer, and fall.  There are also sleeping bags designed to be used in the winter which are typically marketed as zero degree sleeping bags.

If you are planning on going on a summer camping trip in warm weather you would probably want to go with a light sleeping bag so that you are not hot at night when you are trying to sleep.  The same would go for in the winter when it’s really cold out you would want to use a sleeping bag designed to be used in winter and not a sleeping bag that is designed to be super light and not have that much insulation in it.

In regards to the temperature rating that you will see marketed on different sleeping bags that temperature rating is the lowest temperature that the sleeping bag is able to keep the person/people inside warm.  Any temperature lower than that and the sleeping bag would not be able to effectively keep you or other people warm. With that said it may be a good idea to buy a sleeping bag with a lower temperature rating than you are expecting to encounter just in case you go on a camping trip and the temperatures are lower than you anticipated.

Sleeping bags are typically categorized like this:

Bag Type Temperature Rating (°F)
Summer Season +35° and higher
3-Season +10° to +35°
Winter +10° and lower

Summer

As the name states summer sleeping bags are designed to be used in summer conditions and are going to be lighter insulated than that other types to prevent you from overheating while sleeping.  These types of sleeping bags are also going to be lighter than the other types because they are going to have less insulation in them to weigh them down.

3 season sleeping bags

Three season sleeping bags are designed to be used in the spring, summer, and fall months which make them the more versatile of the different sleeping bag types.  They would be able to be used most of the year instead of just one specific season, these types are going to be the best for someone that may not go camping that much as they will probably not be out camping in freezing conditions.

Winter

Winter sleeping bags are going to be designed to use in the winter months and are going to be more insulated than their three season or summer competition.  Winter sleeping bags are also going to be thicker and heavier than the other types because of the increase in insulation needed to keep you warm in freezing temperatures.  If you like to go camping in the middle of winter it may be a good idea to invest in a winter sleeping bag just to help you stay warmer at night.

Zero degree sleeping bags

Zero degree sleeping bags are designed to be able to be slept in in weather down to zero degrees comfortably while still providing you with enough heat retention to not freeze overnight.  These types of sleeping bags are usually designed with plenty of insulation to keep you warm when it’s really cold outside.

Sleeping bag insulation

The main purpose of sleeping bag insulation is to slow the transfer of heat from your body by creating a insulating layer of air around your body.  There are two main types on sleeping bag insulation used on the market which is down insulation and synthetic insulation.

Down insulation 

Is going to be a byproduct of geese or ducks which use the geese’s under feathers to stuff the sleeping bag to help keep you insulated from the outside weather.  

Synthetic insulation

Is insulation that is going to be created in a lab and would not come from animals.

Typically synthetic insulation will be cheaper because of this as you can create the insulation in a factory instead of needing animals to be able to produce the insulation for a sleeping bag. There are also some ethical issues with using down insulation as sometimes the down insulation is sourced from untraceable sources which some people may be against especially people that are against animal cruelty.

Down insulation pros

Easily compressible – Down insulation is easily compressible compared to synthetic insulation which makes it preferable if you are planning on backpacking with a sleeping bag because you would be able to compress it further than you would with a synthetic sleeping bag.

Weighs less – Down insulation typically weighs less than a comparable synthetic insulation sleeping bag.

Down insulation cons

Costs more than synthetic –  Because down insulation comes from animals it’s going to cost more to be able to produce down insulation than synthetic insulation.

Useless when wet – When a down sleeping bag gets wet it loses most of it’s heat retaining ability because the insulation is not designed to be wet.

Synthetic insulation pros

Cheap to produce – Because synthetic sleeping bag insulation is made in a factory using synthetic materials it’s cheaper to produce than conventional down insulation.  This means that the sleeping bag will probably be cheaper if it’s insulated with synthetic insulation.

Holds up better in rain – Synthetic insulation holds up better in wet conditions than down insulation because of its chemical makeup.

Most popular type of insulation – Synthetic is the most popular type of insulation because of its ease to produce and it’s cheapness.

Synthetic insulation cons

Heavy – Synthetic insulation sleeping bags are typically going to be bulkier and heavier than their down insulation competitors .

Packability – Because synthetic insulation sleeping bags are going to be heavier and bulkier than down insulation sleeping bags they will be tougher to carry if you are planning on backpacking carrying one.  If you aren’t planning on hiking with one this wouldn’t be as big of an issue.

Sleeping bag shape

Mummy

Mummy type sleeping bags are designed to hold you like an egyptian mummy hence the name.  Mummy type sleeping bags are characterized by their narrow shoulder and hips widths which will help the sleeping bag retain more of its insulating properties.  Because the sleeping bag is going to be more narrow inside it would leave less chance for the air inside to escape. Mummy sleeping bags also typically have a hood on them.  

If you like to toss and turn in your sleep or while falling asleep then a mummy type sleeping bag may not be for you as you will not be able to move around that well while you are inside it.  However mummy type sleeping bags are typically designed to be a lighter sleeping bag which makes them ideal for backpacking trips.

Semi rectangular (Barrel shaped)

These types of sleeping bags are characterized by their tapered design which allows you less room at your feet but more room near your head.  Because of this their heat retention properties may not be as great as a mummy type sleeping bag but they should allow you to move around inside of it more if you are the type that likes to sleep on your side and move from side to side while you are sleeping.  These would be recommended for larger backpackers or just for people that don’t like being squeezed by a mummy sleeping bag at night.

Rectangular

The most common type of sleeping bag is going to be the rectangular sleeping bag type. Rectangular sleeping bags are like a barrel shaped sleeping bag but offer even more room to move around inside of it.  These types of sleeping bags are designed for optimal comfort and space within them. Because of this they are going to be heavier than their mummy and barrel shaped sleeping bag counterparts.

With rectangular sleeping bags being the most common type of sleeping bag on the market there are going to be more options to choose from which means that the pricing on these types of sleeping bags is going to be cheaper than the other types.

Double wide

The double wide sleeping bag type is like a rectangular sleeping bag but even larger to easily accommodate two people.  If you want the ultimate in comfort and have plenty of space at your campsite or within your tent you can combine a double wide sleeping bag with an air mattress for the ultimate sleeping arrangement in nature.  Most double wide sleeping bag models can zip apart to create two individual sleeping bags.

Sleeping bag features

Water resistant shell

Some sleeping bag manufacturers will offer sleeping bags that have been designed to be water resistant to help keep water from seeping into your sleeping bag if you encounter rain.  These types of shells are designed to make the water bead off of the shell of the sleeping bag instead of letting the water seep through the shell surface to the internals of the sleeping bag. This could be useful if you plan on sleeping somewhere where you will not be protected by a tent or tarp while sleeping.

Sleeping bag built in hood

Many higher end colder temperature sleeping bags will feature a built in hood on the sleeping bag to have you put over your head while you are sleeping to help retain heat that would otherwise escape through your head.  It’s the same concept as wearing a beanie in the cold, it’s going to help your head retain more heat.

Sleeping pad sleeve

Some sleeping bags are designed to offer a sleeping pad sleeve that would allow you to put in a sleeping pad on the underside of your sleeping bag.  This would help make your sleeping bag more comfortable to sleep on at night if an air mattress is not an option.

Stuff sack

A stuff sack may come with your sleeping bag, I’d recommend one if you are planning on going backpacking with your sleeping bag as it will make it easier to compress and transport while you are out hiking.