How to find the best backpacking sleeping bag under $100

If you are searching for the best backpacking sleeping bags under $100 then this is the guide for you.  I will explain what you want to look for when purchasing a backpacking sleeping bag as well as offer some of my recommendations on what I would get depending on your needs.

Sleeping bag temperature rating

Depending on when you planning on using your backpacking sleeping bag you may want to pay attention to the temperature ratings for each sleeping bag.  The temperature ratings indicated on the sleeping bags are the lowest temperature that they were designed to be used comfortably.

If you are primarily going to be using your sleeping bag during the summer months then you should not need to really worry about the temperature ratings of your sleeping bag as the temperatures shouldn’t get low enough for you to worry about that.  

If you are planning on using your backpacking sleeping bag during the winter months you may want to look at getting one that has a lower temperature rating so that you could use it for cold weather camping.

Sleeping bag insulation

The main purpose of insulation is to slow the transfer of heat from your body by creating an insulating layer between your body and the outside air.  There are two main types of insulation used in sleeping bags which is synthetic insulation and down insulation.

Synthetic insulation is insulation that is created synthetically or by humans, it’s typically going to be the cheaper insulation as you don’t have to get it from animals.  

Down insulation is made from the feathers of animals and is typically going to be more expensive because of this. Some people prefer down insulation because of the softness compared to synthetic insulation.

Lightweight

On a backpacking trip one of the main things that you want to focus on is keeping your backpack as light as possible.  That’s why it’s important to get a sleeping bag that is light as possible to help keep your pack weight down as low as possible.  

Usually the lighter the sleeping bags on this list the more they will cost as they will have more advanced and lighter insulation used to make them.  You can find a lightweight and cheap sleeping bag but they are probably skimping on the insulation used to make the sleeping bag.

Mummy Sleeping bags

A mummy style sleeping bag is tapered from the feet portion of the sleeping bag up to the head portion.  It’s called a mummy sleeping bag because it resembles the casket of mummies in Egypt. Mummy sleeping bags don’t typically offer a bunch of room inside them to move around so keep that in mind.  They do however do a good job of keeping you warm in the winter months.

Rectangular Sleeping bags

The other main type of shape for backpacking sleeping bags is going to be rectangular. This shape should be familiar to you if you’ve ever seen a sleeping bag. Rectangular shaped sleeping bags offer a bit more room within them to move around so if you toss and turn in your sleep you may want to go with a rectangular shaped sleeping bag.

Because backpacking sleeping bags are typically designed to be as light as possible most of them are going to be designed as mummy style sleeping bag to help save weight as much as possible and be easy to carry.  Most standard sleeping bags are going to be bulkier than mummy sleeping bags so would probably not be preferred for backpacking trips.

Comfortable

You will want to try to find a sleeping bag that will be comfortable for you to sleep on throughout the night. If you are going to be backpacking you will probably be sleeping on the ground in a tent at night so you will want to find a sleeping bag that is comfortable for you to lay on so that you can sleep at night.  If you choose a sleeping bag that doesn’t have much padding it’s going to make it tough to sleep at night.

Price

With $100 being your max spending price on a backpacking sleeping bag you should still be able to find a really nice one in that price range.  I really wouldn’t recommend any over $100 to any of my friends.

With that said, some sleeping bags are going to be designed better than others and have more features.  Some sleeping bag manufacturers will charge more than others but their sleeping bags will typically be better designed.

A couple of brands like this are Kelty and Marmot.  They make really nice sleeping bags but you are going to pay a premium for them.

Compression sack

A compression sack is going to be essential for backpacking with a sleeping bag.  Without a compression sack, you would have to find a way to fit your sleeping bag inside of your backpack which you don’t want to do if you don’t have to.  

With a compression sack, it allows you to compress the sleeping bag into a small bag which can then be attached to the exterior of your backpack. This allows you more storage space for the inside of your backpack for other items.

Sleeping Pad

A sleeping pad may not be an option for you on a backpacking trip but if you can bring one along it would make a difference.  A sleeping pad a pad that you put under your sleeping bag to help create more cushion between your sleeping bag and the ground.  

Sleeping pads can be made from different materials, the one I have is made of foam, I’ve seen others that are inflatable that you can blow up at your campsite without any tools.  

Whatever you can do to increase the amount of space between you and the ground should help you sleep better at night. There is nothing worse than not being able to sleep on a backpacking trip.

My recommendations

Teton Sports Tracker Ultralight Mummy Sleeping Bag

If you are looking for a survival rated sleeping bag look no further than the Teton Sports Tracker ultralight mummy sleeping bag.  This is still an ultralight sleeping bag but it is rated for temps down to 5 degrees F while only weighing 4.1 pounds.

This Teton Sports Tracker sleeping bag includes a 3 piece mummy style hood, draft tubes, an interior pocket, and a water-resistant shell.  It also has a vaulted foot box to provide you with more room for your feet while inside of the sleeping bag.

This sleeping bag also comes with an included compression sack that you can use to compress your sleeping bag to easily carry on your backpack.

Teton also includes a lifetime limited warranty on their products that covers its products against defects in materials or workmanship.  If you are looking for a really nice sleeping bag that can be used in low temperatures I would go with this one.

If you wanted to check out the current prices of this Teton Sports Tracker sleeping bag on Amazon click here.

Kelty Tuck 22 F Degree Mummy Sleeping Bag – 3 Season Ultralight Sleeping Bag

At the higher end of the $100 price range comes this Kelty Tuck 22 F mummy sleeping bag. Kelty Tuck is another well-known sleeping bag manufacturer that designs their sleeping bags with camping and backpacking enthusiasts in mind.  

This sleeping bag is rated to temperatures of 22 F and only weighs 3.3 pounds. It comes with an included stuff sack and can fit people up to 6 foot 6 inches tall so this would be one of your better options if you are a tall individual.  

One thing that makes this sleeping bag stand out from the other mummy sleeping bags on this list is the vented foot box.  This means that if your feet get too hot you can open up the foot box of your sleeping bag to give them a bit of air.

When compressed in the stuff sack it can be packed down to an area of 9 x 15 inches. This Kelty Tuck sleeping bag also includes a zipper draft tube and anti-snag zippers.  If you want to check out the current prices of this Kelty tuck sleeping on Amazon click here.

TETON Sports TrailHead Ultralight Mummy Sleeping Bag

If you want to have a really nice sleeping bag but you don’t need to have the lowest temperature ratings you should consider going with this Teton Sports Trailhead sleeping bag.

Like I mentioned in the other Teton Sports reviews Teton makes some of the better quality sleeping bags on the market and this one is no exception. This mummy style sleeping bag weighs in at 2.4 pounds and is designed to be used in above 20-degree temperatures.  

With the Teton Trailhead sleeping bag, you get integrated draft tubes, a mummy hood, and an interior pocket. The mummy hood on this sleeping bag also includes a drawstring so that you can cinch the hood around your head if wanted.

This sleeping bag also stands out from the rest with its vaulted foot box design so that you have more room for your feet inside of the sleeping bag.  If you are wanting to check out the current prices on Amazon of this TETON sports Ultralight sleeping back click this link.

Teton Sports LEEF Ultralight Mummy Sleeping Bag

Now we are starting to get into the nicer sleeping bags with this Teton Sports LEEF mummy sleeping bag.  Teton is a well-known brand of sleeping bag manufacturers that makes their camping and backpacking gear designed for enthusiasts.  

Weighing in at 3.5 pounds this is one of the lighter sleeping bags on this list for the temperature range it can operate in. The version that I linked to in this guide is their +20 F sleeping bag so it should be fine in temps down to 20 degrees F.  

Teton also has the same model but is rated at 0 degrees F if you needed a backpacking sleeping bag that can be used in really cold temps. This Teton mummy sleeping bag features anti-snap zippers, a three-piece mummy hood, and interior draft tubes to added warmth.  

If you are looking for a good all-around sleeping bag at a decent price from a well-known sleeping bag manufacturer I would consider going with this one.  If you are interested in checking out the current prices on Amazon for this Teton Sports LEEF sleeping bag click here.

WINNER OUTFITTERS Mummy Sleeping Bag

If you are looking for the cheapest backpacking sleeping bag under $100 then this Winner Outfitters mummy sleeping bag is a good option.  

It has a temperature range of 35 to 40 degrees F for comfortable use, but can be used down to 15 degrees F.

If you are looking for a really lightweight backpacking sleeping bag this one only weighs 3 pounds when compressed in the included stuff sack.  

It is water resistant and comes with 200G of hollow fiber insulation to help keep you warm in the colder temperatures. This mummy sleeping bag also has large draft collars and draft tubes to help keep the wind from entering your sleeping bag and help keep the warm air from your body inside.  

This Winner Outfitters mummy sleeping bag should be one of the cheaper options on this list while still being a good choice for a sleeping bag with all of the features that it has.  If you wanted to check out the prices on Amazon of this Winner Outfitters Mummy sleeping bag click the link here.

BESTEAM Camping Sleeping Bag, 3 Season

If you are looking a no-frills ultralight sleeping bag then look no further than this BESTEAM sleeping bag. It is an ultralight sleeping bag that only weighs 1.54 pounds when compressed in the included compression sack.  

With how lightweight this sleeping bag is it probably does not have that much insulation so I would not recommend using this sleeping bag in colder climates.

On the product description, it mentions that the temperature range is 50-77 so this should mainly be used in the warmer months of summer. One thing that is nice about this BESTEAM sleeping bag is that when it is compressed in its compression sack it only takes up an area of 12 x 9 inches. 

So you should be able to attach it to the exterior of your backpack and not worry about it getting in the way.  If you wanted to check out the current price of this BESTEAM sleeping bag click the link to Amazon here

Best Cold Weather Sleeping Bag Under $100

If you are looking for a cold weather sleeping bag under $100 then you would want to select a sleeping bag with a good amount of insulation.  

Cold weather sleeping bags and backpacking sleeping bags typically aren’t in the same category especially under $100 so your selections may be slim.  The good news is that with a lot of the sleeping bags on this list you can choose from different temperature ratings.

Sleeping Bag Pads

If you are looking for a cold weather sleeping bag you may also want to look at getting a sleeping pad to help keep you elevated off of the ground.  The ground will get cold at night so if you can do your best to stay elevated off of the ground that will help you stay warm in your sleeping bag at night.

Mummy Style Sleeping Bags

Having a mummy style sleeping bag will also help keep you warm in cold weather.  With a mummy sleeping bag the sleeping bag will come with a hood that you can use to put over your head when you are inside of it.  

The one downside to mummy sleeping bags is that they typically don’t have as much room inside of them to move around as with a rectangular sleeping bag.  However, mummy style sleeping bags will do a good job of keeping you warm in cold weather conditions.

If you want to get a cold weather sleeping bag that you can also take with you on backpacking trips I would recommend going with this Kelty Tuck 22 F degree sleeping bag. It has enough insulation in it to keep you warm down to 22 degrees Fahrenheit while also being lightweight enough to take with you on backpacking trips.

With a weight of only 3 pounds, this Kelty Tuck sleeping bag is still light enough to take with you on any backpacking trips that you may want to take in the summer, but it will also keep you warm during the winter months.  If you are interested in checking out the current prices on Amazon of this Kelty Tuck sleeping bag click here.

If you want to get the best cold weather sleeping bag under $100 that will last you a long time I would recommend getting a 0-degree sleeping bag.  If you are planning on camping outside in cold temperatures a lot you would want to get a sleeping bag that is designed to be used in very cold temperatures.

Best 0 Degree Sleeping Bag Under $100

If you are looking for the best 0-degree sleeping bag under $100 you would also want to consider the weight of the sleeping bag if you are going to be taking it on backpacking trips.  

Typically, the more insulation that the sleeping bag has inside of it the heavier it will be. Some high-end sleeping bags have insulation that is lighter than typical insulation used in sleeping bags but these will typically come with a high price tag.  

With this Teton Sports LEEF Lightweight Mummy sleeping bag, you can choose from temperature ratings from +20 degrees F all the way to 0 degrees F.  

As of writing this article, they are currently both the same price, so I would recommend going with the 0-degree version. That way you can get a 0-degree sleeping bag for less than $100.  If you are interested in checking out the current price on Amazon of a 0-degree sleeping bag that I would recommend click here.

0-degree sleeping bags are nice to have if you are going to be taking camping or backpacking trips during the cold winter months, but you may need to buy another sleeping bag to use in the summer months if you end up getting a sleeping bag with a lot of insulation.  

One thing you should keep in mind is that typically the more the sleeping bag weighs the more insulation it will have in it. If you are planning on using your 0-degree sleeping bag in the warmer months of the year you would want to go with one that is lightweight.

Somewhere around 3-4 pounds should be light enough to still use during the summer months and be light enough to take with you on backpacking trips.

In Conclusion

When looking at purchasing a backpacking sleeping bag under $100 you should have no problem finding one that will fit your needs for that price.  

You could even look at getting a higher end backpacking sleeping bag for a bit less than $100. Hopefully, this article was informative and gave you a better understanding of what to look for when buying a backpacking sleeping bag.