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Best Sleeping Bags

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Mid-range
High end
$20
$45
$150
...+
In this review:
  1. Cheap Sleeping Bags, Best Cheap Sleeping Bag
  2. Mummy Bags, Rectangular Sleeping Bags
  3. Sleeping Bag Weight, Compression Sack
  4. Sleeping Bags Reviews
  5. Best Sleeping Bags
  6. Discount Sleeping Bags Features Comparison Table
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Sleeping Bags Performance (continued)

Best Sleeping Bag Storage/Transportation.

Regardless in transit or at rest, even the best sleeping bags have to be stored somewhere and somehow.
Cheap sleeping bags filled with fluffy synthetic insulation -- usually mummy bags -- are meant to be stuffed into a sack when on the go; at home, experts advise that you keep the bag loose or hanging so the fill doesn't clump or permanently compress. Although the Everest Mummy sleeping bag comes with a stuff sack, several reviews of the best sleeping bags at Walmart note that even when pressed into the sack it's not particularly compact and thus not ideal for hiking. We noted similar comments about the Coleman North Rim mummy bag, described in some sleeping bag reviews as heavy and unwieldy; one user says it doesn't fit well into a backpack frame and a military reservist who uses the sleeping bag about half the year writes on Amazon; that it's a "pain" to stuff. Opinion about the Wenzel Santa Fe is divided on this issue, with some user reviews on Amazon saying it's the right weight and size for hiking but others asserting it's somewhat bulky; one says it doesn't fit well on a motorcycle. Other inexpensive mummy bags, however, appeal because they pack small and transport easily. Users posting on Campmor say the Kelty Cosmic 50-Degree Sleeping Bag is compact in its sack and a good travel companion.

Inexpensive rectangular sleeping bags, like the Clear Lake Warm-Weather and Brazos Cold-Weather models are bulkier and usually heavier than mummy bags. They must first be folded, then rolled, and then secured; in the case of these Coleman bags, with the company's trademarked no-tie cord. This process has both advocates and critics, according to sleeping bag reviews posted on sites like Walmart and Amazon. Some users say the bags weigh too much for backpacking but are fine for car-camping or as indoor bedrolls. Some say these cheap sleeping bags roll up easily, others say not so much, and a few grumble about struggling to keep them tightly rolled.

Cheap Sleeping Bags Durability.

Durability doesn't seem to be a problem with some of the low-cost sleeping bags we researched. But others garner complaints about a variety durability issues. Several reviews of the best sleeping bags on Amazon report that the fabric and seams on the Wenzel Santa Fe rip and tear easily. The zippers on the Coleman Brazos Cold-Weather bag don't always work (one user says the bag arrived with a broken zipper) and others say it catches on the shell and the zipper seams fray; one user also complains on Amazon about fibers that come loose whenever the bag is unrolled. A few Everest Mummy users, according to sleeping bags reviews on Walmart, struggle with the zipper when they're already inside the bag.

Best Sleeping Bag Maintenance.

Eventually, your cheap sleeping bag will need to be cleaned, especially if you use it in place of sheets and blankets. The best sleeping bags with synthetic fill can be washed in a commercial washing machine; some experts recommend using a milder-than- usual detergent and then putting the bag through a second wash cycle without soap to make sure it's thoroughly rinsed.

Review continues below

All three of the Coleman sleeping bags on our list are machine washable. As for the Everest Mummy, one sleeping bag review on Walmart advises against putting it in the washing machine. In any case, follow the directions that come with the sleeping bag.

by Maralyn Edid (Google+ Profile)

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Best Cheap Sleeping Bags

Coleman Clear Lake Warm-Weather Sleeping Bag

 Read why »
Where to buy

Everest Mummy +5F/-15C Degree

 Read why »
Where to buy

Good Budget Sleeping Bags

Coleman North Rim 0-Degree Mummy Bag

 Read why »
Where to buy

Guide Gear Portage 30 Degree Sleeping Bag

 Read why »
Where to buy
 
 
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Think Twice Budget Sleeping Bags

Coleman Brazos Cold-Weather Sleeping Bag

This rectangular sleeping bag might keep you warm on chilly nights but problems with zippers and the lining leave users in the cold. Coleman makes other cheap sleeping bags that garner better reviews. Read more »

Wenzel Santa Fe 20-degree Mummy Sleeping Bag

This three-season mummy bag is cheap enough, but users say it doesn't deliver the warmth they expect and can be a challenge to stuff into its sack. Read more »

 
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