Temperature ratings provide an important reference point when shopping for sleeping bags, but ultimately your comfort depends on multiple other factors – these could include:

Many bags feature different shapes to meet various needs; test out several to see which fits you best (and won’t compress insulation). Also consider whether you prefer left or right zip.

Weight

A quality lightweight sleeping bag must provide adequate warmth-to-weight ratio. This is especially essential when hiking long distances as every ounce counts! Lightweight backpacking sleeping bags often combine high-grade down, thin fabrics and simplified features in order to reduce weight.

Feathered Friends Vireo UL sleeping bag is an exceptional lightweight option designed to reduce pack weight, featuring differential cut goose down fill and an ultralight 10D outer shell and 15D lining for superior warmth and comfort. Perfect for through-hikers and backpackers seeking maximum savings in pack weight savings!

The Zpacks Classic is another top pick among backpackers looking to reduce pack weight. Constructed of vertical and horizontal baffles to keep heat where you need it most, CleverHiker Senior Gear Analyst Casey has used this bag multiple times on backpacking trips and found its warmth-to-weight ratio an exceptional performer.

Warmth

Chris has long been a backpacker, hiking each of the Triple Crown trails to find comforting warmth-to-weight ratio. Chris finds the Feathered Friends Flicker 40 UL particularly accommodating as it can act both as a quilt on warm nights and fully zip closed when required for more chillier nights without compromising his comfort levels.

He appreciates the horizontal baffles around the feet which help lock in heat and prevent movement while sleeping – an integral feature on most premium bags, though not necessarily all ultralight sleeping bags offer this feature.

Another factor to take into account when purchasing a bag for women is whether it comes with a women-specific version. Some bags do offer this, typically narrower at the shoulders and wider at the hips, while some brands also provide unisex versions that will work for both sexes.

Breathability

The best lightweight sleeping bags offer superior warmth-to-weight ratios due to high quality materials and clever designs, and tend to be relatively breathable when used with a warm sleep pad and an insulating cap.

Many of the bags we tested feature hydrophobic down. This treatment turns down into water-repellant material so it won’t absorb moisture and lose insulation like traditional bags would.

This is especially crucial, given that most of the bags we reviewed were EN certified to work down to 20 degrees Fahrenheit; this temperature range represents conditions in which a wet sleeping bag could become potentially hazardous.

People searching for ultralight options that can still safely be used in wet conditions should consider bags like the Big Agnes Sidewinder. It was specifically created with side sleepers in mind and features extra insulation in key contact points such as hip and foot. At only 5 pounds it packs down to the size of one liter Nalgene bottle!

Comfort

These lightweight backpacking sleeping bags use quality fabrics and ingenious designs to maximize warmth. Our tests found them comfortable enough for unrestricted movement with soft materials that feel cozy against your skin, providing plenty of room to move freely without obstruction, plus providing excellent warmth-to-weight ratios in temperatures ranging from above freezing up to 0 degrees Fahrenheit for backcountry camping trips.

Montbell Seamless Down Hugger 800 #2 weighs just 22.7 ounces and holds a 25-degree rating thanks to its innovative baffle-free construction that traps heat like an emergency space blanket, providing loft and warmth at once. Furthermore, there’s also an option with 30-degree ratings available for warmer environments and conditions.

The Enlightened Equipment Enigma is another extremely light option that uses an open-back design to wrap around a sleeping pad. Packed with 12.4 ounces of 900-fill down for impressive warmth-to-weight ratio, this lightweight sleeping bag is popular among backpackers and ultralight hikers, and comes in both men’s regular 72-inch length and women’s short 66-inch length options.