Herbie Murray
When it comes to choosing a sleeping bag for your outdoor adventures, weight is a crucial factor. Carrying a heavy bag can slow you down and tire you out, so it's no surprise that ultralight sleeping bags are in high demand. Down sleeping bags are known for their superior warmth-to-weight ratios, making them a popular choice for backpackers and campers. With advancements in technology and materials, the latest ultralight down sleeping bags offer maximum warmth with minimal weight, ensuring you stay cosy on chilly nights without weighing down your pack. So, which bags are the lightest on the market? Let's take a look at some of the top contenders for the lightest down sleeping bag.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Lightest full sleeping bag | Rab Mythic Ultra |
| Runner-up | Sea to Summit Spark Down Sleeping Bag |
| Best Ultralight Quilt | Katabatic Gear Alsek 22F Quilt |
| Best Ultralight Quilt Runner-up | Enlightened Equipment Convert Sleeping Quilt |
| Best Budget Ultralight Quilt | Outdoor Vitals StormLoft Down TopQuilt 15 |
| Warmest sleeping bag tested | Feathered Friends Swallow UL 20/30 Sleeping Bag |
| Lightest 20-degree Fahrenheit bag | Zpacks 20F Full Zip Sleeping Bag |
| Lightest bag | Western Mountaineering HighLite |
| Best Budget Option | Kelty Cosmic Down 20 |
| Warmth-to-weight ratio | Feathered Friends Sleeping Bag |
| Lightest weight in Feathered Friends’ lineup | Feathered Friends Hummingbird UL |
| Lightest Ultralight Sleeping Bag | Feathered Friends Flicker 40 UL |
| Lightest Ultralight Sleeping Bag Runner-up | Zpacks Classic |
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What You'll Learn
Warmth-to-weight ratio
When it comes to choosing a sleeping bag, one of the most important considerations is its warmth-to-weight ratio. This is especially true for backpackers, who need to keep their packs as light as possible while still staying warm during their travels.
The warmth-to-weight ratio of a sleeping bag is influenced by several factors, including the type of insulation, its fill power, fill weight, shell material, shape, and dimensions. Down feathers offer the best warmth-to-weight ratio among common insulation types. This is because down is lighter, more compressible, and retains warmth better than synthetic fibres. Higher fill power numbers in down feathers translate to more loft and better warmth-to-weight ratios. Baffles are employed to keep the down feathers in place, ensuring even insulation throughout the bag.
When comparing sleeping bags, it is important to consider their temperature ratings. A sleeping bag's temperature rating indicates the lowest temperature at which it is designed to keep a person warm. Bags with similar temperature ratings should be compared when considering their weight, as a bag with a lower temperature rating will require more insulation, making it heavier. Additionally, features such as tapered profiles, ultralight zippers, and strategic baffling can help reduce weight while maintaining thermal efficiency.
Some of the lightest down sleeping bags on the market include the Western Mountaineering HighLite sleeping bag, weighing 15-16 ounces, and the Zpacks Classic hoodless sleeping bag, weighing 19.8 ounces. The Feathered Friends Swallow UL 20/30 Sleeping Bag is another popular option, offering a good balance between weight and warmth, although it is heavier at 27 ounces. For those seeking an even lighter option, the Zpacks 20F Full Zip Sleeping Bag weighs only 21.4 ounces, making it the lightest 20-degree Fahrenheit bag on some lists.
In conclusion, when choosing a down sleeping bag, it is crucial to consider its warmth-to-weight ratio. Down insulation generally provides the best ratio, and factors such as fill power, temperature rating, and design features all play a role in determining the bag's overall warmth and weight. By selecting a bag with a good warmth-to-weight ratio, backpackers can ensure they stay warm while keeping their packs as light as possible.
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Mummy bags
The Feathered Friends Flicker 40 UL is a mummy bag that can be used in both hot and cold conditions. It features a full-length centre zip, super high loft, 950+ fill power down, and a shell made of water-resistant and breathable Pertex Endurance UL. The Feathered Friends Swallow UL 20/30 Sleeping Bag is another mummy bag that is the heaviest on one list at 27 ounces, but it is also the warmest bag tested.
The Therm-a-Rest Hyperion is another mummy bag that features a two-sided half-length zipper and snap by the hood, allowing for ventilation. The Hyperion also includes pad straps to keep the pad from moving. The Magma 15 is a true mummy bag that is comfort-rated to 21°F. It features a trimmed-down design that eliminates dead space. The NEMO Disco 15 Endless Promise is another mummy bag that is roomier than typical mummy bags, making it a good option for side sleepers.
The lightest mummy-style ultralight bag is the Sea to Summit Spark Down Sleeping Bag, which features draft tubes on the zippers, 360° down collars, and box baffles that make the bag warm for its weight. The Spark is also available in a vertical box baffle design, which prevents down from shifting away from the core.
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Quilts
One of the lightest quilts available is the Western Mountaineering NanoLite, which weighs just 13.3 ounces. However, this quilt is also one of the least insulated, so it is only suitable for warm weather.
Katabatic Gear offers a range of ultralight quilts that are designed to be warm and comfortable. Their quilts feature a differential cut, which is rare among quilt manufacturers, and they also offer the Flex series, which has a zippered foot box that can be opened or closed to adjust for warmth or ventilation.
Zpacks offers a Summer Quilt that is designed for summer nights above freezing. It can be easily packed into a day pack and combined with their Down Jacket and Octa Fleece Hat for additional warmth. Zpacks also offers a Summer Twin Quilt for couples, which is designed to be warmer and more comfortable than using two separate sleeping bags.
The Nemo Pulse Endless Promise Quilt is another ultralight option, and the Feathered Friends Tanager 20 is recommended as the best hoodless ultralight quilt.
The main downside of quilts is their susceptibility to drafts, and some people may find the straps and cords of quilts annoying to deal with.
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Goose down
When it comes to weight, goose down sleeping bags can vary from 13.1 ounces to 29 ounces, with the lightest bag on our list being the Western Mountaineering HighLite, which weighs just 16.0 ounces. However, it's important to note that lighter bags often come with compromises in warmth, comfort, or durability. For example, the lightest bag, the HighLite, is not the warmest option. To increase warmth, some bags use lofty down, half zips, and thin fabric material to reduce weight.
Some of the lightest and highest-quality goose down available is rated at 850 fill power or above. This includes the Sea to Summit Spark, which is filled with RDS-certified 850+ fill power goose down and treated with a non-PFAS Ultra-Dry Down treatment for maximum thermal performance. The Zpacks Classic hoodless sleeping bag uses 13.1 ounces of 900 fill goose down, making up 66% of the bag's weight. The Feathered Friends Flicker 40 UL is another option that uses 950+ fill power down, pairing it with a water-resistant and breathable shell.
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Budget options
When shopping for a sleeping bag, it's important to look for one with a high loft rating, as this will ensure a warmer experience at a lower weight. Lighter bags tend to use the highest-quality down, which is one reason they are more costly than heavier bags. However, there are some great budget options available.
The Kelty Cosmic Down 20 is one of the cheaper down sleeping bags on the market, with an ISO Comfort rating of 31 degrees Fahrenheit, which should keep you cosy in most 3-season conditions. It has a recycled nylon shell, a draft tube and collar to minimise heat loss, and multiple zippers for venting. The bag weighs 2 lbs 7 oz, with a fill weight of 16.4 oz of 550-fill down.
The Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass is another great budget option, available in 0, 15, and 30°F variations. It delivers ample insulation, a decent packed size and weight, and sturdy materials at a very reasonable price. It has a 650 fill-down that lofts to 5.5 inches, and is protected by a DWR ripstop nylon shell. The bag weighs 2.25 lbs.
The Trekking MT900 sleeping bag from Forclaz is exclusive to Decathlon stores. It has an optimum comfort temperature of 0 and a comfort limit of -6, making it suitable for most three-season trekking. It's filled with duck down feathers with a fill power rating of 800 cubic inches, and meets the Responsible Down Standard. It features a two-way zip, an ergonomically shaped hood, and comes with a compressible sack and a storage bag. The weight for a size M model is 850g, making it one of the lightest sleeping bags in this price range.
The Alpkit Ultra 120 is a lean, trim bag suitable for hardcore lightweighters or mountain marathon-type events. It comes with PrimaLoft Gold insulation, one of the best warmth-to-weight ratio synthetic fills on the market, making it lightweight and occupying minimal space in your pack. The bag’s zip is also lightweight. However, its minimalist nature means it is tight and may be best suited for warmer nights.
The Pipedream 200 is an ultralight sleeping bag that would be superb for anyone undertaking long-distance walks or fast and light trips from late spring to early autumn. It has a comfort rating of 11°C/51°F and weighs just 545g.
Other budget options include the Katabatic Gear Flex 22 Quilt, the Hammock Gear Economy Burrow 20, and the Enlightened Equipment Revelation Quilt 20, which stands out for its exceptional value due to its customizable design, high-quality materials, and excellent warmth-to-weight ratio.
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Frequently asked questions
The lightest down sleeping bag on the market is the Rab Mythic Ultra, which weighs just 16.0 ounces.
Other ultralight down sleeping bags include the Zpacks Classic, Feathered Friends Flicker UL 20 Quilt, Feathered Friends Hummingbird UL, and Kelty Cosmic Down 20.
When choosing an ultralight down sleeping bag, look for features such as high-quality insulation, a lightweight design, and an excellent warmth-to-weight ratio. A good ultralight bag will keep you warm while minimizing weight.
Yes, ultralight down sleeping bags may have a narrower shape and be made of more fragile materials. They may also be more expensive due to the complex construction and high-quality materials used.
The ideal temperature rating for an ultralight down sleeping bag depends on your usage. For summer-early autumn use, a maximum rating of 1lb 2oz / 500g is reasonable. For colder temperatures, look for a bag with a lower temperature rating, such as 20°F or 30°F.
