For a painless $20, you can rent a high-quality sleeping bag from us for your small group tour. However, if your latest paycheck is burning a hole through your pocket, a durable outdoor sleeping bag is a smart investment – particularly if you’re a routine rambler.

When you’re dropping more than $50 on a sleeping bag, it better get you a good night’s rest in cold, wet, dry, and even windy environments. To find the best sleeping bags for camping, keep the following in mind: shape and material.

Shape

All sleeping bags are basically rectangular, because, well, people basically are. (Though personally, I’m more like a circle when I sleep, curled up in a ball…) The sharper the corners are on a sleeping bag, the roomier it is. If your sleep style is “turn and toss,” go with an obviously rectangular shape. Beware of the cold, though. Since there’s more room for you, there’s also more room for cold air to seap in and invade your space. Thus, rectangular sleeping bags for camping aren’t always the warmest, which brings us to an alternative: semi-rectangular, or barrel.

Barrel shaped sleeping bags are tapered at the ends, and in effect make for a very snug fit. These are a great solution for campers who want a little extra room, but not a ton.

There’s still one more sleeping bag shape to consider: mummy. I know what you’re thinking: mummy bags form under the eyes of women after years of child baring and rearing.  Not in this case J.  They’re actually sleeping bags that are wide at the top and narrow at the bottom; they retain heat much better and are ideal for cold climates. They’re also easy to tote around, as they’re lighter than their rectangular counterparts.

Material

Although nylon and polyester sleeping bags for camping are cheaper, that doesn’t mean they’re not solid. For extreme enviroments, though, consider microfiber or dryloft, which are more weather resistant and waterproof.

To get you started, we tracked down some great sleeping bags for camping, which you can buy online today. Feel free to sleep on it, though.

Coleman’s Tasman X 0-Degree Hybrid Sleeping Bag
http://tinyurl.com/283f5gf
Get the best of both worlds: the roominess of a rectangular bag and the warmth of a mummy bag.

SwissGear Sleeping Bag with Hood
http://tinyurl.com/2cs9l9f
Who needs a cuddle buddy when you’ve got this? It’s super durable, will keep you warm in 20-degree weather, and is desirably lightweight.

Cabela’s 3-Season Rectangular Sleeping Bag
http://tinyurl.com/29z34l7
For frequent explorers who find themselves in unexpected climates all the time, a sleeping bag like this is a must have.

REI Luxurious 3-season Sleeping Bag
http://www.rei.com/product/762527
At a whopping $389, this is no impulse buy. But for any serious camper, it’s a wise one.

LL Bean Sleeping Bags
http://tinyurl.com/2b6mtfb

LL Bean is a leader in the world of outdoor travel gear, so they’ve naturally got a host of superior sleeping bags