If you want to take your kids camping or backpacking, you’ll need a good sleeping bag for them. Unfortunately, most kids sleeping bags are made for sleepovers and not camping. They simply won’t cut it when it comes to keeping your kids warm and comfortable, especially at high elevations where the temperatures can drop rapidly.
Luckily, there are a few brands which do make kids camping sleeping bags – and even some which are lightweight enough to be used for backpacking with kids. As an outdoorsy mom with two daughters, here are my picks for the best kids sleeping bags, plus what you need to know to pick the right sleeping bag for your style of family camping.
Got a really little kid? See my picks for the best:
Quick Picks:
- Best Overall: Big Agnes Duster – It’s adjustable from 4’5” to 5’6″ , has a sleeve pad so your kid doesn’t roll off the pad at night and will keep your kid warm down to 15F.
- Best for Car Camping: REI Kindercone – This bag is also adjustable and has a lot of serious features. At 51oz, it’s a bit bulky though so is only good for car camping.
- Best for Backpacking: Morrison Mighty Mo – It’s lightweight enough for backpacking, warm enough for mountain weather and has sleeves so your kids won’t put their arms out of the bag. If your kids are a bit bigger, then the Big Agnes Wolverine is the better choice.
- Best Budget Pick: Kelty Mistral 20 – This affordable sleeping bag is actually warm enough for 3-season use. Yes, it’s heavy and bulky – but not nearly as much as the Coleman Youth mummy bag which costs about the same.
Table Comparison
| Name | Limit Comfort | Fits up to | Shoulder Width | Weight | Stuff size | Buy At |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Agnes Little Red | 15F | 53" | 24" | 28oz | 7.5x9" | Amazon, Backcountry.com, Campsaver |
| Morrison Mighty Mo 20 | 20F | 54" | 20" | 16.4oz | N/G | Morrison.com |
| Morrison Mighty Mo 40 | 40F | 54" | 20" | 25oz | 5.5x14" | Morrison.com |
| Marmot Trestles Elite Eco 30 | 30F | 60" | 26" | 38oz | 7x17" | Backcountry.com, Campsaver |
| REI Kindercone | 25F | 60" | 25" | 51oz | 12x16" | REI |
| Kelty Mistral | 20F | 60" | 28" | 42.4oz | 10x17" | Amazon, Campsaver |
| Big Agnes Wolverine | 15F | 60" | 27" | 38oz | 8x10" | Amazon, Campsaver |
| Coleman Mummy Youth | 30F | 60" | 26" | 48oz | 10x17" | Amazon, Backcountry.com |
| North Face Eco Youth | 20F | 60" | 26.5" | 48oz | 9x16" | Amazon |
| Big Agnes Duster | 15F | 66" | 31" | 46oz | 10x11" | Amazon, Campsaver |
Kids Sleeping Bag Reviews
1. Big Agnes Duster
Best for: A great camping sleeping bag which will grow with your kid
Features:
- Limit comfort: 15F
- Max user height: 66”
- Shoulder width: 31”
- Bag weight: 46oz
- Fill: Synthetic
- Stuff size: 10×11”
- Other features: Adjustable length and width, fitted hood, draft collar, zipper baffle, pad sleeve
- Available At: Amazon
Review:
The Duster kids sleeping bag by Big Agnes is designed to grow with your kids. Not only is the length adjustable, but you can adjust the width too. This makes it the only adjustable kids sleeping bag which will still keep them warm because it removes the empty space. It will fit kids starting at 4’ 5” and up to 5’ 6”.
Big Agnes makes serious camping and backpacking gear, and the Duster sleeping bag is no exception. There are pro features like a draft collar and baffle on the zipper to trap heat better. The coolest feature of their kids sleeping bags though is that they have a pad sleeve: the pad fits inside a sleeve integrated into the bottom of the sleeping bag. This means your kid can’t roll off the pad at night.
Note that there is no insulation on the bottom part of the sleeping bag. This is because it’s designed to be used with a pad (insulation underneath sleeping bags gets squished, so doesn’t provide much warmth anyway). But it might be annoying if you want to use the sleeping bag without a pad (not sure why you wouldn’t be using a pad) or with a different pad.
Also note that Amazon incorrectly states that this sleeping bag is synthetic/down. It is 100% synthetic.
Pros:
- Adjustable length to fit 53” to 66”
- Width also adjustable
- Pad sleeve
- Good for cold temps
- Lightweight and compact
- Affordable
Cons:
- No insulation underneath
- Must be used with 20” wide pad
- A bit bulky
2. Big Agnes Little Red
Best for: Camping or backpacking with very little kids
Features:
- Limit comfort: 15F
- Max user height: 53”
- Shoulder width: 24”
- Bag weight: 28oz
- Fill: Synthetic
- Stuff size: 7.5×9”
- Other features: Fitted hood, draft collar, zipper baffle, pad sleeve
- Available At: Amazon
Review:
The Big Agnes Little Red is the only serious sleeping bag for really little kids. It will fit kids up to 4’5” but is really best for 3 to 5 year olds. It has all the pro features of the Duster sleeping bag – including the pad sleeve, so I won’t go through those features here.
Do note that the Little Red sleeping bag is not adjustable in length or width. Yes, your kid will outgrow it fairly quickly, but it does mean that the sleeping bag is really lightweight and compact. It’s even light enough to take backpacking, especially considering that you’ll be carrying all your kids’ gear (and maybe your kid too! :)).
Pros:
- Pad sleeve
- Good for cold temps
- Lightweight and compact
- Affordable
Cons:
- No insulation underneath
- Must be used with 20×48 pad
3. Big Agnes Wolverine
Best for: Backpacking with kids 5 and up
Features:
- Limit comfort: 15F
- Max user height: 60”
- Shoulder width: 26”
- Bag weight: 38oz
- Fill: Synthetic
- Stuff size: 8×10”
- Other features: Fitted hood, draft collar, zipper baffle, pad sleeve
- Available At: Amazon
Review:
The Wolverine is the mid-sized kids sleeping bag by Big Agnes. It has the same features as the Duster, but it is not adjustable.
If you only do car camping, I’d recommend getting the Duster version since you’ll get more use out of it. However, if you do any backpacking, the Wolverine may be the better choice because is only 38oz vs. 51oz with the Duster.
Pros:
- Pad sleeve
- Good for cold temps
- Lightweight and compact
- Affordable
Cons:
- No insulation underneath
- Must be used with 20” wide pad
4. Morrison Mighty Mo 20F or 40F
Best for: Backpacking with little kids 4 to 6 years old
Features:
- Limit Comfort: 20F or 40F
- Max user height: 54”
- Bag weight: 16.4oz or 25oz
- Fill: Down or synthetic
- Stuff size: 5.5″ x 14″
- Other features: fold-back hand cuffs, draft collar, zipper baffle, two-way zipper
- Available at: Morrison.com (get 10% through this link). Also available at Amazon but it’s better to support this family-run company directly 🙂
Review:
I used the Morrison Little Mo sleeping bag for my daughter when she was a baby (read my review here). Now that she’s grown up a bit, she uses the Mighty Mo sleeping bag. Full disclosure that the company sent me the bag for free to test out.
There are two versions of the bag: 20F (down) and 40F (synthetic.
The main thing to love about Morrison kids sleeping bags is that they are lightweight. Even the 40F synthetic version only weighs 25oz. The down version is really lightweight at 16.4oz. This makes it one of the only sleeping bags for little kids that is suitable for backpacking.
Despite being so lightweight, the sleeping bag is still really warm. Because there are sleeves, your kid won’t keep popping their arms out like with a normal sleeping bag – thus losing warmth in the process. There are also lots of cool features like a two-way zipper so you can adjust ventilation. The hands have cuffs which you can fold over or open up.
Pros:
- Lightweight and compact
- Dries quickly
- Sleeves
- Fold-over cuffs on sleeves
Cons:
- Down version is expensive
- Limited colors
5. Kelty Mistral 20
Best for: Very affordable sleeping bag for car camping
Features:
- Limit comfort: 20F
- Max user height: 60”
- Shoulder width: 28”
- Bag weight: 4oz
- Fill: Synthetic
- Stuff size: 10×17”
- Other features: Fitted hood
- Availabe At: Amazon, Campsaver
Review:
The Kelty Mistral kids sleeping bag is a very basic budget sleeping bag. As you’d expect at this price, it doesn’t have a draft collar or zipper baffle. The zipper is also a really cheap one and will snag if your kid isn’t careful. But, compared to other cheap sleeping bags for kids, this one is actually suitable for cold weather.
It definitely won’t be warm at 20 degrees, but should be comfortable in the low 40s (the high 30s is really pushing it!). Note that the shoulder width on this bag is quite wide. If your child is tiny, the bag will be way too big – and your kid will end up cold. Tie off the end and bring a blanket to fill the empty space in case it gets very cold at night.
Note that Kelty also makes a 30 degree version of the Mistral youth bag. It’s about $5 cheaper and only 1oz lighter. Unless you really need to save those 5 dollars, I can’t see a reason to get the 30 degree version. It’s better to have a bag which will work in colder temps!
Pros:
- Very affordable
Cons:
- Wide size allows heat to escape
- No draft collar or zipper baffle
- Heavy and bulky for its temperature rating
6. REI Kindercone
Best for: An adjustable-length sleeping bag for car camping
Features:
- Limit comfort: 25F
- Max user height: 60”
- Shoulder width: 25”
- Bag weight: 51oz
- Fill: Synthetic
- Stuff size: 12×16”
- Other features: Adjustable length, fitted hood, zipper baffle
- Buy At: REI
Review:
This is one of the most popular kids sleeping bags, though that’s mostly because REI is such a well-known brand. It also doesn’t hurt that the Kindercone is affordable.
I love that the sleeping bag is actually warm. There is no draft collar but there is a zipper baffle to help trap heat. The shoulder circumference is just 50” (most kids bags are at least 54”). This narrower width is important for trapping heat. If your kid is layered well at night, they will be comfortable into the 30s (don’t expect them to be warm down to 25F though!).
The stuff sack is attached to the bottom of the sleeping bag. To make the bag shorter, you pull the sack over the bottom of the sleeping bag and cinch it up. This will shorten the bag by approximately 16”. I still wouldn’t recommend this sleeping bag for kids under 5 years old though since it will be too big.
Don’t think you can take this sleeping bag backpacking though. It is MASSIVE and heavy at 51oz. You may want to get some compression straps to put around the stuff sack to make it smaller.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Adjustable length
- Actually warm
Cons:
- Heavy
- Very bulky
- Cheap zippers
7. Marmot Trestles Elite Eco 30 Youth
Best for: Serious camping or backpacking
Features:
- Limit comfort: 30F
- Max user height: 60”
- Shoulder width: 26”
- Bag weight: 38oz
- Fill: Synthetic
- Stuff size: 7×17”
- Other features: Fitted hood, draft collar, zipper baffle
- Buy At: Campsaver
Review:
Marmot is a very reputable brand of backpacking gear. Their sleeping bags have pro-level features. The Trestles Elite Eco 30 kids bag is just a small version of the adult bag. It is made out of a really good synthetic material which has a high loft. It has a wave construction on the top and a blanket construction on the foot area.
When zipped completely up, the draft collar does its job perfectly. When unzipped, you can get some ventilation to adjust the temperature.
They don’t specifically say the EN/ISO temperature rating of the kids version of the bag. However, the adult version of the bag has a lower limit of 28F and a tested comfort level of 37.6F.
The bag is really lightweight. It is fairly huge in the stuff sack. But the stuff sack has compression straps. When compressed, the bag is actually pretty compact so it’s suitable for backpacking with kids.
Pros:
- Compression straps on stuff sack
- Lightweight
- Pro features
- Top zips down on both sides
- Narrow to help trap heat
Cons:
- Pricier option
8. North Face Eco Youth
Best for: The front zipper feature
Features:
- Limit comfort: 20F
- Max user height: 60”
- Shoulder width: 26.5”
- Bag weight: 48oz
- Fill: Synthetic
- Stuff size: 9×16”
- Other features: Fitted hood, draft collar, zipper baffle, front zipper
- Available at: Amazon
Review:
Compared to the Wasatch, the North Face Eco Youth is a much better bag. It actually has a draft collar and zipper baffle, so traps heat better. It still won’t be warm at 20F, but should be good into the low 40s or even the high 30s. It is much heavier and bulkier though, so don’t expect to take this backpacking.
The only stand-out feature of this kids sleeping bag is the front zipper. My kids often fall asleep outside in front of the fire. I then have to carry them into the tent and get them into their sleeping bags without waking them up. The front zipper would make this a lot easier. Since the zipper is two-way, you can also use it for venting: just unzip the foot area a bit if it gets too hot at night.
Pros:
- Front zipper for easy in/out
- Two-way zipper allows for venting
- Fairly warm bag
Cons:
- Pricier option
- Only one color/boring design
- Heavy and bulky
9. Coleman Youth Mummy
Best for: Entry-level kids sleeping bag for car camping
Features:
- Limit comfort: 30F
- Max user height: 60”
- Shoulder width: 26”
- Bag weight: 48oz
- Fill: Synthetic
- Stuff size: 12×16”
- Other features: Fitted hood
- Available At: Amazon
Review:
Coleman makes a lot of affordable camping gear. Compared to other brands at the same price point, their gear is a decent quality. This mummy sleeping bag for kids is no exception. It will keep kids warm down to the high 40s (or low 40s if you really bundle them up inside). But, as expected from budget gear, there isn’t much in terms of features. At least the zippers are a decent quality and don’t snag (much) or break on you.
Just be warned that the sleeping bag is really HUGE in its stuff sack. It is hard to get back in the stuff sack too. It is definitely only for car camping – and hopefully you’ve got lots of room in your car for bulky gear. I’d rather get the Kelty Mistral 20 degree kids sleeping bag. It costs almost the exact same but is much less bulky and even a bit warmer.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Decent zipper
Cons:
- Heavy and bulky
- Lacks features
Choosing a Kids Sleeping Bag for Camping
Can Kids Use an Adult Sleeping Bag?
If a sleeping bag is too big, it won’t be able to trap body heat well, will take longer to warm up and also let in drafts. Because of this, kids should NOT use adult sleeping bags. However, you can tie off the bottom of an adult sleeping bag to make it fit a child better. Since the adult sleeping bag will still probably be too wide, you’ll want to fill the empty space with a blanket. There’s still no guarantee that drafts won’t get inside though.
This may be okay in warm weather but, in cold temps, an adult sleeping bag will not keep a little kid warm!
Should You Get an Adjustable-Length Kids Sleeping Bag?
Some kids sleeping bags have an adjustable-length feature. This is great because it will allow you to get more use out of the sleeping bag. However, there are some downsides to this feature:
- Extra weight and bulk: An adjustable length sleeping bag is going to be heavier and bulkier than a bag which fits your child perfectly. This isn’t an issue for car camping but is if you want to go backpacking or need to hike into camp.
- Sides usually aren’t adjustable: Usually just the length is adjustable. This means the sleeping bag will still be too wide for your child, so it won’t be as warm. The Big Agnes Duster bag is the only option which allows you to adjust the width as well as the length.
- Can DIY: IMO, there’s no reason to pay extra for an adjustable length sleeping bag when you can just tie some rope around the bottom of a slightly-longer kids bag. *I would pay extra for the adjustable width feature on the Duster though, since there’s no smart way to do this yourself.
Temp Ratings on Kids Sleeping Bags
Good sleeping bags use the EN/ISO system to determine their temperature rating. When choosing a sleeping bag, you want to look at the “Comfort Rating” and make sure it matches the nighttime temperatures of where you will be camping.
Unfortunately, most kids sleeping bags only list the “Lower Limit” rating. For example, they might write, “Warm down to 40 degrees F.” This does not mean your child will be warm at 40 degrees! The comfort rating is usually 10-15 degrees F higher than the lower limit. So, if you are camping at 40F, you’d need a bag with a lower limit rating of 25F or lower.
Tip: When choosing between two youth sleeping bags for car camping, always get the warmer one. Your child can always unzip it if they get too warm.
You’ll Also Need a Sleeping Pad
The pad is just as important as the sleeping bag for keeping your kid warm when camping. In summer temperatures, you can get away with a cheap foam sleeping pad with an R-value (insulation value) of 1. In colder temps, you’ll want an R-value of 3. I use the Therm-a-Rest Scout self-inflating pad for my daughter. It comes in a small size.
A sleeping pad is only warm if your kid stays on it! Read how to keep your child from rolling off their pad at night.
Down or Synthetic for Kids Sleeping Bag?
Compared to synthetic, down sleeping bags are much warmer and more compact. However, I generally do not recommend a down sleeping bag for kids. If down gets wet, it takes FOREVER to dry. It also doesn’t insulate when wet.
If your child were to have an accident at night in a down bag, you’d be completely screwed. By contrast, my daughter had a few accidents in her synthetic sleeping bag on a camping trip. I shoved her in my sleeping bag for the rest of the night (we are both petite), washed the bag in a stream, and it dried by bedtime.
Keep in mind that kids are more likely to have bathroom accidents when camping (the change in schedule, not wanting to walk to the camp bathroom, rolling off their pad and getting cold…). They could also do something like spill water all over the sleeping bag. Because of this, synthetic is generally the way to go.
Do NOT Get a Cotton Sleeping Bag
Whatever you do, avoid cotton sleeping bags when camping. Like down, cotton takes a very long time to dry. If your child ends up hot in the sleeping bag, for example, the sweat will make the sleeping bag get wet from the inside out. They would then end up freezing cold due to evaporative heat loss. Cotton also gets dirty very easily, which would be a nightmare if your kid wants to snuggle in the sleeping bag next to the fire.
Colors and Design
I wish this didn’t matter so much, but my girls both want cute sleeping bags with fun colors and designs. If you can’t decide between two sleeping bags for your kids, I suggest you let them choose. They will be happier if they feel like they had a part in the decision. 🙂
Image credit: “rachel puts sequoia to bed in a tent and” (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) by sean dreilinger
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