Sleeping Bags Compared With Quilts
Overview
Sleeping bags and backpacking quilts are two common approaches to backcountry sleep insulation. Each has advantages and tradeoffs in warmth, weight, flexibility, and ease of use.
Key points
- Traditional sleeping bags fully encircle the sleeper, providing an integrated hood and zipper.
- Backpacking quilts are open on the underside and rely on the sleeping pad for insulation from the ground.
- Quilts can be lighter than comparable sleeping bags because they eliminate compressed underside insulation.
- Sleeping bags often feel more enclosed and may be easier to keep sealed in very cold or windy conditions.
- Quilts offer more freedom of movement and can be vented easily in warmer temperatures.
- Both systems rely on an adequate sleeping pad and shelter to achieve their intended warmth.
- Managing drafts is a key skill with quilts, particularly in windy environments or when changing positions.
- Personal preference, sleep style, and climate are major factors when choosing between bags and quilts.
Details
Sleeping bags traditionally wrap fully around the sleeper, often including a hood and a full or partial-length zipper. This design can feel familiar and secure, especially in colder or windier conditions. By surrounding the body, sleeping bags can reduce drafts when properly cinched and zipped, at the cost of some additional weight and bulk from insulation that is compressed under the sleeper.
Quilts, by contrast, eliminate insulation under the body and rely on the sleeping pad to handle ground-side warmth. This can reduce overall weight and allow a more flexible, blanket-like sleeping style. Quilts usually include straps or attachments to connect to a sleeping pad and a footbox to keep feet covered. Managing drafts is more technique-dependent with quilts, and some hikers find them better suited to three-season conditions than very cold temperatures. The decision between a bag and a quilt often comes down to personal comfort, temperature range, and the hiker’s willingness to manage venting and draft control.
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