SectionHiker.com Backpacking Gear Reviews and FAQs 
Many ultralight sleeping bags are as lightweight as backpacking quilts, making them a viable component in an ultralight backpacking sleep system. Sleeping bags also have the advantage over quilts in that they are draft-free because they can be zippered closed at night and have no pad attachment straps to mess around with in the dark. Many ultralight sleeping bags are also available without mummy hoods. They can be easily vented, providing all of the comfort advantages of backpacking quilts for people who prefer hoodless sleep insulation.
| Make / Model | Type | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Western Mountaineering Summerlite 32 | Mummy | 19 oz / 539g |
| Therm-a-Rest Hyperion 20 | Mummy | 20 oz / 567g |
| Western Mountaineering Flylite 34 | Mummy | 14.25 oz / 404g |
| Mountain Hardwear Phantom 30 | Mummy | 22.1 oz / 626g |
| Zpacks Mummy Sleeping Bag 20 | Mummy | 22 oz / 625g |
| Western Mountainering Highlite | Mummy | 16 oz / 454g |
| Feathered Friends Flicker 40 | Hoodless | 18.5 oz / 525g |
| Enlightened Equipment Convert 40 | Hoodless | 22.8 oz / 646g |
| Therm-a-Rest Ohm 20 | Hoodless | 22 oz / 624g |
| Feathered Friends Tanager 20 | Hoodless | 18.6 oz / 527g |
Here are the 10 best ultralight sleeping bags that we recommend:
1. Western Mountaineering Summerlite 32
2. Therm-a-Rest Hyperion 20 Sleeping Bag
3. Western Mountaineering Flylite 34
4. Mountain Hardware Phantom 30
5. Zpacks Mummy Sleeping Bag 20
6. Western Mountaineering Highlite 35 Sleeping Bag
7. Feathered Friends Flicker 40
8. Enlightened Equipment Convert 40 Sleeping Quilt
The Enlightened Equipment Convert features a full-length zipper and a fully adjustable and ventable footbox which allows it to be completely closed (like a sleeping bag), completely open (like a blanket), or somewhere in between. It’s available with 850 or 950 fill power down, a draft collar, different lengths and widths, and a wide variety of colors and fabric weights. For example, a 40-degree 850-fill power read-to-ship Convert Sleeping Bag weighs just 22.8 oz. Read the SectionHiker Convert Review.
9. Therm-a-Rest Ohm 20 Sleeping Bag
10. Feather Friends Tanager 20 Sleeping Bag
Ultralight Sleeping Bag Guide
Here is a list of key considerations when deciding between different ultralight sleeping bag options.
Mummy or Rectangular (Hoodless) Sleeping Bags?
Ultralight sleeping bags are available with mummy hoods or hoodless rectangular bags, similar to quilts. Which you choose is a personal preference, but a mummy hood can be a bonus in colder temperatures when more head insulation is warranted. When sleeping in a hoodless sleeping bag, you’ll want to use some head covering, like a fleece or down cap, or sleep in a puffy down jacket with a hood to keep your head warm and seal out drafts at the top of the bag.
Must-have Features
Ultralight sleeping bags should have a draft collar, zipper draft tubes, and snag-free zippers at a minimum. Partial-length zippers, continuous baffles, and even water-resistant down are all nice-to-haves, but you can get by without them to save on cost or because they’re not strictly necessary.
Draft Collar
Most high-quality ultralight sleeping bags have draft collars which is an important feature on bags rated for 20 degrees F or colder. A draft collar is a tube of insulation that drapes over your chest and neck and seals in the bag’s warmth. Without it, the warm air inside the bag will rush out around your neck when you move around inside. The simplest draft collar is a down tube that covers the front of your chest. Higher-end bags add a second draft collar around the back of your shoulders and neck and provide additional controls, so you can tighten or loosen it.
Zipper Draft Tubes
Draft tubes are down-filled tubes of fabric that cover up the side zipper so your legs don’t come in contact with it (because it’s cold). They also prevent cold air from leaking into the bag through the needle holes that are created when sewing the zipper to the bag. Most bags have at least one zipper draft tube, although some have two, both top and bottom, that fall into place when you zip up your bag.
Snag Free Zipper
Snag-free zippers prevent the side zipper’s teeth from tearing the shell fabric of your bag and spilling its insulation. The zipper is usually bordered by stiff fabric tape, to keep it away from the down baffles and prevent it from getting snagged on the bag’s outer shell.
Nice-to-have features
Water-Resistant Down
Water-resistant down is a nice to have, not a must-have in an ultralight sleeping bag. The truth is most people can keep their sleeping bags dry. If you notice moisture on the outside of your sleeping bag in the morning, it doesn’t mean that the down inside is wet. Simply drape it over your tent in the sun while you eat breakfast and it will dry in no time.
Continuous baffles
Continuous baffles usually run horizontally across a bag. They allow you to shake the down in the baffles and move it to a different location. For example, if you’re too warm, you could shake the down so it fell down the sides of the bag, rather than keep it on your chest. While continuous baffles let you customize the distribution of down for different needs, many people prefer baffles that keep the down in one place reliably and permanently. It’s one less thing to worry about.
Partial length zippers
Partial-length zippers are often used as a weight-saving feature, however, they can reduce use across a wider temperature range by limiting your venting options.
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If is made by Western Mountaineering I am all for it… I love their new bags but have no reason to give up my Ultralite which I bought in I think 1999 or 2000. And I also notice that their prices have only changed due to the greed of the Down providers.. My UltraLite has been on over 560 Backpacking trips and is my #1 go to bag second only to a Cats Meow which I bought in 2002 for a Trip where rain was expected for up to 5 days straight… Keep up the great reviews….
Thanks eddie. I still have my Ultralite 20 too. Close to 17 years old and going strong.
+1 Western Mountaineering. My first and only bag is the Versalite 10F, bought in the late 1990’s for $375. Wanted something for the worst conditions in shoulder seasons in northern Rockies. Night temps range from high teens to mid-40’s. Older fabric is heavier than newer, but still ca. 2lb 2oz for 6’6″.
Would like to reduce weight (and a 6′ is fine since I’m 5’10’), but as a restless side sleeper, I haven’t seen anything with comparable warmth/weight. Not sure I completely agree that quilts are as better based on the argument that the lack of loft underneath is useless. If the air mattress springs a leak I want all the insulation I can get, compressed or not.
No Cumulus Bags……
I’d also recommend cumulus but maybe they are expensive for North Americans to obtain from Poland. Most US manufacturers are too expensive for me to import from the states. I’d only go for th my if they have a retailer in the EU or if there wasnt an EU equivalent..
x lite 200 at 350 g and packed size c.a. 2 L without significant loft detoriation is a game changer
Based on your review a while back, I bought a FF Flicker 40. It is astounding how versatile that quilt/bag is. And it feels luxurious for a 40 degree rating. I and a friend to whom I loaned it have taken it well into the 30s and been perfectly warm.
I’ve got a 30 degree GoLite bag with full zip that weighs 24 oz. and becomes my quilt when hammock camping. It doesn’t have all the features but it works well for me. As a warm sleeper, I’ve taken it down to a couple degrees below zero F and been comfy. Of course, for those backyard excursions, I’ve also had on long johns and extra layers.
Maybe somebody would explain to me the high regard for Western Mountaineering sleeping bags & quilts? I use a PHD sleeping bag, though I’m not so sold on it & really like the idea to try a quilt. I keep looking at other brands & regularly read what seem like rave reviews of Western Mountaineering kit. They look OK, but specs seem quite underwhelming though & never having seen one for real, I’m definitely not convinced enough to spend money on their products. Any thoughts?
Other manufacturers have caught up with them. That is true. They’re still very high quality bags, with down fill power that often exceeds what’s documented in the specs. I also think they’re zipper treatments are still second to none. if I were going to buy a new bag though, I’d probably go to Feathered Friends first.
Interesting! Thanks!
What is your opinion on the REI Magma 15? I picked up a barely used one, last years model I believe, for $35 at REI used gear.
You got a good deal. Those are nice bags.
I bought two custom made Western Mountaineering sleeping bags in 1973. They are beautiful and still going strong. I vote for Western Mountaineering and Feathered Friends for the best sleeping bags. I vote for Katabatic Gear for the best quilts.
My wife and I each have 3 different Western Mountaineering bags (for different temps). We love them, especially the ultra dependable zippers. Very well made, plus made in the USA.