These 10 Lightweight Sleeping Won't Weigh You Down on Your Next Camping Trip

There’s nothing like the memories you make getting away from daily life and embracing the beauty of nature on a camping trip.Take it from any camping aficionado—the further you delve into nature the more magical the experience. So while sleeping under the stars with a bunch of friends at a designated campground next to an army of SUVs can be a blast, it’s not necessarily conducive to truly escaping modern life and dialing it back to the essentials. Backpacking, i.e. hiking to the perfect location to pitch a tent and marvel at your surroundings, carrying everything you need with you, is the perfect way to really commune with the great outdoors.

If you’re intrigued by the idea of hitting the trail instead of the road, but haven’t backpacked before or could use a little refresher on what to pack, remember that choosing items based on weight is key. The items that will generally be the heaviest to carry in your pack are your tent, sleeping pad and sleeping bag, so the rule of thumb is to select the lightest sleeping bag you can get away with.

A good weight for a backpacking sleeping bag is under or around 3 lb., or even under 2 lb. for the ultimate in streamlined packing. The other characteristics that will factor into selecting the best sleeping bag for camping are warmth and shape. All sleeping bags will list a temperature denoting the coldest temperature they’re designed to withstand, though you’ll generally be more comfortable if you opt for a bag with a listed temperature about 10 degrees cooler than the weather you’re expecting.

The shape of the bag affects the warmth as well. Mummy, or super-fitted styles, are great for trapping body heat and a must for chilly night temperatures, while a classic, rectangular quilt version is better suited to warmer nights.

Backpacking isn’t a weightlifting competition, so no matter how great of shape you’re in, remember that lighter is better, and try to reserve your energy for swimming in pristine lakes and climbing breathtaking vistas, rather than carrying a super heavy pack.

Prices can vary a lot depending on different styles and materials, but we’ve included some of the best backpack sleeping bags for any budget in our list of favorites, so that you have no excuse to consider spending next weekend inside.