How Big Should a Backpacking Sleeping Bag Be?

By Michael Ferguson

When it comes to choosing a backpacking sleeping bag, size matters. Not only will the size of your sleeping bag determine how comfortable you are while sleeping, but it will also affect how much space your bag takes up in your backpack. The right size bag will keep you warm and comfortable on the trail without taking up too much space.

The first decision to make when choosing a backpacking sleeping bag is whether you want an adult-sized or youth-sized bag. Generally, adult-sized bags are more suitable for taller individuals who need more room to move around during the night.

Youth-sized bags are designed for smaller individuals who don’t need as much room and may find an adult-sized bag too bulky.

The second factor to consider is the shape of the bag. Most backpacking bags have either a mummy shape or rectangular shape.

Mummy shaped bags are designed to hug the body and provide maximum warmth by trapping heat inside the bag and keeping cold air out. Rectangular shaped bags offer more freedom of movement since they’re not as tight around the body, but they tend to be less warm than mummy shaped bags.

Size Recommendations

When it comes to selecting a size for your backpacking sleeping bag, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Ultimately, you should choose a size that fits your body type best and provides enough room to move around comfortably during the night without being too bulky.

For adults, we recommend choosing a sleeping bag that is at least 80 inches long and 40 inches wide if you’re taller than 6 feet tall.

If you’re shorter than 6 feet tall, then we recommend going with a sleeping bag that is at least 72 inches long and 34 inches wide.

For youth sizes, we recommend selecting a sleeping bag that is at least 60 inches long and 28 inches wide if the individual is taller than 5 feet tall. If the individual is shorter than 5 feet tall, then we recommend going with a sleeping bag that is at least 54 inches long and 24 inches wide.

Conclusion

Choosing the right sized backpacking sleeping bag can be tricky since there isn’t one exact size fits all option available. However, by taking into account your body type as well as how much freedom of movement you require while sleeping can help narrow down your options so that you can find a comfortable fit without sacrificing warmth or taking up too much space in your backpack.

: When selecting a backpacking sleeping bag, it’s important to consider both your height and preferred shape of sleep in order to determine what size would work best for you. Adult sizes should be at least 80″ long x 40″ wide for those over 6′ tall; 72″ x 34″ for those under 6′.

For youth sizes 60″ x 28″ for those over 5′, 54″ x 24″ for those under 5′. Selecting the right sized backpacking sleepingbag will ensure warmth without sacrificing too much space in your backpack while on the trail!