The Best Family Camping
Sleeping Gear
winter 2023
Sleep is precious. Priceless, even. And in the child rearing years, it’s often a scarce commodity even when you’re home and in the usual routine. So when you take the family camping, creating the best sleeping conditions possible is imperative. That means remembering a sound machine, a nightlight (AKA a dimmable lantern — we’ve got you covered), the right choice of bedtime books, and of course those cherished stuffed buddies for snuggling. But that’s all the regular bedtime stuff, right?
Getting a good night’s sleep camping this winter means ensuring your tent is decked out with the best cold weather sleeping bags for kids and adults alike, reliable camping air mattresses (or cots), camping blankets, and any other hardware needed to ensure you can all rest in comfort. Because a bad night’s sleep while camping leads to family memories you’d really rather leave in the woods.
Below, you’ll find Dad Gear Review suggestions for the best sleeping bags for kids, recommendations for the best sleeping bags for adults, camp air mats and cots, and camping blankets that will have you and the family resting easy on your winter camping trip.
We break things down by the best budget sleeping bag, a heavier sleeping bag for truly cold weather, a bag just for side sleepers, and sleeping bags that grow with your kids. And remember: we only recommend gear from brands we know ourselves through firsthand testing.
The Best Sleeping Bags for Adults
Milder winter evenings, an occasion to snuggle close, a frosty chill, or a shoestring budget, we’ve got you covered with these tested and trusted adult sleeping bags.
The Mountain Hardware Phantom 15 is a great sleeping bag for frigid weatheR
That’s because it’s rated for temperatures down to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, AKA well below freezing, and we have tested it on mountaintops and glaciers, FYI. It’s also a great sleeping bag for the hiker or mountaineer, given its 2.1 lb weight and compact packed size. (Yep, tested it on treks many times, too.) While not cheap, this bag could be the only one you need for years to come.
The Sierra Designs Frontcountry Queen Bed is the best sleeping bag for couples
That’s because it’s big enough for two adults to not just share but even to move around in a bit as each seeks a comfortable position, yet it’s compact enough to share the warmth and only take up the footprint of two air mats. Its built-in zipperless comforter can keep both sleepers tucked in and warm or can be folded down on one or both sides. Individual foot vents allow one or both parties to let out some heat and an elastic sleeping pad sleeve keeps the bag spread out and adhered to the air mattress even if its users are moving about.
The Big Agnes Sidewinder Sleeping Bag is a great choice for side sleepers
It was designed specifically for the side sleeper, with its shape tapered or widened as needed where an adult’s shoulders or hips will be situated during side sleeping. The zipper stays out of your way, you don’t feel constricted, and you do feel plenty warm and cozy.
The Sierra Designs Boswell 35º is a great budget sleeping bag
It costs well under $100 yet will keep you warm down to nearly freezing temps. The bag is large enough for you to wriggle around in as you get comfy, yet it will still pack down into a roughly 12” diameter by 15” tall tube, so you can stash it among the rest of the gear in the trunk or truck bed.
The Best Sleeping Bags for Kids
Keep the kids warm and cozy when you tuck them into these great kids sleeping bags. Maybe they’ll even stay there…
The Kelty Mistral 30 is as good a sleeping bag as an adult would want, in kid size
This has been one of our go-to pieces of camping gear for years. Rated for 30ºF temperatures and small enough for kids as young as three but big enough for kids up to five feet tall, it will be with you for years. And it’s a great price, too.
The Big Agnes Duster kids sleeping bag will keep them warm well below freezing
This cold weather kids sleeping bag is rated for 15º Fahrenheit conditions, has a snug draft collar, and adjustable height options that allows it to fit your child’s body snugly. The exterior is water resistant, so even if the tent grows damp, the kid stays dry.
The Best camping blankets
camping blanket vs. sleeping bag? your call. but whether you use a camping blanket instead of a sleeping bag, in tandem with one, or you just want to wrap up fireside on a cool fall night, here are a few great choices.
The Rumpl Original Puffy Blanket is a lifetime purchase
You will never regret having this soft, warm blanket whether you’re using it on the couch at home, in your folding camp chair while by the fire, or draped over your sleeping bag on a particularly frosty night. It’s water-repellent and has a unique “cape clip” that lets you wear your Rumpl like a warm, puffy poncho of sorts.
The Klymit Horizon Overland Blanket has a soft fleece interior
If you can never get comfortable in a sleeping bag, this warm fleece-lined blanket may be the solution to your campsite sleeping woes. The exterior is smooth, durable, and resists water. The inside is filled with Prima Loft Silver and feels like a warm hug. At 80” x 58” this blanket is great for draping over two or wrapping around one.
The Kelty Bestie Blanket is a great low cost camping blanket
But don’t think of it as low quality. Sure, it’s a bit smaller than the other camping blankets featured here, but that also means it’s a great choice to tuck into the daypack when you and the family are headed out for a hike.
Campsite comfort sleeping solutions
Because even a great sleeping bag won’t provide a restful night if you’re sleeping on rocks, roots, or hard-packed icy ground.
THE KLYMIT INSULATED DOUBLE V SLEEPING PAD PACKS DOWN SMALL BUT INFLATES LARGE ENOUGH FOR TWO ADULTS, AND IT CUTS THE CHILL FROM BELOW
This large, warm, comfortable camping air mattress is perfect for the couple who wants to stay nice and cozy in their tent. It’s also a great size for a parent to share with a kid. Deflated, the Insulated Double V packs down to about the size of a soccer ball, so it’s easy to toss in the trunk, to store at home, and even to pack in for a couple miles on the trail, if need be.
The Kelty Galactic Sleeping Pad is a classic camping air mat
When you picture an inflatable camping mattress, this is probably what you see in your mind’s eye. It’s long, rectangular, and… air-filled. A great choice for use in most seasons and conditions, it will provide plenty of padding and decent insulation against the frosty ground.
The Sea to Summit Comfort Deluxe Self-Inflating Sleeping Mat is perfect for couples
Pricey? Yes. But frankly this large, luxurious camping air mattress is more comfortable than some regular mattresses we have tried. (Granted, talking fold-out couch mattresses, but still.) It’s thick, soft, and provides great support and insulation. And it comes in one person sizes, too.
The Sea to Summit Ultralight Insulated Air Mat is a must for the hiker or mountaineer
If your outdoor adventures involve trekking along with weight on your back, then this is the air mattress for you – as it was for us on multiple climbs, hundred-plus mile multi-day treks, and in tents where space was at a premium. The mat packs down smaller than a water bottle yet is still quite comfortable when paired with a good sleeping bag. And it’s trim enough to leave plenty of space for others in the tent.
The Helinox Lite Cot weighs less than 3 pounds but can support 265 pounds
Just not a fan of camping air mattresses? All good, not everyone is. This compact, collapsible camping cot tucks into a bag that’s just 21” long and about as thick as a loaf of sliced bread, yet when set up, the cot itself is 72” long by 23.5” wide, a perfect size for tent sleeping. And as it keeps you up off the cold ground it can keep you warmer, yet the cot can also help you release excess heat and avoid sweating.