Choosing the right sleeping bag can be a bit confusing. There are a great many of them, with a wide variance of price, weight, construction and temperature rating. In order to make a wise choice, you'll need to consider and prioritize which attributes are most important to you and appropriate for your type of camping. For example, a technical bag for high altitude use would be overkill for a week at summer camp.

Temperature Rating
A temperature rating should be thought of as a guide, not an absolute. Temp ratings are usually based on the lowest temperature in which an average person, wearing sleepwear, would be comfortable. You'll need to add a little Kentucky Windage to this number based on your tendency to sleep warmer or cooler than average, whether or not you'll be in a tent (a tent could add 5° or 10°), and the possibility of a unexpectedly cold night while you're out, among other things. Clean sleepwear (long underwear) and socks will add to your warmth and help keep your bag clean. Adequate hydration and nutrition will also help your body thermo-regulate at night.

Weight & Insulation
Backpackers, more than anyone else, place a high priority on these two factors. An extra pound or two may not be a big deal when you're traveling by vehicle, horse or boat, but when that extra weight has to be carried on your back, it quickly becomes a very big deal. Serious backpackers often favor down-filled, mummy style bags that provide the most warmth in the smallest package.

Almost all high performance, super compact sleeping bags use down for insulation. Although newer synthetic materials have narrowed the gap in terms of weight and performance, down still has the advantage. It's remarkable how small and light a 20° down bag can be (2 lbs., 6 oz.) Down bags generally cost more than synthetic bags and won't insulate as well if they become wet.

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