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3-Season Synthetic Sleeping Bags

Top Picks

How we choose: The best 3-season synthetic sleeping bags highlighted here were selected based on 737 reviews of 264 products. Our top picks are those that are readily-available in the United States and have received the highest overall ratings from reviewers.

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Kelty Tuck 20

user rating: 5 of 5 (4 reviews)

Warm, comfortable bag that performs as rated, with convenient features usually associated with more expensive gear.

Reasons to Buy

  • Price
  • Accurate rating
  • Features

Reasons to Avoid

  • A little narrow
  • Large packed size

I paid $89 for the Kelty Tuck. At that price, I really wasn't expecting much. I do most of my camping in North Carolina, though, so even though I was spending two weeks in the Sangre de Cristo mountains of New Mexico, I really couldn't justify spending $200 for a 20-degree bag. So I bought cheap and prepared to suffer. So, first thing, the EN temperature rating is pretty accurate. On one night, the temperature was in the 30s, and it was raining so everything was damp, and I was maybe a little cool.

Read more: Kelty Tuck 20 reviews (4)

Sierra Designs Night Cap 20

user rating: 4.5 of 5 (1 review)

A sleeping bag with a couple of tricks up its sleeve, or in the bag as the case may be. With a zipper-less design and made from recycled materials, it's based on Sierra Designs' best selling Cloud Sleeping Bag, but at a much friendlier price.

Reasons to Buy

  • Luxurious feel
  • Zipperless design
  • Included stuff sack
  • Self-sealing foot vent
  • Made from recycled materials

Reasons to Avoid

  • Runs a tad small
  • Foot box a bit cold
  • No back insulation
  • Not ideal for side sleepers

  Sierra Designs Night Cap 20º Sleeping Bag—pillow, pad, tent, and view not included. About Sierra Designs has been around since 1965 when founders Bob Swanson and George Marks decided all people deserve good gear for exploring the outdoors. Their aim was to produce products that were inspired by adventure, trail tested, and trouble free. They continue that tradition today. You can learn more about their story and their products at https://sierradesigns.com/our-story. I received this Sierra Designs Night Cap 20º sleeping bag for the purpose of this review.

Read more: Sierra Designs Night Cap 20 review (1)

Mountain Hardwear Lamina 0

user rating: 4.5 of 5 (9 reviews)

Great and affordable 0 degree bag. Comes with a built in hood to keep your noggin warm.

Reasons to Buy

  • Cost
  • Comfort
  • PACKABILITY
  • Weight
  • Wicks water very efficiently

Reasons to Avoid

  • Foot box feels small to me

I am a hammock camper. I use a Clark NX-250. My mindset for gear when I pack is more packability and versatility than being one of these ultra light campers. I like to camp in early spring, fall, winter. I had been researching numerous cold weather bags when I stumbled upon this bad boy. From reading the reviews most stated what I was looking for... PACKABILITY! Most cold weather bags are so big when stuff sacked that you cannot fit them into most packs. I did not want my bag being strapped to the back of my pack in wintery conditions so looked long and hard for one that might meet my criteria that was WARM , PACKABLE, and if able to be fairly light.

Read more: Mountain Hardwear Lamina 0 reviews (9)

Mountain Hardwear Lamina 20

user rating: 4 of 5 (8 reviews)

Is my go-to bag for a couple of seasons now for some good reasons... but the ZIPPER!

Reasons to Buy

  • Packs small for synthetic
  • Lightweight
  • Warm

Reasons to Avoid

  • Worst zipper I've ever owned!

I have a love/hate relationship with this bag. It has been my favorite synthetic bag I've owned. It presses down to 8 x 10. It's super silky comfortable. It has a great shape. The collar holds heat well. the compression sack is a really nice 3 strap/1clip design so you can unclip one strap and pull the lid back. The bag has a small pocket.  The zipper sticks HORRIBLY! Every 3-5 inches it sticks if you are trying to zip up from the inside of the bag. When it does stick, it's not an easy "backtrack and come undone" kind of stick; it sticks BAD.

Read more: Mountain Hardwear Lamina 20 reviews (8)

ALPS Mountaineering Crescent Lake 20

user rating: 4.5 of 5 (6 reviews)

The ALPS Mountaineering Crescent Lake +20F sleeping bag is warm and comfortable, relatively roomy, and retains its loft very well. It's one of the few sleeping bags I've ever used with an accurate temperature rating.

Reasons to Buy

  • Comfort
  • Warmth
  • Length
  • Roomy footbox
  • Roomy enough to sleep on my side

Reasons to Avoid

  • Could be a little more roomy in the shoulder area for easy zipping
  • Top portion of draft collar doesn't drape very well
  • Zipper snags easily
  • Face opening is hard to close due to odd shape

I picked up this sleeping bag in late spring, but it was too warm to use until just about a month ago. In that time I've used it maybe 15 nights, in temps ranging from around 40°F to 16-18°F, and am pretty impressed with it. I like it enough that I bought an ALPS Mountaineering Echo Lake -20F sleeping bag for winter used based solely on my impressions of this one. I'm looking forward to trying that one out soon! I bought the wide bag. I don't have the measurements handy but suffice it to say I'm 5'11" and 275 lbs and sleep quite comfortably in it.

Read more: ALPS Mountaineering Crescent Lake 20 reviews (6)

Marmot Trestles 15

user rating: 4 of 5 (24 reviews)

At entry-level price and above entry-level quality, this is an excellent 3-season bag that can withstand mild winter temps. It's just not very lightweight at 4 lbs.

Reasons to Buy

  • True to temp rating
  • Entry-level price, with better than entry-level quality
  • Two-way zip on both sides for easy ventilation and entry/exit

Reasons to Avoid

  • Compressed size (it’s a biggin)
  • Weight = 4 lbs. (1.81kg)

Conditions: I bought this bag nearly five years ago because of an increased interest I was taking in colder weather trips and my Marmot Alpine 40 Minimalist wasn’t cutting it for lower temps. However, I liked my previous Marmot bag, so I stayed with the brand (and price range) instead of going all-in on a down bag. Someday I hope to upgrade to a down bag, but that just hasn’t happened yet. This bag has been mostly used during autumn and spring trips and only two winter trips with the lowest recorded morning temp being 18°F.

Read more: Marmot Trestles 15 reviews (24)

ALPS Mountaineering Blaze 0

user rating: 5 of 5 (1 review)

Big & Comfy

Reasons to Buy

  • Warm
  • Good value
  • Good for side sleeper
  • Great for car camping

Reasons to Avoid

  • Packs large

  Compare to 5 gal bucket Wide     I purchased another inexpensive winter bag and after a few nights realized that the only thing the liner wouldn't stick to is bare skin. And, well, let's face it, why use a bag you have to crawl out of without clothes when the temp is down into single digits? Not me anyway. I've seen this brand at REI for several years and took a closer look. For the price, it was an excellent value. It has baffles around the neck, a decent zipper with a baffle, and dual adjustments on the hood.

Read more: ALPS Mountaineering Blaze 0 review (1)

Snugpak Jungle

user rating: 5 of 5 (2 reviews)

A roomy, versatile, lightweight sleeping bag with unique features that can also be used as a hammock top quilt.

Reasons to Buy

  • Lightweight
  • Built-in bug net
  • Roomy rectangular form factor
  • Fully unzips to make a blanket or hammock top quilt
  • Tough diamond weave antimicrobial fabric
  • Reasonably priced
  • Includes the excellent Snugpak compression stuff sack

Reasons to Avoid

  • Hard to find at retail locations

I bought the Snugpak Jungle Bag to include in a lightweight hammock camping system and to also serve as a summer weight sleeping bag for use in a bivy sack or for just under the stars all by itself. Originally I had considered the classic U.S. GI issue polyester filled poncho liner or patrol bag for this purpose but new and genuine army issue gear has dramatically escalated in price over the years. That's when I discovered that the multiple features of the Snugpak Jungle Bag made the slightly higher cost of the Jungle Bag a much better value in my opinion.

Read more: Snugpak Jungle reviews (2)

Marmot Trestles Elite 20

user rating: 4.5 of 5 (1 review)

With a good price and low weight, it is an excellent option for backpacking and traveling in three seasons.

Reasons to Buy

  • Price
  • Lightweight
  • Comfort
  • Good quality

Reasons to Avoid

  • Zipper
  • Small internal pocket

This is the sleeping bag I use for my three-season outings, where temperatures can reach 0° C (32° F). 1) Warmth: The most extreme temperature in which I have used it was -6° C (21.2° F) and being with a warm layer I had no problems. But I would recommend it for situations over to 0° C (32° F). 2) Fit & Comfort:  It is a comfortable sleeping bag, not too tight at the height of the legs, which allows turning inside without problems. The only bad thing is that the hood could be a little more closed, to better protect the face and head from the cold.

Read more: Marmot Trestles Elite 20 review (1)

Teton Sports Tracker 5 Ultralight Mummy Sleeping Bag

user rating: 4 of 5 (3 reviews)

This is a great, comfortable bag. I have not used it in temps down to the 5 degree rating, but have found it to be a durable, easily packed, and comfortable bag for car camping and canoe camping, in nighttime temperatures from 30-50 degrees. It has some nice features, that make it a fine sleeping bag. I highly recommend this sleeping bag.

Reasons to Buy

  • Larger foot box area
  • Nice material interior and exterior
  • Warm
  • Zippers can be used from in or out of the bag

Reasons to Avoid

  • It compressses well, but probably would fit only in larger backpacks' sleeping bag compartments

I must disclose, I have not used this bag in its full, zipped up, mummy style mode, except for a trial. It is a very warm bag, and with our overnight camping trips taking place primarily May to October, the temperature does not get down cold enough to require that mode. But...I love this sleeping bag! I have used it for multiple trips this season, and am very impressed with it, and have recommended it to others. The interior is a soft material (Double-Brushed P5 Poly Hi-Count), not slippery nylon, so it is very comfortable.

Read more: Teton Sports Tracker 5 Ultralight Mummy Sleeping Bag reviews (3)

More Reviews of 3-Season Synthetic Sleeping Bags

Trailspace reviewers have shared 737 reviews of 264 different 3-season synthetic sleeping bags.

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Other Types of 3-Season Sleeping Bags

Find more 3-season sleeping bags reviewed in these related categories:

3-Season Down Sleeping Bags

3-Season Hybrid Sleeping Bags

all 3-Season Sleeping Bags (0° to 32°F)

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