Big Agnes Sleeping Bags

Your choice of sleeping bag should depend on factors such as when you intend to use it.

• Summer – A sleeping bag for the summer, often called a single-season sleeping bag, will be the cheapest option, as you can save on heat-retaining functions. If you're only going to camp in the summer, you can therefore prioritise other functions such as light weight and compressibility.

• Spring, summer, autumn – A three-season sleeping bag has more insulation than a summer sleeping bag, designed to keep you warm even if the temperature drops to zero.

• Winter – A winter sleeping bag, or four-season sleeping bag, will cost you a little more and be heavier, but you will get a sleeping bag that insulates and keeps you warm even in sub-zero temperatures. You don't want to sacrifice quality here, as it’s especially important to stay warm at night when you’re camping in the winter. If a sleeping bag rips, it loses its functionality. Winter sleeping bags also have poorer compressibility, which is why it can be worth investing in a good cover that compresses it effectively.

Sleeping bags are either filled with down or synthetic materials. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. For example, down retains heat better, while synthetic material is cheaper and retains heat even when the sleeping bag is wet. As a rule of thumb, go for synthetics for summer and down for winter, but it's important that you check the properties of the different materials before you make your choice.