14 Best Double Sleeping Bags (Review) In 2021

We’ve shown you the best double sleeping bag brands and models, and this is how we came to our conclusions. In this buying guide, you’re going to see the broken down process of selecting the right double sleeping bag, how to care for it, and some answers to those burning questions you have about maintenance and the longevity of your purchase.

How To Choose The Best Double Sleeping Bag

Size - We know they’re double bags, but you need to get into the nitty-gritty about actual length and width. Shorter guys are going to run into problems when most sleeping bags accommodate for up to six foot three and taller. As a little hack, if you’re in the 5’11” or shorter crowd (like me), you can stuff a nylon blanket at the bottom and bury your feet in it while you sleep.

Material - We want to see ripstop nylon and quality insulating materials, we want polyester and durable elastic hood strings. Half the battle is starting with the right materials, while the other half is actually assembling them into a good double sleeping bag. If you go with the best, you can expect nothing less than satisfaction.

Comfort - You’re going to be sleeping in this, so it had bloody well be comfortable enough to warrant your presence. If you’ve ever looked at these numerous mattress commercials over the last ten years, then you’ll know that there’s a lot of scientific data to verify that everyone sleeps differently, and has different requirements for comfort. That’s true, and comfort is the biggest gamble when going online, but when a sleeping bag uses top-grade materials, you’re going with the safest bet possible.

Durability - Make no mistake: this is an investment in your camping gear, not a short-term purchase. A quality double sleeping bag should last you for well over a decade, regardless of how often you use it. Durability can be attributed to the seam design, materials, waterproofing, and all of those are heavily reliant on what brand you went with. We’re not saying you have to go with one brand, but just understand what separates true outdoor enthusiast companies from low quality cash grabs.

Temperature Rating - How low can the outdoors go before you freeze like a popsicle? It doesn’t an absurdly low temperature like you might think. A good temperature rating on your sleeping bag is a result of high-quality insulation, and a seamless, flawless design. If it’s been a while since you’ve grabbed a new sleeping bag, you’re about to be in for a shock: it’s not uncommon for double sleeping bags to be viable in subzero temperatures stretching into the double digits.

Waterproofness - Who wants to wake up in a vacuum of wet nylon? Nobody. Waterproofing, both inside and out, will ensure that you’re going to wake up dry regardless of what the previous night’s weather conditions were. While no sleeping bag is almighty and foolproof, the higher the waterproof rating, the better off you’ll be. The only downside is that it can make it fairly difficult to clean later on.

Compressibility - Camping properly means having an ironclad idea about what your backpack is going to hold, and mentally preparing exactly how it’s going to be organized. A compressible sleeping bag grants you more space, even if your pack is tightly wound. Either that, or it just offers more comfort if you’re going to roll it and place it inside some designated straps that sit under the backpack.

Weight - We’ll get into the logistics of swapping out a single bag for a double, but double bags, when used for their intended two-person purpose, actually save you a lot of carrying weight. Whether you’re staying at the same campsite for a few nights or hiking up a beaten path, you can use every extra bit of stamina you can muster. A lower carry weight will make sure that happens.

The Advantages Of A Double Sleeping Bag

When you go with a two person sleeping bag, you’re not just getting a bigger bag. They’re made with a different use in mind. First and foremost, they’re generally a lot easier to clean than single bags. You ever try to reach down to the bottom of a tigh single sleeping bag? It’s bloody annoying. With double sleeping bags, you can wipe them clean nice and easy, although they’re obviously going to take up more space in the washing machine.

Then of course, there’s the subject of actually packing it up and bringing it with you to the campsite. If you’ve ever trekked through the woods with your other half or your buddy, then you know how important it is to keep your backpack as lightweight as possible. Double sleeping bags don’t automatically weigh twice as much as single bags, (in fact, they’re usually about 20-30% heavier on average, which means between the two of you, you’re still carrying 40-45% less overall weight).

Lastly - and you’ll see this on product sales pages in comparison to single bags - the temperature rating often allows you to endure colder climates. The manufacturers are thinking about having to sustain the body heat of two people, and that means thicker insulation. As a side note, double sleeping bags are also a great fit if you’re a car camper.

Single vs. Double Sleeping Bags

The idea of getting a double sleeping bag for yourself is still alive and well: people want to be able to feel more comfortable and at-home out in the woods, and who can blame them? Nobody intentionally shops for an uncomfortable sleeping bag, but there are pros and cons to going with a slightly more restrictive single sleeping bag versus a double sleeping bag.

Double sleeping bags should actually be used for their desired purpose because otherwise, you’re not going to get the same insulation benefits. When you see that a sleeping bag can sustain body temperatures in conditions as low as the double subzero range, it’s pretty amazing. That’s accounting for insulating your body, not the air around you, so if there’s too much space for you to flail around in your sleeping bag, it’s not going to live up to what it can really do.

Double sleeping bags are great if you’re literally going to sleep two to a bag. One of the best survival tactics known to man is keeping close to another person’s body heat to keep each other warm. The one thing we will say is that, on average, double sleeping bag hoods don’t work as effectively as those on single sleeping bags. There’s sometimes a bit too much air space between two heads, and it can actually create a conduit for body heat to escape (of course, depending on the specific sleeping bag).

Double Sleeping Bag FAQ

Q: Can I Put a Sleeping Bag in a Washing Machine?

A: Just about any sleeping bag can get ruined in any washing machine. That is old-school machines with a spire in the middle. While these used to be thought of as great ways to dry out your clothes, it’s also the ruiner of fluffy comforters, pillows, and even your sleeping bag filling.

Imagine your insulation is a synthetic, fluffy fabric (and it very well might be). The spire in the center of your washing machine divides that, makes it a little less fluffy, and even if you fluff your sleeping bag later, it’s still not going to hold the same form or heat retention as before. This is why you’ll see a lot of negative, ill-advised reviews online that say something along the lines of, “I washed it three times and it’s no longer keeping me as warm as it once did.”

I mean, I like to think I worded that a little more eloquently than the stuff you actually see in reviews, but you get the gist. Instead, either hand wash your double sleeping bag or use a HE washing machine that doesn’t have a central spire. These use vibrations and an upgraded system of water jets to act more gently on clothes. HE washers are the ally of clothing and fabric durability.

Q: Can You Put a Sleeping Bag in the Dryer?

A: It’s possible, but it’s not recommended at all. Even the best double sleeping bag with the highest quality materials can still get damaged. You have to think that there’s insulation in the walls of your bag, and those were placed or injected very carefully to give proper insulation and comfort, without creating cold zones (patches of lesser filling that allow cold to creep in).

There’s a way to get around it though if you really need to toss it in the dryer and can’t hang it up on a line in a well-ventilated area. This sounds nuts, but to keep the filling light and fluffy, you could put four tennis balls in the dryer with just your sleeping bag. These bang around a bit and keep fluffing the filling so it doesn’t rest in one spot as it’s drying. If you can get past the annoying noise of the dryer, this is the way to do it, but note that it might take two light dry cycles.