Recommended Ultralight 2 Person Sleeping Bag & Quilt
From a technical perspective, a double sleeping bag for backpacking, or better yet a 2 person quilt, is advantageous because it allows for the sharing of body heat. Two partners in a 30° double may be as warm or warmer than separating out into two separate 20-25°s. What’s more, by eliminating redundant sidewall materials, a double sleeping bag or quilt is almost always slightly lighter weight than two comparably rated singles. Combined, these benefits yield some nice weight savings.
But perhaps most important of all, you can’t put a price on snuggles. If you frequently hike with a romantic partner, we encourage you to consider packing a 2 person quilt or double sleeping bag for backpacking. These are the two best options to consider:
- Best 2 Person Quilt: Enlightened Equipment Accomplice
- Best Double Sleeping Bag: Sea to Summit Spark
Jump ahead to read more about double sleeping bag buyer considerations, and to decide if this system is right for you and your partner. And while you’re here, don’t miss our adjacent backpacking guides to sleeping bags, 0 degree sleeping bags, quilts, 0 degree quilts, sleeping pads, and winter sleeping pads.
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Comparison Table: Double Sleeping Bag vs Two Singles
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| Price ($) | Weight (oz) | Shell Weight | Fill Weight (oz) | Fill Power | uncompressed down vol (in³)* |
uncompressed down vol per oz garment weight (in³/oz)**
|
|
| EE Accomplice 20 Double (reg) | 690 | 34.9 | 10.0 | 24.9 | 950 | 23655 | 678 |
| EE Enigma 20 Single (reg) x2 | 860 | 38.6 | 11.0 | 27.6 | 950 | 26220 | 679 |
| STS Spark 15 Double (long) | 999 | 54.4 | 19.7 | 34.7 | 850 | 29495 | 542 |
| STS Spark 15 Single (long) x2 | 1158 | 57.4 | 19.4 | 38.0 | 850 | 32300 | 563 |
- * Uncompressed Down Volume: This statistic correlates strongly with relative total warmth by measuring the volume of insulation stuffed into its the baffles. A garment with a higher number is very likely to feel warmer than a garment with a lower number
- **Uncompressed Down Volume per ounce of total garment weight: This statistics correlates strongly with warmth-to-weight ratio. It measures how much total insulation there is per ounce of total garment weight, which factors in shell, zipper, insulation, etc. It helps determine how effectively a sleeping bag or quilt uses its mass to insulate. A higher number means a higher warmth to weight ratio, but not necessarily a higher total warmth
The Best 2 Person Quilt For Backpacking
Enlightened Equipment Accomplice 2 Person Quilt
If you and your partner are shopping for a 2 person sleep system, the first model to consider is Enlightened Equipment Accomplice. Constructed with 950 fill power down and efficient 10d shell fabric, it’s ultralight, ultra warm, surprisingly affordable, and much more user-friendly than a double sleeping bag. This is Alan & Alison’s preferred backpacking quilt, and they have used the Accomplice to great effect on throughout North America, South America, and Europe.
The backless nature of a 2-person quilt requires using higher R-value sleeping pad(s), ideally R-4+, to insulate from below. But otherwise, the backless-ness is massively beneficial. It allows the quilt to be used more like a blanket, such that partners can spread out a bit wider without being strictly limited to the confiningly narrow interior dimensions of a double bag. If one partner sleeps warmer, they can easily ventilate. And it has a really nice draft blocker feature that prevents cold air from entering at the top gap formed in between sleepers’ shoulders.
- Price: $690
- Total Weight: 34.9 o
- Shell Weight: 10.0 oz
- Fill Weight: 24.9 oz
- Fill Power: 950
- Uncompressed Down: 23655 (in³)
- Uncompressed Down/Garment Weight: 678 in³/oz
- Pros: Shared body heat. Ultralight. High warmth-to-weight ratio. Less confining than sleeping bag. Draft collar. Easy venting. Good value. Best in class materials.
- Cons: Requires use of higher R-value sleeping pad.
The Best Double Sleeping Bag For Backpacking
Sea to Summit Spark 15 Double Sleeping Bag
If you aren’t interested in a 2 person backpacking quilt, Sea to Summit Spark 15 is the best double sleeping bag on the market. Compared its peers, Spark is lighter weight, and uses higher quality materials – 850 fill power, 10d shell fabric.
It also comes with a bevy of nice features, including built-in sleeping pad attachment straps, and the best zipper plow we’ve ever used; it virtually never snags or gets stuck. Both sides of this 2 person sleeping bag feature a double separating zipper that can be used effectively for ventilation as needed. Like the rest of Sea to Summit’s Spark sleeping bag line, the double is an exemplary design.
- Price: $999
- Total Weight: 54.4 oz
- Shell Weight: 19.7 oz
- Fill Weight: 34.7 oz
- Fill Power: 850
- Uncompressed Down: 29495 in³
- Uncompressed Down/Garment Weight: 542 in³/oz
- Pros: Shared body heat. Lightweight. High quality materials. Comes with pad attachment straps. best zipper plows. Draft blocker. Double separating zippers on both sides for venting.
- Cons: Expensive. More confining, lower warmth-to-weight ratio than a 2 person quilt.
Double Sleeping Bag & 2 Person Quilt Buyer Considerations
Is A Double Sleeping Bag or 2 Person Quilt Right For You & Your Partner?
For starters, you should only choose a double sleeping bag or quilt to use with a partner who you are very comfortable with. Most 2 person sleeping bags attempt to approximate a double bed in terms of width, meaning they are quite narrow. If you are used to sleeping in a queen or king, prepare to be a lot physically closer to your partner. This may reduce your sleep quality. If you already sleep with another in a double bed, a double sleeping bag will likely be an easy transition.
2 person quilt vs double sleeping bag
It follows that because quilts are overall superior to sleeping bags, a 2 person quilt is better than a double sleeping bag. As a refresher, this is because quilts are less confining, lighter weight, better ventilated (if desired), and have a higher warmth-to-weight ratio. They concentrate insulation above and to the sides of the user, while effectively relying on a high R-value sleeping pad to keep you warm from beneath. And no, when used properly, they aren’t drafty.
The delta between 2 person quilts and double sleeping bags is even higher than with singles. Primarily, that’s because they allow you to spread out more comfortably. But also, because they can more easily be ventilated on warm nights, while still reaping all of the same shared heat benefits on cold nights.
Why a 2 person sleeping bag is warmer than 2 comparably rated singles
When two partners share one quilt or sleeping bag, they share radiant heat. Both parties’ body heat warms the other, and the space in between. Therefore, two people sharing one microclimate is more effective than two people each in their own microclimate. This is similar to why mittened fingers feel warmer than gloved fingers. Four fingers in a mitten share heat with each other, while gloves separate each finger out and prevent radiant heat sharing.
As such, two people sharing a 30 degree double sleeping bag or quilt may feel comparably warm to each individual in a 20 or 25 degree solo sleeping bag.
Who Should Avoid A 2 Person Sleeping Bag or Quilt
- People who don’t already sleep next to each other, seeing how it goes for the first time in the backcountry is a bad idea
- Two larger partners. If both partners are taller and/or wider than average, sharing a one-size-fits-most double may not be spacious enough
- Restless sleepers. If you roll and/or thrash about in the night, you will likely come into greater contact with your partner, disrupting their sleep.
- Starkly different body temperatures during sleep. It’s normal for two partners to sleep at different temperatures. But if one partner sleeps much much warmer than average and the other sleeps much much colder than average, it may force a compromise that both parties tolerate, but neither prefers.
Conclusion
Thank you for reading our guide to the best double sleeping bag and quilt for backpacking, where we hope you and your partner found your new favorite 2 person sleep system. When camping with a partner, we specifically prefer a 2 person quilt, because it’s less confining than a 2 person sleeping bag, while still offering the benefits of shared warmth. But a double sleeping bag works well too. Happy camping!
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