Best Warmth-to-weight ratio of any zippered sleeping bag

For those who feel untethered by hoods, Zpacks Classic Sleeping Bag offers the single highest warmth-to-weight ratio among all zippered sleeping bag.

• Weight: 18.8 oz
• Price: $449
• Down: 900 fill power RDS hydrophobic goose down
• Fill Weight: 13.7 oz
• Fabric: 7D Ventum ripstop nylon
• Estimated Comfort: 25F
• Pros: Ultralight. Best warmth-to-weight. Great value.
• Cons: Hoodless. Slightly delicate.

Features

The design is a best-of-both-worlds hybrid quilt-sleeping-bag. It has the weight of a quilt and can be used unzippered, just like a quilt. But when it gets cold, you can zip it up into a 100% draft-free sleeping bag mode and cinch down the neck to prevent any heat from escaping.

It’s constructed with 7D Ventum ripstop nylon which is comfortable, breathable, wind/water resistant, and we find it’s durable enough for most backcountry use. Its baffles are overstuffed (by 30%!) with 900 fill power RDS hydrophobic goose down. Overstuffing reduces cold spots due to down drift, and is a very desired feature that adds minimal weight.

But like most ultralight sleeping bags, it’s more delicate than average. Handle respectfully and it will last many years. The zipper runs along the bottom of the bag and isn’t very noticeable when slept on, but if it bothers you, you can always rotate the bag slightly to alleviate pressure points. This sleeping bag is so warm that you will probably use it unzipped more often than zipped.

Verdict

We love the Zpacks Classic for its incredible low weight and incredibly high warmth-to-weight ratio. This is the closest you will get to a true quilt without sacrificing the zipper-enclosure.

Read about more great options in our guide to the best backpacking sleeping bags, or crank up performance to the next level with our guide to the best backpacking camp quilts.