Howdy! I brought my 3, 5, and 7 year old daughters to the BWCA three times last summer and I'm planning four trips for them for 2022. Their sleeping bags, and all of the kids bags I have seen, are huge when packed and take up most of a backpack.

Since I’m carrying most of their gear, I’m looking for sleeping bags for them that pack as small as possible. They don’t need to be kid specific.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

-Jerod

Well, obviously down is going to your best bet but csn be pricey if your buying 3 bags. If camping looks like something they are going to continue to do then you have to look at it as an investment. I would look at the Kelty Cosmic series and no first hand knowledge but I have heard good things about Hike and byke if you can believe that. Mountain Hardwear also has reasonably priced down bags.

+1 on the Kelly Cosmic with treated down. Wife and I each have used the 20-30F rated bags for several years. Used them a ton and they have never disappointed.

I have a down summer bag that packs down to smaller than a soft ball. Being a summer bag it is very thin and on cold summer nights it is a little chilly. I learned some simple tricks to stay warm. Put my raincoat or poncho over my sleeping bag. Better yet put my PFD over my bag then put the poncho over that. Given the choice between my summer bag and a thicker one I choice the summer bag because of the size and weight.

If space is the issue - gotta go to down for insulation.

You can buy a summer-rated down bag, say 30-40F, which will be much lighter and smaller than its 3-season alternative, and a bag liner for it, Thermolite Reactor, for instance. This liner will increase (or is it decrease?) bag rating by about 10F and also can be used instead of the bag in hot weather. Or altogether left at home for mid-of-summer trips. Not cheap, but - considering your kids age - it could be very long-term investment. I have two Campmor brand 20F down bags that are 20 years old and after 100-150 nights in the field are still in good order. My 30F Mountain Hardware Phantom bag is as good as new after 150+ nights. Kudos to you for bringing your kids that young into the woods.

P.S. You might want to post this question in Canoeing with kids forum.

Consider Top Quilts rather than sleeping bags. The absence of zippers and cords makes compact packing easier.

Mine are from Hammock Gear but, a guy could easily sew a cheap down throw into a reasonable alternative.

Good Luck

I bought a couple of these for my 10 year old grandkids before our trip in August 2021. They worked well, packed up small and kept them warm down to the coldest morning (43 degrees) And they won't out grow them in the near future.
They are kind of pricey, but were $25 cheaper last August... maybe the price will fluctuate back down Hyke and Byke sleeping bags

Steep and Cheap has lots of good deals on name brand items SAC . Their inventory changes. I've used them for years, and they're reliable. Also Sierra Trading Post has similar Sierra

Time of year is important. That said, down wins, as others have said, when it comes to weight and volume. But not all down is equal. The higher the down power fill number the less required for a given temp rating --> lower weight/volume and higher cost. And some down has been treated to make is more water repellant.

Similar to top quilts, Big Agnes bags do away with the insulation underneath you because that just gets compressed by weight. You then rely on the pad for the insulation below you. Not sure how this will work out with growing kids, but our BA down bags get very small in a compression dry bag.

Summer weight 30-40 degree down bags in a compression sack will pack down to the size of cantaloupe or slightly smaller. You can also get inflatable sleeping pads that pack down to the size of a water bottle. It will cost you, but will last for years with proper care.

I have a Western Mountaineering MityLite, compresses to slightly larger than a softball. I stay very warm in it and generally use it as a quilt. Was only cold below 40F with it (in zipped up normal mode). If you want to go even smaller, Western Mountaineering Everlite is your bag, but it doesn't unzip to a quilt. They are expensive, but will last >20 years.

A lot of good options mentioned! I worked at a high end brick n mortar gear shop for 10 years and the kelty cosmic down bags were something we brought in mostly for kids going to Philmont. Same for the Marmot Trestle series. Both good, but not what you’re shooting for. In my opinion, I would avoid the cosmic bags and look at the Hyke & Byke Shavano or the Eolus. The problem with the very badass Mitylite is it only comes in a larger size, and at your kids ages, I doubt they’ll fit in this. Unless you unzip it into a comforter

H&B are responsibly sourced down and boast better features. The Eolus is higher end and nicer-ish, but I’m going to push the Shavano. Here’s why

The Shavano has continuous baffling which means you can actually shake the down from top to bottom… warmer nights/colder nights costumization. It has decently burly draft tubes, that’ll help eliminate cold spots from the zippers and stitching. Also doesn’t stick into the inner liner, that’ll also eliminate cold spots. The sizing is accurate. The EN rating is….. close, I’d recommend their 30° for hot summer. They’re 15° for cool nights to summer nights.

And lastly! The H&B bags are going to pack down MUCH smaller than most kid/adult bags. A 30° Shavano weighs 2lbs and packs down to 6.5”x10”. That’s the same size and similar features as my $600 20° For under $200. They’re also durable enough for kids to be kids and not have to stress

Wow, that's a great price for the H&B Shavano. I might have a look at these for my kids. Right now our current setup is:
Dad (me) Western Mountaineering MityLite (40 F)
Mom REI 20 degree bag (down) circa 2006
8 year old Daughter Marmot Sawtooth (down) circa 2001 (15F ?)
5yo son Western Mountaineering AlpinLite (down) circa 2006 (20 degree)

I'm a hot sleeper, so often times the MityLite is still too warm for me. The kids are just using my other bags since that's what we had. It might be worth me getting the Shavanos for them. Thanks for the recommendations. It'll save me some space in the pack.

Dang Gotwins, your 5yo and I have the same bag… I’m 31 yrs older lol. That’s my absolute favorite sleeping bag company, alongside Stephensons warmlite, feathered friends and enlightened equipment. I’ve had that for a lot of great memorable trips. You should hang onto that for as long as you can. You may know this, but Western will re-stuff and over stuff any and all areas at a low cost. I have friends who have sent theirs back in and had the foot box over stuffed for a warmer nights sleep. Many companies will do that actually.

I head of H&B from a good friend of mine with two little kids. They’re also very active and outdoorsy, often we’ll all spend 2-4 weeks together in the winter on ski camp outings. He got them their bags maybe 3 or so years ago and they get used a lot. And borrowed, still in good shape.I think for the money, the quality and overall bag, is one of the better deals out there. Nobody truly wants to spend $300 on a sleeping bag every one or two years for their kids as they grow.

Thanks for the WM tips, Erk, i wasn't aware that they would repack bags for you. I'll likely now be able to use them the rest of my life and hand them down to the kids! Yes, my son is using my older and first WM bag, the AlpinLite. I bought it when I lived in California and was camping in the Sierra Nevada. I absolutely love that bag. Out there I could simply lay it out on a sleeping pad on a Tyvek ground sheet and watch the stars at night. There's something amazing about sleeping under the stars. I've tried a few times in the BWCA, but the bugs generally get to me! The H&B bags will probably be a good choice for them growing up, and once they are old enough to take good care of a bag, I'll splurge and buy them their own WM bags.

I had a look at H&B's tents, and the Zion looks a lot like the Nemo Dagger I bought last spring. I wish H&B made a 3 person version, I'd grab that in a second!

I had great luck out fitting my youngest ones when I stumbled upon 'half-bags' also known as 'bivy bags' and most popularly know as 'elephant feet.' These are shorter down bags without zippers, that are used by climbers in concert with their down coats. These bags at maybe 4 feet long were a great size for kids.

The last time I was able to find these new was from Brooks Range, you can find a review at https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/reviews/camping-and-hiking/ultralight-sleeping-bag/brooks-range-elephant-foot. Unfortunately Brooks is out of the making things business. You might try Geartrade.com for used goods.

If you cannot find elephant feet, you might well be in touch with Enlightened Equipment or other quilt makers to see what options they either now offer or could make. You probably speak for a growing market, the cottage industry makers of down quilts might well offer you solutions.

Best of luck, and good going getting the little ones into the wilds, whilst keeping them warm, dry and safe!

I have a North Face "Cats Meow" (down) that I got in 1987 for a major bike trip. It lacks very small in a compression sack. I still have it and it's in great shape 34 years later.

You have to be careful to not get them wet because they take quite a bit of sunlight and time to get them dry again. Make sure you don't have leaky tent! Personally, for kids, I'd go for a modern synthetic three season bag. A LOT less money and hey will pack down fairly small in a compression sack. It doesn't have to be Coleman "Snoopy Come Home" or Northface 900 down. There's a lot in between.