How to choose
- 1Pick a rating colder than the coldest night you expect — you can vent a warm bag; you can't warm a cold one.
- 2Choose synthetic for most trips (forgiving when damp); down only if you'll keep it dry and want minimum weight.
- 3Choose a mummy for warmth and pack size.
- 4Pair it with an insulated pad matched to the bag.
- 5Look for a draft collar and draft tube for cold weather.
- 6Pack extra sleep layers as backup.
The four choices
- Rating — ratings are often optimistic, so buy about 10°F below if you sleep warm, 20–25°F below if you sleep cold. A 20°F mummy is a versatile all-rounder.
- Insulation — synthetic insulates even when damp and costs less (best for most scouts); down is warmer-for-weight and packs smaller but is nearly useless when wet.
- Shape & pad — a mummy is warmer (less air to heat); an insulated pad blocks ground cold — match the pad to the bag.
Notes & safety
- Buy margin into the rating — a bag rated to the exact night sleeps cold (hypothermia risk on cold trips).
- The pad is a safety item — bare ground steals heat fast; a warm bag on no pad still sleeps cold.
- Keep insulation dry — wet down barely insulates; synthetic is more forgiving, but keep any bag dry.
Going deeper
- Rated colder = actually warm. The one rule that fixes cold nights: buy below the temperature you expect, because the rating is optimistic.
- Synthetic forgives, down doesn't. For scouts who might get their bag damp, synthetic is the safer buy.
- The pad is half the bag. Don't spend on a great bag and skimp on the pad — the ground is where much of your warmth escapes.
Official source
How to buy the best sleeping bag — Scout Life →The Sleeping Bags & Pads page has the fuller treatment, including pad R-values. This page is a focused selection summary.