4 of the Best Youth Sleeping Bags for Mountain Camping Under $100

This summer many children will be going to the mountains on family and youth group camping vacations. Along with their tents, camp stoves, and cooking gear, they will bring their sleeping bags. According to L.L. Bean, the things to consider when buying a sleeping bag are your sleeping habits, the temperature and climate where you will be camping, how the sleeping bag feels next to your skin, and if you will carry the sleeping bag. When I went on a camping trip to Toronto, Canada, I needed two important qualities in a sleeping bag, warmth and dryness, as we did not have tents to protect us from bad weather, so I compared the different qualities of several brands before making my choice. Children are no different from adults when it comes to specifics in sleeping bags. Here are four youth sleeping bags I consider to be the best quality for mountain camping.

Sleeping Bag #1 - The Marmot Kids Trestles

The Marmot Kids Trestles is filed with Spirafil 120 synthetic insulation in a wave construction for added warmth, softness, and compressibility, making it easy to carry. It has a Nautilus hood with drawstring, dual two-way zippers, with zipper guard, a stash pocket, a trapezoidal foot box, and a snagless draft tube to help eliminate cold spots. It weighs 2 pounds, 9 ounces, fits a person up to five feet tall and costs approximately $90.00.

Sleeping Bag #2 - The Mountain Hardwear Mountain Goat 40

The Mountain Hardware Mountain Goat 40 sleeping bag features a contoured hood and face gasket to seal in body heat. The Thermic MX insulation makes this sleeping bag ideal for tight compression for easy packing and carrying. It has insulated side draft tubes and a chest pocket with a Velcro closure. It weighs approximately one pound, six ounces and is good for temperatures as low as 20 degrees Fahrenheit. It sells for around $85.00.

Sleeping Bag #3 - The North Face Children's Great Smokey 20 Degree Sleeping Bag

Heatshield Optimal Technology, a synthetic insulation made of hollow core poly fibers, makes this youth sleeping bag thermal efficient for mountain camping. It has a full-length zipper and draft tube, a shoulder-level zipped pocket, a hood that is easy to close with one hand, and weighs approximately one pound, 11 ounces. It costs around $70.00.

Sleeping Bag #4 - Kelty Eclipse 35 Degree Sleeping Bag Junior

The polyester-cotton lining of the Kelty Eclipse makes this sleeping bag of the most comfortable around. The manufacturer boasts of its roominess and pleasing design. It has an internal and external pocket, a two-layered quilt construction, and a zipper draft tube with a two-way zipper. It weighs approximately four pounds, 15 ounces and cost around $60.00.

Sources: Personal Experience, L.L. Bean, Campmor, Sierra Trading Post