Help me shop- sleeping bag for backpacking

[Acorn]

Ds needs a new sleeping bag. I'm having a hard time shopping online because I really need to touch fabrics. He is 5 feet tall but newly 11. So, I'm not sure if I should get a short length for now and hand it down to me once he's taller. He has a youth size backpack and his new bag will need to fit into that for a few more years until his waist grows into adult pack size. Or do we pay for men's size now? His preference is for a soft lining material. He has always hated his current bag that has either nylon or poly taffeta because it's cold and slippery. He has seen flannel lined bags in stores and wants those, only they aren't backpacking bags. My bag has a fuzzy, brushed microfleece type lining but I don't see that style for sale anymore. Lastly, synthetic fill for the stuffing and probably 20 to 40 degree rating.

 

So, any recommendations?

[Ali in OR]

Can't help with most of your questions, but get a full-sized adult bag. We backpacked for almost all of our family vacations growing up, and we used full-sized adult bags from early childhood. I still have mine! If you get a good quality bag it can last forever.

 

[jen3kids]

I bought my 11 year old a youth bag at REI and then upgraded when he grew and decided to stick with camping/backpacking.

 

As far as the lining, I don't think you'll find a backpacking sleeping bag with a soft lining. Instead, you can get him a liner that is fleece, silk or microfiber, whatever his preference is. The added benefit of using a liner is that it is a whole lot easier to wash than a sleeping bag!

[City Mouse]

The problem with getting a full sized bag is that his smaller body has to heat up the entire space, so if he will do much cool weather camping, the shorter bag would be better for now. Rather than a "youth" bag though, I would suggest a "short" adult sized bag.

 

Flannel lined bags will be the heavier car camping bags that are too big for backpacking, most mummy bags will have the kind of lining that he does not seem to like. Purchase a bag liner that is mace of something soft that he will like, or you can just ale an old flannel sheet and fold it in half to stick in the bag. Old fitted sheets work pretty well too because one of the corners with the elastic can tuck inside the hood of the bag and the opppsite corners makes a great place to keep feet warmer.

[HomeAgain]

We got this for our son: Suisse Sport Adventure Sleeping Bag. It goes into a stuff sack and is ultra small/lightweight (I think it's about a third the size of a regular bag, at most), and also purchased a silk liner for him.  We have flannel liners for the rest of us, but he needed more compact for hiking.  It has served him now for 4 years, everything from camping in the Alps to hot Texas nights.  It's gone everywhere.  He loves it, refuses to hand it down to his brother. LOL  He's pretty tall, too, but this works for him (had to get an extra long cot, though. Go figure)

[AnnE-girl]

My brother gave me a short (and left-handed!) Kelty sleeping bag for my high school graduation almost twenty years ago and it's still in great shape. Granted I haven't used it a lot, but it worked really well for our backpacking and canoeing trip in the Boundary Waters. My fourth grader has used it for scout camp outs and stayed warm on frosty nights.

[jen3kids]

We got this for our son: Suisse Sport Adventure Sleeping Bag. It goes into a stuff sack and is ultra small/lightweight (I think it's about a third the size of a regular bag, at most), and also purchased a silk liner for him.  We have flannel liners for the rest of us, but he needed more compact for hiking.  It has served him now for 4 years, everything from camping in the Alps to hot Texas nights.  It's gone everywhere.  He loves it, refuses to hand it down to his brother. LOL  He's pretty tall, too, but this works for him (had to get an extra long cot, though. Go figure)

 

 

We have 3 of these bags.  We love them - the only negative is that the zipper separates at times.  It happened on 2 of ours, but it was an easy fix; just put the pull back on the zipper and give a little squeeze with pliers and it was fine.

 

We add a liner on cooler trips and have had no problems.

[Rachel]

The youth bags (Slumberjack, Eureka) I've bought for my kids claim they are made to go up to 5', they are really small! I'm barely over 5' and don't really fit. It's perfect for my 8 year old though. I've had a Slumberjack for 30+ years and it has held up wonderfully, although the newer ones are a lot nicer.

 

If you have any outdoors stores near you see if you can check out sleeping bags in person. Even Dicks Sporting Goods will have an ok selection this time of year.

[Kiara.I]

In addition to the previous comments about flannel-lined bags, flannel is cotton (usually, anyway.)  Cotton is not a backpacker's material.  It absorbs water and gets heavy and cold.  I agree, he needs to be convinced that the way to go is a liner inside a good bag.

[Anne in CA]

My ds had a bag liner, a mom in our troop made them for everyone for $20 each. They were AWESOME! The liner could be washed every trip and then the bag only needed washing rarely.

[Carol in Cal.]

If he is growing quickly right now, maybe if he doesn't backpack all that often you can rent a bag at REI as needed for a year or two and then get him his adult bag once he has reached his full height.  That also gives him a chance to try out different shapes and models.  For instance, I can't stand mummy bags.  I know they make sense but feeling like my legs are tied together drives me absolutely crazy.