At a music festival, a decent sleeping bag is an absolute godsend. You’re probably not planning to spent much time inside your tent, but you have to remember that festivals are marathons and not sprints.
For full enjoyment, you’re going to need somewhere to put your head down for a few hours per night. A decent night sleep at a festival leaves you fresh and ready for the day ahead and a great sleeping bag can make such a difference.
The good news is that modern sleeping bags are lightweight, easily portable, extremely comfortable and, if looked after correctly, it can last for many years. The best festival sleeping bag is one that you can cherish and use again and again, festival after festival.
STOP! Before you think about a sleeping bag, make sure you’ve got something comfortable to lie on. The ground is cold and you’ll lose a lot of heat without some insulation underneath. Self inflating mattresses or air beds are a good choice.
Best Budget Festival Sleeping Bag
Milestone Camping Single Envelope Sleeping Bag
- Full length dual zip
- Can be used as a blanket if fully unzipped
- Envelope style
- 2 Season rating
- Weighs 750g
- Has a carry case, but it’s sadly not waterproof
Our Thoughts
This is a good choice if you like the option of using a mummy-style sleeping bag or a regular blanket. Sometimes, a sleeping bag can feel restrictive if you like to move about a lot in your sleep so you get the best of both worlds with this one. It’s also incredibly light at 750g, meaning carrying this too and from the gate will be a breeze!
Go with this choice if: you’re the type to stick your leg out of the duvet at the slightest hint of warmth.
Best Sleeping Bag for a Warm Night’s Sleep
Active era Professional 300
- Anti snag zip with extra insulation to hold back the cold
- Mummy style bag with drawstring hood
- 3 to 4 season – Toasty af!
- Internal pocket
- Weighs 1.5kg
- Waterproof carry case for carrying it to and from your tent
Our Thoughts
This option is more luxurious, but it’s worth it if comfort will mean you’ll have a better overall festival experience. However, it does weigh over 1KG so keep that in mind when packing (every bit of extra weight makes a difference)
I use this sleeping bag for festivals early in the Spring or later in September when the temperatures drop at night into single figures and it’s absolutely amazing.
Go with this choice if: you want to feel extra warm and cosy, sleeping safe in the knowledge that you cash is safely tucked away in the inner pocket.
Best Double Sleeping Bag with Room to Move
Highlander double sleeping bag
- 2 way anti snag zip
- Soft inner fabric
- 2 season rating
- Internal pocket
- Weighs 1.6kg
- 1 meter wide opening
Our Thoughts
If you toss and turn in the night or feel confined in the average sleeping bag, a double-sized sleeping bag may be just what you need. Technically large enough for 2 petite people to share, but extra roomy for one adult using it alone.
Average sleeping bags are usually around 70cm wide at the opening so the additional 30cm really does make a difference if you need to roll over or move about, this also prevents the bag from twisting around you while you sleep. It’s also easy to escape from during late night and early morning toilet trips.
Go with this choice if: You move about a lot during your sleep or need room to spread out more than the standard sleeping bag will allow.
Best Lightweight & Compact Sleeping Bag
Highlander trekker superlight
- Compresses down to 15 x 13cm
- Zip baffle prevents your warmth escaping
- 1-2 season rating
- Adjustable hood
- Weighs 580 grams, that’s 3 hamsters!
Our Thoughts
Lightweight means less hassle packing your bags and getting in to the festival. When a lot of sleeping bags weigh over 1kg are bulky and are usually seen bouncing around on the back of a pack or stuffed in to what little carrying space you have.
The Trekker comes in at only 580 grams and fits in to your hand when fully compressed. This bag would be great for summer camping or paired with some thermal underwear for colder nights. This is seriously lightweight when compared to other sleeping bags on this list.
Go with this choice if: You’re going to a summer festival with dry weather forecast, if you need more room for other necessities or you just like to pack light and are prepared to layer up if it gets colder in the nights!
Other Items for Sleeping Comfortably at a Festival
A sleeping bag is important, but it won’t keep your comfortable on its own. You’ll definitely need something to actually lie on, plus a few other ‘comfort items’
- A blow up air bed or self-inflating sleeping mat
- A cosy comforter blanket
- Warm, fluffy socks
- Pyjamas
- Ear plugs
- Blackout satin eye mask
We’re also written a comprehensive Festival Packing List that covers everything you’ll need to bring with you for 4-5 days camping at a music festival.
Tips for Keeping your Sleeping Bag Fresh
When you crawl out of your tent the morning after, take your sleeping bag outside with you (weather permitting!) and give it a good shake to dislodge any grass glitter and whatever else fell off you during the night, and if possible leave to air out on the back of a chair or over a dry tent especially if the night got a bit hot and sweaty.
Sometimes your sleeping bag will get wet, it happens because of many reasons… but you need to dry that bag out! As mentioned leaving the sleeping bag outside in the wind and sun can help, but if its raining you still have options. Dry the inside of your tent as much as possible, a travel towel that is quick drying will be useful. Spread out the bag as much as possible in the tent and if you can attach it by any tent hooks or loops you can on the inside or porch, open vents or doors that will not allow rain to get in and may the odds be forever in your favour.
Remember to look after your sleeping bag when the festival is over! Air and dry your sleeping bag out when you get home to stop foul smells and worst case mould developing inside. Most sleeping bags can be cleaned with a damp cloth but some can be machine washed (remember to check the label)
Steer clear of anything filled with down or feathers when attending a festival. Feathers don’t hold up well when wet. If you do take a down filled sleeping bag maybe pick up a sleeping bag cover to protect it from any external sources of damp.
Alternatives (If you Really Don’t Like Sleeping Bags)
Some people really can’t stand the material of sleeping bags or they prefer the comfort of a regular blanket or duvet – that’s fine! You’re not bound to bring a sleeping bag with you just because you’re camping at a festival. Plenty of people bring other bedtime comfort items that are not sleeping bags, for example:
- A warm, cosy blanket
- A standard duvet (avoid down feathers)
- Some people even bring a Onesie if they want to be extra cosy!
Your sleeping bag is an integral part of your camping kit: you’ll want to get a good night’s sleep so you can fully enjoy the next day of the festival. If comfort is important to you, then you’ll want to invest in something that’s long lasting.
When you go camping to a festival during summer, the right sleeping bag can make your experience so much better. It keeps you warm at night, helps you sleep well and feel rested, and stops you from getting cold when there’s a chilly morning breeze. We hope that this is helpful for those of you still looking for the right sleeping bag for your next outdoor festival adventure!
