Backpacking Sleeping Bags vs. Quilts

OffroadAdmin January 3, 2025 blogs

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When it comes to backpacking gear, your nighttime sleep system will be one of the most important decisions you’ll make. You may have heard some buzz about backpacking quilts and want to know what they’re all about. Many backpackers are interested in the flexibility and versatility that a quilt can provide, but are nervous to leave the known reliability and warmth of a sleeping bag.

We’ve used many different models of sleeping bags and quilts over thousands of trail miles and we can attest to the fact that there’s a time and place for both. We wanted to put together this guide to discuss the differences and explain some of the pros and cons of each model to help inform your next gear decision.

For more information on critical considerations and recommendations of sleeping bags and quilts, check out our lists of the best sleeping bags and best backpacking quilts.

A man stands on the banks of a large alpine lake with a purple quilt wrapped around him. He is looking off in the distance towards mountains. — Bags and quilts both have their benefits, depending on what you need your sleep system to do. – Photo Credit: Ian Krammer (CleverHiker.com)

What’s the Difference Between Sleeping Bags & Quilts?

Sleeping bags are generally fully enclosed systems with a long zipper and a cinchable hood. They’re usually mummy-shaped and tight-fitting to create an efficient and warm interior for holding heat. A sleeping bag with a full-length zipper can be opened and draped over your body on warm nights or can be fully zipped and cinched with only a small opening near your mouth on frigid nights.

Backpacking quilts offer more versatility for warmer weather, but not as much warmth on cold trips. There are many different types of quilt designs, but in general, quilts are similar to a down comforter that can be fully opened on warm nights like a blanket, or can be cinched around the footbox and used with pad attachment straps to contain heat on cold nights.

Two men sleep next two each other in an orange sleeping bag and a purple quilt in a 3-person tent. Both are facing towards the camera and using their arms as a pillow. — Quilts tend to be better-suited for warmer weather because they don’t zip all the way closed or have a hood. – Photo Credit: Ian Krammer (CleverHiker.com)

Warmth

There are many different temperature ratings for both sleeping bags and quilts so this measurement varies a bit. In general, sleeping bags tend to be a better choice on cold trips where you’ll want a fully enclosed system with a hood. For us, this tends to be when nighttime temperatures dip to the 30’s and below.

A good question to ask yourself is how often you plan to sleep in temperatures around freezing. If the answer is not often, then a backpacking quilt may be a good choice for you. Quilts are extremely comfortable in summer backpacking conditions and are our number one choice on most of the backpacking trips we take. Think about your down comforter at home and how it just lays on top of you, but still keeps you warm.

A quilt works the same way, as long as you get one that is long and wide enough to fit you. One big downside with quilts are that the bottom is open so they can be drafty in cold and windy conditions. Though some quilts come with pad attachment systems and the option of a closed footbox, the warmth nod still goes to the sleeping bag.

WINNER: Sleeping Bags

Hood

Almost all sleeping bags come with a hood, which you can pull over your head and cinch down tightly to contain heat on cold nights. Because backpacking quilts don’t have a hood, you’ll need to wear a hat, an after-market down hood, or throw on a down hooded jacket on cold nights to keep your head warm. For side sleepers, you can always pull the quilt up over your head and leave a small opening for breathing.

WINNER: Sleeping Bags

Quilts have less material and are often made from down, which weighs less than synthetic materials. – PHOTO CREDIT: DAVE COLLINS (CLEVERHIKER.COM)

Weight

There are lightweight options for both sleeping bags and quilts, but in general, backpacking quilts tend to have the best warmth-to-weight ratios of any sleeping system on the market. This is because quilts cut out the extra materials and down that normally get compressed underneath your body in sleeping bags. This puts the down fill where you need it most – on top of your body.

This does mean that in a quilt you’ll be sleeping directly on top of your sleeping pad, which can bother some who don’t like the skin-to-sleeping pad feel. We don’t think it’s that big of a deal, but if this bothers you, you can always sleep in full clothing or purchase an additional sheet for your sleeping pad.

If you’re looking for the best possible warmth-to-weight ratios, choose a quilt with a closed footbox. If you’re willing to carry a little bit more weight for increased versatility, choose a quilt with an optional footbox zipper.

There are also quilt models that have full-length zippers, but those tend to be the heaviest of quilt options, and may even rival weights of sleeping bags. In general, sleeping bags tend to be heavier than almost all of these quilt options, but they provide the added warmth of a fully enclosed system.

WINNER: Quilts

A person clips together the under-mattress attachment points of their quilt. — Some people find the flexibility of a quilt to be more comfortable. Most quilts come with clips that wrap around a sleeping pad. – Photo Credit: Ian Krammer (CleverHiker.com)

Comfort

The most important measurement for sleeping comfort is actually warmth (covered above) because if you’re too cold to sleep, you’re in for a miserable night, no matter what. Once you’ve got warmth covered, comfort will depend on how tight-fitting your sleeping bag is or the flexibility of your quilt.

If you move around a lot at night and dislike constrictive sheets or dislike tight-fitting mummy bags, you may really prefer the comfort of a quilt. Conversely, if you like the security of being wrapped up tight and worry about cold air drafts, you may prefer a sleeping bag.

WINNER: Quilts

A man sits with a sleeping quilt wrapped around his back looking over an alpine lake with mountains behind it. — Because quilts can open up, they can be used as a more effective cape at camp. – Photo Credit: Ian Krammer (CleverHiker.com)

Versatility

When we talk about versatility, we’re mostly talking about the different ways each piece of gear can be used. For example, a quilt can be opened fully and used like a blanket (in your tent or around the fire) or cinched up tight when nighttime temperatures drop.To fully enclose the footbox on some quilts, zip up the zipper and pull the drawstring to create a draft-free enclosure. Though cumbersome, many quilts also come with pad attachment systems, which will increase warmth as well.

Sleeping bags, on the other hand, have less versatility due to their closed footboxes, but can also be opened up and used, more or less, like a blanket on warm nights or fully zipped on cold nights. On warm nights, we really love the ability to use our quilts fully opened like a down blanket, so we give the versatility nod to quilts.

WINNER: Quilts

Both quilts and bags can come in double-wide versions. – Photo Credit: Heather Eldridge (CleverHiker.com)

Price

There are obviously many different products from many different manufacturers of varying degrees of quality and price. In general, we have found that quilts tend to offer a smaller price point, but high quality options in either category will still require a sizable investment. Just remember, if you take good care of a quality piece of down gear, it can last for decades.

WINNER: Quilts

A man cinches the cord of a sleeping quilt. — Quilts often have toggles that cinch around the shoulders and neck to trap heat. – Photo Credit: Ian Krammer (CleverHiker.com)

Packability

Because down quilts tend to have less materials and down fill, they also pack down a bit smaller. High quality down products in either variety (down fill of 800+), will still pack down very small.

WINNER: Quilts

A man packs a down quilt into a backpack while kneeling in a field of flowers with a lake and mountains behind. — Quilts can stuff down pretty small in your pack around other stuff. – Photo Credit: Ian Krammer (CleverHiker.com)

Conclusion

If you’re looking for detailed recommendations, check out our lists of the best sleeping bags and best backpacking quilts.

If you normally backpack in warmer weather (nighttime temps in the 40s), we would recommend trying out a quilt. We almost always choose quilts for our summer backpacking trips. On the other hand, if you’re looking for one piece of gear that can still function well on warmer trips, but will also keep you warmth on colder trips, then a sleeping bag may be your best option.

Serious backcountry travelers may want both a quilt and a warm sleeping bag for the choice, depending on the adventure.