Sleeping Bag recommendation for 3 season car camping

[barbreilly74]

Hi!

I'm looking for a sleeping bag for a teenage boy that has a zipper in the foot area so he can stick his feet out to cool off. That was a feature in his kid bag from REI and I can't find that in any of the descriptions and I'd like to order online.

I also want to spend between $100-$200. 

This is for Car camping, mostly in summer, sometimes in fall.

Any pointers would be great!

Barb

[REI-JenK]

@barbreilly74 thanks for reaching out!

Most of our sleeping bags will come with a double zipper, which means you can zip open from the bottom and be able to stick your feet out to cool off! Here are a few helpful resources as you choose:

• The ground pad your teenager uses will be almost as important as the sleeping bag itself, to help with not only comfort but more importantly warmth - you can read about choosing a ground pad here!
• We've also got a helpful article on how to choose a sleeping bag for camping

It would be helpful to know where in the country/world this sleeping bag will be used...warm/dry? Cool/wet? For example, in the PNW, even in the summer our nights cool quite a bit, so temperature rating and fill type matter a lot. Without knowing that, a few highly versatile models we'd recommend for you to consider:

• REI Co-op Groundbreaker 30 or the REI Co-op Siesta 30- definitely summer bags for car camping, somewhat heavy/bulky and without a hood, these bags are great price points with 2-way zippers and available in multiple lengths to accommodate a shorter/taller teenager
• Sea to Summit Traverse TvII 25 - warmer and lighter bag than the previous 2, it could be used for backpacking in addition to car camping; includes a separate foot zip for increased ventilation

We've also curated a search on REI.com of options that will likely work for what you're describing - just make sure you see mention of a "2 way zipper" to ensure the feet can escape! Hope this helps get you started!

[Philreedshikes]

see, the thing is, you can look for a 3-season TENT, but a 3 season BAG, not so much,  here's the problem with that,

If the night, in July say, gets down to 70F, then all you need is a super lightweight bag or something like a lightweight nylon blanket or maybe even just a 'sheet'.

But in late October with temps dropping down to, say, 30F, you can't use the 70F bag, you'll freeze, and you can't use the 30F in July, because you'll roast in it.

Unfortunately, the bag you use, whether car camping or carrying it on your back, needs to fit the anticipated nightly temperature trend, or else you risk either freezing or roasting.

The thing about car camping, you can select a heavier weighing bag, also cheaper, because you don't have to carry it.