Whether you’re camping out with your kids in the living room, backyard, or on vacation at a campground or in the backcountry, you want to make sure that they have the right sleeping bag to keep them warm and have a comfortable sleep. In this article, we review 5 of the best kids inflatable sleeping bags that we researched and think you’ll love as much as we do.
Gone are the days of only having the choice of the large, heavy, clunky adult-sized sleeping bags, where one size fits everyone. These days, there are many choices based on designs, sizes, temperatures, weight, etc. Make your kids feel special by allowing them to have their sleeping bag, where they won’t outgrow the designs.
We researched many products to find the best kids inflatable sleeping bags to put together our top five list.
1. Team Magnus Tundra Wolf Kids Sleeping Bag
Pros
- Includes an inside pouch for a cell phone, small flashlight, or valuables
- Glow in the dark zipper
- The stuff sack allows easy packing for children, and with robust adjustable stuff sack straps, kids can take charge of their own gear
- Extremely cozy and breathable, with foot opening
- Suitable for temperatures to -58°F
Cons
- Stiff material and weird smell at the beginning that goes away after a wash
- Some issues with stitching
What Recent Buyers Report
As it turns out, the glow-in-the-dark zipper wasn’t a big deal to anyone, but the foot opening is a huge bonus, as reported by kids who used this sleeping bag. And, of course, everyone loves the wolf. There are a lot of happy kids and parents out there who use this product for sleepovers, backyard campouts, and more, though no reports of anyone using it in -50°C. We had to dig for cons with this sleeping bag.
Why It Stands Out to Us
It looks cool, and what kid wouldn’t want a cool sleeping bag? Having a pocket on the inside of the bag is brilliant, as is having the option to open the bag up at the feet so that you can air them out or put shoes on and walk around while still staying cozy in your sleeping bag. One thing that stands out to us in almost a worrying way, though, is that the stuff sack is worn like a backpack. It’s not small enough to go into another bag, so whoever carries this won’t have room for many other supplies.
The Bottom Line
Yes, there are a lot of things to love with this bag, and we really had to look for cons. Just like so many of Team Magnus’ customers, we highly recommend the Tundra Wolf Kids Sleeping Bag as the best kids inflatable sleeping bag. It keeps your kids cozy, and like a lot of kids who already own one, you’ll find that your child may want to use it every night, even as a blanket while watching television.
2. TETON Sports Jr Kids Sleeping Bag
Pros
- Full-length zipper draft tube holds the warm air in
- Includes an inside pouch for a cell phone, small flashlight, or valuables
- Single-layer construction with sturdy two-way zippers
- Backed by TETON’s limited lifetime warranty
- The Celsius Junior will keep your child warm and comfortable on three-season outings
Cons
- Inside lining is not fabric like many other sleeping bags are
- Rated for 20°F, but many found that they were getting cold before the temperature reached 32°F
What Recent Buyers Report
One gripe that some buyers had was that it was hard to get the sleeping bag back into the stuff sack. The sleeping bag itself was great, though, and their kids seemed to enjoy it. Most got a great night’s sleep and stayed warm, so long as the temperature didn’t drop too much. Some of them mentioned that a liner added plenty of warmth, so the temperature wasn’t even a big problem. There is a lot of love and recommendations for this sleeping bag.
Why It Stands Out to Us
TETON is well known in the sports gear industry, so we couldn’t pass up an opportunity to look at one of their products. You shouldn’t take your small child out in the elements in which you need the brand’s top-of-the-line sleeping bags, but when compared to other kids sleeping bags, it does not disappoint. From the draft tubing to the two-way zippers, curved hood, and durable taffeta shell, this sleeping bag exudes quality.
The Bottom Line
Honestly, TETON’s sleeping bag easily could have come in at number one. The only reason it narrowly missed out on the top spot amongst our list of 5 best inflatable kids sleeping bags was the temperature rating and the fact that the kids would prefer the Tundra over this one. They don’t care about a zipper draft tube. They like the cool-looking wolf. With all other aspects pretty similar and no real negatives to speak of, we must listen to the children.
3. Coleman Youth Sleeping Bag
Pros
- Fun glow-in-the-dark design and interior flashlight pocket
- Comfort cuff adds plush material to the edge of the bag, giving your child soft, relaxing comfort close to their face while they sleep
- Thermolock reduces heat loss and locks in warmth by using a draft tube around the zipper
- ThermoTech insulation helps keep kids cozy
- Can accommodate children up to 5 feet 5 inches tall
Cons
- The stuff sack is too small to put the sleeping bag back into
- The string to help roll and tie up the sleeping bag does not work and cause more of an issue than anything
What Recent Buyers Report
The kids seem to like this bag more than some of their parents. To be fair, the kids have no complaints, and neither do most parents. But, some don’t like the slippery material. Also, keep note that this is for milder temperatures and only rated at 45°F. It’s a great choice for camping in the summer, but once the night temperatures start to drop, you’ll need to start using something warmer. If we learn anything from customers, it’s to not even bother with the roll control system. Even the happy purchasers have mostly given up on it.
Why It Stands Out to Us
Coleman is another well-known brand name when it comes to the great outdoors, and we weren’t going to pass up a chance to see what they had to offer. We like the Thermolock and the ComfortCuff, as well as the ZipPlow, which pushes the fabric away from the zipper so that it doesn’t get caught. We’re sure many of us know the pain of getting our sleeping bags caught in the zipper, and we were happy to see Coleman’s attempts to prevent it.
The Bottom Line
It’s an ok sleeping bag, but we were expecting a little more from a brand with industry-wide recognition like Coleman. This sleeping bag would make a good choice for some light camping in warm weather, but it couldn’t keep up with rigorous or constant camping over long periods. And if you can’t use the stuff sack, you’re either going to have to purchase another one or figure out another way to carry your sleeping bag.
4. REDCAMP Kids Sleeping Bag
Pros
- Draft tubes around zippers to keep warm air inside sleeping bag
- Drawstring around the curved mummy-style hood
- 365-day, 100% money-back guarantee
- Can fold and zip to 140cm (4’6”) to keep a smaller child comfortable
- The inside liner is soft and doesn’t catch in the zipper
Cons
- Too short for many older kids, great for young toddlers
- Doesn’t open up fully to use as a blanket
What Recent Buyers Report
Many people loved this sleeping bag but were also disappointed that it appeared to be shorter than they thought it would be. They didn’t get as much use out of it as they thought they would since it doesn’t open as a blanket. Some buyers had issues with the zippers falling off at different points of having the sleeping bag. All that said, though, overall, the reviews and comments were very positive.
Why It Stands Out to Us
We like the mummy-style sleeping bags, especially ones with a drawstring so that we can block out even more cold weather. We are also intrigued by the interior and exterior fabrics, which are both different types of polyester pongee. Some purchasers report that the sleeping bags are noisy, but we think this would keep us warm and cozy enough that the noise wouldn’t bother us.
The Bottom Line
We think this sleeping bag is suited more for smaller kids who don’t move around a lot. Being able to shorten the sleeping bag allows for a smaller space that needs to be heated, and if your child doesn’t move so much, the noise won’t bother you. You can take comfort in the one-year warranty, so you have nothing to lose to give it a try. We like the sleeping bag for what it is, a budget-friendly, simple sleeping bag for kids.
5. 3OWL Kids 3 Season Sleeping Bag
Pros
- Guaranteed to keep you warm with draft tube along the zipper to prevent heat loss
- Comfortable poly-cotton lining with polyester fiber filling
- Drawstring hood that covers the entire head for optimal sleeping experience, an additional tube of insulation around the neck and shoulder area with drawstring
- Temperature comfort zone of 40°F to 70°F
- Sleeping bag measures 50” x 25” when rolled out
Cons
- The hook and loop at the top of the zipper is unneeded and could cause scratching
- Sleeping bag was too short
What Recent Buyers Report
There’s not much talk about these sleeping bags, so it was hard to get any opinions either way. The sleeping bag seemed to be working great for everyone who got one, especially considering it’s a budget-friendly sleeping bag. There are no real negatives to speak of, and we had to dig and make our observations for the cons listed. For the person who reported the sleeping bag was too short, we’re not sure if her son was within the height requirements listed by the company or if he was taller. She may have missed that 50 inches is the height of the sleeping bag when rolled out.
Why It Stands Out to Us
The poly-cotton lining and polyester fiber filling bring back a little nostalgia for us. Old-school sleeping bags were made much the same way after making the change from the old-school days of the rectangular bulky styles that never seemed to keep you warm. Knowing that we like the mummy-style hoods and draft tubing, you should also know that the additional tube of insulation around the neck and shoulder stood out to us as well.
Bottom Line
There isn’t anything in particular that makes this sleeping bag last on our list. It just as easily could have come in at number four on our list of the best kids inflatable sleeping bags. If you are looking to purchase this sleeping bag, we recommend you consider how tall your child is so that they can fit comfortably inside, hopefully for multiple years to come.
In Closing
When we were children, companies that manufactured children’s sleeping bags didn’t take it seriously and often made them of soft cotton material with a gender-appropriate theme of whatever was popular at the time. Not something you’d want to go camping with, but more for living room campouts and fort making.
So, it’s nice to see that companies are making an effort and are manufacturing sleeping bags for kids, using the same materials and standards they do for adults. We also love that adults are taking their kids camping, especially in a world overrun by digital devices.