Sleeping Bag Sizes: Length, Width and Girth by Height
Sleeping bags are sized by the tallest person they fit, then by shape. This chart gives the length, flat width and shoulder girth of each size, how to pick one by height and build, and what the temperature ratings and packed sizes mean.
A regular sleeping bag fits people up to 6 ft (183 cm) and is about 78 in (198 cm) long. Long bags fit up to 6 ft 6 in (198 cm) and short or women's regular bags up to 5 ft 6 in (168 cm). Mummy bags have a shoulder girth of about 60 to 64 in (152 to 163 cm); rectangular bags are typically 33 × 75 in (84 × 191 cm) flat.
- Regular fits to
- 6 ft (183 cm)
- Long fits to
- 6 ft 6 in (198 cm)
- Rectangular bag
- 33 × 75 in flat
- Mummy girth
- 60-64 in (152-163 cm)
On this page
Sleeping bag size chart
Every maker publishes three things for each size: the tallest person it fits, the outside length, and either the flat width or the girth (the circumference) at shoulder, hip and foot. Figures below are typical of current bags; any one model can differ by an inch or two.
| Size | Fits up to | Bag length | Shoulder width or girth | Foot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mummy, short / women's regular | 5 ft 6 in 168 cm | 72 in 183 cm | 56-60 in girth 142-152 cm | 36-40 in girth |
| Mummy, regular | 6 ft 183 cm | 78 in 198 cm | 60-64 in girth 152-163 cm | 38-42 in girth |
| Mummy, long | 6 ft 6 in 198 cm | 84 in 213 cm | 62-66 in girth 157-168 cm | 40-44 in girth |
| Mummy, wide | 6 ft or 6 ft 6 in | 78 or 84 in | 66-70 in girth 168-178 cm | 42-46 in girth |
| Semi-rectangular | 6 ft 183 cm | 78-80 in 198-203 cm | 64-70 in girth | 48-56 in girth |
| Rectangular, standard | 5 ft 11 in 180 cm | 75 in 191 cm | 33 in flat 84 cm | 33 in flat |
| Rectangular, big and tall | 6 ft 4 in to 6 ft 6 in | 81-84 in 206-213 cm | 39-40 in flat 99-102 cm | 39-40 in flat |
| Double | 2 adults to about 6 ft 2 in | 80-87 in 203-221 cm | 60-66 in flat 152-168 cm | 60-66 in flat |
| Kids | 4 ft 6 in to 5 ft 137-152 cm | 57-66 in 145-168 cm | 26-30 in flat 66-76 cm | Varies |
Girth vs flat width
Mummy bags are listed by girth because they are cut as tubes. Laid flat, the width is half the girth: a 62 in shoulder girth is about 31 in (79 cm) across. Rectangular and double bags are listed flat because they unzip into blankets. To compare a mummy with a rectangular bag, double the rectangular width: a 33 in rectangular bag has 66 in of girth, more than most regular mummies.
How to choose a sleeping bag size
- Start with your height. Choose the size whose fits-up-to figure is at or just above it. At 5 ft 10 in (178 cm), a regular. At 6 ft 1 in (185 cm), a long.
- Check shoulder room. Measure around your shoulders and chest over the clothes you sleep in. If the bag's shoulder girth is less than about 6 to 8 in (15 to 20 cm) more than that, the insulation will be compressed and you will feel cold spots. Broad or side-sleeping campers usually need a wide mummy or semi-rectangular bag.
- Avoid a bag that is much too long. Every extra inch is air your body has to heat. A short camper in a long bag can stuff spare clothes into the footbox to take up the space.
- Match the bag to the tent and pad. A mummy is about 31 in wide at the shoulders and a standard pad 20 in wide, so the bag overhangs the pad. Two big-and-tall rectangular bags (80 in combined) will not lie flat side by side in a 2-person tent about 52 in wide; see the camping tent size guide for floor widths.
Buy a child a kids' bag sized about 6 to 12 in longer than their height, not an adult bag to grow into. For babies, camping sleeping bags are not a safe substitute for a wearable sleep sack sized by age, which follows the same no-loose-bedding rule as a crib.
Sleeping bag shapes compared
Mummy
- Tapers from shoulders to feet, with a hood
- Least air to heat, so warmest for its weight
- Smallest packed size
- Best for backpacking and cold nights
Rectangular
- Same width top to bottom, usually no hood
- Room to bend knees and turn over
- Unzips flat into a quilt; two can join into a double
- Heavier and bulkier; best for car camping and sleepovers
Semi-rectangular (also called barrel or modified mummy) bags sit between the two: wider at the hips and knees than a mummy, but still tapered and often hooded. They suit side sleepers who want some warmth efficiency.
Temperature ratings explained
Bags tested to ISO 23537-1 (which replaced EN 13537) carry three temperatures, measured on a heated mannequin:
| Rating | What it means | Use it as |
|---|---|---|
| Comfort | A standard adult woman sleeps comfortably in a relaxed position | Your target if you sleep cold |
| Limit (lower limit) | A standard adult man sleeps for 8 hours curled up without waking from cold | Your target if you sleep warm |
| Extreme | A standard adult woman can survive 6 hours, with risk of hypothermia | A survival figure only, never a planning figure |
A bag sold as "20°F" (−7°C) usually means its limit rating. Its comfort rating will be about 9 to 12°F (5 to 7°C) warmer. Choose a bag whose relevant rating is at least 5 to 10°F (3 to 6°C) below the coldest night you expect.
The test assumes an insulated pad. A pad with an R-value under about 2 on cold ground makes any bag feel several degrees colder. Pad R-values tested to ASTM F3340 can be compared directly across brands: roughly R 2 for summer, R 3 to 4 for three-season use, and R 5 or more on snow.
Packed size and weight
Insulation type and temperature rating set how big a bag packs. Down compresses about a third smaller than synthetic fill of the same warmth.
| Bag | Weight | Stuffed size | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| Down mummy, 30°F (−1°C) | 1-1.75 lb 0.45-0.8 kg | 6 × 12 to 7 × 14 in | 6-9 L |
| Down mummy, 15-20°F (−9 to −7°C) | 1.75-2.75 lb 0.8-1.25 kg | 7 × 14 to 8 × 16 in | 9-13 L |
| Synthetic mummy, 30°F | 2-3 lb 0.9-1.4 kg | 8 × 15 in | 12 L |
| Synthetic mummy, 20°F | 2.5-4 lb 1.1-1.8 kg | 9 × 17 in | 18 L |
| Rectangular camp bag, 30-40°F | 3-6 lb 1.4-2.7 kg | Rolled 10-12 × 16-18 in | 20-33 L |
A sleeping bag usually takes the bottom compartment of a pack. A 9 L down bag leaves plenty of room in a 50 L pack; an 18 L synthetic bag takes over a third of it. The backpack size guide covers pack volumes in liters.
Never store a bag in its stuff sack. Keep it loose in a large breathable storage sack or hanging in a closet, so the insulation keeps its loft. A compressed bag loses warmth over time.
Measuring a sleeping bag
To check a bag you already own, or one with no spec label:
- Length: lay it flat and zipped, and measure from the top of the hood (or top edge) to the end of the footbox.
- Width: measure straight across at the shoulders (about 12 in below the top of a rectangular bag, or just under the hood of a mummy), at the hips and at the feet.
- Girth: double each flat width.
- Fits up to: subtract about 6 in (15 cm) from the length of a hooded mummy, or about 4 in (10 cm) from a rectangular bag without a hood.
For the surface underneath, the air mattress size guide lists inflated sizes; a double bag at 60 to 66 in wide matches a queen air bed. For the shelter, the tent sizes guide covers every tent type. At home, a sleeping bag opened flat is roughly the size of a throw, which the blanket size chart compares.
Frequently asked questions
What size sleeping bag do I need for my height?
Pick the size whose 'fits up to' height is equal to or just above yours: short to 5 ft 6 in (168 cm), regular to 6 ft (183 cm), long to 6 ft 6 in (198 cm). If you are within 1 in of the limit, or sleep with a hood up and a water bottle at your feet, take the next size.
How wide is a sleeping bag?
Flat, a mummy bag is about 30 to 32 in (76 to 81 cm) wide at the shoulders and 19 to 21 in (48 to 53 cm) at the feet. A standard rectangular bag is 33 in (84 cm) wide, and big-and-tall rectangular bags are 39 to 40 in (99 to 102 cm).
What is the difference between sleeping bag length and 'fits up to'?
The bag's outside length is about 6 in (15 cm) more than the height it fits. A regular mummy is about 78 in long and fits up to 72 in (6 ft). The extra space is taken by the hood, the footbox shape and the loft of the insulation.
How big is a double sleeping bag?
Most double bags are 60 to 66 in wide and 80 to 87 in long (152-168 × 203-221 cm). That is close to a queen mattress (60 × 80 in), so a double bag fits on a queen air bed.
What size sleeping bag for a child?
Kids' bags are about 26 to 30 in wide and 57 to 66 in long (66-76 × 145-168 cm) and fit children up to about 4 ft 6 in to 5 ft (137 to 152 cm). A child in an adult bag has to warm a lot of empty space, so the bag sleeps colder than its rating.
Can you zip two sleeping bags together?
Yes, if one has a left-hand zip and the other a right-hand zip, and both zips are the same length and gauge. The easiest pairs are two bags of the same model bought in left and right versions.