I was so grateful for the well-constructed zippers, as I successfully fit 30 lbs worth of essential survival items in my bug out bag. Having a backpack and sleeping bag for each member of your family can make storage space an issue. Many sleeping bags are so bulky that the girth and length match that of a fully stuffed survival bag. So it’s inconceivable to many preppers that they can find a lightweight sleeping bag for bugout bag. This saves precious storage space when your bugging out and prevents the possibility of them getting left behind. In the article below you’ll find out how to pack a sleeping bag into a backpack and why it’s important.
Is A Sleeping Bag Essential?
Yes, a sleeping bag is worthy of being listed among the top 3 essential bug out bag items (shelter, water, food). In the preparedness world, there’s a universally accepted survival rule of 3. This rule states that you can survive 3 minutes without air, 30 minutes to 3 hours without shelter, 3 days without water, and 3 weeks without food. Sleeping bags come under the classification of shelter and you may have noticed that it’s listed before water and food. They are designed to shelter us from the cold. In the 1700s when cowboys, pioneers, and soldiers traveled long distances, they carried bedrolls, quilts, and wool blankets, multitools didn’t make the list. Today long-distance hikers, the military, and survivalist regularly survive only on what’s IN their backpacks and they all carry sleeping bags or emergency bivies.
Lightweight Sleeping Bag for Bugout Bag
Getting the right size sleeping bag is an important factor when packing a bug out bag. If you get a sleeping bag that is too big for your pack it will not pack tightly, thus wasting space and adding unnecessary weight to your pack. There are two easy methods to identify the right sleeping bag for your emergency backpack. How to Pack a Sleeping Bag
- Identifying and allocating a space in the backpack. For example, a standard hiker’s backpack has a designated sleeping bag compartment. Measure the space and research what will fit. If your using a military backpack or a typical school backpack designate a space then measure it. It’s common for hikers to place the sleeping bag at the very bottom of the backpack. Another example, the main compartment of the green military backpack, in the picture above, is divided into two sections. This makes the two sections narrow so the larger black sleeping bag in the photo, because of its girth does not fit well.
- Use a formula. Your backpack should be less than 20% of the owner’s weight. So if I weighed 150 pounds than my bug-out bag should not weigh more than 30 pounds. Your sleeping bag should be 10% or less than the weight of your backpack. So if I had a 30-pound pack my sleeping bag shouldn’t weigh more than 3 pounds.
To illustrate how to pack a lightweight sleeping bag for a bugout bag, I’ll be using a mummy bag, an envelope bag, and an emergency bivy. Both methods previously mentioned have been used in the examples below.
Mummy Bag
In the photo below, the framed backpack filled with 3 days of hiking gear weighs 29 pounds. The mummy bag weighs 2.8 pounds. Measurements are approximately 8 x 12. Its temperature rating is 32°F. Price ranges from $40 – $50.
Envelope Sleeping Bag
In the photo below, the military backpack filled with prepper gear weighs 20 pounds. The blue envelope sleeping bag weighs 1.54 pounds. Measurements are approximately 5 x 11. Its temperature rating is 59°F. Price ranges from $20 – $26.
Emergency Bivy
In the photo below, the drawstring backpack filled with survival supplies for a child weighs 7 pounds. The emergency bivy sleeping bag weighs .61 pounds. It’s designed to raise a persons body temperature 10-20 degrees. Measurements are approximately 3 x 5 ½. This is a great solution if space is a problem. Many preppers pack a bivy in addition to a sleeping bag. Price ranges from $9 – $20.
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