Review: Baby Camping Sleeping Bags
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Taking your baby camping for the first time can be a daunting experience. I know, because I’ve been there! This review is here to help you keep your baby safe and warm at night, so that they can get a good night’s sleep, and you can too!
The youngest baby I’ve taken car-camping was 5 months old. The youngest baby I’ve taken bike-camping was 8 months old. At these ages, safe sleeping arrangements are really a top priority for me when thinking about baby’s sleep setup. All the sleeping bags in this review are specially designed for young children, to keep them warm but reduce the risk of them getting tangled in bedding.
- Baby Camping Sleeping Bags: What features to look for?
- Morrisons Outdoors Big Mo 40
- Jojo Maman Bebe 3.5 tog Cosy Sleeping Bag
- Mikafen 3.5 tog Baby Winter Sleeping Bag
- Camping with baby: sleeping mats
- Other baby camping sleeping bags
Summary
| Morrisons Outdoors Big Mo 40 -Very warm: recommended for 4C to 15C (we have used down to 10C) -Lightweight: 590g in size 2-4 years -Durable synthetic fabric: compact and easy to dry -RRP: 100USD View at Morrisons Outdoors |  |
| Jojo Maman Bebe 3.5 tog Cosy Sleeping Bag -Not very warm: suitable down to about 15C with thermal PJs -Weight: 427g (size 0-6 mos), 552g (size 6-18 mos), 762g (size 18 mos to 4 yrs) -Good budget option, but only warm enough for camping in mid-summer. -Cotton fabric is hard to dry out if damp. –RRP: £36.00 View at Jojo Maman Bebe |  |
| Mikafen 3.5 tog Baby Winter Sleeping Bag -Medium warmth: a bit warmer than the Jojo bag, suitable down to 13C-14C with thermal PJs -Very bulky. -Weight: 638g (size 7-18 mos) -Good budget option, but only warm enough for camping in summer. -Cotton fabric is hard to dry out if damp. –RRP: £26.99 View on Amazon |  |
Here’s a video showcasing the different options, in case that is helpful:
Baby Camping Sleeping Bags: What features to look for?
For safety, I look for baby-style sleeping bags with arms. The armholes prevent the sleeping bag from riding up over the baby’s face, and the baby cannot slip out of the bag and get cold. Even up to about age 3-4, I think children do better with a specific baby/toddler sleeping bag, both for safety (they can’t wriggle their heads down into the bag) and warmth (they can’t wriggle out of the bag!).
Considering the temperatures when camping, I specifically look for a sleeved baby sleeping bag, which is unusual but they do exist. One nice option in summertime is removable sleeves, so that you can add them later when you yourself go to bed and the temperatures have dropped off.
I usually take a tiny thermometer and a 1 tog summer sleeping bag with us on our camping trips. The 1 tog sleeping bag is for naps and very hot evenings. Tents can get surprisingly hot on a sunny day, and the sleeping bags in this review are not going to be suitable for temperatures over about 20C.
Morrisons Outdoors Big Mo and Little Mo
I think the Morrisons Outdoors sleeping bag is the gold standard for camping with babies. It is cosy and warm, without being too bulky. Children can have their hands free for use, with cuffs to fold over for the nighttime. The sleeping bag can be opened from the bottom to keep the child as warm as possible for nighttime nappy changes.
The sleeping bag comes in two different sizes, the Little Mo for ages 6-24 months and the Big Mo for ages 2-4. We are currently using the Big Mo for a smallish 3 year old, with plenty of growing room.
There are also two temperature ratings, a down bag rated down to 20F (around -6C!) and a synthetic bag rated down to 40F (around 4C). We have the synthetic bag, which is the cheaper option, and has been more than adequate for our purposes, using it down to about 10C so far.
The sleeping bag comes with its own stuff sack, and can actually be compressed quite a bit smaller than the stuffsack. Our Big Mo 40 weighs in at 590g in its stuffsack. (official weight : 537g).
I love how this sleeping bag keeps my preschooler cosy and warm all night long even if they wriggle and roll around the tent in their sleep. A better night’s sleep for everyone! Highly recommended.
I ordered this sleeping bag from the Morrisons Outdoors website. The shipping cost was pretty reasonable for international shipping to the UK, and it arrived within a couple of weeks. The main downside of this sleeping bag is the price, with an RRP of around 100USD.
Jojo Maman Bebe 3.5 tog Cosy Sleeping bag
The Jojo 3.5 tog sleeping bags are what we used for our first few camping trips with babies. We also use them at home in the winter, so we have got good value out of them. This is a great budget option for a single trip.
The Jojo sleeping bags have removable sleeves with poppers, so that they are quite adaptable for warmer conditions (say 18-20C). However, they do come up short in colder conditions, and I consistently find that children wake up cold if the temperature falls below about 15-16C, even with lots of warm layers underneath.
The sleeping bags come in three sizes, 0-6 months, 6-18 months, and 18 month – 4 years (this final option is listed as a Toddler sleeping bag on the Jojo website).
The Jojo sleeping bags are cotton, and they will take a long time to dry out if they get wet. Keep the sleeping bag in a dry-bag if you are walking or biking. In the tent, the most likely way for the bag to get wet is from condensation or rain, if the child presses up against the side of the tent. Babies and toddlers can move around a lot in their sleep, so be mindful of where you position them in the tent to avoid them getting soggy.
Mikafen 3.5 tog Baby Winter Sleeping Bag
We have started using these sleeping bags at home as winter-weight sleeping bags, and they are definitely warmer than the Jojo sleeping bags, so I think they would be a good option for a single camping trip. They are also cheaper than the Jojo sleeping bags!
The Mikafen bags have zip-off removable sleeves, which gives extra flexibility for warmer temperatures. They have a higher neckline than the Jojo bags which stops heat escaping at the neck and are more thickly wadded. I have used these sleeping bags comfortably down to 14C (with a vest, sleepsuit and thin merino top).
I particularly like the nappy change zip on these bags, which opens right across the bottom so that you can change a nappy with your child still mostly warm in their sleeping bag. For the other two sleeping bags in this review, I find you do need to lift out their legs to get access.
Something to be aware of: Our Mikafen sleeping bags arrived vacuum packed and did smell a bit funny straight out of the package. I ran them through the wash on a Delicates 30C cycle, and they came out smelling much fresher.
Camping with baby: sleeping mats
Remember to think about how you will insulate your baby from the ground, as this is a major route of heat-loss when camping. If you are car camping with a large tent, you could take a travel cot with a mattress.
For backpacking/touring, you will need to take some sort of sleep mat for them. I prefer to use a closed cell mat or a self-insulating pad (foam and air combination) for babies and toddlers. These types of mat tend to have a much flatter surface than the pure inflatable pads, which I think is safer and more comfortable for children. This is just my personal opinion!
I usually take a couple of cheap fleece blankets on camping trips. These are lightweight and quick to dry, and can be used as an extra layer tucked under the arms if a child gets cold.
Other baby sleeping bags to consider
Here are a couple of other options I have come across since purchasing the Morrisons Outdoors bag. I haven’t tried these bags with our family, but I am including them here so that you can check them out if you want to!
The Milk and Honey Co Camping sleeping bag: This one looks beautiful and very toasty warm. I was put off by the price (and the likely shipping cost from the US). I was also concerned about the lack of sleeves; I think they suggest using it with a down jacket in cooler conditions.
Mounts Slumber Sack: I only very recently came across the Mounts Slumber Sack. It comes in two warmth ratings, and is for toddlers rather than babies. It has an adjustable bottom so that you can keep smaller children warmer by reducing the size. It also has removable sleeves which I think is a great feature for increasing the range of temperatures you can use this bag in. For example, if you plan on your baby taking daytime naps in the tent, or if you are camping in the summer time. It’s a similar weight to the Morrisons Outdoors bag. Looks good, but I haven’t tried it!
