Winter camping is great — but only if I’ve got a solid winter sleeping bag to crawl into. Here’s our updated guide to 6 of the best winter bags under $600 in 2025.

 

Summer’s ok and all, but who wants to crawl into a nylon sauna at the end of the day! There’s no amount of undressing that’ll cool you down and if that fresh breeze doesn’t appear overnight you’ll be waking up in a puddle of your own sweat.

No thank you. Give me a frigid ice box of a tent any day of the week. There’s nothing like climbing into a cold tent knowing that in just a few moments you’ll be crawling into the womby comfort of your winter sleeping bag. All that’s left to do is cinch the hood tight and you’re off to the land of the nod.

But seriously, if you’re going to go camping in winter, investing in a decent winter sleeping bag is super important. They’ll cost a bit more than a summer bag, but believe me, spending a few extra dollars on a warm night is one thousand times better than a cold night of camping. So do your winter-self a favour and make this the year you treat yourself to a proper cozy winter sleeping bag.

Read more: Why Winter is Actually the Best Season For Camping Trips

Jump to Section

Best Budget Friendly Winter Sleeping Bags

1. Alton Goods Ultralight Sleeping Bag

 

Alton Goods Ultralight Sleeping Bag

Minimalists rejoice – this ultralight bag from Aussie crew Alton Goods is simple, effective, and genuinely well thought out. Clocking in at just 390g-625g (depending on which size you choose), this thing folds down smaller than your lunch and still manages to provide decent warmth thanks to its 850FP RDS-certified down fill.

It comes in three temperature comfort ratings – 0°C, -5°C and a whopping good -10°C – which makes it possible to choose precisely what bag you need depending on how deep into winter you’re planning on camping. Bonus points for the waterproof, wind-resistant Ripstop Nylon outer shell which means you don’t need to worry about that morning condensation dripping on the bag. 

Read more: How to Choose a Sleeping Bag

The mummy shape isn’t everyone’s cup of tea— but unlike most mummy-shaped bags this one comes with a square foot box for a bit of extra wiggle room. It’s a solid choice for hikers, bikepackers, or travellers wanting something lightweight and responsibly made.

Weight: 390g-625g
RRP: $509-$589
Comfort rating: 0°C, 5°C, or -10°C

Shop Unisex

2. The North Face Blue Kazoo

 

The Blue Kazoo sleeping bag from The North Face is a high-performance all-rounder that just squeezes into this list being priced bang on the limit at $600. If you can find one on sale that’s the ultimate jackpot! Filled with 700 fill recycled down and rated to 0°C comfort, this one’s built for winter missions where you need warmth without a heap of bulk.

The bag uses a traditional mummy shape, but it’s got enough internal space to avoid feeling like a straitjacket. There’s a fitted hood, draft collar, and an insulated footbox to keep the chill out, plus a water-resistant finish to keep the down lofty even in damp conditions.

It’s not the lightest on this list, but the warmth-to-weight ratio is solid and it packs down nicely into the included compression sack. A great all-rounder for Aussie winter hikes and cool weather camping. We’ve got one being tested out in the wild right now so stay tuned for a detailed review coming soon. 

Weight: 800g (regular) 884g (long)
RRP: $600
Comfort rating: -7°C (comfort: 0°C, limit:- 6°C, extreme: -24°C)

Shop Unisex

3. Big Agnes Dream Island Synthetic Double Sleeping Bag

This absolute unit of a sleeping bag is perfect for everyone who wishes they could take their regular bed out camping, and/or snuggle up to their partner while doing so. The Dream Island 20 is a double sleeping bag made for couples, starry-eyed stargazers, or solo sleepers who want enough space to roll around and not immediately fall off their sleeping mat.

Read more: How To Wash Your Sleeping Bag

It’s filled with FireLine™ Max synthetic insulation, which keeps you warm down to around -7°C. The best part? You don’t need to go out and try to find a massive sleeping mat to suit because it’s designed to be used with two sleeping mats pushed together using a fancypants pad sleeve system. Super comfy, super roomy, and a great pick for car campers or glampers.

Just don’t expect to carry it up a mountain. At over 3kg, it’s more basecamp-friendly than backcountry-ready.

Weight: 3.09kg
RRP: $510
Comfort rating: -7°C

Shop Unisex

4. Mont Zodiac 500 Sleeping Bag

Mont Zodiac 500

Aussie winters can throw you a frosty curveball, but the Mont Zodiac 500 is ready to knock it right out of the tent. Designed right here in Australia, this all-rounder winter sleeping bag is perfect for those who love alpine adventures but don’t want to carry a behemoth of a bag. At 1.06kg, it’s lighter than most winter sleeping bags with a similar warmth rating, and it’s filled with premium 800+ loft water-resistant down to keep you cozy down to -4°C.

The semi-rectangular shape gives you a little more wiggle room than a full mummy but still keeps that thermal efficiency dialled in. There’s also a full-length side zip and a separate foot zip, so you can regulate heat like a pro when things start to warm up. We love the internal zip for keeping your phone nice and warm overnight (stops the battery going flat from the cold!) and left and right hand models can be zipped together to make a double sleeping bag arrangement if preferred.

This is a proper bang-for-buck bag for winter missions in all but the most extreme conditions. Toasty warm option from a brand known for it’s reliability and quality. 

Weight: 1,060g
Price: $539.95
Comfort rating:  -4°C (men), 2°C (women)

Shop Unisex

5. Neve Gear Waratah Pro

 

The Waratah Pro from Neve Gear is designed and made in Australia for local conditions. While it’s technically a quilt, it’s another option in the realm of sleeping bags and comes with two winter-friendly comfort ratings of -2°C and -8°C.  It’s filled with ethically sourced 950+ goose down fillpower and can be used in all seasons. 

It’s a mummy-style quilt with a generous cut, meaning you get a decent amount of surface area unlike some ultralight cocoons. On cold winter nights a footbox can be created using the 1/4 length zipper for maximum heat retention.

The innovative pad attachment system means you can be guaranteed of no cool drafts sneaking in between your sleeping mat and the quilt. Adjust the draft collar up top too and you’ll be toasty all night! 

Weight-wise, it’s nice and light at a maximum of 810g for the -8°C, which is super solid for the warmth rating.

Psst! If you’re quick about it, Ultralight Hiker is currently selling a bunch of these Waratah Pro’s at a huge discount (May 2025!) just because the wrong colour fabric was used. 

Weight: 640g-810g
RRP: $519-$619
Comfort rating: -2°C or -8°C

Shop unisex

Find Your Ultimate Sleeping Bag

 

Feature photo by @mitchell.quinn

At We Are Explorers we take great pride in presenting content that is fact checked, well-researched, and based on both real world experience and reliable sources. As a B-Corp we uphold high ethical standards and strive to create content that is inclusive, with an an increased focus on underserved communities, Indigenous Australians, and threats to our environment. You can read all about it in our Editorial Standards.