A Quick Guide to Sleeping Bags for Fishing

This entry was posted on 10th May, 2021 by Anna Cooper

Any angler who’s ever done an overnighter will know the need for a quality sleeping bag. Even on the warmest of days, hit midnight to dawn and that temperature will make you wish you had a nice bit of kit to slip inside and get some warmth into your bones. 

We, here at Angling Direct believe that comfort and rest is a vital aspect of angling, as an angler who is uncomfortable on the bankside is never going to be as patient as the angler who has experienced a long and comfortable night’s sleep. This is why Angling Direct has created this guide to show you all the features to consider of a sleeping bag, so you find one that ensures a restful and profitable stay at the bank.

What to Look for in a Sleeping Bag

When it comes to selecting a sleeping bag there is a minefield of different things to consider to ensure that you create the best sleeping set up for your fishing needs. 

1. Season Ratings

Sleeping bags seasonal ratings are numbered, from the lowest (one) to the highest (five).

Winter Sleeping Bags: The warmest sleeping bag that you want to use in the winter months is the 4 or 5 season sleeping bags. These are supremely insulated sleeping bags that are guaranteed to keep you warm in extremely cold conditions.

Spring / Autumn Sleeping Bags: The slightly lighter bag is the three-season bag that will see you through from early spring to late autumn. These are the sleeping bags that we would recommend for the fair-weather angler who spends the odd night on the bank throughout the more pleasant angling months.

Late Summer / Early Autumn Sleeping Bags: Two season sleeping bags run from late spring through to early autumn. These are ideal for warm weather conditions and have low insulation in order to allow for good airflow around the body.

Summer Sleeping Bags: One season sleeping bags are perfect for use in the very hottest months, especially if you’re an angler who regularly heads to warmer spots to fish.

2. Insulation Types

Most of the sleeping bags on our site will specify their season. However, if the season isn’t specified in the product description then there are several other indicators that can help you to decide if the sleeping bag you’re looking at is suitable for your needs such as the level of insulation the bag offers.

The thicker the insulation is the better heat retention the sleeping bag can offer and the better it will perform in cold weather conditions. However, with continued advances in modern technology, this isn’t always the case and not all synthetic fibres are created equal.

Angling sleeping bags usually come with a synthetic fibre filling, as this is quick-drying, easy to clean, and, unlike traditional down, it doesn’t lose all effectiveness when damp. Insulation also plays a huge part in the overall weight of the sleeping bag.

If you’re an angler who favours mobility over comfort then the weight will be top of your priority list. Carp sleeping bags at the very top end of our spectrum will be able to offer warmth in extremely cold conditions whilst still keeping your sleeping bag below the 4kg mark.

3. What are Sleeping Bags made out of?

Another thing to look out for when you’re investing in an angling sleeping bag is the material it is manufactured from. In many anglers’ eyes, the internal material, or lining, is much more important than the external of a sleeping bag.

Internal Material

You’ll also find that many of the sleeping bags we stock will have a polyester lining, as this is versatile and hard-wearing. On many of the heavy-duty cold weather sleeping bags we stock, you’ll find that they boast a fleece lining that is exceptionally good at retaining heat in ultra-cold conditions. Material with a peach skin finish is extremely soft and comfortable against the skin. Some of the sleeping bags we stock will also have removable inner linings so you can increase or decrease the effectiveness of the sleeping bag’s heat retention.

External Material

Be sure to make sure the outer layer of your sleeping bag is waterproof. If you have a good quality bivvy and wrap this may not be necessary, but if water droplets are falling on your sleeping bag you need to ensure you are not going to get wet. This can be combatted further by curing your sleeping bag with a waterproofing treatment.

Many of the carp sleeping bags on our site will boast a waterproof or water-resistant outer as water is a large part of bankside life! If you’re someone who enjoys quick overnighters in open-fronted brolly or bivvy systems then you might favour a waterproof sleeping bag – just in case the wind turns and blows rain back into the recesses of your bivvy.

4. Sleeping Bag Zips

If you’ve got a sleeping bag with low-quality zips then chances are you’re going to struggle should you need to quickly respond to a screaming bite alarm in the middle of the night. Two-way zips are ideal for the dedicated angler, as they allow you to open the bag from the inside or outside with equal ease.

A good quality zip also offers heat retention. A high-quality sleeping bag will have perfectly meshing zips, will ensure both easy access as well as keeping the teeth lines up and the heat in. Internal and external zip baffles are also popular additions to most fishing sleeping bags as these prevent hot air from leaking from the sleeping bag and nasty chill draughts from entering.

5. Other Sleeping Bag Features

To help choose between similar sleeping bags, you may want to consider additional features that make life at the bank easier.

Bedchair Attachments: These tend to be either elasticated straps that attach around the bedchair or hoods which fit over either end of the bedchair. Both attachment styles are designed to hold your sleeping bag onto your bed, ensuring that you and your sleeping bag don’t slip from the bedchair in the night.

Draft Excluder Skirts: These limits cold spots and really cut down on the chilly breeze that can enter your little sleeping cocoon. 

Foot Section: Many anglers will head to bed with their boots still on, this way if the bite alarm signals during the night, they can get out of bed, to their rod quicker. With this in mind, some sleeping bag manufactures made the bottom half of their sleeping bags an ‘easy to clean’ material so that mud and debris from boots do not ruin the internal material or your comfort.

Pillows: If you are lucky, some sleeping bag will include extra padding around the head to keep your neck supported, like a pillow. Other bags do not so you may require purchasing a fishing pillow add on.

Testing A Sleeping Bag - Top 3 Considerations:

1. The first consideration when testing a sleeping bag is warmth; this can be ascertained by the materials used in the bag.

2. Secondly, a bag that is lightweight is a must. Many five-season sleeping bags fall into the trap of being too heavy and it can severely increase the weight of your fishing gear.

3. Also looked at dimensions so you can ensure that the sleeping bag you choose fits perfectly on your bedchair.

Top 3 Fishing Sleeping Bags

The following are some of our Best-Selling sleeping bags, click the name to find out more about them!

Trakker Big Snooze Plus Sleeping Bag 

Pros: Low cost. Secure elasticated bedchair head and foot fixings and  a bedchair fixing strap to reduce movement Cons:  It is so comfortable that you might struggle to leave it for that cold brisk breeze of the bankside! Weight: 3.2kg Dimensions: L215cm x W91cm RRP: £79.99

The Big Snooze is ultra-light at only 3.2kg so you can easily store and transport it in your luggage without any problems, especially as it’s supplied with a stuff sack. It has highly breathable material, so it keeps you comfortably toasty and warm instead of feeling overwhelmingly hot. The material itself is ripstop; this is highly resistant to tears or rips and therefore this bag will last you a long time and see you through a whole number of angling sessions.

Inside the bag is a soft, green fleece that will make your overnight stay as comfortable as possible whilst providing you with the needed extra warmth inside. On each side of the bag, there are quick-release zips which make opening and closing the bag as easy and quick as anything.

Advanta Protector 4 Season Sleeping Bag

Pros: Cost! It also weighs little for a 4 season sleeping bag and boasts great access zips. Cons: It is only water-resistant so be sure to keep it out of the heavy downpours and inside your bivvy. Weight: 3.4kg Dimensions: 95cm wide x 210cm long RRP: £79.99

This great all-year-round sleeping bag (season 4) ensures you can stay warm at the bankside without spending a small fortune with its ¾ Length green microfleece inner lining, high grade silicone treated Hollofil fibre filling and internal zip baffles to stop drafts.

The outer material consists of water-resistant and breathable Peachskin outer with a polyester foot section for easy foot movement. Other features of the Advanta Protector 4 season bag are the large, quick release, zips on both sides with retainers, bedchair attachment hoods, plus a central strap.

Snugpak Techlite Compact Sleeping Bag DPM

Pros: Mega insulation and super-lightweight Cons: None! It’s Army level quality available for the hard-core angler. Well worth the investment Weight: 2.47kg Dimensions: 195cm x 80cm RRP Price: £259.95

We’re at the upper echelons of sleeping bag tech here, in the form of the brilliantly realised and executed Snugpak X Fortis Techlite. Created through a collaboration between forward-thinking firm Fortis and Snugpak, the Techlite is handmade here in the UK and has all the features associated with the military bag but modified to suit anglers.

Packed with Snugpak’s softie premier insulation, this bag strikes an impressive balance between weight and warmth. It’s a year-round bag, containing the Snugpak Softie Premier insulation, which has kept soldiers and climbers warm for decades. The Techlite has a removable top layer, which can be zipped back on when the temperature starts to drop. This feature provides warmth right through the most extreme winter conditions and will give the bag its 5 season rating. When the top layer is removed, the bag weighs only 2kg and carries a 3 season rating to keep you warm through Spring to Autumn.

What is the Best Sleeping Bag for Fishing?

Our collection of sleeping bags and pillows comes from the very best carp brands on the market and includes everything from peach-skin quilts and bedchair covers to full-sized pillows and five-season sleeping bags. These incredible offerings are brought to you by the likes of Fox, Gardner, and Trakker – among others.

Our own Advanta range offers a variety of Advanta sleep products which you can read reviews of on our AD blog. You can also view more products to help to sleep at the bankside if the following guides.