Our sleeping selection puts reliability in the field first. Synthetic sleeping bags keep their insulating properties even when damp, a decisive advantage in bushcraft. Our wool blankets offer a traditional approach: tough and versatile. Quilts and underquilts round out the system for hammock users. Every piece works with the rest of your sleeping kit, from mats to bivy bags.
Buying guide: choosing the right bushcraft sleeping bag
Synthetic sleeping bags: dependable in any weather
Synthetic insulation is the preferred choice in bushcraft. It keeps its warmth even when wet, dries quickly and is untroubled by condensation. That is a major advantage when you sleep under a tarp or out under the stars. The models available cover a wide temperature range, from light summer bags (+10°C) to four-season models for sub-zero temperatures. Go by the comfort rating when choosing.
Wool blankets
The wool blanket is the bushcraft sleeping tool par excellence. Tough, naturally insulating even when damp, resistant to sparks from the campfire: the advantages stack up for use in the field. With a dedicated carry harness, it rolls up and travels easily on a backpack. It also works as an extra blanket at the bivouac, a ground mat, or protection around the fire. It is a long-term investment that ages well.
Underquilts, insulated blankets and bivouac ponchos
Quilts (open-sided duvets) are an alternative to the conventional sleeping bag: lighter and more versatile, they let you regulate temperature by opening or closing the quilt to suit conditions. Underquilts attach beneath a hammock to insulate from below, where a compressed sleeping bag loses its insulating power. Insulated ponchos combine rain protection with a bivouac blanket: worn during the day, they become extra sleeping insulation at camp.
Choosing for how you go out
For a moving bivouac with a backpack, go for a compact synthetic sleeping bag or a light quilt. For a fixed camp in the forest, a wool blanket paired with a wood stove gives traditional comfort. For a hammock, combine a sleeping bag or quilt with an underquilt. And always complete your system with a good mat to insulate you from the ground.
Our bushcraft sleeping selection
Pyrene Bushcraft stocks over 20 sleeping items: all-season synthetic bags, wool blankets with carry harnesses, compact thermo blankets, hammock underquilts and insulated ponchos. They complete your Merino base layers and your headwear for comfortable nights at the bivouac.
FAQ: Bushcraft sleeping bags
Synthetic or down for bushcraft?
Synthetic is generally preferable in bushcraft. It insulates even when wet, dries fast and copes better with field conditions (condensation under a tarp, ambient damp). Down has a better warmth-to-weight ratio but loses its properties once damp.
Do you need a bivy bag with your sleeping bag?
Under a tarp or out under the stars, a bivy bag protects your sleeping bag from dew, wind and splashing rain. It also adds a few degrees of warmth. Inside a tent it is less necessary, but still useful as extra protection.
How can you get more warmth from your sleeping bag?
Wear Merino base layers and a beanie inside the bag. Use a mat with a good R-value to insulate from the ground. Add a bivy bag or a thermo blanket as an extra layer. And eat a hot meal before turning in to fuel your body's heat production.
How do you carry a wool blanket?
Roll it tightly and secure it with a dedicated carry harness or straps. It sits on top of or behind the backpack. To protect it from damp when canoeing or in wet weather, slip it into a dry bag.
Complete your bivouac system
Pyrene Bushcraft supports people who go outdoors with kit made for the field. Explore our sleeping bags and complete your bivouac with our tents, tarps and shelters, our fire range and our selection of small survival gear.