Best Carp Fishing Sleeping Bags

Two bags in one is the simple idea behind the Fox Ventec All Season Bag. A three-season outer bag takes a zipped-in thermal inner, and together they make a five-season setup for the depths of winter.

That inner has a Sherpa fleece upper and a micro-fleece base, and it reverses to smooth polyester for milder nights. Its filling is 7 Core Hollow Fibre with offset stitching, the crash zips have guard webbing, and there's an XL size for wider beds.

It suits the carp angler who fishes from a bivvy right through the year and wants one bag for every season. Next to the Trakker 365 Sleeping Bag Camo, it does the same three-to-five-season trick for a little less money, and it adds the XL option the Trakker doesn't have.

To be fair, it's heavy and bulky to carry, with the Standard size weighing 6.5kg. For year-round bivvy fishing, though, I think it's the best all-season bag you can put on a bedchair.

Built to stay on the bedchair all year, the Trakker 365 Sleeping Bag Camo is a five-season bag with a removable liner. Take that liner out and it becomes a three-season bag, with multi-layered Q7 hollowfibre doing the insulating.

Its liner reverses from fleece to smooth polyester, and the water-repellent Aquatexx shell wears Trakker's own camo print. Heavy-duty 10mm zips on both sides have baffles inside and out, while the base is re-engineered to fit most bed leg layouts.

All-year carp anglers will get the most from it, above all anyone with a Trakker RLX bed. Next to the Fox Ventec All Season Bag it does the same two-in-one job but costs more and comes in one size, and the Gardner Carp Duvet Compact costs less and is much lighter to carry.

To be fair, it's heavy at roughly 6.3kg and one of the dearest bags around. For a camo year-round setup on a Trakker bed, though, I think it's superb.

Four seasons is where the Gardner Carp Duvet Compact starts, and fitting its removable thermal middle layer takes it to five. It's also light for a winter bag, at 3.55kg packed.

Twin-hole Hollofil, doubled up in all three sections, sits under a breathable, water-repellent DPM camo shell. Shoulder and zip baffles and a drawcord hood keep draughts out, while twin crash zips and two Velcro stash pockets complete a well-thought-out spec.

Winter carp anglers who barrow or walk to the swim will like it most, because it gives serious warmth without the weight. Next to the Trakker 365 Sleeping Bag Camo it costs less and is far lighter, though it can't drop to three seasons, and it's warmer than the Sonik Bank-Tek Layerz All-Season Sleeping Bag but lacks its fleece option.

To be fair, the smooth taffeta lining and standard-only sizing won't suit everyone. For cold-weather sessions, though, I think it's hard to beat on warmth for its weight.

At its heart, the Sonik Bank-Tek Layerz All-Season Sleeping Bag is a dual-layer bag filled to five-season thickness, and its reversible inner cover lifts out for milder weather. Fleece or smooth polyester can face you, depending on the night.

Silicone-treated hollow fibre holds its loft under a water-resistant ripstop outer. Oversized No. 10 crash zips, drawstrings at the head and foot, hand-warmer pockets and a mozzie head-net that folds out round off a well-equipped bag.

Anyone on a wide bedchair should look at it first, since it comes in Standard and Wide. Next to the Gardner Carp Duvet Compact it's a little cheaper and adds a fleece option, though it's heavier, while the Fox Camolite Sleeping Bag is a single-layer winter bag with a Sherpa fleece upper and nothing to remove.

To be fair, at 4.95kg it's no lightweight, and its warmth sits a notch below the Gardner. For anglers who want one adaptable bag with a mozzie net for summer, though, I think it's a very sound buy.

Camo on the outside and fleece on both sides inside make the Fox Camolite a proper winter bag. It's filled with silicone-treated 7 Core Hollow Fibre, with a micro-fleece base under a deep Sherpa fleece upper and offset panel stitching to hold the warmth in.

Its 10mm Crash Zips have an oversized fleece baffle behind them and stop short of the foot end, which leaves a Hot-Foot-Pocket. There's a pillow-retaining hood and a securing strap, and it comes in Compact, Standard and XL, with the Standard weighing 3.9kg.

If your bivvy, bedchair and luggage are already camo, this is the bag that matches them on winter overnighters. Next to the Sonik Bank-Tek Layerz, it's lighter and simpler, as there's no removable inner. The Fox Voyager shares its fill, fleece and zips in a plain Marl outer for a fair bit less.

To be fair, you're paying extra mainly for the camo, and it's a bulky roll to carry. For winter anglers who want the look, though, I think it's a warm, well-made bag that earns its place.

Four-season warmth without the camo is what the Fox Voyager offers, in a soft polyester Marl outer. Inside, silicone-treated 7 Core Hollow Fibre sits between a micro-fleece base and a deep Sherpa fleece upper.

Heavy-duty 10mm Crash Zips sit behind an oversized fleece baffle, and they stop short of the foot end to form a hot-foot pocket. A pillow-retaining hood, an elasticated strap and hoods that fit single-leg bedchairs complete it, in Compact, Standard and XL sizes.

It's aimed at overnighter anglers who fish from spring into winter and don't need camo. Next to the Fox Camolite, it has the same fill, fleece and zips for a fair bit less. The Sonik Bank-Tek 5-Season carries the higher season rating and a mosquito net, but it costs a little more.

To be fair, it's a bulky bag to carry, and there's no mosquito net for summer. For anglers who want four-season warmth without paying for camo, though, I think it's very strong value.

The Sonik Bank-Tek 5-Season is built for the coldest nights, with five-season insulation from silicone-treated hollow fibre. The outer is a water-resistant, hard-wearing 90T ripstop, and a micro-fleece top cover adds warmth on the inside.

Drawstrings at the head and foot pull the insulation in to cut cold spots, and the redesigned hood forms around you in any sleeping position. A fold-out mosquito head net, No. 10 crash zips and a full compression bag round it off.

Long winter sessions are where it comes into its own. Compared with the Fox Voyager, it has the higher season rating and a mosquito net for a little more money. The Trakker Big Snooze Plus is lighter and cheaper, but it's far less of a winter bag.

To be fair, the smooth polyester base isn't as cosy as fleece, and there are only two sizes. For anglers who fish right through the winter, though, I think it's a superb mid-price choice for maximum warmth.

Lightness is the point of the Trakker Big Snooze Plus, which weighs 3.2kg and pairs a breathable ripstop polyester outer with a full carpy-green fleece lining. The Standard measures 215 x 91cm, and there are Compact and Wide versions too.

Quick-release zips run down both sides with anti-snag webbing, so you can get out on either side in a hurry. Elasticated head and foot fixings and a central strap keep it from shifting on the bedchair, and a stuff sack is supplied for packing it away.

Anglers who barrow kit to far swims and fish mainly from spring to autumn will get the most from it. Against the Sonik Bank-Tek 5-Season, it's lighter and cheaper but much less warm. The Fox EOS costs a little less, yet it only has fleece at the head and foot.

To be fair, it isn't a deep-winter bag unless you add a bed cover. For lighter overnighters in the milder months, though, I think it's a comfortable, sensible buy.

Built for late spring to early autumn, the Fox EOS is a 2 to 3 season bedchair bag that comes in two widths. Fleece lines the head and foot sections, with smooth polyester through the middle.

An oversized fleece baffle sits behind the heavy-duty crash zips to hold heat in, and offset panel stitching helps cut cold spots. Elasticated hoods suit single-leg-support beds, and a pillow retainer keeps your pillow where it should be.

For me, it suits summer overnighters and short sessions on day-ticket lakes. Next to the Trakker Big Snooze Plus Standard, it's lighter and costs less, though the Trakker has a full fleece lining. Against the JRC Defender II, the EOS costs a bit more but adds the fleece sections and zip baffle.

To be fair, it won't cope with frosty nights unless you add a bed cover. For spring to autumn anglers watching the pennies, though, I think it's the best budget bag of the lot.

JRC's Defender II is a 3 season bag with 150g/m² hollow fibre filling in a durable polyester outer, and elasticated hoods at both ends fit it to the bedchair.

Its standout extra is a built-in mozzie mesh net that covers your face on muggy nights. Crash zips with easy-pull toggles run down both sides, a central strap holds it still, and the whole bag packs into a compression sack.

Newcomers and spring to autumn anglers who want a simple bag will get on well with it. Compared with the Fox EOS, it costs less, while the EOS adds fleece head and foot sections and a zip baffle. The Wychwood Tactical is a summer bag in camo, so the Defender II has the higher season rating and still costs a little less.

To be fair, it's a plain bag, and it needs a cover on the coldest nights. For a first overnight setup, though, I think it's a lot of bag for very little money.

Weighing just 2kg, the Wychwood Tactical is a camo summer bag with a breathable 240T ripstop outer, a smooth lining and a four-chamber hollow fill in between.

It measures 2100mm by 900mm, with large crash zips down the bag and elasticated hoods plus a fixing strap to keep it on the bedchair. The smooth lining should make it easy to turn over inside, and adding a bed cover stretches it into spring and autumn.

Why carry a thick bag in summer at all? This one suits anglers who fish warm-weather overnighters, travel light and already own a bed cover. Next to the JRC Defender II, it costs a little more and has a lower season rating, but the breathable ripstop outer and camo finish set it apart.

To be fair, it has the lowest warmth rating of the lot and needs a cover outside summer. For light summer sessions, though, I think it's a smart, easy-to-carry choice.