While we are out camping with our kids we rely heavily on our gear to make sure they stay safe and warm. There is really nothing worse than realizing you are lacking the proper equipment, and safety has to take the front seat, meaning an aborted trip. We’ve done it. Not fun.
Before having my own children, I was absolutely convinced that kids’ sleeping bags were a “luxury item”. Something that was cute, weighed a little less, but really served no good purpose. After getting my facts straight, seeing how my kids manage camping (with their own cute, small bodies), and doing a bunch of research, I would make the claim that kids’ sleeping bags are the key to keeping kids warm while camping.
The science behind it is actually pretty simple: A smaller sleeping bag means less space that a child’s body has to heat up to keep them warm.
That’s it.
This summer and fall, we had the chance to put the Deuter Starlight EXP through the paces for our 3 year old son. A lighter bag built for summer and early fall, the Starlight EXP boasts an extension that unzips allowing kids to grow. The bag is a “mummy” style with enough room for kids to comfortably move.
Living in the mountains at a high elevation means that nights get cold (average of the 50s during the peak of the summer and freezing in the fall.) I was honestly quite skeptical that this bag would satisfy our needs. So skeptical, in fact, that on our most recent car camping trip, I packed an extra (heavier) bag for him in case the Starlight failed. It was the ultimate test.
Surprisingly, the bag did better than any of the others we had packed for the entire family: temperatures hovered just above 40 degrees, and the boy slept soundly (granted, he was wearing proper clothing, including a hat!) The rest of us were cold (how’s that for a good lesson-learned?)
What we love:
- That extra 12 inches buys at least a year or two while maximizing body heat with a properly fitted bag.
- The fill is soft and lightweight.
- It packs down super small (and weighing just over 2 pounds).
- It has a velco flap that goes over the zipper to prevent the zipper from moving down AND from kids getting caught in it!
- It really and truly keeps them warm.
What we weren’t so crazy about:
- Since kids (especially preschool-aged ones) tend to move around and squirm a lot, having some sort of pillow pocket (which could be stuffed with an extra jacket, etc.) built into the bag would be great. It was his one complaint.
- Trivial, but would love to have the Starlight EXP offered in another color so siblings could keep their bags straight.
Bottom Line:
A top of the line bag suited well for kids aged toddler to early elementary school. Absolutely worth the money, especially since it grows with the child! Five stars from us!
Click Here to Purchase the Deuter Kids’ Starlight EXP Sleeping Bag
The Stats:
Suggested Retail: $89
Weight: 2 lbs 3 oz
Size: 63 x 27 x 18(L x W x W) Inch
Bodysize: ~ 67 Inch
Outer lining: Soft-Nylon Taffeta
Inner lining: Deuter-Soft-Micro
Fill: High-Loft Hollowfibre
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