Every time we post a picture of our Alcott Explorer Sleeping Bags, people ask us a lot of questions about them. Do our dogs really use them? Are they warm? Are they well made? So.. I thought it was time to write an official review for our followers.
Alcott Explorer Sleeping Bag Review
If you love to camp and go on adventures with your pooch, you’ve probably had your sleeping bag stolen a time or two (or 100). While I’m sure that, like me, you’re more than happy to snuggle up with your dog for warmth at night, there are times when it’s really convenient for them to have their own. Ours use them as a comfy spot to sit or lie around camp during the day. When the sun goes down, they curl up and snooze in them by the fire.
** Disclaimer: As Alcott ambassadors, we were sent one of these Alcott Explorer sleeping bags to test out and review and the dogs LOVE THEM so much that we bought a second one! We thought we’d share our thoughts with you.
FUNCTION
PROS: This bag is the perfect perfect camping accessory for your adventurous dog. They’re nice and thick, so they work great as a comfy place for your dog to sit or lie around camp, especially when your campsite is a harder surface like packed dirt, or even worse, gravel. The outside is made of a slick material that wipes down easily, so no worries if the ground is a damp or really dirty.

Boomer’s Alcott sleeping bag makes her job as campsite squirrel patrol so much more comfortable, especially when your campsite is gravel!
Alcott Explorer sleeping bags are nice and lightweight while also providing a good amount of warmth and insulation. When the sun starts to go down and the temperature drops, our pups always seek out their sleeping bags. Now that they have their own comfy cocoons, they don’t have to hide in our tent to stay warm in the evenings. Instead they curl up and hang out with us around the fire while we roast marshmallows and drink… juice.. well into the night.
They also make a great accessory for any small dog owner with a dog like Roxie that doesn’t handle the cold well. We took our small bag on a hike in the mountains recently when the temperature was getting down to the 30s and 40s. Even with a good jacket, she would start to shiver whenever we slowed down or stopped to take a break. When this happened, it was nice to be able to pull her Alcott sleeping bag out of my pack and warm her up pretty quickly.
CONS: The only recommendation we have for future versions of the Alcott Explorer sleeping bag is perhaps a larger version. We have a small and a large. The small is the PERFECT size for Roxie to curl up in without being too loose and allowing too much cold air to get inside. The large is great for all of our dogs to sit on around camp and Ringo and Roxie can snuggle up in it together to nap, but it’s not quite large enough for our larger dogs to use as intended. Boomer and Helo are both around 60(ish) lbs and are just a bit too big to fit inside.
DESIGN/QUALITY
I must say that these bags are made really well. Better than a lot of sleeping bags that I’ve seen for people, even. Here’s what we like about it:
Warm, soft fabric on the inside
Exterior shell that is moisture/wind resistant and easy to wipe down
Lots of stuffing for insulation and comfort
Big, sturdy zipper that unzips the bag completely, converting it to a nice bed/matt
Lightweight and durable
AND it’s machine washable!
5 stars all the way
Overall Rating:
Would we recommend this to a friend?
Yes, absolutely! If you have a small to medium/large dog that you like to take camping with you, these bags are perfect. Since the first trip that we brought an Alcott sleeping bag on, we honestly wouldn’t dare camp without them, and even had to go buy a second one. For more specs on these awesome sleeping bags or to order your own, click here.
Have comments or questions that we didn’t answer in this review? Feel free to leave a comment or shoot us an email via our contact us page.
Thanks for reading!
Debbie & THE MUTTS
3 Comments
TigerLily NEEDS one!
Hey!
This is splendid.
Quick question. What alternative do you recommend for those who needs a large version?
I’m following your reply.
They have since adjusted their sizing and the large is actually substantially larger than it used to be. It’s big enough for our 65 lb hound dog if that’s helpful. Much larger than that and I’d just grab a child’s sleeping bag or an extra adult one.