Born Outdoor Badger Bed Review

I’ve been sleeping in the Born Outdoor Badger Bed on a bunch of trips this year–everything from mountain biking weekends to hunts and just camping out, and it’s quickly become my go-to sleep system. A buddy of mine, Ben Britton, borrowed it for a bear hunt and also reported back about how comfortable it was. I’ve also got it lined up for two Coues deer hunts, and honestly, I’m pumped to keep using it in different conditions. After putting it through a few months of testing, I can say it’s hands-down the best sleep I’ve had in a tent.

What I really like about the Badger Bed bedroll is that it solves a lot of the issues I run into while spending a few nights in sleeping bags. In most sleeping bags I've slept in, I feel stuck in an extreme binary–either so hot I’m sweating or I’m too cold to appreciate any rest I may be getting. I haven’t experienced any of that frustration with the Badger Bed. The sleep I get is similar to the sleep I get at home, due to the fact that my movements are not restricted inside an insulated tube. I can regulate my temperature without struggling to find zippers in the middle of the night, and I’m not slipping and sliding all over my cot.

Anyone who’s wrestled with a sleeping bag knows how annoying it is to wake up tangled or half off your pad. With this system, that just doesn’t happen. Pair that with the included Therm-a-Rest MondoKing pad, which is ridiculously thick and comfortable, and you end up with a setup that honestly feels closer to a real bed than camp gear.

One of the things that impressed me the most is how everything stays put. The shell has these built-in sidewalls and anchor points that keep the quilt and sheets from sliding around at night. These anchor points serve to keep everything in place, but the interesting thing is the down quilts also have snap-ons that allow you to layer multiple quilts together without them sliding around. This is great for bringing only the layers you need for the upcoming trip.

The shell is tough, water-resistant, and made from recycled ripstop fabric, and the zippers and buckles are all heavy-duty. It feels like it’ll last for many years, not just a season or two. Everything feels like it was chosen with both high performance and durability in mind. You’re not getting flimsy fabrics or second-rate zippers–the build quality matches the price. The company clearly put a lot of thought into the design, and that shows in all the little details. There are small but useful storage compartments at the head of the bedroll that are useful for storing your keys, headlamp, phone, and pocketknife for the night.

Instead of cramming yourself into a mummy bag and hoping you don’t roll off your pad, you’ve got a full system that’s designed to work together. The pad slips into the shell, the quilt snaps down, and the sheets give you a clean layer. That makes a huge difference in how well you actually sleep. The trade-off, of course, is that it’s bulkier and heavier than a traditional sleeping bag setup, so it’s not what I’d bring on any sort of backpacking trip. But for car camping, overlanding, or hunting trips where comfort matters more than shaving ounces, it’s a no-brainer.

At the end of the day, the Badger Bed bedroll is the kind of gear that makes you actually look forward to crawling into your sleep system at night. It’s tough, well-designed, and ridiculously comfortable. If you’re tired of restless nights in a tent and want something that feels more like home without sacrificing durability, this thing is worth every bit of space it takes up in your truck bed.