TOG Rating Guide: How to Choose the Right Baby Sleeping Bag
Baby Central Australia · ergoPouch Guide
TOG Ratings, Answered
by ergoPouch
What does TOG actually mean? Which rating suits your baby's room? And how do you layer safely underneath? Our friends at ergoPouch answer the questions parents ask most when choosing a sleeping bag.
What Does TOG Mean on a Sleeping Bag?
TOG stands for Thermal Overall Grade — a measurement of how much warmth a fabric traps, originally developed for the textile industry and later adopted for baby sleep products. The higher the TOG rating, the warmer the bag. A 0.2 TOG bag is a lightweight layer for warm rooms of 22°C and above, while a 3.5 TOG bag is thick and made for cold rooms of about 12–19°C. TOG only measures the bag itself, not what baby's wearing underneath — which is why every TOG rating should be paired with a recommended sleepwear layer.
Jersey Sleeping Bag – 1.0TOG
Soft, breathable jersey cotton in a 1.0 TOG weight, suited to mild rooms of about 20–24°C.
Which TOG Suits Which Room Temperature?
Room temperature — not the season on the calendar — is what actually determines the right TOG rating. As a general guide:
| Room Temperature | Suggested TOG | What to Wear Underneath |
|---|---|---|
| 24°C and above | 0.2 TOG | On its own, or with a short-sleeve bodysuit |
| 20–24°C | 0.2 or 1.0 TOG | A short- or long-sleeve romper |
| 18–20°C | 1.0 or 2.5 TOG | A long-sleeve bodysuit |
| 16–18°C | 2.5 TOG | A long-sleeve romper and singlet |
| 12–16°C | 3.5 TOG | A warm long-sleeve layer and singlet |
| Below 14°C | 3.5 TOG | A warm base layer and singlet |
These ranges follow ergoPouch's own What to Wear Guide. Every ergoPouch swaddle, sleeping bag, sleep suit bag and sleep onesie up to size 8–24 months comes with a free room thermometer and dressing guide.
Because Australia spans everything from tropical summers to genuinely cold southern winters, there's no single "right" TOG for the whole country — it comes down to the actual temperature of your baby's room, ideally checked with a room thermometer rather than guessed from the weather outside.
2.5 TOG vs 3.5 TOG: What's the Real Difference?
These two are the most commonly confused ratings, since both are marketed as "winter" bags.
- 2.5 TOG suits rooms of about 15–21°C. In ergoPouch's guide it's the pick for most rooms between 16°C and 20°C, with a long-sleeve bodysuit, or a long-sleeve romper and singlet as it gets cooler.
- 3.5 TOG suits rooms of about 12–19°C. ergoPouch recommends it once the room drops below about 16°C, with a warm long-sleeve layer and singlet underneath.
The two ranges overlap, so go by your room thermometer rather than the season. Between 18°C and 20°C, ergoPouch suggests either a 1.0 or 2.5 TOG with a long-sleeve bodysuit.
How to Layer Safely Underneath a Sleeping Bag
The TOG rating on the bag only tells half the story — what's underneath matters just as much.
- 0.2 TOG bag: on its own or with a short-sleeve bodysuit (24°C and above), or a short- or long-sleeve romper (20–24°C)
- 1.0 TOG bag: a short- or long-sleeve romper (20–24°C), or a long-sleeve bodysuit (18–20°C)
- 2.5 TOG bag: a long-sleeve bodysuit (18–20°C), or a long-sleeve romper and singlet (16–18°C)
- 3.5 TOG bag: a warm long-sleeve layer and singlet (12–16°C), with no extra blankets on top
Cocoon Swaddle Bag – 1.0TOG
A swaddle-style sleeping bag at 1.0 TOG, designed for mild-room warmth with the ease of a zip-up bag.
A simple check: feel the back of baby's neck or chest, not their hands or feet, which are naturally cooler. Overheating is a known risk factor in infant sleep, so when in doubt, it's safer to underdress slightly and add a layer than to overdress.
Common TOG Mistakes to Avoid
- Stacking a high-TOG bag with extra blankets "just in case." The bag is designed to replace loose blankets, not sit underneath them.
- Using the same TOG bag year-round regardless of room temperature.
- Guessing room temperature instead of measuring it with a thermometer.
- Assuming TOG ratings are identical across every brand. Always check the specific product listing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What TOG rating is best for a newborn?
Newborns don't regulate temperature as well as older babies, so it's worth being slightly more conservative with layering in the early months. Match the TOG rating to your actual room temperature using the chart above, and check baby's neck or chest regularly rather than relying on age alone.
Can I use a 1.0 TOG sleeping bag all year?
Only if your baby's room stays at about 20–24°C year-round, which is uncommon in most Australian homes without consistent heating and cooling.
Is a higher TOG rating always better for winter?
Higher TOG does mean warmer, but "better" depends entirely on your room temperature. Match the rating to the room, not to the season by name alone.
Should I dress my baby differently on nights the temperature changes a lot?
Yes — on nights with a big swing, adjust the layer underneath the bag rather than switching bags entirely. A singlet or muslin can be added or removed under the same TOG-rated bag.
