Throughout the last year and a half of my daughter’s life, perhaps nothing has stressed me out more than her sleep. While I was prepared for plenty of sleepless nights when she was first born, what I wasn’t prepared for was how much of my life would be spent thinking about her sleep. Was she sleeping enough? How could I get her on a sleep schedule? Were we doing everything we needed for safe sleep?
During the newborn phase, I relied heavily on the Snoo for the latter question, but my reliance on the smart bassinet also left me feeling helpless when it came time to move to a crib. In the American Academy of Pediatrics’ (AAP) Safe Sleep Recommendations, they stress the importance of infants sleeping on their backs and sleeping without blankets for the first 12 months. We moved my daughter out of the Snoo when she started rolling, which meant she had outgrown a swaddle. And that’s how I got introduced to the Kyte Baby sleep sack—also known as The Original Bamboo Sleep Bag™.
Kyte Baby’s sleep sack is a wearable blanket that is designed to help with safe sleep and also helps to temperature-regulate throughout the night. While the brand isn’t the only one on the market to sell sleep sacks, they set themselves apart with superior quality that parents (including myself) love. Here’s why:
An Honest Review of the Kyte Baby Sleep Sack
For my family, the Kyte Baby sleep sack became an integral part of my daughter’s sleeping routine. The Snoo ended up being a newborn sleep essential for us, but because of that reliance, I was terrified about how we’d be able to transition to a crib.
While the product wasn’t exactly an immediate infant sleep solution, it soon became a comfort item for my daughter that immediately signaled it was time to sleep. The design is well thought out, with a zipper that makes it easy to do late-night diaper changes without fully waking up my daughter. And the cozy material has definitely lived up to its temperature-regulating claims, as it has kept her warm year-round without leaving her sweaty or overheating at any point. We’ve used the 1.0 TOG option through all four seasons, and it has worked wonderfully.
Now, my daughter is a toddler, and we’ve gone through numerous sizes as we still find that she loves the comfort and familiarity of the product. And I know we aren’t alone in thinking that Kyte has constructed the best sleep sack! Take a peek on Amazon, and you’ll see numerous five-star reviews, with repeated claims of “great quality,” “very soft,” and raves of how much it improves their baby’s sleep.
Designed for Safe Sleep
Because the AAP emphasizes the need for infants to sleep on their backs without soft bedding, a baby sleep bag can act as a safer way for your infant to sleep with a wearable blanket at night and during naps. The design of these sleep sacks was also done with infant and baby safety in mind. The collar design cannot easily cover your baby’s airway, while the sleep sack is long and roomy in the hips to help with healthy hip development.
Sleep sacks are typically seen as preferable for babies who can roll, as they allow for free movement without having a loose blanket in the crib (which is not recommended for the first year).
Kyte Baby’s sleep sacks are made with bamboo rayon fabric that is 97 percent bamboo, which they share is 2 percent higher than the industry standard. Bamboo is also temperature-regulating, meaning it helps keep you cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. The Kyte Baby sleep sack’s temperature regulation is a major reason this brand has proven to be so popular.
Available Sizes and Variations
There are a few different options and variations to choose from for these sleep sacks. Most of the styles from Kyte are available in three different TOG numbers: 0.5, 1.0, or 2.5. TOG stands for Thermal Overall Grade and relates to how much warmth the fabric or garment fabric provides. The higher the TOG, the warmer the fabric is. Kyte’s TOG breakdown is as follows:
- TOG 0.5 is meant for 74 to 78 degrees
- TOG 1.0 for 69 to 73 degrees
- TOG 2.5 for 61 to 68 degrees
There are also a few different types of sleep sacks to choose from. The original Sleep Bag acts as a wearable blanket, covering the whole body with no coverage for the arms. The Sleep Bag Walkers, on the other hand, come with holes for each leg so that kids have the ability to walk around. Slumber Suits have both pants and long sleeves. And finally, there are the Sleep Bag Swaddlers, which will swaddle infants who aren’t yet able to roll.
Another major benefit to the design of the Kyte Baby sleep sacks is also a J-shaped double zipper, which will allow you to zip an opening in the bottom without having to take off the sleep sack. This way, you can easily accomplish middle-of-the-night diaper changes without having to fully wake up your little one.
Overall Kyte Baby Pros and Cons
Of course, as with any product, there are pros and cons to consider. These are a few of the major ones you’ll want to think about before trying out the Kyte Baby sleep sack for your family.
Pros:
- Soft, hypoallergenic material for sensitive skin
- Temperature-regulating
- Smart design helps with late-night diaper changes
- Sleep safety benefits
- Helps deter baby from climbing out of the crib
- Different sizes can be worn from seven to 50 pounds
Cons:
- Price is more expensive than many comparable options
- Some reviews note problems with the material pilling
- A major complaint is with the care instructions, as it’s recommended to air dry only
How to Choose the Right Kyte Baby Sleep Sack
When it comes to choosing the right Kyte Baby sleep sack, you’ll want to consider a few things: choosing the right size, the right TOG option, and what will work best for the specific needs of your baby.
Choosing the Right Sleep Sack Style
Kyte offers different types of sleep sacks to choose from: the traditional Sleep Bag, the Sleep Bag Walker, Slumber Suits, or Sleep Bag Swaddlers.
The Sleep Bag Swaddlers will be appropriate for newborns until your child is able to roll. From there, the traditional Sleep Sack will be your best option until your baby is able to stand up and walk, when you may want to consider either the Walker or the Slumber Suit if tripping becomes an issue. That being said, a traditional sleep sack can still be an appropriate choice, even once your child is able to walk.
The Sleep Bag Walkers and Slumber Suit both come with open foot holes so that your child is able to stand and walk without tripping. The major difference is that the Sleep Bag Walkers are sleeveless, while the Slumber Suits come with full sleeves.
Choosing the Right TOG Option
Choosing the right TOG option will come down to the temperature you are dealing with. For Kyte, TOG 0.5 is meant for 74 to 78 degrees, TOG 1.0 for 69 to 73 degrees, and TOG 2.5 for 61 to 68 degrees.
Some caretakers will buy multiple TOG options, using a lighter TOG 0.5 for the summer months and switching to TOG 2.5 in the winter. Ultimately, it will depend on what temperature your child’s room is and which will keep them warm without being too heavy.
Choosing the Right Size
Kyte Baby’s sleep sacks can be worn from seven pounds all the way up to 50. The sizes available are determined by weight:
- X-Small: 7-13 pounds.
- Small: 14 to 20 pounds.
- Medium: 18-30 pounds.
- Large: 28 to 42 pounds.
- X-Large: 38 to 50 pounds.
Where to Buy the Kyte Baby Sleep Sack
You can find the original Kyte Baby Sleep Bag (along with other styles from the brand) at the following retailers as well as smaller baby boutiques. Pricing for the product will depend on the style and TOG option, and range from $50-85.
Shop Kyte Baby Sleep Bags
Maintenance and Care
Kyte Baby recommends using cold water and the gentle cycle when it comes to washing their sleep sacks. Additionally, they recommend a minimal amount of a gentle detergent, combining it only with other bamboo fabrics and zipping it up prior to washing.
Most importantly, Kyte Baby recommends against using the dryer. Instead, the cleaning instructions recommend hanging or laying flat to dry.
Longevity and Durability
When properly cared for, these sleep sacks should last and even be able to be passed down once outgrown. However, it’s important to note that how long the product lasts will very much depend on how it’s cared for.
Looking at reviews for the sleep sack, many pointed out that they dealt with piling and damaged fabric when not using the care instructions and instead using the dryer to quickly dry it. Since it can absolutely be inconvenient to wait for the sleep sack to air dry every time it gets stained or messy, this is a factor you’ll want to consider if you’re looking to buy the sleep sack.
Baby Sleep Sack Alternatives
While Kyte Baby makes one of the most popular wearable blankets on the market, it certainly isn’t the only option. Brands like Halo, Carter’s, Burt’s Bees, and MORI all make their own sleep sacks available in a variety of styles and prices.
Kyte Baby vs. Gunamuna
One of the brands that gets compared the most with Kyte is günamüna, which makes sleep bags with a similar bamboo rayon material in a few different TOG options. The günamüna Sleep Bag is priced similarly at $55 to $60 and is fairly identical to Kyte Baby with one major exception—the zipper.
The günamüna Sleep Bag comes with the 4-way WONDERZiP®, which can unzip all the way around so you can keep your baby covered and warm during diaper changes. By comparison, the Kyte Baby option has a 2-way J-shaped zipper, so while you can unzip from the bottom, you will not be able to keep the baby covered during changes. Both Kyte and günamüna are considered two of the best bamboo sleep sacks on the market, so the choice will ultimately come to which design works best for you.
With all of this in mind, hopefully, you’re in a better position to decide if Kyte Baby’s line of sleep sacks is indeed the route you’d like to go for your little one’s precious moments of shut-eye. No matter which brand or style you ultimately decide to use—since there’s clearly no shortage of options—hopefully, you have a better idea of what to look for in quality sleepwear so that your baby stays both snug and safe.
