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The time
has come for camping and
you want to buy a new
sleeping bag to replace
the rectangular cotton
sack you’ve been luggin’
around all these years.
For starters, good move!
There are lots of
options out there for a
great replacement that
will actually keep you
warm and dry as you
enjoy the outdoors.
There are also a lot of
factors that go into
buying the sleeping bag
that’s best for you.
Let’s try to get through
those factors in an
organized manner…
First, ask yourself what
kind of camping you plan
to do. The best bag for
you will be different if
you are car camping than
if you are backpacking
or mountaineering. The
two main reasons for
this difference are
weight and what kind of
insulation the sleeping
bag has. It doesn’t
really matter how heavy
your sleeping bag is if
you are just throwing it
in the back of your car
and driving off into the
sunset. But if you are
planning on carrying
your sleeping bag on
your back, you will
definitely care how much
it weighs.
The type of insulating
material that the
sleeping bag has will be
the other big factor in
deciding the right bag
for you. The two
categories you must
choose from are down or
synthetic insulation.
Down-filled bags use
goose feathers and down
as the insulation to
keep you warm.
Synthetic-filled bags
use a polyester
synthetic insulation to
fend off the cold. There
are, of course,
advantages and
disadvantages to both
options. Here we go…
Down:
* Down bags are more
compressible than
synthetic bags. This
means that you can stuff
your sleeping bag into a
smaller stuff sack with
a down bag, making it
easier to fit in your
pack.
* Down has a better
warmth to weight ratio
than synthetic
insulation. A down
sleeping bag that weighs
less than a similar
synthetic sleeping bag
will keep you warmer.
* Down is more durable
than synthetic
insulation. Properly
cared for, a down
sleeping bag will last
you longer than a
synthetic one.
* Down is snuggly.
* Down has a wider range
of temperature comfort.
It breathes more than
synthetic insulation,
allowing you to remain
comfortable across a
greater range of
temperatures.
* Down will not insulate
once it becomes wet.
Just think about a soggy
sleeping bag for a
second…
* Down sleeping bags are
more expensive than
their synthetic
counterparts.
Synthetic
* Synthetic sleeping
bags are the only ones
that can keep you warm
if, by chance, it gets
wet. If you are camping
in the Pacific
Northwest, sleeping in a
snow cave, or waking up
in a field covered in
dew, this is a serious
consideration. A soggy
synthetic sleeping bag
will be just as
unpleasant as a soggy
down bag, but it will
dry much faster.
* Synthetic bags are
less expensive than down
ones.
* Synthetic bags are
less compressible than
down bags. If space is
an issue for you, keep
this in mind. If your
sleeping bag takes up
your entire backpack,
where will your can of
Alaskan salmon go?
There are some other
factors that go into
distinguishing one
sleeping bag from
another. How tall are
you? Sleeping bags
typically come in
lengths, and you should
consider the options. If
you are in between the
sizes offered, think
about the larger size.
There are, of course,
arguments for and
against this decision.
If you are too short for
your bag, you won’t be
as warm as you could be.
Think about all that air
floating around your
sleeping bag. The time
it takes to warm that
extra air could be the
time that you are
sleeping nice and
toasty. On the other
hand, if you are too
tall for your bag, you
will also compromise
your bag’s warmth. If
your feet are pushing
against the end of the
sleeping bag, you are
compressing the air out
of all of that nice
insulation down there.
This is the same
insulation that needs
air to loft it up so
that it can trap heat
and warm you
efficiently. Check out
the bag’s specs to find
the lengths that are
offered, and make your
decision accordingly.
Some companies make
women-specific sleeping
bags, which are
typically shorter than
unisex bags.
Some other things to
think about when buying
a sleeping bag include:
Zipper length - some
sleeping bags come with
a zipper that only zips
down half of the bag.
Great for weight
concerns, not so great
if you like to fully
unzip your bag.
Right or left zipper –
seems like a minor
detail, but if you want
to zip two sleeping bags
together, you need
compatible zippers, one
left hand side and one
right hand side. Also,
some people have
personal preferences to
right or left handed
zippers.
Shell material – some
sleeping bags are made
with waterproof or water
resistant shell
materials. This is a
good thing to think
about if you are
planning on bivying or
sleeping without a
traditional tent.
Sleeping pad/pillow
sleeve – if you roll
around in your sleep a
lot, you may want to
look for a sleeping bag
with a sleeping pad
sleeve. You slip your
sleeping pad right on
in, and voila! You never
roll off your comfy pad.
Pillow sleeves are an
option to look for if
you want to stuff extra
clothes in and comfort
your noggin while you
drift off to sleep.
Have fun looking at all
the great sleeping bag
options and planning
your future adventures! |
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