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What You Need To Know About Buying A Sleeping Bag |
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Written by Mark Walters
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Tuesday, 08 June 2010 07:28 |
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With camping season upon us, it's time to take the gear out of storage and take a look at what is probably the most important piece of equipment for your comfort: your sleeping bag. If your current sleeping bag is worn, it may be time to choose a new one. When you are shopping, look for one suitable for you and your needs, of the right size and style, and with the proper filler and lining, which will determine if it is warm enough for the climate you will be in.
by MarkWalters
If you spend a lot of time outdoors camping, then you know how important choosing the right sleeping bag can be. When looking to buy a sleeping bag there are many choices that you have to make in order to get the one most suitable for you. You need to decide what size and style you want. You need to determine what type of filler and lining you want. You need to know how warm / cold the climate is that you will be using it in.
Once you decide on the style of your sleeping bag, it can help to make the rest of the choices a little easier. There are three basic shapes to choose from - mummy, rectangle and combination. The mummy sleeping bag is generally the warmest as it conforms to the contours of your body leaving considerably less room for cold air to be trapped compared to other styles. It has a hood to cover your head, and an elastic or drawstring draft collar to keep the warm air inside the bag from escaping past your neckline.
Again, you should take a look at all the styles available before making your choice and deciding which sleeping bag is best for you, but if it is comfort you are most concerned with, rectangular bags are wider than the others and can be joined by zipper with another rectangular bag to allow two people to snuggle up. But you may just find the combination bag to your liking as it combines the best features of both of the other styles, giving you the best of both worlds and a great night's sleep when out enjoying nature.
After determining style, the next decision will be the all important lining and filler. Again several factors should be taken into consideration before deciding. Among these are allergies, respiratory issues, weight and the ability to repel water. For allergies, asthma or other respiratory sensitivities to down you might need to choose synthetic for your filler. When dry down is lighter but will be rendered useless if it becomes wet. If it becomes wet, the synthetic filler will be heavier but it will not lose it's ability to insulate.
Is the sleeping bag you are considering of a correct size to accommodate your height and weight? Although the necessity of this proper sizing seems evident, this is actually one factor that many people seem to forget about when making their decision. And as a final but no less important point, keep in mind that sleeping bags have temperature ratings which they are designed to meet. You might choose a bag rated for temperatures even cooler than the environment you will be in if you are one of those people who is always cold. And for your own comfort, don't forget that it is generally more difficult to warm up than it is to be too hot and cool yourself down if necessary.
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