Choosing the best Sleeping bag

Sleeping bags have always been a point of contention for me. Primarily due to the fact that I am pretty rough on equipment. This is one of the few areas that the military served me well, in the Army you get a layered sleep system consisting of a very, very light summer bag, that snaps into a heavy, heavy winter bag that can snap into a Gore-Tex bivy. Pack all of that into stuff sack that at most will compress down to the size of a volkswagen and weighs almost as much!!! However as with anything the military uses it is built for abuse and to the powers that be that equals heeeaaaavvvy!

One outstanding feature is that you have all you need regardless of weather conditions, and since it is issued to you there is no money out of pocket! I actually held on to a few and use them occasionally.

Now for the general population choosing the right bag is essential to enjoyment of your camping experience. Remember no two people are alike, meaning everything about you is unique to you.

Factors to consider are:

• The area you do most of your camping, is it desert, mountain, jungle, humid, dry, cold, warm etc…?
• Do you generally sleep warm, or cold, do you move around a lot, do you sleep on your side, which side (it matters for zipper placement!)?
• Do you always sleep in a tent, or under a tarp or improvised shelter?
• Are you allergic to certain feathers that might be used in down?
• Size bag you want to carry (will it fit in your pack)?
• Do you prefer ultra light for greater distances, or cushy luxury?

Most bags these days are going to be mummy bags, in general these bags are some what form fitting, and are an excellent all around choice. Mummy bags are narrow at the feet and broad at the shoulder and have a draw cord around the face opening as well as a baffle for added insulation around the neck/face region.

Remember that no sleeping bag creates its own warmth!! A lot of folks assume that a lower degree bag will warm them up more quickly, this is just plain wrong! Your body heat is what heats the air in the sleeping bag it is this surrounding air that keeps you warm!!!

Down and synthetic bags both have pros and cons, read through them, think hard and choose wisely.

Down pros: very compact able, wicks sweat away from your body so it can evaporate, warmer ounce for ounce than synthetics, can last forever if cared for properly, very light weight.

cons: Hard to dry once wet, looses insulation value when wet, can contain allergens, expensive, requires special care.

Synthetic pros: Easy to dry out when wet, retains insulating value when wet, hypo-allergenic, less expensive, easy to clean.

cons: Heavy, bulky, will deteriorate in time/with use, not as warm.

Down is broken into three basic categories. High Loft Goose Down is super fine and the cream of the crop and you will pay dearly for it, next is goose down which is some what fine and what most bags are filled with, and the least expensive/lowest quality is duck down. I would recommend staying away from duck down as it really does not have the lofting ability nor the insulation value of goose down.

As far as down goes it is rated on a system called fill power, essentially the higher the number the more insulating value the bag has. For instance If a bag has 700 fill power, it means that one ounce of this down will fill 750 cubic inches of space. Fill ratings start at 400 and go up in increments of 50 up to 900+. However for most outdoors folks nothing over 750 is really necessary.

You should be aware that the lower the fill power the greater chance to develop “cold spots”. A “cold spot” is simply an area that the down has shifted out of and leaves less insulation in a particular area. This has been addressed by most companies by altering their baffle stitching to compartmentalize the down. You can also avoid “cold spots” by properly storing your down bag and by fluffing it prior to sleeping in it.

With synthetics there are a ton of fills that various companies use for their bags. Remember that manufacturers tend to spend more on marketing than on product development, and a great way to market your product is to attach a fancy name for it. Essentially all of the synthetic fills are about the same, there may be slight variations in strand width or dimension but for the most part they are all comparable.

When the time has come for you to purchase a bag be sure to go to a store that specializes in camping. For the most part the employees in these stores enjoy the outdoors as much as you and really know their stuff. The first step when selecting a bag is to get in it! That’s right lay it out on the ground and climb in! (If the store will not allow you to “test drive” the bag, shop elsewhere. You should curl up in it stretch in it move around.

Things to consider during your test drive are:

• Is it easy to get in and out of?
• If you are a side sleeper is the zipper on the side where your face is? (this is what you want)
• Does it bind around the shoulders?
• Is it long/short enough? You do not want too much excess room to have your body try and heat.
• If you were really cold could you operate the zippers?
• Is there velcro on it that would rub your face while you try to sleep?
• Does it zip from the top and the bottom?
• Really mess with the zipper, does it bind when you zip fast?
• If this is a primarily winter bag is there enough room for your boots in the bottom of the bag? (You place your boots in a waterproof bag in the bottom of your sleeping bag to keep them from freezing stiff.)

Another thing is to realize that the rating on a bag is the recommended rating. If you are a hot/cold sleeper this number will be different. For instance when winter camping I use a 30 degree synthetic bag and a Gore Tex bivy. This set up has kept me comfortable down to 0 degrees! In summer I use a 40 degree down bag. But everyone is different.

Other things can also effect your temperature rating of a bag. For instance if you plan on using a bivy that can increase the warmth of your bag by as much as 15 degrees. Or a liner in the bag which will also help keep the inside of your bag cleaner.

When ever looking for new gear do your research on the company and make sure the product fits your needs. Ask your buddies their advice but remember since everyone sleeps differently ultimately you need to find what works for you.

Coming soon:

Choosing the best sleeping pad