Gina Johnson
When it comes to outdoor adventures, choosing the right sleeping bag is crucial for a good night's rest. Backpackers and campers need to consider various factors, such as the temperature rating, type of insulation, weight, and size of the sleeping bag to ensure comfort and warmth during their outdoor excursions. The market offers a wide range of sleeping bags, from the standard mummy-shaped bags to double-person bags, each with unique features and insulation types, catering to different activities, sleeping styles, body shapes, and weather conditions. Understanding these factors will enable adventurers to make informed decisions and choose the most suitable sleeping bag for their needs.
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What You'll Learn
- Sleeping bag shapes: mummy, rectangular, semi-rectangular, double, quilts, elephant's foot, zipless, and women-specific
- Temperature ratings: comfort, limit, and extreme
- Backpacking vs camping bags: weight, packed size, warmth
- Insulation types: down vs synthetic
- Sizing: length, shoulder girth, hip girth, and gender
Sleeping bag shapes: mummy, rectangular, semi-rectangular, double, quilts, elephant's foot, zipless, and women-specific
Sleeping bags come in a variety of shapes, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. The four main shapes are rectangular, semi-rectangular, mummy, and double.
Rectangular sleeping bags offer plenty of interior space, making them ideal for camping, car camping, or recreational use. They are usually bulkier and heavier than other shapes. An example of a rectangular sleeping bag is the Coleman Fleece Rectangular Sleeping Bag Sleep Sack, made of soft polyester fleece, perfect for warm-weather camping.
Semi-rectangular sleeping bags, like the Kelty Rambler 50F, are lightweight and perfect for travel, festivals, or summer camping. They offer a good balance between space and weight, making them suitable for biking trips, kayak treks, and backpacking.
Mummy sleeping bags are popular due to their weight, warmth, and snug fit. They are cocoon-like, lightweight, packable, and have more insulation than rectangular sleeping bags, making them ideal for backpacking trips. An example of a mummy bag is the Marmot Trestles Elite Eco 20, which uses synthetic insulation and is suitable for colder temperatures.
Double sleeping bags are two-person sleeping bags that offer more space to stretch out. They come in various shapes, including rectangular and mummy.
In addition to the main shapes, there are a few other unique sleeping bag designs:
- Quilts: Backpacking quilts are lightweight and designed for outdoor enthusiasts and backpackers who require warmth and portability. The Accomplice quilt, for example, is a two-person quilt that allows sleepers to save weight compared to using individual quilts.
- Elephant's Foot: The Brooks Range Elephant Foot is a three-quarter-length zipperless half bag that stays in place even in seated bivouacs. It is lightweight and comfortable, featuring an elasticized suspender system.
- Zipless: Zipless sleeping bags, such as those offered by Sierra Designs, provide a hassle-free and comfortable sleeping experience, similar to sleeping in a bed at home.
- Women-specific: Sleeping bags designed specifically for women are available, such as the NEMO Tempo 20 Synthetic, which features a zipper compatible with NEMO's men's sleeping bags.
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Temperature ratings: comfort, limit, and extreme
Sleeping bag temperature ratings are a complex topic, and it's important to understand the different terms used to describe them. Temperature ratings are estimates and lab-tested ratings may not match real-world comfort due to various factors such as clothing, gear, body type, weather conditions, and food.
The "comfort" rating indicates the temperature at which a cold sleeper might feel comfortable. It is the temperature rating typically used for women's bags. The "comfort" rating is the optimum temperature range for a warm and comfortable night's sleep. When the bag is used in temperatures below the "comfort" rating, the user is likely to feel cold.
The "lower limit" or "limit" rating is always lower than the comfort rating and indicates the temperature at which a warm sleeper might still be comfortable. This is the temperature rating usually assigned to men's or unisex bags. The "limit" is the lowest temperature that a sleeping bag should be used in. It is not recommended to use the bag in colder temperatures than the limit rating.
The "extreme" rating is the survival temperature, the limit at which the bag will keep you alive without frostbite or other temperature-related ailments. It is not a comfortable sleeping temperature and the bag should only be used at this temperature in an emergency. There is a risk of health damage by hypothermia at this range.
When choosing a sleeping bag, it is important to consider the lowest expected temperature and your personal internal thermostat. If you often feel cold, opt for a bag with a comfort rating that is significantly lower than the coldest expected temperature. If you tend to sleep warm, you may rely on the lower limit ratings, but it is still advisable to allow for a buffer of a few degrees Celsius.
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Backpacking vs camping bags: weight, packed size, warmth
Sleeping bags for backpacking and camping differ in three main ways: weight, packed size, and warmth.
Weight
The weight of a sleeping bag is determined primarily by its insulation and shape. A bag with a sleek shape and a snug fit will be lighter than a roomier bag. Mummy bags, for example, have a slim cut and a contoured hood to boost warmth and reduce weight. In contrast, rectangular bags, which are commonly used for camping, prioritise roominess over weight and warmth.
Packed Size
The type of insulation is the primary factor in determining the packed size of a sleeping bag. More efficient insulations, like advanced synthetics and high-fill-power downs, provide greater warmth with less weight. Therefore, bags with these insulations will pack down smaller than those with less efficient fills.
Warmth
The warmth of a sleeping bag is influenced by its shape and insulation. Sleeping bags with a snug fit retain heat more effectively than roomier bags. Additionally, bags with advanced synthetics or high-fill-power down insulation provide greater warmth for their weight.
When choosing a sleeping bag, it is important to consider the temperature rating, which indicates the lowest temperature at which the bag is designed to keep an "average sleeper" warm. It is recommended to select a bag with a temperature rating lower than the expected temperature conditions.
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Insulation types: down vs synthetic
When choosing a sleeping bag, one of the most important decisions you'll have to make is between down and synthetic insulation. The type of insulation directly affects the warmth, weight, water resistance, compressibility, and price of sleeping bags.
Down sleeping bags are made with the fine under-plumage from waterfowl, such as ducks and geese. The loft of down creates thousands of tiny air pockets, making down sleeping bags highly effective at trapping warm air and retaining heat. They are also much lighter than synthetic bags and can be compressed to a smaller size when packed. However, down easily absorbs moisture and loses its insulating properties when wet. Down sleeping bags also take much longer to dry out than synthetic bags.
Synthetic sleeping bags, on the other hand, are filled with man-made insulation, typically polyester. Synthetic insulation is quick-drying and maintains its insulating properties even when wet. Synthetic bags are also generally less expensive, durable, and hypoallergenic. However, synthetic insulation tends to be heavier and less compressible than down.
Some manufacturers offer hybrid sleeping bags that combine water-resistant down and synthetic insulation to provide the benefits of both materials while limiting their respective imperfections.
When deciding between down and synthetic insulation, consider factors such as the expected weather conditions, weight considerations, and your budget. If you anticipate cold and dry conditions, down insulation may be ideal. However, if you expect wet weather, synthetic insulation could be a better choice due to its ability to insulate when wet.
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Sizing: length, shoulder girth, hip girth, and gender
Sleeping bag sizing is a crucial aspect of preventing body heat loss. A bag that is too large will allow heat to escape, while one that is too small will restrict insulation and limit freedom of movement. The key measurements to consider are length, shoulder girth, and hip girth, with length being the most important.
Length is determined by your height. Sleeping bags are sized in 5'6", 6'0", and 6'6" lengths. The general rule is to choose a bag that is one size longer than your height. For example, if you are 6 feet tall, opt for a bag that is at least 6 feet long. However, it's important to note that a sleeping bag sized to fit a 6-foot person will likely be longer than the advertised length to accommodate the body's natural extension when lying down.
Shoulder girth refers to the width of the bag at the shoulders. Most men will find a 60" shoulder girth confining, while a 64" girth will feel more spacious. Women's sleeping bags typically offer a narrower range of 56" to 60". To determine your preferred shoulder girth, it's recommended to test bags of different dimensions to find the balance between comfort and warmth. Ultralight bags tend to be narrower to reduce overall size and weight.
Hip girth is the circumference of the sleeping bag across the hips. This dimension varies primarily based on the bag's gender designation. Men's bags usually feature a hip girth of around 58 inches, while women's bags are often wider, up to 60 inches, to accommodate the typically wider hips of women. As with shoulder girth, trying out different models is the best way to determine your preferred hip girth.
It's worth noting that sleeping bag sizing is not standardised across brands and models, so it's important to refer to specific brand guidelines and try out different options to find the perfect fit.
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