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GearTrends'® Product Buying Guides: Sleeping Bag Buying Guide
If you’re desperately seeking the one ideal sleeping bag that will meet all of your outdoor needs, forget it! There isn’t such a beast. However, there is a bag out there that will keep you snug and happy through most of your adventuring dreams, and that’s a three-season mummy with a temperature / comfort rating of around 10 to 20 degrees F. A good three-season bag should see you through the odd frosty evening in late October, provide a snug cocoon during a late spring dusting of snow in April, and yet not overheat you during a warm night in July. If your inclination is more to winter camping, then opt for a bag rated to below zero degrees F. Winter mountaineering will require temperature ratings of minus 15 to minus 40 degrees F. If all you do is camp in the summer when the sun is shining and the birds are singing, you will do just as well with a bag rated to plus 35 or 40 degrees F.
A GearTrends® Buying Truth from Michael Hodgson
It is not uncommon for users judging a minimum comfort limit to differ by 20 degrees when testing an identical sleeping bag. I know of at least one case in which two users judged the same sleeping bag more than 30 degrees apart. Even without the variables of environmental factors such as clothing worn, food eaten, pads used, body size, fitness, and so on, the perception of “comfort” varies wildly. Use temperature ratings as a guide only. If you tend to sleep colder at night , piling on the blankets even in warm temperatures , then you will likely need to find a bag rated 10 to 20 degrees warmer than the most extreme temperatures you expect to encounter. If you sleep warm at night, you will most likely find the temperature ratings on a bag to be adequate. Be sure to add a very good sleeping pad to your purchase, and never, ever, sleep in the same clothing you spent the day in -- that is a sure-fire way to sleep cold.
Mummy shaped bags are more efficient at keeping the body warm. Some people find them constricting, however. Don't be afraid to ask the salesperson to lay out the bags you are considering so that you can climb into them. Also, be sure that if you are buying bags to zip together that the zippers are compatible and you purchase a right and left zipper. The other choices of shape are semi-rectangular and rectangular. Construction and Fill
Most bags are constructed of nylon, polyester or nylon blends inside and out.
Don't get too caught up in the bag's outer material or inner lining. The key choice you will need to make when buying your sleeping bag is choosing between synthetic fill or down. Down is lighter in terms of a weight-to-warmth ratio. Down is also more compact. However, only synthetic fills such as PolarGuard, Thinsulate or PrimaLoft will maintain loft and warmth even when wet. Down turns into a heavy, soggy, cold mess that takes forever to dry out. Most experts recommend synthetic fill for children at all times. Those who prefer a down sleeping bag do so because of the size and weight, but you must be very careful to keep the down bag protected from the elements -- even to the point of storing it in a waterproof stuffsack.
A GearTrends® Buying Truth from Michael Hodgson
When you go to buy any bag, take the time to “kick the tires.” Climb inside each one, roll around, zip it up, stuff it, unstuff it, compare lofts and then choose the one that seems to best meet your needs of space, warmth, and features.
- Lining of taffeta or other softer non-cotton material. More comfy, warms quickly, breathes supremely.
- Two-way zipper for more ventilation and flexibility options. Be sure to buy a right or a left side zipper that is compatible with the other bag if you desire companionship.
- Differential cut -- the inner lining is sewn smaller than the outer shell, allowing insulation to loft to its maximum. More loft, more warmth.
- Insulated draft collar to seal in the warmth and keep out the cold around your neck and shoulders.
- Hook and loop tab to cover the zipper toggle by the hood, preventing unplanned unzipperings whilst you slumber.
- Multi-sectioned or shaped hood to cup the head naturally.
- Ample draft tube that hangs from the top of the bag and covers the zipper to seal out cold air.
- Man-made fibers or down for insulation. Down is lighter and more durable. Synthetic fills will fare best when the bag might get wet.
- A windproof and water-resistant outer shell. DryLoft is a favorite and very downproof. Pertex outer shells offer the lightest and most downproof outer shell, but it isn’t water-resistant.
- Semi-rectangular cut for sleepers who toss and turn. Mummy-style bag for sleepers who manage to stay put.
- Dark colored lining. This absorbs heat better and the sun's rays most efficiently should you need to dry out your bed.
- Highly desirable option: a fleece-lined stuff sack. Turn it inside out for a comfy pillow when stuffed with a parka or your extra clothes.
- Look at the foot section, hood area, and draft tube. How are they designed? Are there any obvious cold spots? How do they compare with the other bag(s)? The draft tube runs the length of a sleeping bag's zipper and is small tube filled with insulation that is designed to block air movement through the zipper. The tube should cover the zipper completely on the inside. An exposed zipper is an obvious cold spot. As for other cold spots, stay alert for areas where the insulation feels thinner or clumped -- a sign the insulation quality is not very good.
- How much insulation is in the bag? Consider that physically larger bags require more insulation to equal the insulating properties of smaller or narrower-cut bags.
- Concerning down bags, do the compartments feel firm? That’s a good sign because firm compartments prevent cold spots from forming by minimizing down shift . Be wary of bags with compartments that feel soft and fluid , permitting down to move around the tube and create cold spots. The only exception to this test is a bag designed for the user to deliberately shift down from top to bottom to adjust for temperature fluctuations.
What features should you look for? Sleeping bag designers generally agree that a cold weather bag must have the following features to keep the occupant really warm: zipper draft tubes and shoulder collars, hoods that cup the head and insulate without being claustrophobic, and a temperature rating of zero F or below (in the winter it is far better to err on the side of warmth).
What insulation do designers prefer? Believe it or not, the response was virtually unanimous: Down, with a 650-power fill rating or above, is best for weight to warmth ratio and for longevity. The fill power of down indicates the amount of actual downy feather and quill. The lower the fill number, the more quill and less feather. The higher the number, the less quill and more feather. Down would be the perfect insulation if it retained its loft when wet. Synthetics are best if you are worried about moisture compromising the insulation.
How big should a winter bag be? Buy it long. Most mountaineers with whom we have spoken recommend against regular sized bags and opt for bags that offer at least an extra 8 to 10 inches of space at the foot once you are nestled comfortably inside. That’s so there will be adequate space to store cameras, water, boots, and such, items that you don’t want to freeze for whatever reason. In addition, bags with a wider cut can offer more warmth because they give you room to add clothing without constricting the bag.
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