February 15, 2010
The Right Sleeping Bag And How To Select It
META: A sleeping bag is an essential part of your camping equipment but finding the right kind of sleeping bag is the most important task. As your comfort relies totally on the sleeping bag that you use, it is vital that you find one that suits all requirements.
The efficiency of a sleeping bag is greatly dependent on the type of environment it is going to be used in. You could not possibly not sleep in a thinly padded sleeping bag if it’s freezing cold; you would be shivering all night. Because you are likely to be spending quite a few hours in your sleeping bag every night it is important that you get one that is very comfortable. Unless you are using an air mattress, make sure you invest in a sleeping bag that is padded. This will ensure you do not feel the hard uncomfortable ground below when sleeping. If you have taken the time to invest in perhaps 4 season tents, then selecting the sleeping bag should be easier.
There is plenty of choice in sleeping bags as they come in a variety of sizes, colours, shapes, material and designs. Most sleeping bags are water resistant however you can buy one that is completely waterproof, though it will cost you a little more. You need to ensure that not only does the outer fabric of the tent need to be waterproof but it needs cross ventilation. Without this, the bag will collect moisture which will result in dampness. This will make the bag very uncomfortable to sleep in.
Also you must check that the fill material used for the stuffing is thick enough because you do not want to be having a hard sleepless night tossing and turning on those sharp rocks and twigs. Fillings to stuff sleeping bags come in various kinds. The most commonly used filling material are polyester fibres and goose down.
Sleeping bags with goose down filling are the most lightweight, can be folded into a small convenient roll besides which they keep you very warm. These are inefficient when wet, cost a great deal of money and are difficult to maintain. Synthetic filling on the other hand can retain body heat even if they get wet and are quite simple to maintain. They are however, very cumbersome and heavy to carry which is the downside to this type of sleeping back.
So when you are look for a sleeping bag make sure it has a good heat retention ability. Checking all the minor details as well as the major is really important. Look for how neat the stitching is, the hood, drawstrings and how it’s been stitiched where it’s been filled. This will determine how much it moves when you roll around during the night.
There are three different shapes of sleeping bags available in the market. If you want a sleeping bag that gives the maximum amount of warmth and comfort then you should plunge for a mummy-shaped bag. The rectangular-shaped bag can be unzipped and attached to another sleeping bag of the same kind providing for more sleeping space. However this kind of a sleeping bag is not very comfortable and cannot retain much heat. This one is warmer than the previous sleeping bag mainly due to the fact that it is a tapered sleeping bag. The downside is it only has limited movement.
To have a comfortable night and an enjoyable camping trip ensure that you have the right kind of sleeping bag along with the right tents for camping; this gives you enough warmth and a good rest to your back.
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