Crashed in the best sleeping bag

Finding the best sleeping bag

Finding the best sleeping bag can be somewhat confusing if you aren't sure of what you are looking for. You will need to look at all the options that are out there and then narrow it down from there. We'll take a look at the main options and this should give you a good idea of what to look for in your bag.

In choosing a sleeping bag, the first thing you want to look at is: what kind of sleeper are you, do you sleep on your side, do you toss and turn a lot, can you sleep in confined spaces, do you sleep warm or cold, these are just a few things you need to look at. Looking at these will give you a good idea of what type of bag you will want.

There are two main types of sleeping bags that are available on the market. In the main type categories you have the Mummy sleeping bag, and the Rectangular. From these main types you get different versions, the modified mummy, the women's, the double, and other variations. For now we'll take a look at some of the different types.

Mummy Bag:

Mummy bags are wider at the shoulders and taper down to your feet and are definitely the most efficient. Mummy's will come with a hood and drawstring that you can really cocoon yourself and stay warm. These are really your best choice for cold weather nights. These bags can also be confining so if you toss and turn a lot or cannot sleep in confined spaces this bag may not be for you. If you sleep with those conditions take a good look at modified mummy's since they give more space but keep the same qualities of the regular mummy.

Rectangular Bag:

The rectangular bag is the same width the whole length of the bag and most will not have a hood and drawstring. Rectangular's do not have the insulating power of the mummy and are geared towards warm weather sleeping. Rectangular's also offer more space and a lot of times can be zipped together to make a double sleeping bag or they can be unzipped completely to make a comforter. So there are a lot of different ways to use this bag but remember this bag is for warm weather.

Women's bag:

Womens bags are designed a little differently since women are shaped differently from men. They are wider in the hip and chest areas and should have some extra padding in the foot and stomach areas. Women are usually colder sleepers than men, this is the main reason for the extra insulation in the foot and stomach area. Unfortunately women's sizes are sometimes a little shorter than a men's so you will need to watch out for that. Check the manufacturer.

Now we will take a look at some other areas that are important in figuring out how to select the best sleeping bag.

Down:

Synthetic:

Temperature ratings:

There is no real standard in the industry for rating a sleeping bag when it comes to temperature so you will need to inspect each bag and look at the temperature ratings on the bag itself. A good rule of thumb when looking at temperature ratings is to keep in mind what the coldest night might be and then drop down 10+ degrees on the bag. In other words if you expect the coldest night to be 32 degrees then you will want a 20 degree bag. It is better to be too warm than cold. You can always open the zipper at the foot or side to help ventilate the bag.

Size:

Picking the right size for your best sleeping bag can make a big difference in a comfortable nights sleep. Getting a bag too big leaves you with too much space to heat with your body and adds extra weight to carry around. Neither one is good. Going too small will compress the insulation and then it won't work the way it should also giving you a cold nights sleep. Sleeping bags come in two sizes "regular" and "long". A general rule to follow is; if you are up to 6' then you will need a regular size bag, over 6' a long bag. Also, if your waistline is more than 40" then you will need a long size.

Shells:

Outer shells are made of a variety of materials. Most are made of polyester or nylon microfiber with different degrees of water and wind resistance. Another popular material is Ripstop because it lasts a long time and takes a beating. Just keep in mind with any shell material, the higher the thread count the better water and wind resistance.

Inner lining:

There are a couple of different options when it comes to the inner lining. You have the nylon taffeta in the high-end bags and a polyester or fleece lining in the lower end bags. The lower end bags are usually used as general use bags such as camp bags and the fleece liners will give the extra warmth and softness that you may want. Watch the weight though.

Zippers:

You may want to look for a two-way zipper, that will allow you to open or close it from the top or bottom if necessary. Makes for easy ventilating at the bottom if you get to warm.

Draft collars:

For the best sleeping bag you will want a good draft collar that will fully tighten around you neck and shoulders. That alone will keep a lot of heat in and keep you warm. I am a firm believer in a good draft collar, it has helped me more than once.

Summary:

Choosing the best sleeping bag can be a challenge but hopefully your headed in the right direction. The sleeping bag should be one of your main expenditures simply because if you don't get a good nights sleep you will be exhausted within a few days of hiking, especially if you do a lot of strenuous hiking. Cold will drain energy in a hurry since the body has to work overtime to keep you warm and you will need to eat more food to maintain that warmth. As you can see getting a cold nights sleep can have a lot more side effects than what you see on the surface.

There are several different ways to check to see if the best sleeping bag is really good or not and that is not by what is on the tag itself or what the salesperson says. Go to some hiking forums and manufacturer websites and read the testimonials. That will be a great way to see what other people have to say about that particular brand or model.

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