Sleeping Bags
Sleeping bags are an essential part of your camping equipment. They keep you warm and comfortable in the tent or outside but can squeeze down to very small size so they are easy to carry. As with any item of camping equipment there is a vast number of different types ranging in quality and style. Prices go from as little as ten pounds to well over five hundred pounds and as with anything, you get what you pay for.
Before buying a sleeping bag, think about the following things:
What kind of climate do you need it for?
Think about where the bag will get the most use, if it is going to be used in somewhere like the UK in spring, summer and autumn then a three season sleeping bag will probably do, if any winter requirements are needed then a four season sleeping bag will be required. If you are going to a hot country then you may not require such a sleeping bag, but it may also work in reverse. Temperatures in the desert at night often go well below freezing. Only in the humid, sultry climates in the tropics are the temperatures much more stable between day and night.
How is it going to be transported?
Are you going to carry the bag? Is it going in a car or caravan? If it's going on a rucksack you need to be sure it will fit tightly without falling off and without taking up too much room. If you're pushed for room go for a compact sleeping bag, the better ones are much more expensive and the cheaper compacts often aren't much good outside of summer.
What kind of fill do you require?
The choice here is between down (goose, duck etc) or synthetic. Down is by far the warmest but is useless if it gets wet, it is also more expensive. If there is a chance that the sleeping bag is going to get wet then always go for synthetic as it will dry out much much faster. If you are looking to operate in sub zero temperatures then go for down but make sure the sleeping bag is always kept in a waterproof sack.
Other things to look for when buying a sleeping bag are things like:
- Two way zip.
This allows you to stick your feet out of the bottom, thus acting as a cooling device when it gets stuffy.
- Insulated zips.
Very important if you are going to be out in the cold.
- Try the bag before you buy. Make sure you are comfortable with its size and shape, there is no point in buying something that isn't comfy.
- Get a good ground mat, without a mat much of your body heat will dissipate through the ground.
- And if it seems very cheap, then so is the insulation!
Follow those steps and you should get a bag that's going to keep you warm and comfortable for many years to come.
Happy Camping!
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