Selecting the Best Sleeping Bags
Locating the best sleeping bags for the appropriate temperatures and trail situations is extremely important. Do not know what to look for? Well, this information ought to help you make that determination. :
Selection
Sleeping bags are calculated in loft. Loft is basically how “fluffy” the bag is. How high is it when it is laying on the ground. The taller it is, the more air “pockets” or dead airspace there is and the warmer it will keep you.
Due to the disparity in the past of the temperature measurement of the best sleeping bags, there have been new testing alterations in the sleeping bag market in America.
The Europeans have had a testing scheme, for a while now, that has shown to be consistent in how it determines a sleeping bag’s temperature range. It also gives additional information by discerning the truth that guys and women have distinct views to what is a cozy sleeping temperature.
Some U.S. companies of backpacking sleeping bags have adopted the European Norm (EN 13537) approach of temperature screening. Without going into too much depth about how they get these numbers, basically they test the best sleeping bags following strict guidelines utilizing a clothed dummy dressed in long underwear and a hat. Devices on the mannequin record temperature readings.
The New Tag: A label using this new screening approach displays:
EN Comfort Rating for Ladies
: This is an exterior air temperature that typical female would stay cozy warm.
EN Lower Limit Ranking for Guys
: This is an outside air temperature that a common man would stay comfortably warm.
EN Extreme Ranking
: This is an exterior air temperature that the sleeping bag would still keep a female alive. These rankings must not be applied too literally.
Take note: these figures are based on the fact that you are dressed in one layer of clothing and have a sleeping pad beneath the sleeping bag.
Don’t Remove This Tag Under Penalty from the Sleeping Bag Police:
If the sleeping bags you might be searching for have not implemented the EN standard, don’t freak out. You can go by their temperature measurement. The only difference is that these ratings are to be employed as a guide only and don’t take into consideration the women/men distinction. Should you be like me and are often cold whenever you sleep, then get a sleeping bag with more loft and a lower temperature measurement. The lower the measurement, the colder the outside ambient temperature may be where the bag will sustain your warmth.
How Low Can You Go:
In either situation, using the old rating or the innovative EN, when selecting a bag, figure out what type of weather and what time of year you might be making use of it. If you’re in the mountains and only plan to hike Spring, Summer and Fall, then get a three season sleeping bag. Find the average lows for the coldest time of year which you will likely be backpacking and take away 10 to 20 degrees and find a bag in that scale. (For instance: assume that the typical low around the mountains throughout the spring is 20 degrees Fahrenheit, then subtract 20 degrees and find a sleeping bag that’s rated at 0 degrees. Here is a requirement chart to help:
Bag Style Temperature Ranking (Fahrenheit)
Summer: +40 to +60
Three Season Bag: +10 to +40
Cool Weather: -10 to + 10
Winter: -10 and Below
Shapes/Styles:
You will find three fundamental shapes of the best sleeping bags for camping and backpacking:
Mummy: Mummy sleeping bags are cut wider on the shoulders and slimmer around the feet. These bags are the most “snug” fitting bags and therefore are more efficient in maintaining your warmth, because of the lack of airspace between your body and the bag. Because of their structure, they are also the most light in weight. These types of bags also are available with a hood which has a drawstring which helps maintain heat around your head. By the way, up to 50% of heat loss from the body can disappear from the head.
Rectangular: These kinds of happen to be exactly like the term implies. A big rectangle. Due to their shape, they have a tendency to be the least functional type of sleeping bag. There exists a good deal of room inside the bag for the body to heat up. As a result of their heavy weight, they can be far better suited for a “car camping” adventure instead of a backpacking excursion. They do have the benefit of a pair of bags being able to be zipped jointly and become a sleeping bag for a couple as opposed to one individual. Using this arrangement, a double or queen air mattress underneath definitely contributes to a cozy night’s rest. (Just as before not ideal for the back woods).
Semi-Rectangular: I refer to this as the cross-breed. This backpacking sleeping bag is rectangular at the head and then tapers along towards your feet. Having this form, you get somewhat more room, but not nearly as much weight as a true rectangular sleeping bag. For those of us who are claustrophobic, like me; we can get to sleep a little better in a bag with extra room in it and still have some advantage from the form.
There are additionally some other shapes intended specifically for body types:
Woman’s: These tend to be a bit more narrow on the shoulders. Broader for the hips as well as added padding inside the upper body and foot area.
Children’s: These generally have “Child Friendly” characteristics for instance: pockets for their “things”, create a pillow at their head along with a sleeping pad restraint system to ensure that the pad remains in place all night.
Characteristics:
Hood: as mentioned above with the Mummy Sleeping Bag, a hood which has a drawstring can help retain body heat
Draft Tube/Draft Flap: This is a flap or tube that runs along side the zipper. This flap helps prevent heat loss. When selecting a hiking sleeping bag, confirm that the flap is just sewn on the lining and not through the bag. Always test the zipper before purchasing to verify that the flap/tube doesn’t interfere or get snagged in the zipper path.
Draft Collar: That is a tube at the base of your hood. It “closes off” the region at the neck to ensure that air does not get away. When testing out a bag, make certain that this tube is suitable.
Foot Compartment: This is, as the name implies, the region around the feet. Many sleeping bags feature additional room within the foot area to hold your boots or water bottles.
Zipper: The zipper should come with large teeth and ought to perform well. They should likewise not catch the material during use.
Pockets: Pockets can be a good thing or an irritation. If your bag includes pockets, be mindful with just what you place in them. Likewise, prior to purchasing the bag, take note of your pockets different places. Do you care to roll over onto your keys or MP3 player in the middle of the night?
Length: If you’re taller than the “average bear”, there are backpacking sleeping bags that come in extended lengths.
Materials:
Fill: There are two standard choices of sleeping bag fills; Manufactured (polyester) as well as Down (insulating feathers of geese or ducks).
Goose Down Sleeping Bag: There is nothing that has a greater weight to warmth ratio than down. A goose down sleeping bag is extremely lightweight. The problem having down happens to be if it ever gets wet, it loses its thermal capturing feature. Also, the drying out time frame for down is especially long. If your down sleeping bag gets wet along the trail late in the day, you’re in for a cold night. Down is exclusively for individuals most careful in keeping their sleeping bag dry.
Manufactured: The best sleeping bags have been becoming lighter in weight and more efficient every year. They do weigh more than down bags, however if they do get wet, they keep more of their warming capabilities. In addition, they dry a great deal quicker than down. Consequently, the trade-offs are weight, warmth and drying quicker.
Taking Care of Your Sleeping Bag:
Before getting into your hiking sleeping bag, be sure you shake it out a few of times. This will help fluff it up and increase the airspace.
When packing up your bag, never fail to stuff the bag into your stuff bag. (Is that redundant?) Certainly don’t roll up and fold the sleeping bag, this will minimize the insulating attributes quicker.
When not using your sleeping bag, never keep it in a stuff bag, always hang it up or keep it inside a loose storage bag. If you forget about it being stored in a small bag, it can permanently compress the insulation.
Keep in mind that over time, from normal usage, a hiking sleeping bag is likely to lose its warming efficiency. This is attributed to the fill becoming a bit more compact. This causes the air pockets to diminish.
Lastly, read and pay attention to the maintenance guidelines from the manufacturer. They make best sleeping bags for hiking and backpacking and they know how to maintain it in good shape.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 28th, 2010 at 1:30 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.