Information On Buying A Sleeping Bag
With camping season upon us, it’s time to take the gear out of storage and take a look at what is probably the most important piece of equipment for your comfort: your sleeping bag. If your current sleeping bag is worn, it may be time to choose a new one. When you are shopping, look for one suitable for you and your needs, of the right size and style, and with the proper filler and lining, which will determine if it is warm enough for the climate you will be in.
The first decision is to choose the shape or style. Once this decision is made, the others fall into place more easily. The basic choices are mummy, rectangle and combination and each addresses different preferences of each individual user. If warmth is your primary concern then the mummy style may be just what you need. It adapts and molds closer to the body and allows less space for cold air to get in than other styles while the drawstring hood or draft collar keep warm air from escaping around your neck.
Rectangle bags allow more space for ease of movement but forfeit the hood or draft collar which allows considerable heat loss. Rectangle bags do have the advantage having the ability of zipping two together to accommodate two people. Combination bags are mixtures of the features from the other styles and allow you to choose the best fit for your needs. It is definitely advisable to look at all styles in order to know what is available and what would work best for your camping style.
The next feature to decide upon is what sort of filler and lining suits you best as you will be choosing between down and synthetic materials. If you are sensitive to down due to respiratory conditions or asthma, or are even allergic to it, choose a synthetic fiber filled bag which is actually heavier than down but which does not absorb water even when it is wet. In the case of a down filler, however, the material is lighter than the synthetic but you absolutely cannot get the bag wet. If you do, it will be useless and you will not get a good night’s sleep.
Is the sleeping bag you are considering of a correct size to accommodate your height and weight? Although the necessity of this proper sizing seems evident, this is actually one factor that many people seem to forget about when making their decision. And as a final but no less important point, keep in mind that sleeping bags have temperature ratings which they are designed to meet. You might choose a bag rated for temperatures even cooler than the environment you will be in if you are one of those people who is always cold. And for your own comfort, don’t forget that it is generally more difficult to warm up than it is to be too hot and cool yourself down if necessary.
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