Sleeping bag quality considerations
Buying a sleeping bag is a serious business, there are many considerations that must be taken into account, but when you go to the store to buy one, you may see a huge selection of sleeping bags that look almost the same with some minor changes and a big difference in pricing. To help clear out the differences in the sleeping bag selection I will outline the most important issues to consider when looking at buying a sleeping bag.
Filling material – the sleeping bag is build of an external layer which is what we see , usually some kind of fabric, and an internal content which is the filling material of the sleeping bag.
For frequent use of the sleeping bag and for usage in cold temperature the filling should be made from high quality, high isolation materials such as enforced polyester fibers which show long term durability and provide the sleeping bag high quality performance but are expensive. For mild temperature and seldom use , a lower quality filling material for the sleeping bag can be used such as nature fibers which tend in the long term to brake and to loose there isolation capabilities.
Sleeping bag structure – there are 2 most popular sleeping bag structures, the square shaped sleeping bag mattress like sleeping bag which is designed to replace the home mattress and the “mummy” shaped sleeping bag which usually comes with a head cover as an integral part of the sleeping bag. The “mummy” shaped sleeping bag has a triangle shape which means that its width is maximum at the head and its narrow on the legs area.
Mummy-shaped sleeping bag is most effective in terms of weight and ability to isolation. Rectangular bag is designed for those who sleep in a tent and don’t want to compromise the comfort even when sleeping outdoor but it is not well insulated.
Temperature rating – the decision on the right sleeping bag in term of temperature rating is the difference of great sleep or a nightmare. Here are the parameters that should be taken into account:
The upper temperature limit – is the limit in which the average camper can sleep in the sleeping bag without sweating too much, This can be accomplished by opening the sleeping bag zipper and extraction of hands and the head out of the sleeping bag.
Convenience temperature – is the temperature in which the average camper will sleep in the sleeping bag comfortably.
Lower limit temperature – is the limit in which the average camper can sleep in his sleeping bag for full eight hours sleep in a “fetal position” without waking up even once the whole time
Extreme temperature – is the minimum temperature where the average woman can stay for maximum of 6 hours without risking death by hypothermia (which is death due to loss of body heat).
A careful consideration of the temperature range will insure a great vacation and a good night sleep.







