When it comes to camping, the sleeping bag that you use is almost as important as the tent. Without a good sleeping bag you won't enjoy your camping as you will be cold, uncomfortable and tired. In certain situations having the wrong sleeping bag can be dangerous, for example if you are camping in remote areas. If you are in this situation and your sleeping bag doesn't insulate well enough you are at risk of hypothermia and this could potentially be very serious. Being tired also means that you will not be able to navigate properly, and getting lost can mean extra exertion trying to find the correct route which can also contribute to hypothermia. Even on a campsite near to civilisation you can become dangerously cold. It is therefore worth taking some time and trouble when choosing a sleeping bag, and getting the best you can afford which will do the job. Here we will look at the different types of sleeping bag which are available and some of their strengths and weaknesses to help you choose the right bag. Remember that when you are using a sleeping bag you also need some form of insulation underneath the sleeping bag such as a closed cell foam sleeping mat. Even if you are using an air bed this does not give you enough insulation and you will still need to put a sleeping mat on top of the air bed.
Sleeping Bag Design
The majority of sleeping bags are filled with either synthetic fibre or down (feathers). Synthetic fibre tends to be heavier than down and does not compress to as small a pack size. It does have the advantage that when wet it will still keep most of its insulating properties meaning that it will still keep you warm if it gets wet. Down loses all of its insulation properties when wet, and under these circumstances does not keep you warm at all. Down filling is lighter than synthetic fibre, insulates very well when dry and compresses easily to a small size. This compressibility means that a down sleeping bag will take up less space when packed away than synthetic fibre filled sleeping bag.
Cheap Sleeping Bags
Before you buy the cheapest sleeping bag you can find you need to think about where you are going to use it. If you're only going to be camping in warm weather then the cheapest sleeping bags will probably be warm enough for you. Most cheap bags have a rating of around two seasons, meaning that they are suitable for warm weather use but not for use in cold weather. Some people who feel the cold particularly badly may not find these sleeping bags to be warm enough, and may want to choose one with a higher rating. For couples, having two of these sleeping bags which zip together can sometimes be warmer.
US $26.92
Lightweight Sleeping Bags
The lightest sleeping bags are those which are filled with down. They are useful for camping trips where you need to carry all of your camping gear with you such as when you are camping in mountainous areas. They are, however, quite expensive.
 |
Kids Sleeping Bags
There are several different designs of sleeping bags made specifically for children. Some of these sleeping bags are only designed for sleepovers, but others are suitable for camping. You need to be sure that the one you are choosing is suitable for how your child is going to use it. The sleeping bag shouldn't have too much empty space in it when your child is inside the bag, as it will tend to be cold in use. Some sleeping bags have adjustable size so that you can increase the size as your child grows.
|
