Sleeping Bags : The Basics Explained
There are a variety of sleeping bags on the market. The type that you choose should be dependent on the climate where it will be used and your own personal preferences. Purchasing a sleeping bag is similar to buying a new mattress – you should consider the size, shape, type of fabric, and amount of free space provided. As for the influence of the weather, if it is dry and warm you may only need a fleece bag or “bed-roll”, whereas colder climates dictate the need for a warm, insulated bag.
Sleeping bags generally come in two shapes, the rectangular bag and the mummy bag. The rectangular bag is the traditional style, and features a rectangular shape that zips on 3 sides and is roomy and unfitted around the feet. This kind of sleeping bag can sometimes be unzipped and used as a comforter. If both parents or more than one child wants to share a bag, two bags can be zipped together to provide more room inside for multiple sleepers; or zipped together to provide a double size comforter for a bed.
Another type of sleeping bag that is gaining in popularity with its more modern style, is the mummy style one. These bags are especially good when it comes to keeping warm, because they fit snugly around you as you sleep. And because of the way it is made, it actually uses less material than its counterparts. The mummy sleeping bag is ideal for use in cold weather, and is lightweight making it easy to carry around while backpacking or going on camping trips.
There are typically three different sizes of sleeping bags: extra long, standard, and junior (child). The junior sizes are best reserved for extremely young kids. These do not last long because of their size, so as long as the weight of the bag is not a factor for your child, consider purchasing the standard size. Anyone over six feet in height should buy the extra long size. However, people of average height might like the extra room afforded by the larger size. It is really a matter of personal preference.
Traditionally, the warmth of a sleeping bag depended on prime goose down which is often used as insulation. Modern designs, however, rely on synthetic fibers which provide greater durability, less weight and easier washing than goose down. Goose down is still used to insulate top of the line mountaineering bags that are used by professionals to keep them warm in extremely cold and dry conditions. These sleeping bags can be prohibitively expensive and certainly beyond the scope of what a family camping trip might call for. Synthetic materials are perfect for most people.
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Tags: Camping, leisure, outdoors, sleeping bags