6 of 25

Write now Article Tools

Page 2 of 2

bag is very lightweight, and compact into surprisingly small sizes and takes up very little room, Down-fill bags should be firm and will out last synthetic by many years.

With down fill, however: if it gets wet, it is useless, and it takes a considerable long time to dry, these sleeping bags are more expensive than synthetic and goose down is considered better than duck down.

Comfort Rating

The comfort rating gives you an indication (+35 bag for example), this indication is by the bags manufacture of what most people will remain comfortable at, if the air temperature is higher or at 35 degrees Fahrenheit, most people are comfortable.

These ratings are guidelines and it is better to be overly prepared for the worse than hoping for the best. Bag types have four categories:

Summer rated for +35 degrees Fahrenheit or higher
3-Season rated for +10 to +35 degrees Fahrenheit
Cold Weather rated for 10 to + 10 degrees Fahrenheit
Winter/Extreme rated for 10 degrees Fahrenheit and lower

Length

If you are less than six feet tall, a "regular" length bag should fit you nicely, however if you are taller than six feet you will want the "long" bag

Styles

Rectangular bags give you more room and give you the opportunity of changing positions freely and frequently, however this does mean there is more space to keep warm too.

Mummy-style will keep you warmer, and down forms to your body better than synthetic. However, you do give up space in these types of bags.

Sleeping bags design for women are made shorter and have added fill in the feet and torso areas since women seem to be more on the side of cold sleepers than men.

Weight

Down wins this battle for sure, synthetic are getting better every year, but as mentioned above, down is lighter and last longer. Sleeping bags can weigh just over a pound for a single person or close to ten pounds for a doublewide.

Prices

When comparing prices synthetic is cheaper than down, sleeping bags are an investment, no matter how you look at it, and that is exactly how you must look at them. The prices when buying, a high quality sleeping bag is worth the investment. Remember you get what you pay for, and a good sleeping bag can last for decades. Depending on the use, and the data above, you should expect to spend from $100 to $500 for a real good sleeping bag.

If you spend let us say $350 on a sleeping bag and it last you say only one decade, it would of cost you only $2.92 a month.

Other things you can and should considered would include sleeping bags that have a soft liner inside or one with a hood that cinches around your face.

With the information you now have, you should be able to pick a sleeping bag that will suit your needs. Below is a list of some brand names for sleeping bags that you may wish to familiar yourself with:

Sierra Designs
The North Face
Mountain Hardwear
Therm-A-Rest
Big Agnes
Montbell
EMS
Marmont
Kelty

Choosing the right sleeping bag depends mostly on your needs and where you will be using it. Remember that this is an investment for enjoying those special times out in nature and that will last for many years and the memories will last a lifetime.

Learn more about this author, Martin Ward Jr..
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

• << previous page
• 1
• 2

Add your voice

Know something about How to choose the right sleeping bag?
We want to hear your view. Write now!