Advice On Buying A Sleeping Bag
If you spend a lot of time outdoors camping, then you know how important choosing the right sleeping bag can be. When looking to buy a sleeping bag there are many choices that you have to make in order to get the one most suitable for you. You need to decide what size and style you want. You need to determine what type of filler and lining you want. You need to know how warm / cold the climate is that you will be using it in.Once you decide on the style of your sleeping bag, it can help to make the rest of the choices a little easier. There are three basic shapes to choose from – mummy, rectangle and combination. The mummy sleeping bag is generally the warmest as it conforms to the contours of your body leaving considerably less room for cold air to be trapped compared to other styles. It has a hood to cover your head, and an elastic or drawstring draft collar to keep the warm air inside the bag from escaping past your neckline.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.Once you have chosen the style you want, the next step is to choose a lining and filler. The filler is especially important if you are allergic to down, or have a particular sensitivity to down with asthma or other respiratory conditions. There are two fillers to decide on – synthetic and down. A synthetic fiber filler is generally heavier than down but when wet, it does not absorb water so therefore insulating ability is not reduced. A down filler is lighter than synthetic fiber but it requires more care and you must not get it wet or it will be useless.It is essential to take note of the temperature ratings of each bag. Know the expected temperature range where you will most often be using the bag and then choose one that is rated for a colder environment. Having more warmth available to you than you need is the prudent choice. The final decision to be made is the size of the bag. You should always be sure the bag is longer than your height by a few inches. It allows you to stretch out full-length and that is a vital comfort factor.
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