SLEEPING BAGS

• BLANKETS AND LINERS
• MUMMY
• RECTANGULAR
• YOUTH

Wikipedia, says Freydis Eiriksdottir (the daughter of Fredrick the Red) invented the first sleeping bag on her journey to North America in 1000 A.D. Freydis did not have the luxury of modern day double wall construction. No, Freydis’ bag was made from one of the many sails of her ship – a far cry from the cozy flannel and down used in sleeping bags today. Modern day sea goers would agree that although canvas sails would easily protect them from wind and weather if nothing else was available, it would not be their first choice if they were about to set out on the open seas.

Sleeping bags have come a long way since Freydis sailed around the world, and sleeping bag manufacturers have paid close attention to the details and the needs of consumers, producing sleeping bags for every camping, hiking, hunting, and fishing adventure they dare to get themselves equipped for.

Information about sleeping bags such as; design types, insulation fill, and temperature ratings, are easily accessible on-line; some information is quite technical, and some is as fluffy as the down used to fill them. TheOutdoorWorld.com, a leading supplier of camping and outdoor goods has compiled a few of the most commonly asked questions about sleeping bags. We hope this will help you determine the best fit for your needs, as well as the needs of your family.

Types of Sleeping Bags

Like people, sleeping bags come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and some retain heat better than others; it is important to know which sleeping bag works best for you. The two most common types [shapes] of sleeping bags are rectangular and mummy. A Mummy bag, which is tapered at the foot and flared at the shoulder is designed to mimic human body shape and will retain heat better than those that are not. It will perform better in colder temperatures because it allows air, warmed by your body, to effectively form a barrier between you and the colder air outside the bag. One feature that separates the mummy bag from the rectangle bag is the hood, which all mummy bags will have. It is designed to trap warm air at the top (your head) where heat is most likely to escape. Rectangular bags which are usually recommended for warm weather are roomier, but by design, will not trap heat as effective and will take more body heat to warm. Those who have rectangular bags know you can still be plenty warm on a cool summer night, and that fabric, fill, and construction must be factored in. If you find yourself somewhere between the two (wanting both the warmth of a full mummy bag and the soft cozy feeling of a rectangle bag) manufacturers will often offer modified versions of the mummy and rectangular, combining features from both.

Temperature Rating

Temperature ratings are a good prediction of the ability of your sleeping bag to protect you from cold. However, there are many factors that may need to be applied; ground pad insulation, tent protection, clothing, and the ability of each person to produce body heat are just a few. Temperature ratings should help you to determine the degree of cold that you may be exposed to and are a good guideline to follow when you begin your search.

Sleeping Bag Construction

Construction and fill also play major roles in the ability of a sleeping bag to trap heat with loft (loft refers to the thickness of the bag. The more loft, the warmer the bag will be.) The basic rule of thumb is that fill and loft equal insulation, and if there is any exposure to cold air (usually through seams that are sewn into the bag which run through the outer lining, the inner lining, and the fill) you will take the chance of having cold spots inside your sleeping bag. This type of sleeping bag construction is called single wall construction. Single wall construction does not offer a lot of protection from cold spots and is preferable in warmer weather. Double wall construction on the other hand utilizes off-set seaming, or staggered seaming techniques, to maximize heat retention and prevent warm air from escaping. Manufacturers will use many methods to accomplish this; some may use baffles (mesh partitions at the quilt line), and some will have two layers of fill each with their own seams, or non at all. The idea is to prevent exposure through the seams, letting the insulation act as a barrier between you and the cold air outside. Note that if all other factors of two sleeping bags are the same and the only difference is single wall or double wall construction, the double wall construction will always provide more protection.

Sleeping bags are either synthetic-filled or down-filled. The most important difference between synthetic and down is their ability to dry if wet. Since synthetic fill does not readily absorb water it will dry faster if soaked by rain, snow, rivers, or lakes, and it can still provide insulation even when damp. Down on the other hand, because it does not loft when wet, will be rendered useless if accidentally soaked in a rain storm. You may ask then why doesn’t every sleeping bag come with synthetic fill? The answer is that when water is not an issue, natural down fill weighs less, compresses easier, and retains heat better than synthetic fill. Note that manufacturers may produce their own brand of fill and construction styles with very specific names like: Thermolite, Thermoshield, Polarguard, and Holofill. It’s important to know that these are not industry standards, more so, they are brand specific, and each brand will be slightly different.

Sleeping bag fill will come in both short and long fibers. This is important to you because it will affect your sleeping bag’s ability to retain heat. Long fibers found in sleeping bags with synthetic fill are more stable and will be less likely to shift during use. Long fibers will also use less expensive construction methods and have fewer seams, thus providing less opportunity for warm air to escape and cold air to penetrate.

Short fibers on the other hand, both down fill and synthetic, can shift during use, affecting your sleeping bag’s loft and inviting cold air in. More expensive construction methods that utilize baffling, can reduce shifting and provide added loft to a sleeping bag. While these techniques are more expensive they make for a more insulated sleeping bag overall.

The inside and outside lining of a sleeping bag can be made from any number of materials and blends. It is important to remember that while cotton blend linings can be soft and comfortable next to the skin, they take longer to dry if wet, and they add weight and bulk to the sleeping bag. Synthetic blends on the other hand, like polyester and nylon, are lighter and won’t absorb moisture. For that reason, nylon and polyester may be the preferred choice of back packers. If you fall somewhere in the middle, wanting both the comfort of cotton and benefits of synthetic, manufacturer’s produce sleeping bags with synthetic outer shells, which are lighter and more water resistant, combined with cotton inside liners that are softer and more breathable.

Sleeping bags come in many sizes. Manufacturers will almost always list the length and width of their sleeping bags; if they do not, call the manufacturer and confirm what size it is. Common dimensions for rectangle sleeping bags are: 28" x 60" (youth), 33" x 75" (average adult), 33" x 80" (tall adult), and 39" x 80" (big and tall sized adult). Manufacturers will vary these measurements by an inch or two, so it is important to know the exact dimensions. Mummy bags will also differ in size and shape. Because they are made to mirror a human body and since each body is different, it is wise to make sure you are getting one that fits you. Added dead space or not enough space for the air to circulate will affect the ability of your mummy bag to keep you warm.

The bottom line is that sleeping bag construction (shape, fill, seams, and fabric) has everything to do with its ability to keep you comfortable; and weight, durability, weather, the ability to generate body heat, and the activities that you participate in while you’re camping or hiking should also be a consideration. If that isn’t enough, we’ve listed below a few of the features and definitions that manufacturers offer. We hope this will help you in your decision. Should you have additional questions, contact our experienced staff Monday-Friday from 8AM-5pm (PT) at 1-888-344-9500, or, e-mail us at , we would love to hear from you!

Sleeping bag options:

• Chest Baffles help keep warm air from escaping and cold air from penetrating in and out of the top of the bag. It does this by forming a barrier at the top of the torso.
• Foot Boxes help prevent feet and toes from crushing insulation. Found mostly in mummy bags, a squared foot box allows a natural foot position so air can be trapped without compression of the insulation.
• Ground level seams are seams on the side of the bag which are subject to exposure, especially in windy conditions, and can be a potential cold spot for your sleeping bag. Ground liner seams, seams sewn on the bottom of your bag, reduce your exposure when protected by proper insulating ground pads.
• Ground Pads (sleeping pads). As soon as you lie down on the insulation within the bottom of the bag, you are compressing it and eliminate its ability to insulate you. It is always a good idea to use a ground pad to insulate you from the cooler ground surface area and protect you from ground level seams.
• Hoods found on mummy bags prevent heat lost through the top (the head) of the bag.
• Insulating and /or wind stop baffle behind the zipper (or zipper draft tube) stops warm air from escaping and cold air from penetrating through the zipper of a sleeping bag.
• Multi sectioned hoods are hoods fashioned from multiple panels. This accommodates a better fit around the head with less opportunity to compress insulation.
• Round and flat pull cords are pull cords on the hood of mummy bags. Mummy bags with both round and flat pull cords are ideal when you need to adjust your sleeping bag in the middle of the night. If the pull cords are different in feel you can easily find your cord by touch.
• Staggered seam is another term for off set seams that prevent heat loss and air penetration.
• Wallet and flashlight pockets are convenient for close easy access in the middle of the night.
• Two way zippers allow ventilation of cooler air through the bag from the foot or from the head without unzipping the entire sleeping bag on those warmer summer nights.
• Zip together compatibility. Virtually all rectangle sleeping bags will zip another one to itself. Purchase two of the same bags and you can make a two person bag. Mummy bags will also zip together when a right zip and left zip is purchased, and they also may interchange and be compatible among different makes, models, manufacturers, and brands. This near universal compatibility offers many good buying options, like buying two different temperature rated bags and zipping them together, leaving the option of the warmer bag on top for cold nights, and the cooler bag on top for warmer nights. Or, different temperature rated mummy bags zipped together can accommodate warmer (male) sleepers with a cooler bag zipped to a warmer bag for cooler (female) sleepers.