Things to Look for in a Sleeping Bag
A sleeping bag is an essential equipment if you want to have a successful outdoor experience. A sleeping bag will make you comfortable for the night in any condition. A sleeping bag will keep you from extreme heat and extreme cold and will let you have a good night sleep without any interruption.
But selecting the right sleeping bag is often confusing. The choices are not that much but you will easily end up with a wrong sleeping bag if you do not know what to look for in a sleeping bag.
Shoulder, Hip and Foot
Today’s sleeping bag will make you look like a mummy or a cocoon at night. On the outside it looks really constricting but once you select the perfect sleeping bag for you, it will provide you comfort while protecting you from outside elements.
There are three areas of measurement in a sleeping bag – the shoulder area, hip and foot. Measure these parts in your body before you visit an outdoor shop or ask the person at the shop to measure your body so that you would have the right sleeping bag. Men will have wider shoulders and smaller hips while women usually have smaller shoulders with wider hip. This will ensure a sleeping bag that perfectly fits.
Filling Material
Inside the sleeping bag are filling materials. This material is the determining factor for comfort and insulation of the sleeping bag. There are two types of fillings: down and synthetic. Down filling material is very popular but a little bit more expensive compared to synthetic since they provide better comfort in most conditions. The downside of down filling is that it could easily get heavy when they are exposed in wet conditions. The synthetic filling on the other hand is cheaper and could withstand different weather conditions. However this type of filling has sacrificed comfort for these features.
Temperature Rating and Weight
Another indicator that a camper should look for is the temperature rating. This type of rating will tell the camper how low the temperature could go down while assuring the user comfort at night. This is very important if you are planning to hike in relatively cold areas.
Weight is also very important as this will be part of your baggage while traveling. Be sure to check on the weather forecast on the date of your hike so that you could select the right sleeping bag with filling. Remember that the down filling will give you a heavier sleeping bag when it ends up being wet.
Stitching and Colors
Stitching and colors are often overlooked by campers. Stitching is very important since it will determine if it could hold the filling together even in rugged conditions. A good stitching will also protect you from outside elements.
Colors should also be considered. As a general rule, if you are expecting to experience colder conditions, you should go for dark colored sleeping bags and if you are expecting to have a hotter climate, go for light colored sleeping bags.