Wilderness Adventures: Newsletter: Survival Information and Products

Topic: SLEEPING BAGS

A sleeping bag is our personal micro shelter. It has the ability to provide wind protection and offer a snug warm bed and a good night’s rest--that is of course, depending on whether you are using the correct bag for the temperatures your are in. Keep in mind, a sleeping bag does not act as a heater, it simply has the ability to trap and retain the heat radiated by our bodies. Many factors will determine the appropriate bag for individual use. Obviously the type and amount of insulation material is a primary concern when choosing a bag. The type of insulation used will determine its climate use. It’s ability to dry rapidly and compresses easily are factors that must be considered. Down has been considered the ultimate insulation of choice by mountaineers for years. Mountaineers can use down because the areas they operate in are dry. Cold yet very dry. Many backpackers also prefer down. It has the ability to loft quickly and maintain its loft for many years. It is lightweight and will compress into a very small bundle for carrying. The single most negative quality of down is its ability to absorb moisture. Once wet or moist it can take a very long time to dry again. Bottom line is, wet down has zero insulation properties. I have used down for many years. I love it. I have never encountered a problem with a damp sleeping bag. Several companies are making the outer shell material from waterproof, windproof, and breathable fabrics. If this is an option when purchasing a sleeping bag, then by all means do so. Cheap sleeping bags will not get the job done. You may encounter a situation where staying in a bag for an extended period of time may be necessary. Never cut corners when purchasing a bag. A good quality down filled bag will last many years. There are currently many synthetic filled sleeping bags on the market. These modern synthetic bags are reasonably price and offer a long list of excellent qualities. The biggest drawbacks are their weight and lack of compressibility when carrying on a backpack. On the positive side, they are moisture resistant and may be purchased with same shell fabrics as expensive down sleeping bags. When purchasing a sleeping bag choose a darker color for the outer shell. It has the ability to absorb the sun’s solar energy and will aid in quicker drying times. Always purchase a sleeping bag with a good hood, draft tubes and shoulder collar. The hood will be greatly appreciated when air temperatures plummet. Draft tubes run the internal length of the sleeping bag alongside the zipper. Their purpose is to prevent heat loss thru zipper and prevent drafts from penetrating bag. The shoulder collar or muff is designed to cinch around neck and prevent heat loss thru top of bag. This is a big positive when outside temps is low. All sleeping bags are not created equal. Unfortunately there is not a usable scale to compare one brand to another. ALWAYS use a sleeping pad under a bag. The cold ground will strip your heat quickly. Avoid air mattress use in cold environments. Air mattresses do not offer adequate insulation from ground. Each time you move the air in mattress moves redistributing cold air internally. I prefer the self-inflating foam core sleeping pads. They offer comfort and tremendous insulation. Buy one. Also offered is the dense closed cell foam sleeping pads. These are excellent. They do not offer the comfort of a self inflating foam core pad, but are much lighter and considerably less expensive. If you choose to purchase, or already own a sleeping bag that does not have a water repellant shell, consider purchasing a cover. Some are reasonably priced while others are designed for extremely harsh conditions and are priced accordingly. Above all, remember the heat our bodies create is dependent on a fuel source; food is our fuel source. Stay fed and hydrated and your furnace will continue to put out heat. Any questions you may have about sleeping bags, I will happily answer for you. Just email me with your question and I will promptly reply. Check out the list of web sites below if you are in the market for a new sleeping bag. This list is made up of what I consider to be the best there is in sleeping bags. List is in alphabetical order.