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How To Choose A Sleeping Bag
Most sleeping bags use the "season" rating, so the higher the number of seasons, the more warmth they will provide. A 1 season sleeping bag should only be used in the summer or indoors. Ideal for summer festivals, camping in the garden and short summer trips. Also ideal for just keeping in the car for staying at friends' houses. 3 season sleeping bags are good for use from Easter until Autumn but may be a little hot if it's a hot summer. 4 season sleeping bags are designed for winter use but will be sticky and sweaty in even mild summer weather. There are also 4+ season sleeping bags for use in more extreme conditions like the arctic or mountaineering. This is probably the best way of grading a sleeping bag but some manufacturers use a temperature rating instead. This can vary wildly between manufacturers. Some manufacturers will give a sleeping bag a rating of +15°C that another might rate at -2°C. The EU have confused matters by introducing another system for grading sleeping bags. This system uses 4 different temperature ratings: Upper Limit - highest temperature at which a standard MAN would have a comfortable nights sleep without sweating. Comfort - lowest temperature at which a standard WOMAN would have a comfortable nights sleep, lying on her back and relaxed. Lower Limit - lowest temperature at which a standard MAN in a rolled up body posture would have a comfortable nights sleep. Extreme - temperature below which a standard WOMAN could expect strong sensation of cold and maybe frost bite or hypothermia. This is a completely absurd system which can only confuse the situation even further. Luckily, most sleeping bag manufacturers are boycotting it. So stick to the season rating. Warmth is a subjective thing. So if you feel the cold more than most people, go for an extra season to what others would buy (eg. 4 season instead of 3 season) and if you don't feel the cold very much, go for one less season. It's much easier than trying to decipher temperatures. The weight and size of the sleeping bag is likely to be unimportant if you are travelling by car, so just choose a cheaper one. However, if you are backpacking a lighter and smaller sleeping will be more comfortable and more appropriate. There are many artificial sleeping bag fillings which provide varying efficiencies. I don't really think there is much of an advantage of one over the other, just choose one which satisfies your requirements for season rating and weight/size. The best efficiency for weight is usually considered to be genuine down filling. But these sleeping bags are very difficult to clean because they don't like getting wet. Most mummy sleeping bags come with either a left hand or right hand zip. You can usually zip a left hand sleeping bag to a right hand sleeping bag to make a double. So, check that both zip options are available on your sleeping bag if you want to be able to do this. But be aware that doing this can reduce the thermal efficiency due to the hole the is created at the shoulders between the occupants. Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com For further buying advice and reviews visit Interhike Sleeping Bags. There is also a price comparison of sleeping bags on this site. |
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