Friday, October 9, 2009

Characteristics of An Ideal Sleeping Bag

By Bujan Filad

If you are really looking for a sleeping bag that will really serve you well, there is a number of factors you have will have to pay close attention to. Approaching the task of shopping for a sleeping bag with the attitude that 'all sleeping bags are really the same' is not likely to leave you with a product that will serve you very well.

As it turns out, different sleeping bag designs are meant for different purposes, and if you make the mistake of going for the wrong bag for the type of expedition or other use you have in mind, then you would have nobody else to blame when the product turns out to be of absolutely no use to you; or if the product offers you less comfort that you feel that you paid for.

One of the most basic factors that will go into determining what your ideal choice of a sleeping bag should be is the temperature of the campground - or wherever - the bag is to be used. If you go summer camping in a place characterized by very hot summers using a sleeping bag meant for winter camping, then you should not blame anyone if attempting to lull yourself to sleep inside it turns out to be an impossible task!

If when out shopping for a sleeping bag you happen to fancy a particular bag, it is important to read the literature that comes with the bag, and ask the sleeping bag seller which type of temperature conditions the bag is meant for; and then work out whether it would offer suitable accommodation in the place you are considering going camping with it (and keeping in mind the season of the year you will be doing so).

The way through which you would be carrying the sleeping bag is another factor you have to take into consideration when purchasing one. If, for instance, you are looking to go camping in rugged campsites where access by car is impossible (so that you will have to carry your sleeping bag on your back to its final destination), then you need to ensure that you go for a product that is easily portable - like say one of the so called 'mummy bags' which are designed for convenient backpack transportation.

You will also have to think very deeply about the shape of the sleeping bag you opt for. Sleeping bag shapes, as you are bound to learn sooner or later during your shopping expedition, have greater implications beyond aesthetics, since they determine the sleeping bag's heat conservation capacities. For this reason, if you are considering going camping in a summer campsite (where heat conservation might not be a very major factor) going for a rectangular sleeping bag - which offers a lot of sleeping space but is poor at heat conservation might be the ideal situation for you, of course granted there is car transportation right up to the campsite, as the rectangular sleeping bag is rather bulky to carry on the back. In a similar manner, if you are going camping at a site characterized by low temperatures (where heat conservation is a necessity), then you are better off going making a 'mummy bag' your choice of a sleeping bag, because although such a 'mummy bag' does not offer as much sleeping space as the rectangular sleeping bag, it does offer remarkable heat conservation features.

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