How to Choose Sleeping Bags

There are a lot of sleeping bags you can choose from whether online or offline and sometimes there are so many that it makes you feel dizzy. Which one should you get? First you should remember that it's more than just about the style or how good it looks like. It's likely that you'll be disappointed if your choice is only based on style or price alone.

Style should be the last thing you consider after just about everything else including weight, material, size and price.

The most important element of a sleeping bag is the insulating material, either down or synthetic. These materials will determine how well it keeps you warm, how heavy it is and how much you can compress it.

Just because down is better than synthetic when it comes to insulating properties doesn't mean you should always go for down. Down is good but it's not perfect. Down sleeping bags lose their insulating properties when wet and they're very expensive. Depending on expected weather and temperature, down bags may be overkill.

Even in sub-zero temperatures, using down sleeping bags can make you sweat. They are that effective. This means that you won't want to use down bags in the summer or even spring. Some people do use down sleeping bags in spring but of a lower rating because down is lighter compared to synthetics. They have a better warmth-to-weight ratio. Another advantage of a down sleeping bag is that they last longer even when they're harder to maintain.

But if you're tight on budget and you don't really mind the extra weight then my advice is to go for synthetic sleeping bag. They're not as effective in keeping you warm but wearing extra clothing can help you out. If they get wet, they still retain their insulating powers. Plus they're very quick and easy to dry.

A sleeping bag almost always come with a temperature rating which estimates at which temperature the sleeping bag is ideal for. This is a good indicator but they're not perfectly accurate.

A lot of assumptions are made when sleeping bags are rated. One of these assumptions is your metabolic rate when you sleep. Not everyone will have the same metabolic sleeping rate so manufacturers assume an average and factor it into their calculations.

Choose a sleeping bag with a rating that is lower than the temperature you expect. If it turns out to be too hot then you simply undo the zipper partly to let hot air out. If your sleeping bag is too cold, you can wear extra clothing but it's better to be safe than sorry in case even the clothing is not sufficient.

Sleeping bags comes in different ranges of sizes. If you are tall, you need to make sure that the sleeping bag fits you. Some people say that you should not get a sleeping bag that is longer than your tent. This argument is irrelevant because it only matter that the sleeping bag fits you.

But size is not just about length. Some sleeping bags are made for either women or men. These specialized sleeping bags will have different dimensions. Women's sleeping bags are wider at the hips and men's are wider at the shoulders. This is based on the size of the average woman. A friend athlete of mine finds that women sleeping bags don't fit her very well.

Well I hope this will help you choose the right sleeping bag for you. This is a great time to go camping and you would want to have the right camping gear with you.