How to Pick the Right Sleeping Bag

Mummy bags are the most efficiently shaped option for both men and women.

Sleeping bags are a basic necessity for regular campers and backpackers. Purchasing the wrong one can ruin your adventure: Bulky bags add unnecessary weight in your pack and are not conducive to long, treacherous hikes; A bag too light will cause you to freeze at night and deplete your energy for the next day's challenges. By assessing all of the factors involved before purchasing a bag, you will be sure to find the best one to fit your lifestyle.

Instructions

1. Decide what the coldest temperature you plan to experience will be -- and subtract 10 or 20 degrees. This is the appropriate rating for your sleeping bag.

2. Consider the size. Select a bag that gives you some extra inches of stretching room in the bottom and top, but that is still quite snug around your body; empty space is difficult to keep warm.

3. Consider the shape. Mummy bags -- cut in a V-shape -- are the most efficient for both women and men and require little body heat to warm. Rectangular-cut bags give you more room to move in your sleep, but are more difficult to keep warm; Semi-rectangular bags are a compromise between the two.

4. Choose a bag with a hood. Half of your body heat can be lost through your head, so this is an important feature.

5. Check the zipper and stitching. Make sure that the zipper's teeth are large and that it does not get stuck in the fabric; Pull the stitching to see that it holds snug against the fabric.

6. Choose the fabric. For better water and wind resistance, choose a bag with a higher thread count. Check for leaks, as this could be a sign that the fabric's stitching is not tight enough.

7. Choose the fill. Synthetic bags -- under brand names Lite Loft, Polarguard 3D, Thermolite Extreme, and PrimaLoft Sport -- tend to be warmer but heavier. Down bags are lighter, but harder to dry once they get wet: The higher a down bag's fill power number, the warmer the bag is.

8. Ask about the warranty. Most companies will repair any faulty or damaged equipment for a fee.

Tips & Warnings

• If you plan to go mountaineering or camping in very cold winter temperatures, consider investing in two separate bags: A sub-zero rated one for winter adventures and a thinner one for spring and summer.

• When choosing a shell for your bag, do not pick Gore-Tex: it tends not to breathe, thereby trapping moisture in the bag.

References

• GORP; Choosing a Sleeping Bag; Nancy Prichard