How to Choose Sleeping Bags for Camping
Let’s talk about sleeping bags. In my previous post, we talked about sleeping mats.
The reason we need to choose the right sleeping mat is we want to keep the ground warm while you are sleeping in your tent.
To make the perfect combination of your sleeping gear, sleeping bag is essential.
What are types of sleeping bags?
Let’s talk about the material inside of sleeping bags.
Sleeping bag shape
Down-fill insulation
Down fill insulation is similar to your duck down padding jumper. It is lightweight, warm and compact, best suited to hikers or backpackers. It is at least twice more expensive than synthetic insulation sleeping bags.
If you are looking for a compact and warm sleeping bag, down-full insulation sleeping bag is an option.
Synthetic insulation sleeping bag
Synthetic sleeping bag is widely used by seasonal campers or family campers.
It is not very compact but it does the job, still quite warm depending on the temperature range. It is not as compact as down-fill insulation sleeping bag, however price is way cheaper than down-fill ones.
If you go camping maybe 3-4 times a year, it is no brainer. Synthetic insulation sleeping bag suits your camping.
Adding additional inner liner will definitely make you warm enough for sleeping in a tent.
Shape of sleeping bag
Rectangular
It is like a half folded blanket without hoodie. It gives you more space for your feet, plenty of room if you move a lot while sleeping (rolling left and right).
Semi-Rectangular
It comes with a hood, this is the most common sleeping bag when you were a child, still plenty of rooms to move your body and feet.
Your hoodie gives you more warmness and many people do not need pillow as well.
Price range is really up to temperature range and brand.
Mummy
When you look at mummy shaped sleeping bag, you’ve would know the name of sleeping bag. The width of the sleeping bag gets narrower as you go down towards your feet, that means you have less rooms to move and you feel like you’re stuck in the sleeping bag.
Benefit of mummy sleeping bag is it gives you more warmness due to its shape. Warm air keeps staying inside of the sleeping bag longer, and with additional inner liner some of you may feel too hot staying in there.
I recommend this to kids (5yrs or above), from my experience, kids do not stay inside, and they tend to get out of the sleeping bag or kick it a lot. When they fall asleep, then you can close the zippers and sleep without any worries that your kids get a cold.
Lastly, check the temperature range.
If you go camping in winter, the limit range should be - 8°C to -10°C at least.
You can use winter sleeping bag all year round, but summer sleeping bag can’t be used in winter. If you have to choose one sleeping bag, I would suggest you get a warm sleeping bag.
