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Sleeping bags are a pretty simple piece of kit but after your boots it's probably going to make the biggest impact on your enjoyment of the great outdoors because a good night's sleep means you're fresh and ready for day ahead.

The decision isn't too difficult if you do a bit of thinking before you buy. Your sleeping bag's contribution to your wellbeing is largely down to warmth so start by considering how much you need. If you're the sort of person who wears bed socks in July don't buy a thin bag. Similarly if you're the one kicking the duvet off in December then consider whether the 4 Season bag you're looking at is right for your Summer trip.

Generally speaking the younger, fatter, and fitter you are the warmer you wil sleep. If you're female you will likely sleep colder than if you're male and you will also radiate heat / feel the cold at different parts of your anatomy so Look out otu for gender specific sleeping bags ladies. Finally, well fed and watered you will be in better shape to radiate heat throughout the night so always got to bed warm and content if possible.

Because here's the rub, sleeping bags don't keep you warm, you keep them warm. What the sleeping bag does is stop the heat that you produce from escaping to various degrees. The cold that will then replace this released heat comes from two places, the air and the ground. The size of your tent will have some effect on the air temperature (remembering that you're heating that as well) but by far the biggest thing you can do to stop heat transferrence is to buy a good sleeping mat, whatever you do don't spend on a bag and scrimp on a mat.

 

Bags are rated as follows:

1 Season - Summer: 15ºC to 8ºC / 3 to 5 TOG
2 Season - Spring/Autumn: 10ºC to 0ºC / 5 to 8 TOG
3 Season - Winter: 3ºC to -10ºC / 7 to 10 TOG
4 Season - Mountain: -5ºC to -20ºC / 9 to 12 TOG
4+ Season - Polar/High mountain: -15ºC to -40ºC / 11 to 16+ TOG

Using this rough guide and your own personal warmth prferences you can now decide on a category. Having done this there are really only three more factors to consider.

 

The first choice is whether to have Down or Synthetic Fill:

• Goose down is the standard fill for quality sleeping bags. It compresses better than synthetic, is the lightest in weight, and is the most efficient insulator. This means it’s the warmest for its weight. It also puffs up quickly when shaken out and, cared for properly, it lasts longer than synthetic fill. Its one drawback is a big one - Down is completely useless if it gets wet (it will actually make you colder) and it takes an age to dry.

• Synthetic has the advantage that it doesn’t lose its insulating properties when wet, and it dries quickly. So synthetic fibre is a good choice if water ingress is inevitable. Synthetic bags are usually cheaper and they are the obvious choice for anyone who is allergic to down. It's fair to say that the best Syntheic Sleeping abgs are as good as Down bags but they will always be bigger and invariably thay are heavier.

Personally the extra care I have to take wih my Down Bag (it has its own drybag) is more than made up by the weight and duvet feel.

 

The next choice is shape:

Mummy Sleeping bags as the name suggests have a narrow anatomical fit and are the warmest since there is less volume for your body to heat up. Mummy bags also have insulated hoods that insulate your head (a place of masive heat escape). Because of their shape they are the lightest, pack up smallest, and are the best choice for backpackers, climbers, and mountaineers who have to take their bags with them. The mummy bag’s tighter fit can be hard on those who move a lot in the night or those with claustrophobia.

Rectangular Sleeping bags are the roomiest, weigh the most, and are best suited for warm weather since they have a much greater volume to heat when compared with mummy bags. They are generally considered too heavy and bulky for carrying in your rucksack, but can be a good choice for car camping trips and other outings where weight and bulk aren’t a concern. Rectangular bags are much more like your bed at home.

 

Finally and often most importantly is budget. That's where we come in, we list over 40 Sleeping Bags at prices to suit all budgets. If you can't find what you want or you'd like any advice just drop us a note. We'd be delighted to help.