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Selecting a Backpacking Backpacking Sleeping BagA backpacking sleeping bag is one of the big three important pieces of gear, all dealing with the hikers comfort. The first two, boots and backpack, deal with movement comfort, sleep bags are all about getting that all important nights rest. As a teenager in the Boy Scouts I have spent many nights freezing in the late fall, winter and early spring because my bag was not warm enough. There is nothing worse than waking up dozens of times through the night or not sleeping at all because you are cold, it definitely does not make for an enjoyable trip. In fact it can make a night last for what seems an eternity.
Temperature and SizeSo what temperature rating do you need? First consider what time of the year you will be backpacking and where. What are the typical lows for the night in that area and at that time of the year? How about the unusual lows? I must say that I am biased to using sleeping bags on the warm side, probably due to the experiences mentioned above. My opinion is it is much easier to cool off by unzipping a bag in warm weather than making a bag warmer in unexpected cold weather. My method for cool or cold weather camping is to figure out what the potential temperature of the coldest night that I will be sleeping and deduct another fifteen degrees, maybe more depending on when and where you are going. Remember, some places can get really cold and windy.The other sizing consideration is the bag length and girth. The air pockets around you in the sleeping bag and its fill is what keeps you warm. If there is to much space in the bag you can feel cool drafts at night, if there is to little then you are not insulated as well as you could be. I am six feet tall, which is typically the cut off between most manufacturers regular and long bags. I have a regular sized Marmot, Kelty and Quest (Dick’s Sporting Goods brand) and length wise I fit fine in all three. Based on this experience, when a bag manufacturer says it ‘fits up to nn inches’ I believe them, unlike their temperature ratings.
Sleeping Bag FillWhat the bag is filled with is also an important consideration. You have two options, synthetic or down. Synthetic bags are generally bulkier and heavier than their like sized and temperature rated down bags but synthetics are typically cheaper and keep you warmer than down when wet. Trust me, at some point you will get wet. Once you have chosen down or synthetic fill there are now many sub variations of each, especially synthetic. Researching all the various forms and brands of synthetic bag fill is an endless pursuit. The characteristics I’m looking for when purchasing a bag is first I select the temperature rating, bag length and down or synthetic fill then I base my final decision on weight, features and price. I do not concern myself with brand x or brand y fill, it’s just too much to research.
Selecting a Sleeping PadIn my mind pads are not to make the ground softer but to insulate you from the cold or damp. Yes they do help provide some comfort but really, how much is a thin pad really going to do? As with all the other gear types there are many types of sleeping pads. There is the simple and inexpensive flat closed foam pads, egg crate closed cell foam, self inflating and probably more types. If you are buying a foam pad make sure it is closed cell so that it will not absorb water from carrying it in the rain or from a leaky tent. This one good advantage of a pad, if your tent happens to leak over night, your pad will often times keep you out of a puddles that my accumulate inside the tent.I use a cheap and simple flat closed cell foam pad. It costs around $10 at the local sporting goods store. It is light, durable and cheap and has never failed to inflate or hold air in the field. If someone really feels strongly that a $50 or $80 Thermorest is the best choice, contact me and I will gladly post your well written opinions.
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