How to Choose a Sleeping Bag
You will have to consider price, temperature range, weight, size, water resistance, durability, and compressibility as well as, zipper placement, compatibility with other bags, and even the feel of the fabric. Carefully determine your needs. But be realistic about how you will use your bag. You probably will never find a bag that meets all your needs and wants, so first decide where you will not compromise and where you can.
Time / Range / Environment / Multi-Season Range of Use
Carefully consider the temperature range to be covered. If the range is wider than any bag can cover, you need to decide which end of the range is most important to you. Buy the bag for the weather you will MOST often encounter. You may be able to add extra clothing, use a bag liner, a vest, or an over the bag, to extend the range of your bag. That will save you the expense, spare you carrying extra weight, and keep you from sweating on warm nights. There are currently NO accepted standards between manufacturers for rating a bag in degrees. Part of the problem is that everyone has their own metabolic rate.
Types of Camping
Car camping: Weight and volume aren’t really an issue. The bag of choice could be a rectangular or mummy bag.
Backpacking: Lightweight and low volume would be important. A mummy-style bag would be most practical.
Bicycle camping: Lightweight and low volume would be important. A mummy-style bag would be most practical.
Kayak or canoe camping: Low volume for storage, usually inside a dry bag.
Size and Shape
Mummy bags are the most efficient and available in wide girths so that you do not have to be squeezed in a mummy bag. People who Car camp or use a sleeping bag to double as a quilt should consider a rectangular bag or a full opening zipper mummy bag.
Warranty
Look for a lifetime warranty on materials and workmanship for an indication that the manufacturer believes in the quality of its products. But recognise that “Lifetime” will usually apply to the product.
How to Care for a Sleeping Bag?
While in use:
Sleeping bags are made to be stuffed hundreds of times without damage. Improper stuffing, however, may shorten the life of your bag. Use a larger stuff sack if space is not your primary consideration. Recognize that frequent use of compression sacks will take a toll on the loft of the bag.
While in storage (airbag after use):
Store your bag in a cool, dry place that has a fairly constant temperature. Never store your bag compressed for long periods of time. Bags should be hung or stored in a large, breathable storage sack or pillowcase. Do not expose your bag to sunlight for long periods as UV radiation can degrade the nylon.
Cleaning your sleeping bag:
Body oils, hair oils, lotions, and cosmetics are all acidic and will cause down or synthetic insulation to decompose and lose its loft. A bag should be cleaned when it has begun to lose loft or becomes discolored due to oil accumulation.
It is best to wash your bag yourself or take your bag to a professional laundry experienced with down or synthetic insulated products. If no care instructions exist, hand wash or use a front-loading machine without an agitator.
Optimize performance
Revitalize in the home dryer before the trip: It is not a bad idea to put your bag into a dryer set to low heat before leaving on a trip. The tumbling will re loft the bag and at the same time, the heat will drive out any moisture that may have accumulated during storage. This works for both down and synthetic sleeping bags.
Keeping your bag clean: By keeping your bag clean its loft will be maintained. Using a ground cloth under your bag will protect the shell from abrasion, dirt, and ground moisture.
Drying in field
During use in the field, it is important to air dry your bag during the day. This will dry out and remove perspiration that may have accumulated during the night. The bag should be turned inside out and exposed to a moderate amount of sunlight and plenty of moving air.
Bags deteriorate over time:
Be aware of a sleeping bag’s life expectancy. Shell fabrics and insulation deteriorate over time at different rates. Exposure to UV radiation may speed up some deterioration. Washing a sleeping bag may improve loft.
