Here’s a simple question for all the hikers - What do you look for after the long backpacking day?

Good food? Probably, yes. 

A soothing place to spend the night? Of course, you need that.

Or a sleeping bag that can help you just fit into it, have a luxury and relaxing sleep, so you can get up with the same energy and enthusiasm? Well, sleeping bags are an important travelling gear that protects you from cold and cold-weather related injuries and keeps you physically and mentally satisfied. But with so many options available on the market, how will you decide which sleeping bag will fit your needs? Well, this process of selecting the best one might seem a little daunting but once you get the basics of it, you can grab the right pick in a matter of time. Here are some pointers, just keep them in mind and pick your travel companion.

Temperature Rating of the Sleeping Bag

The first thing you need to check is the season of your camping or hiking because based on that you can get the sleeping bag with the correct temperature rating. The ratings are divided into categories, so you can do the selection easily.

T Comfort: Since men tend to sleep warmer than the women, this comfort is decided according to the standard adult woman’s comfortable sleep. This means she has put on 1 base layer, lying in a relaxing position and sleeping with great comfort.

T Limit: Based on the comfort level of a standard adult male, which means he has also put on 1 base layer but in a curled position for a warm and comfortable sleep. The rating is the lowest temperature considered.

T Extreme: This extreme survival rating is generally not recommended to anyone, because this temperature rating for a standard adult woman cannot act as an ideal choice for the general use.

Types of Sleeping Bag

So, there are two kinds of sleeping bags- down fill and synthetic that comes with their benefits and limitations. Choose the right one wisely.

Down Fill: This type of sleeping bag is simply perfect for alpine adventures, cold weather conditions, and multi-day overnight hiking trips. They are best known to trap warm air and retain heat, thanks to the loft of down that creates many little air pockets and keep you cosy all night. They are lightweight than the synthetic ones and can be compressed for easy packing.

The downfall with these sleeping bags is they are quick in absorbing moisture when damp and if wet, the feathers present inside lose wooliness and cannot keep you warm the same way. Also, they take a lot of time to get dry when compared to the synthetic ones, thus should be only be considered for dry conditions.

Synthetic:

When it comes to sleeping bags, synthetic insulation is considered the most common type. These kind of bags are quite cost-effective, easy to maintain and clean as compared to the down-filled sleeping bags. In case, the synthetic sleeping bags get wet, they can perform much better than the down bags by retaining about 50% of their insulating power.

But there is a limitation, they cannot retain heat just like a natural down-filled sleeping bag. Also, they are heavy and bulky as compared to the other type.

Regular v/s Mummy Sleeping Bags

Yet another deciding factor while choosing the best sleeping bag is the shape of it.

The regular ones are available in a rectangular shape with zipper on two sides. They are quite spacious than the mummy sleeping bags and are a great pick for warmer temperatures, car camping, camping beds, or works perfectly if you need to share the bag with your partner. Check out the maximum sleeper height of your bag and to get the best one, make sure you add 25-30cm extra on the top for added comfort.

The mummy sleeping bags can provide maximum insulation, thanks to the design that is narrow at the feet and keep your body packed while closing all the extra space around you. That way your body doesn’t have to work much to keep it warm and you can stay cosier without even using much of your energy. These bags also have a hood for additional heat retention.

So, there you are with the basics on how to select the right sleeping bag while travelling. Just remember these few easy pointers in mind and you’re ready to fit in.