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In my experience, most standard single sleeping bags, are built so you can zipper them together to make a double. They are designed to zipper to an identical/matched bag, so don't count on buying to different bags and have them work together.
Instead of buying a dedicated double bag, buy a matched pair that can be joined. Google sleeping bags that can be ...
56
There is various features that can cause a huge difference in price for seemingly similar pieces of equipment. The place of manufacturing can play a role but rarely to such a huge extend.
Material used
The first difference between cheap and expensive equipment is almost always the material used. Cheap synthetic fill or even cotton will keep you warm as well ...
39
Not a bad idea.
I happen to have a 5 and 3 year old. I can think of reasons for not letting them sleep in the same sleeping bag, but none of them are because it wouldn't work in theory. If your two kids would actually sleep together in one bag, then I'd say it's a great idea. They'll stay warmer at night and that's one less bag for you to pack.
Your only ...
25
If you end up with a snake on your chest while sleeping, you can rest assured that the snake is not in an aggressive mood. It's on top of you because it thinks you're cozy and warm, if it's cozy then it's going to be pretty mild tempered. I imagine you could easily grab it behind the head and take it out of your tent. If you don't want to touch it, just flip ...
25
The parameters of your girlfriend would matter depending on the ratio of 'space' occupying, but let's ignore that for now.
I would put a cord or something around it to minimize the space; air needs to be warmed up too. You should try to tie it in such a way, that you have on one side a 'triple' layer (half of the bag bent, so something like this
/---------...
22
It is used to store the sleeping bag, in order to retain the loft. It is not a good idea to store your sleeping bag compressed as small as possible as this will damage the fill. This is very important with down, a little less with synthetic but overall it is crucial to the life of the sleeping bag.
A couple things to remember are you want to ensure the ...
21
To answer the particular case of the bags in this question, the main differences between these bags are:
Properties of a $25 china made "32 degree" bag:
Low quality synthetic insulation (ie. less warmth for the same weight and bulk)
Heavy / thick face fabrics
Heavy zippers
Single sheet construction (insulation is a single layer sandwiched between the face ...
16
I emailed Feathered Friends and PHD about this issue. I only got a reply from FF so far:
A compression bag greatly reduces the size of a sleeping bag. There is
no limitation to compressing down, as long as the down is not being
stored compressed for an extended period of time, It will not be
damaged.if you are taking it out and using it everyday. ...
16
First - do everything to prevent getting a wet bag!
A wet sleeping bag must be a nightmare - the best solution is to make sure this never happens to you again!
Before I use a new shelter somewhere remote I would wait for bad weather and test it out in an exposed location where I can retreat easily if things go pear-shaped. I always inspect my shelter ...
16
I think it is easiest to see the difference here: Specification Chart
The heavier one is a semi rectangular bag while the lighter one is a mummy bag. Both bags have the same amount of loft, which is usually the key to warmth, but in this case the difference in cut matters.
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Get a special bag for the sleeping bag. Your special bag should have compression straps. If it's also a dry bag, it should ideally also have a valve.
I have bought the compression dry bag PS10 with valve and belt from Ortlieb. It's like other dry-bags, but with a valve and compression straps. I use it as follows:
Open the valve.
Insert the sleeping bag....
14
I have not encountered a situation where a sleeping bag was "too warm" and I was unable to do something about it.
I've gone backpacking in the mountains where it was 70 at night one day, and the next day, several thousand feet higher, it got below freezing. At night in the heat, I pretty much just used my sleeping bag as a blanket with the zipper all the ...
14
I was looking at sleeping bags in a real shop only a couple of weeks ago. My budget would rule out the $400 bag, which I assume is down-filled, but even at the lower end there's a big difference. I was comparing 2 synthetic bags, both mummy-shaped for a tall person, rated to a very similar temperature,and from the same manufacturer. One weighed about 50% ...
13
Basically it boils down to "less weight for the same insulation" in favour of the mummy type for two reasons:
In a blanket type bag you have more or less two insulating sheets, one on top and one below your body. For a mummy type maybe a bit more than the area of one of those sheets would be enough to wrap your whole body. This already reduces weight and ...
12
Bivy
Pros:
Very light. No tent poles.
Ease of finding a place to sleep. Stealth bivvying is easier. I've slept on a slope against a tree.
Very quick to setup or pack away, even in the dark. One minute, compared for ten minutes for a tent.
You are at one with nature. Very little between you and the wild. You can fall to sleep looking at the stars.
Cons:
...
12
Given the cost of down bags, it should be worth the effort to revive it. Here are the key issues:
HOW BADLY IS IT DAMAGED?
How good is the down?
I've been told by an industry insider that soft down clusters should revive pretty well after compression - it's the spines of any harder feather content that can be permanently damaged. So the higher the quality ...
12
The tent will definitely be warmer because it keeps the wind away. As you are sleeping your body produces heat and a tent helps keep that warmer air around instead of it blowing away in the wind.
With that said, tents don't provide a huge amount of insulation, and so perhaps a better sleeping bag is needed.
answered Nov 17 '18 at 21:47
Charlie Brumbaugh
68.7k31 gold badges187 silver badges396 bronze badges
11
The answer to "it is considered in the temperature rating" can be yes, no and maybe... Really it depends on the manufacturer and how they test it. It also depends where the manufacturer market is: in some part of the world there are some standards and in others there aren't.
One of the ways to find the rating is to test in a controlled environment with a ...
10
That lean-to in the link looks like it would shelter from all but the most wind driven rain. If you pack a cheap vinyl poncho that should take care of most situations. They are light enough that you can pack a second.
What is the temperature rating on your sleeping bag? 15F/-10C will probably be more than warm enough. If you are carrying a summer bag, you ...
10
There was an old Reader's Digest story, apparently true, where a camper woke up with a very big rattler (as he saw later) coiled on his chest under the sleeping bag. He had trouble communicating to his friends what was happening and the things they tried (I can't remember what, maybe messing with the zipper) just seemed to agitate the snake. They ended up ...
10
A tent would protect you from rain and snow, and it would keep you warmer since it will create a warm pocket of air around you. It would also keep the bugs away.
However, if rain and/or snow and bugs aren't an issue, then I would totally recommend sleeping outside without one, because then you can see the stars and shooting stars and its a way cooler ...
9
Cotton is the dominant bedding material choice worldwide for several reasons and as long as you aren't getting into the bag drenched and have adequate water control for your environment, I can't see the lining choice being a make or break factor in warmth. I can see it making the bag much more comfortable for casual use.
Furthermore, for winter camping in ...
9
Keep the bag Warm not your clothes!
Both clothes and sleeping bags are insulators, the problem with wearing too many clothes in your sleeping bag is that you will actually insulate yourself independent of the bag, as a result, your bag won't get warm or it will take a long time to warm up. You will eventually have issues with moisture control, as your bag ...
9
There is an Upper Limit and Here's Why
There are in fact times when a sleeping bag can be too warm. Although leaving the bag unzipped allows heat to radiate away from your body upwards, the insulation between you and the ground significantly reduces the amount of heat that your body can dissipate. How far you sink into the insulation also has a significant ...
9
Buy an Overbag.
Use the Overbag when it's too warm for your down bag
Use the down bag at and around -15C
Use the Overbag and Down Bag together when it's colder than -15C
AND if you want to get real fancy get a Vapour Barrier Liner and use all three together for expeditions and temps below -30C. You now have all your bases covered!
This is much more ...
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