96
When talking about fresh, dry clothes then it's not true. More layers definitely equals warmer!
As pointed out in the comments if you really go to extremes then more layers doesn't necessarily equal warmer, but to get to that point you have to really cram yourself in the bag so there's no insulating air between the layers. You could also make yourself so ...
77
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 ...
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 ...
36
Outside
more room left inside for other stuff.
More likely to rip a hole in your gear when you toss your pack down.
More options for weight placement (which can lead to off-blanced pack.)
More likely to fall off.
Inside
Better protection from the elements, rocks, branches.
Weight is closer to your center of gravity (and usually better balanced).
...
30
Possibly. the reason this is a consideration is best way to stay warm is with loose layers (multiple depending on the temp) that trap air pockets close to the body that are heated BY the body. if you are in your birthday suit you will trap a decent larger pocket of air around you.
BUT a single sleeping bag will NOT keep you warm this way. if you go this ...
28
Sadly, in North America, there is no rating beyond what each manufacturer decides for itself. I suspect that in the US especially, some thought goes into liability (i.e. if someone freezes to death in a bag that's rated to 0F and it's 20F out, they could be in trouble). Certain manufacturers gain a reputation for conservative ratings, others for optimistic ...
27
Some sleeping bags come with a larger sack which does not unnecessarily compress the sleeping bag. So you might get a linen bag of around 50l volume (depends on the size and type of the sleeping bag). Furthermore, it is best to store it in a dry place, especially if it's a sleeping bag with down stuffing.
23
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
The answer is very dependent on the prevailing weather conditions where you are active, and what your budget is
Synthetic
Advantages:
Lower overall price.
Maintains thermal properties when wet.
Does not reduce loft in high-humidity/ sweaty sleeping conditions.
Easier to clean.
Disadvantages:
The loft does not last as long as down (3-5yrs vs 8-10yrs)
...
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 ...
20
When I bought my sleeping back from the scouts I was told not to store it in its stuff sack for long periods, and instead to hang it on a coat hanger so that it doesn't get compressed.
I was also told to stuff it into the bag rather than roll it as that way the bits that get squashed when compressed are different each time.
20
Two considerations: Layers should be loose and non-constricting so as to allow good circulation. Too many layers can get tight. Also, day clothes will be damp, even if you think they aren't. Air them before bringing them into your bag if it is cold.
20
For hiking with a backpack I would recommend the following considerations:
Weight I would go as light as possible. Generally the lighter you go the more expensive you go, but on those long treks it will make a huge difference.
Temperature Rating A good 3-season bag is generally at the 20 degree mark.
Shape Since you will be trekking with this, definitely ...
20
My experience tell me this: sleep naked always if there's no sign of a possible avalanche.
I've been in many high altitude expeditions in three Continents and have explored many vertical and horizontal caves and underground systems. Sleeping bags are best when they're good. Don't try to get a cheap offer and trade it for your safety or comfort.
In ...
19
The procedure is roughly the same for both Down and Synthetic, however down requires special precautions:
Never dryclean.
Wash by hand in a bathtub, or use a front-loading washing machine on gentle cycle. Down bags have thin baffles inside that keep the feathers partitioned. Agitators will put enough stress on the bag you risk tearing those baffles ...
18
Only in contrived or extreme examples does wearing less clothing about your body in fact make you warmer when camping.
The areas where I might consider it warmer to not wear clothing inside a sleeping bag are:
Insufficient ground insulation when sleeping on solid ice or where you have no other viable insulation. In this case, it might make more sense to ...
17
Looking at the picture of your new pack, those 'smallish straps' appear to be compression straps to pull in your backpack once you've packed to stop the weight inside from shifting. I'd say they're definitely not for packing external gear.
I would avoid hanging anything below my bag - it alters the weight balance, and can strain your back.
After one ...
17
How cold are you talking about? When you woke up, was there ice on your tent? Or was it 50F outside?
Anyways, to sum it up, sleeping bags generally boil down to this tradeoff:
Pick Two: Warmth, Small Size, Low Cost
If you are car camping, you should be able to find sleeping bags that will go down to 15F for $50-$75, but they will occupy well over 40-50 ...
16
There is more than one reason, which makes you feel warmer sleeping with less clothes (even if it's perfectly dry):
It's the same deal as with mittens, which are warmer than gloves. When you wear a lot of clothes, there is additional separation between the parts of your body and more exposed surface. More surface means more heat transfer from the body to ...
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
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 ...
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 ...
15
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
If your sleeping bag, or its compression bag, doesn't have straps around the outside, you'll need at least four pieces of twine to strap your bag down. Two to loop around the sleeping bag, and two more to link the loops on your bag to the loops on your backpack.
Make sure the pieces intended for linking the sleeping bag to the backpack are tied down by the ...
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 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.
13
I generally sleep naked in my sleeping bag. Ive slept nights where I went to sleep in my clothes, and then woke up because my feet were freezing in the middle of the night, so I took off my clothes and when back to bed, and then woke up at dawn toasty warm. And nights where I didn't do that in the same exact conditions, and suffered the night.
And these are ...
13
The breed of dog will make a difference, but most "backpacking" dogs will do just fine in the open or under the tarp with you.
A dog's metabolism works differently than humans, and they generate a lot more body heat. Consider sled dogs that stick their nose under their tail and sleep through a driving blizzard (and sled dogs usually aren't the thick-fur ...
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 ...
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