When heading out for a trekking or camping adventure, having the right sleeping bag is essential. A good sleeping bag keeps your body temperature comfortable, ensuring a restful sleep. The type of sleeping bag you need depends on your specific activities and the conditions you will encounter.
How to choose the best sleeping bag? Start with where you are going and what weather conditions you expect. If you go camping in a place where it is above 10 degrees at night, you will need a different sleeping bag than when it can get well below zero. That is why it is important to know what temperature to expect. With this information, you determine which sleeping bag is right based on its comfort or limit temperature.
When choosing a good sleeping bag, look at comfort temperature and limit temperatur.
Please feel free to deviate from the average if you know that you are actually easily cold or hot.
Besides a comfort temperature and limit temperature, there is also an extreme temperature. This indicates the temperature at which your sleeping bag still provides enough warmth to prevent hypothermia. At this temperature you will not sleep and there is a risk of frostbite. It is only meant for emergency situations. If the temperature drops to the extreme temperature, it might even be advisable to move around to stay warmer than inside the sleeping bag. So when choosing the right sleeping bag, don't look at the extreme temperature.
Compared to man's sleeping bags, women's sleeping bags are genarally 15 centimeters shorter and feature extra insulation around the upper body, hips and foot area.
At Snowcountry, we primarily focus on lightweight, compact sleeping bags for trekking. Our range includes both winter and summer sleeping bags. We offer the four different types of sleeping bags:
A mummy sleeping bag is designed to closely contour your body, minimizing empty space and reducing heat loss while you sleep. The shape helps to retain body warmth, keeping you warm. Most mummy sleeping bags come with a hood to prevent heat loss from your head and neck. A hood is essential when temperatures drop below freezing.
A quilt is for enthusiasts who want to carry the least weight when trekking. This type of sleeping bag has no bottom and is essentially a blanket. However, you should consider this in combination with a well-insulating sleeping mat.
This is a comfortable sleeping bag with more room to move around. Rectangular sleeping bags are less suitable for very cold temperatures because of the extra space. You lose the most heat from your head and neck. Since rectangular sleeping bags usually lack a hood, they are not suitable for use in sub-freezing temperatures, regardless of the provided comfort and limit temperatures.
When buying a sleeping bag, you have the choice between down and synthetic insulation. We recommend to choose down for trekking and camping. While it may be slightly more expensive, the natural filling of down offers numerous advantages:
The main disadvantage of down insulation is that it dries poorly. During your trip, it is advisable to keep the sleeping bag dry.
Snowcountry advice: have your down sleeping bag professionally cleaned by a down washing service.
Down is a delicate material that requires careful handling when it comes to washing. We recommend to not was your down sleeping bag yourself, since it often results in an unusable product. Wash your sleeping bag only when absolutely necessary. For example when the sleeping bag becomes to dirty or has an unpleasant odor.
Important: Do not take your down sleeping bag to a regular dry cleaner, as the cleaning solvents can damage the down, reducing the insulation properties of your sleeping bag.
If you prefer to do it yourself, here are some tips:
Here are some additional tips for using your sleeping bag:
A sleeping bag liner, also known as a liner, is a cotton, silk, or polyester bag used inside your sleeping bag. The advantage is that you can easily wash the liner, keeping your sleeping bag cleaner and extending its lifespan since you'll need to wash it less frequently. Additionally, a standard sleeping bag liner adds 3 to 5 degrees to the insulation value of the sleeping bag, allowing you to opt for a slightly less expensive sleeping bag in some cases. Some liners even add approximately 10 to 15 degrees, making them ideal for adapting a sleeping bag to colder seasons.
Also read our article about sleeping bag liners.
If you're sleeping in a tent, consider not only the expected nighttime temperatures but also the fact that, when two people sleep in a two-person tent, the temperature inside the tent is often 5 to 7 degrees higher than the outside temperature. If you're alone in the same two-person tent, the temperature inside the tent is significantly lower. You can take this into account when choosing a sleeping bag.
Especially in colder temperatures, it's essential to consider your sleeping mat. The filling of your sleeping bag is compressed by your body and is less effective in that area. Therefore, for insulation from below, you rely on your sleeping mat. If your mat has limited insulating properties, you can still get cold, even if the sleeping bag is suitable in terms of temperature.
Generally yes. Women tend to get cold more easily than men. Therefore, sleeping bags for women usually have more insulation, particularly around the upper body, hips, and foot area. Additionally, women's sleeping bags are generally about 15 centimeters shorter.
For weather condition with temperatures below freezing or even snow, it is best to choose a mummy sleeping bag with hood.
Back sleepers fit comfortably in most sleeping bags. Especially in mummy sleeping bags, because they sleep in straight position. The snug fit helps keeping warm without feeling restrictive. However, side sleepers often prefer sleeping bags which offer a bit more room to move. Therefore, they often lie more comfortably in a rectangular sleeping bag. However, if you go out in cold temperatures below zero then you can also look at mummy sleeping bags with some extra space.
For instance, this year Thermarest is coming out with the Thermarest Boost, a semi-rectangular mummy sleeping bag. The semi-rectangular shape gives you more freedom of movement than a mummy sleeping bag. But an innovative extra zipper allows you to turn the sleeping bag into a mummy sleeping bag in the middle.
Ready to find your perfect sleeping bag? Explore our lightweight and winter-ready collection!
