How to Pick the Right Sleeping Bag

Sleeping bags are a basic necessity for regular campers and backpackers. Purchasing the wrong one can ruin your adventure: Bulky bags add unnecessary weight in your pack and are not conducive to long, treacherous hikes; A bag too light will cause you to freeze at night and deplete your energy for the next day's challenges. By assessing all of the factors involved before purchasing a bag, you will be sure to find the best one to fit your lifestyle.

Instructions

    • 1

      Decide what the coldest temperature you plan to experience will be -- and subtract 10 or 20 degrees. This is the appropriate rating for your sleeping bag.

    • 2

      Consider the size. Select a bag that gives you some extra inches of stretching room in the bottom and top, but that is still quite snug around your body; empty space is difficult to keep warm.

    • 3

      Consider the shape. Mummy bags -- cut in a V-shape -- are the most efficient for both women and men and require little body heat to warm. Rectangular-cut bags give you more room to move in your sleep, but are more difficult to keep warm; Semi-rectangular bags are a compromise between the two.

    • 4

      Choose a bag with a hood. Half of your body heat can be lost through your head, so this is an important feature.

    • 5

      Check the zipper and stitching. Make sure that the zipper's teeth are large and that it does not get stuck in the fabric; Pull the stitching to see that it holds snug against the fabric.

    • 6

      Choose the fabric. For better water and wind resistance, choose a bag with a higher thread count. Check for leaks, as this could be a sign that the fabric's stitching is not tight enough.

    • 7

      Choose the fill. Synthetic bags -- under brand names Lite Loft, Polarguard 3D, Thermolite Extreme, and PrimaLoft Sport -- tend to be warmer but heavier. Down bags are lighter, but harder to dry once they get wet: The higher a down bag's fill power number, the warmer the bag is.

    • 8

      Ask about the warranty. Most companies will repair any faulty or damaged equipment for a fee.