Adult Sleeping Bags

As you begin your journey to decipher the myriad of adult sleeping bags in today’s marketplace, the first thing you really want to consider is how you will use the sleeping bag.

There is a big difference between the types of sleeping bag a person needs if only using it as sleeping cover when sleeping indoors compared to the people who are camping in the great outdoors.

Even with the people using their adult sleeping bags on camping adventures, there are still big differences in the sleeping bag needs of people who camp in cabins or trailers, compared to those “roughing it” in tents under constantly varying temperature conditions.

Bottom line … you need to purchase one of the many adults sleeping bags on the market designed to keep you comfortable under as many of the conditions you use it.

So what are some of the features you need to consider as you are trying to decide which sleeping bag to buy?

Keeping Warm …

The first most people think of is the temperature rating of the bag as indication of how warm it will keep them. In reality, the bag’s warming performance is dependent on several factors including the quality of the insulation material, loft (fill thickness) of the bag, the style of the bag (i.e., mummy or rectangular design) and whether you typically get warm or a chill when sleeping.

Most sleeping bag manufacturers provide ratings for the bags but there tends to be big differences in what a company’s rating system means. Why you might ask?

Because there is no official industry standard for determining a bag’s warming potential or the temperature rating systems in use. As you’re evaluating different adult sleeping bags, it’s always best to apply a simple -10/-20 rule.

What’s the -10/-20 rule you might ask?

It’s elementary my dear Watson … just subtract 10° to 20° from the rating temperatures which covers many of the variables controlling bag warmth.

As a general rule of thumb, however, you can use the following chart to help identify the right sleeping bag for you:

Does It Fit? … Sleeping Bag Design

Next feature most people consider is the design or style of the sleeping bag.

Adult sleeping bags are available in several different designs or styles and the two most common styles include the traditional rectangular and classic mummy style sleeping bags. In addition to the classics, two other designs include the hybrid style sleeping bags (basically a cross between the two previously mentioned), as well as tapered bags.

Rectangular sleeping bags are considered by many to be the most versatile since they can be completely unzipped and opened when warm; easily add liners of blankets when cold; or two can be combined to form a double sleeping bag when necessary. Tapered and mummy bags on the other hand, tend to be lighter in weight, warmer, more compressible and a better all-around bag for hiking campers.

Here are five additional features to note as you evaluate your new sleeping bag:

• Fill or Insulation Material – Synthetic materials such as nylon or polyester are probably the most common fill material for adult sleeping bags. There are two factors you want to watch for when considering the quality of the fill material. First is the sleeping bag cost while the second is the weight of the bag and fill material. Many people may think that the greater the weight of the bag and installation material, the better the quality of the fill. In reality, the better quality film materials often provide as much or better insulation with less weight of material than the lower quality insulation material. One other fairly common but expensive insulation material is down. Down feathers are light in weight, high in heat retention, and therefore very warm. On the other hand down bags are difficult to maintain, more costly and lose most insulating qualities when wet.
• Cover or Shell Materials – Many of today’s adult sleeping bags are made with synthetic shell materials such as nylon, polyester, as well as rip-stop varieties if each one. Unless a rip-stop nylon or polyester is used, these shell materials are the least durable though low cost, lightweight and highly breathable. Various microfiber synthetics are also used to increase durability at a higher price. Canvas or cotton covers are also available and are extremely rugged when the weight of the bag is not an issue.
• Liner Materials - Common liner materials include nylon which is lightweight, fairly durable but relatively cool against the skin; cotton blends having to feel of normal bed linens are warmer than nylon and still fairly durable though not as comfortable or warm as the last material, cotton flannel, which is the least durable of liner material.
• Zippers – Zippers are a key element of any sleeping bag and often the most troublesome. Look for high-quality, heavy duty nylon zippers with zipper guards to minimize catching fabric as the zipper is opened or closed; make sure it slides easily and completely unzips to allow bags to lie flat or be doubled up.
• Overall Construction - All quality adult sleeping bags are quilted to insure that the sleeping bag retains its form and keeps the fill material evenly dispersed throughout the entire bag and not bunched up after use.

One last note to remember when making your final decision relates to bag cleaning. Though many adult sleeping bags require dry-cleaning there are a number of models you can launder any heavy duty commercial washing machine; a far better feature!