| As usual it pays to buy quality, regardless of whether you buy a down- or synthetic sleeping bag. If you sleep comfortably it makes the outing much nicer. The price is dependant on the materials and the design. Things to consider are for example; how it is shaped round the body from the head to the feet and what insulating materials that are being used (climate zones). Further how the bag is sewn to best utilise the stuffing qualities to avoid these spreading unevenly, and finally, how durable and lightweight the materials are. The manufacturers also use different down qualities. The higher the number of the down classification, (max 900 fill power), the better the warming ability and the lower the weight. Designs/materials: Down or synthetic, that is the big question. Down gives a lot of warmth in comparison to its weight, but it is sensitive to moisture and is more expensive. Synthetic, on the other hand, is heavier but is easier to take care of and is better suited to damp conditions. Synthetic can also be better for allergy sufferers. If you are unsure which temperature zone* you need, you are better off taking the slightly warmer sleeping bag. It is always easier to cool down than the other way round. Keep in mind that when you go to sleep you should be dry, warm and full up. It is you that warm up the sleeping bag, not the other way round! Another suggestion to make it warmer is to use an inflatable, insulating ground sheet. Care advice: Down: Every wash takes away some of the natural fat in the down, which reduces the insulating capacity. Therefore, do not wash the sleeping bag more than necessary and use sleeping bag sheets. Hand wash with mild soap solution or alternative special made detergent and tumble dry on max 30 degrees Celsius. Some recommend using tennis balls in the drier, to separate the down, while others claim not to as this can damage the feathers. Synthetic: This is not as sensitive as down, but should still not be washed unnecessarily. Follow the wash label carefully. Most synthetic sleeping bags should be washed in 4O degrees and dry by itself. Use a mild detergent. A common misconception is that sleeping bags should be better insulated at the bottom end as ones feet may feel cold. But when the body gets cold it prioritises to warm the vital organs and allows the temperature to drop in the hands and feet. So, if one gets cold feet it does not necessarily mean that it would be better with more insulation around the feet or a pair of extra socks. It can instead be better to add another sweater or use a warmer sleeping bag. It is important to remember that it is always individual as to how warm you want your sleeping bag or clothes to be. * Previously each manufacturer had its own tests to establish temperature zone instructions for their sleeping bags. From 1 January 2005 there is a European standardization for this (EN13537). This means that all sleeping bags covered by this standard will have a temperature zone instruction based on similarly carried out tests, and bags from different brands can therefore be properly compared. The standardization is not yet mandatory, but most big manufacturers have chosen to follow it, which means their sleeping bags are marked with EN13537 or a CE symbol. Simply explained the standard comes in three temperatures; the first, where a woman experiences a comfortable nights sleep without feeling cold. The second, the comfortable temperature for a man and the third gives a temperature where there could be health risks for women. |
