| When it comes to camping--regardless of whether you're car camping or backpacking--your choice of sleeping bag is crucial. Unlike the old pup tent in the back yard, camping requires that you stay outside for the entire night, so staying warm enough and comfortable is of paramount importance. Like most outdoor gear purchases, a sleeping bag is best chosen when you know what you'll be using it for. Some basic considerations when choosing a sleeping bag are the average temperature you'll be facing, and whether you'll be transporting it by car or in a backpack on foot. Sleeping bags are rated for the temperature down to which they remain effective as an insulator. If you do mostly summer camping, then a standard 40-degree rated bag should suffice. Early spring and fall in many places will require a 20-degree, and true cold weather campers ought to have a 0-degree-rated bag. The material you use is often decided by your needs. A backpacker will often go with a down bag because they compress to a tiny size. For car camping, synthetic bags, which are cheaper than down, are often a good choice. Synthetic bags also dry more quickly than down when wet, so for kayak or canoe trips, they're a solid choice. Sleeping bags also come in two basic shapes: mummy and rectangular. Most of the higher-end bags with lower temperature ratings have a mummy shape simply because this tighter design helps with trapping and retaining heat. The rectangular bags, on the other hand, let campers stretch out more and the bags can be zipped together easily for extra cozy camping. |
lowest price in Textbooks, Books, Music, DVDs & more
shopping cart
my account 
log in 
