Sleeping Bags

From WildWiki

The key questions with sleeping bags come down to the following:

Temperature:

What temperature are you going to use this bag in? While it is tempting to imagine yourself on some 8,000 meter peak, in reality, most of us mortals use sleeping bags infrequently and, when we do, we use them in three seasons. So, unless you are a winter camping type, go with the three season bag- this means a temperature rating of between 15-30 degrees F. Keep in mind that ratings can be very subjective.

Size:

Bags usually come in small/medium and large sizes. Unless you are very tall (6ft plus), the small/medium size works for most and you don't want to be carrying extra weight/bulk around then you have to.

Shape:

For those of us interested in the outdoors, a "mummy" style bag is what you want. The more squared off shapes are too bulky for most applications and/or don't provide crucial "hood" head coverage for those cold nights.

Fill:

This is a classic "2 schools of thought" scenario. Down vs synthetic. Synthetic proponents like the cost of their bag (generally 1/2 as expensive as down) and the comfort and security of knowing that if their bag gets wet, it will still keep them relatively warm. Down proponents argue that their bag, while more expensive out of the box, will last 2-3 times longer in its temperature rating than synthetic so it may be more economical in the long run. In addition, down bags are much lighter and compressible- a key advantage when taking a long trip where weight and space really counts. Lastly, down breathes better so you can use it more comfortably in a wider temperature range.

So, what's the bag for you? Hard to say... if you are planning on tripping in very wet weather or on water, you may want to go synthetic (although Tom still thinks you can keep a down bag dry without a problem). If you are leading a trip for others where you want absolute guarantees of your own comfort and don't want to worry about keeping your bag dry, synthetic may be for you. Or, if you are on a budget, sythetic may be the way to go. Otherwise, down is your fill of choice.

Once you make your basic fill choice, you still have some decisions to make. Not all synthetic fill is the same (or down). With both, you generally get what you pay for. Down fill grades below 550-600 are not recommended. Additionally, "old school" synthetic fills like qualofil or holofil pale in comparison to the more modern fibers such as polarguard HV and others. Generally speaking, if you go with a reputable brand, you should get a good fill type.