What You Need to Know About Choosing a Sleeping Bag
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 31 ก.ค. 2024
- I'm breaking down what you need to know about choosing a sleeping bag! If you're looking to make your first (or even second or third) sleeping bag purchase, there's a lot to know! So in this video, I'm covering as much as I can, from synthetic vs down, temperature ratings, mens vs. women's bags and more!
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1:11 - Down and Synthetic sleeping bags
4:30 - What is Hydrophobic Down?
6:37 - What is Down Fill?
7:29 - Temperature Rating Misconceptions
8:32 - Temperature Range Zones
10:50 - Mens VS. Women's sleeping bags
11:55 - Mummy bags and other bag shapes
12:47 - Key features to look for
13:10 - Double zip feature
13:58 - Cinch feature
14:47 - Draft collars
15:30 - Long, Short and Regular cuts
16:36 - Proper storage and care
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Good video with a lot of knowledge dropped. The only thing I wasn't fond of was you're explanation of fill power didn't really explain it at all. I'll try to keep this short. Fill power ratings are rating the effectiveness of the down feather itself. A loftier (fluffier) feather is more effective. Therefore the higher the loftiness, the higher the effectiveness, the less you need of that feather to get the same warmth rating. So a 30 degree rated bag made with 650 fill down (like duck down) has more feathers and is heavier and packs larger but is also cheaper. A 30 degree rated bag with 850 fill power down (like goose down) has more efficient feathers so it uses less of them and is therefore lighter and packs smaller but is also much more expensive. All with the same warmth rating. But otherwise solid video. Keep spreading the knowledge!
Great explanation, you nailed it much better than me! Thanks!
I've learned to really simplify it for my customers: "the higher the loft, the more crushable it is to pack, the lower the loft, the clunkier and heavier".....but ultimately (esp when referring to down jackets) the thicker and deeper the baffles, the more fill & insulation.... so a skinny, lightweight, 800 loft above the tree line hoodless jacket , which is light and crushed down to the size of an apple, isn't going to be as warm as a 600 loft, hooded, longline jacket (for standing on the side lines of a sports field). finally, if I jump into your loft and crush down your insulation (Pink Batts) - your home won't be as warm, but if I fluffed it all up, and filled the gaps, you'll be cosy.
I dig your avatar.
I’ve researched, and women’s bags sometimes have more fill in order to achieve the same temp value as the men’s version. This is because most women sleep colder.
Great video, Eric! You do an awesome job making these videos simple enough for the average person to understand, yet in-depth enough that even experienced backpackers will learn something. Keep it up!
Finally someone talks about hydrophobic down. Thank you so much!
I did a lot of research when I was purchasing a bag. I knew it was a vital pc of kit and as far as expense, I was looking at it as an investment. Buy once cry once right? So being sold on wgt + volume savings I choose to go with down. I purchased a 50° 850 fill summer bag. I love this bag and still use it today. But what this purchase taught me about down insulation I can't recall anyone touching on. Migration. That fill for that temp rating allows the down to move around and pile up at the ends of my quilt. So every night it should be shaken back from the ends. Not a game stopper but added fiddle Factor and like I said, something no one seems to touch on. Happy Trails Folks!
Thanks for the detailed cover up Eric. Really hammered through all the questions I had about making my buying decision.
Best video about outdoor gear I've ever seen. Really great and to the point. 👍
This is the most informative video I've seen on TH-cam. Great job!
Semi rectangular for the win.
Marmot Yolla Bolly and the Sea to Summit Trek Down bags are great. They can unzip as a quilt as well.
I have the attention span of a gnat, but I watched to the whole thing. Excellent and to-the-point. Thanks for the info. Much appreciated Eric.
PS, you're the reason I hounded Mystery Ranch for months over a year when they were releasing their Bridger. As soon as it was finally released, I snagged one (and at about $100 off). The best pack I own. It's everything you said it'd be.
Great info! I appreciate the approach of just giving knowledge about sleeping bags so people can make an informed decision, rather than recommending a particular bag. Such a personal choice, but this info makes it a lot easier to make the right choice! Thanks, man!
Thanks so much! Glad you found this helpful.
Great video. So much information here.
Awesome content! So informative. Thank you.
Thank you for explaining this to me
thanks, great tutorial.
Great video. Lots of helpful info on Bags. Thanks :)
Glad it was helpful!
Awesome video. Found all that I was looking for.👍
Thank you!
I would like a Western Mountaineering down bag. But since I am only going out for a few section hikes a year I looked around at older US brands and found two Camp 7 bags made in Boulder that had spent years unused in someones closet. The best one has about 3lbs of down. The other 2 lbs. I know they are old but both appear almost new and work great for me. The best part was $200 for both. If you are willing to wait and watch you can find deals. One Osprey pack still had the tags on it for $100. My bag is probably a 1978 model that spent 30 years hung in a closet and used a few times. I have used it below 25 degrees several times. I think they were comparable to Western Mountaineering in their day. I got three Osprey packs, three bags, two pads, and a new tent for about $650. One boy bought a Neo air himself. Tent is heavy-North Face Stormbreak 3-but we each carry part of it. Fourth year in the tent. $168 on sale. Not optimal but it works
Great info.
“Hwoofing”, is the technical Latin term for “warm air escaping” from a sleeping bag. And “farting” is the technical Latin word for “replenishing that lost warm air”! Very informative break down of what to consider when buying a sleeping bag that is fit for purpose.
Thanks, cheers from Australia.
haha, thanks for the clarification!
@highcountryrob 😂 😂 😂 that's really funny. Seems like I speak a bit of Latin too! 🤔
Stephanie Bosch -Welcome to the Latino family. I’m glad that my twisted humour brought a smile to your dial.Have a fantastic day. Cheers, Rob.
Thank you for making me an expert on sleeping bags 🙌🔥
That's what I'm here for ladies and gentlement.
I have an 2 person 20 degree quilt (850 fill) and a 1 person synthetic 20 degree quilt wide and regular length from the same brand and they pack to about the same size although the synthetic is slightly lighter I decided to go synthetic because that one I share with my dog and I figured it would get dirty or wet more often amd i wanted something easier to clean and more resistant to potentially less than dry doog... it took up more space than I expected but it's still very manageable in my bigger (45l) pack honestly a 30 or 40 degree would have been fine in most situations for my uses sharing a quilt with the pup he adds at least 10 degrees to the rating
Good video! By using a good bivy sack,fleece liner, and quality long underwear your ratings would be more accurate then.Since I'm almost 70 years old I don't do any backpacking but car camping. I have my old go to 's the M - 1949 mountain bag from the 50's and the Intermediate and Extreme Cold weather sleeping bags from the 90's. Don't overlook the USGI MSS sleep systems either.Thanks .
If you don't have an up dated vid on this,you should do one.on topquilts as well,also now they have synthetic down as well.....food fer thought...
Question, is it necessary to storage in the same way as a down sleeping bag a synthetic sleeping bag? I mean a synthetic sleeping bag can be always storage in the same bag that comes with the sleeping or it is recommended to leave in a bigger bag as a down sleeping bag.
Thanks
Very interesting explanations regarding sleeping equipment. I would have appreciated your comments about quilts. Also the covering materials of a quality down bag.
Hey Thomas, I think quilts are cool, but limited in their usefulness. I like them when it's really warm out and for general camping, but not backpacking so much. Otherwise I stick to mummy bags.
Nice comprehensive review ... thanks ...
Glad you liked it!
I haven’t seen much on what to wear IN the sleeping bag, and how it effects warmth vs sweating.
Fill power is a measure of loft volume per unit mass. It has nothing to do with "how much down they are cramming into the baffles." In other words, a higher fill power down can achieve equivalent thermal insulance for less weight.
Thank u!!
Great video. But I wonder if Crossroad MIRAGE 210 is good enough for hot tenting in 0 degree Celsius
Man!, You almost had all the basis covered. You forgot to share with us what brands and models of sleeping bags you eventually decided to go with and why. I hope you can find the time to the review/conclusion. Other than that, a great source of information and learning.
Keep up the good work, as always
Hey Homero, thanks! I've been really enjoying my setup from Sea to Summit. Been using their Ascent II 15 degree bag. I love my Marmot ColMembrane -20 for winter trips. And I'm a big fan of Nemo as well. Lots of great options out there!
Good video!
My preferred bag is a Sea to Summit Traverse Synthetic bag
I prefer my synthetic bag too.
Nice! I'm a fan of Sea to Summit. Find what works for you!
IME, women's sleeping bags also tend to be shorter than men's bags. Another thing to consider in temperature rating, is what is your reference temperature for the amount of insulation you need? This is an unusual concept that nobody has ever heard of, so let me explain. There is a general insulation rating system called the R rating. It's and engineering thing so based on maths. It basically established the difference in temperature between one side of the insulation and the other side. in other words, the inside and the outside of the bag. the outside temperature is simply from the weather conditions you are expecting. The inside temperature is how warm you need the inside of the bag to be for you to feel comfortable. This is the reference temperature. It would be whatever temperature you can comfortable sleep in just you sleepwear, with no other covers or insulation under you.
If for example, if you're reference temperature in thermals is 25C, you will need an R rating of around 4.8 to be comfortable down to 0C
however if you wearing a onesie as well as thermals gives you a reference temperature of 10C then the same insulation R4.8 will allow you to sleep comfortable down to -15C
From this, we can see that the suitability of a given bag very much depends on the temperature at which an individual sleeps comfortable in their sleep wear (reference temperature) & that the user can change the capacity of an existing bag simply by changing their sleepwear.
The problem is that sleeping bag manufacturers do not rate their bag in such a convenient way. They do not indicate the temperature difference that their bags can sustain for an average person & even the EU rating system fails in this regard. If they did though, things would be ever so much simpler. You could simply do a little experimenting at home to determine your reference sleep temperature, then go buy a bag with confidence that it will keep you warm.
Of course any sleeping mat also has to match the sleeping bag as the crushed bag insulation under your body is worthless insulation.
Um I’m new to all this and just getting started to figure this out but literally just watched a video where a ladies finding were the temperature rating between men’s and women’s bags did differ.
Otherwise for hydrophobic I’m amazed they didn’t just look into duck down but ok....
Thanks, can you do a review on sleeping pads soon?
Sleeping pads are coming right up, my friend! Check back later today!
Also, one thing to consider while chosing, synthetic doesn't have to kill animals.
Enjoyed your video , for me the clincher for me if I have to choose between two bags is which side the zip is on. I sleep on my right side and a zip at your back is a hassle Manufacturers should highlight zip side more prominently, and the industry should have a common way to describe exactly the zip side.
Interesting thought. I have multiple bags and that's not something I've thought heavily about. But I can see why you'd prefer one side over the other.
Some manufacturers do state left or right and you can choose. My husband and I bought matching sleeping bags when we first started hiking together, buying one of each so we could zip them together. Ours were Macpac, a New Zealand brand, but I’m sure others do the same.
Mentioned everything but how what you’re wearing and how to dress comfortably for a sleeping bag. Is a temp rating for wearing a parka inside a sleeping bag or just a cotton tshirt?
There’s so much variety and it depends on the weather conditions and how warm you usually sleep....you’re really going to have to feel your way through. Bring layers, start off with a base layer (based on expected temperature) and be prepared to add a warmer layers if needed. A sleeping bag isn’t theoretically warming you up, it’s keeping in your own body warmth, so how much heat you generate depends on how much you’ve eaten (including warm drinks) your musculature and body fat. If you’re really tired or exhausted you can also feel colder. Condensation can affect how warm a sleeping bag keeps you, especially a down one. So if it’s cold and dry, compared to cold and wet. I wouldn’t recommend a cotton tshirt, if you’re worried about being cold, maybe some thermal base layers. There are also a variety of liners that you can buy for sleeping bags that will wick away sweat or are thermal and can increase the warmth of your bag.
I've got both a synthetic and down. My synthetic Mont sleeping bag was not cheap but weighs about the same as my North Face bag and packs down to almost the same size. Maybe you get what you pay for?
Definitely. There are some quality synthetic options out there. But these are basic general guidelines. I've used some nice synthetic bags too, that feel as good as down. But I still prefer down!
Yep I agree. My nemo synthetic was not from Walmart or walmart priced!!
This dude could totally sell me a sleeping bag. I'm glad he's not trying. He could totally also do South Park character voice overs. Does anyone else hear it when he talks? 😅😁
Great job on the video by the way 👍
ohhh my XXXX could you, in your very informative video on the INTERNET use units that's used around the world. plz (SI units- Celsius) - or at least bring a conversion on screen.
by far the oldest video of yours i have watched. I'm trying to decide between the diamond park, or the Echo park setup from BA. since I'm a motorcycler, the weight isnt a big deal. the stuff size could be though.
Note for viewers: women's bags have more insulation than men's to achieve the same temperature rating for a female. They will be bulkier and heavier consequently
Unless I'm misremembering (or it's different for the US) the extreme temp. is pretty much that it can keep you alive for up to 6h.
I'm one of those lucky ones who're a bit too long for the short ones bags and have about 15cm (3') of extra space for my feet ^^' :p
That's my understanding, the extreme temp rating is the temperature at which you'll stay alive and not lose toes, but you'll be miserable! Make sure you fill that extra space in the footbox on those cold nights!
if you have a waterproof bag does it still get clumpy?
It does not get clumpy. The down doesn't actually get wet, thus, no clumping!
I was curious about hydrophobic down. Good vid.
I would think duck feathers would be naturally hydrophobic, (water off a duck's back) but maybe the natural duck oils break down.
Ducks have an oil gland they fondle with their bills to make their feathers waterproof (a lot of birds actually do). So it won't carry over to a down filled item.
You should really put the items you show in your vids in the description
It's true! I should. Working to make that happen for future videos. Thanks!
Should a 5 ft 8 woman with two little dogs to fit inside buy a long or regular sea to summit, thank you
I would get the regular. You don’t want too much empty room around your feet. But you might want to get a separate down blanket just for the dogs.
ohhh no, 15:42 length in feet´s :(
I'm looking for a sleeping bag for zombie apocalypse
Do you really believe they can make down impervious to water, they cant even make a waterproof tent.
Hi, i was just thinking. I remember going back a long time , that down is warm and so on. Unfortunately the down feathers are farmed, harvested from livinf dicks etc in china Russia and very sad for the actual bird that gets plucked periodically.
A note for people who want cruelty free products - down sleeping bags contain small feathers of ducks, geese. So try your luck with synthetic ones :)
Eric
I was hoping you could help me out. I watched you in Dans video using a zenbivy. Would you recommend over a typical bag. You also were using a 10 degree 25” wide. You had mentioned you get the narroe version of the zen bag. Can you give me your thoughts? Thanks
If you primarily camp in slightly warmer weather than I think I would recommend the 25 degree Zenbivy as you'll shave good bit of weight off. But the 10 degree is great and ultimately more versatile, and although it's bulkier going with the 25" wide option, having that much room really makes it feel like a bed. Something else to consider is the size of your tent. If you backpack with a partner in a standard 2P tent and you both have 25" wide pads, you may not both fit!