SLEEPING BAGS BUYING GUIDE

Whatever adventure you’re on, a good night’s kip is essential. Sleeping bags have improved massively over the years and come in a wide variety of designs depending on the intended use. Before diving straight in, have

Temperature Rating

To help you compare sleeping bags – even ones from different brands – we include a temperature rating. This rating is gained from an industry standard test (the catchily-named “EN-ISO 23537”) and consists of three results: a think about where you’re going to take it. Are you camping with the family in Cornwall? Backpacking around Europe? Or will you be bivvying on a mountainside? Likewise, you need to consider the time of year that you’ll be using your new bag – do you need to stay cosy in the colder months, or is this strictly a summer item? And how important is the weight and pack size? Here’s everything you need to know to ensure a memorable night under the stars.

SHAPE & FIT

Modern sleeping bags come in various shapes including ‘spoon’ designs for side-sleepers and women’s specific models – which are cut shorter and designed to provide more warmth. The most relaxed shape of all is a rectangular bag, which can often be fully opened to act like a quilt, bringing the comforts of home to the outdoors. The more relaxed the bag’s shape, the heavier and bulkier it will be. Bear in mind that generously cut bags have more ‘dead space’ in them and so are less thermally efficient than heavily tapered mummy , bags.

Comfort Temperature – The temperature at which the bag should provide a ‘standard’ adult woman with a comfortable night’s sleep.

Limit Temperature – The lowest temperature at which a ‘standard’ adult male should be able to sleep through the night.

Extreme Temperature – A survival-only rating. At this temperature, there is still a serious risk of hypothermia.

PACK SIZE & WEIGHT

Once you've determined what level of warmth you need, consider what activity you'll be doing. Are you going to be carrying it on a hike? Then the lightest weight and smallest pack size (for a given temperature rating) is preferable. If you'll only be carrying it in a vehicle then a larger, heavier bag will be be fine and provide more comfort. To shave grams and bulk, expensive materials such as high fill power down and ultra-light nylons are used. These will deliver superb warmth to weight ratios, but you’ll have to pay for it – both at the till and in terms of the bag’s versatility.

The two ratings that you should focus on are the Comfort Temperature and the Limit Temperature. For colder sleepers, the Comfort Temperature is the most relevant guideline to use. If you run warmer or are more experienced at sleeping outdoors then the Limit Temperature will usually be more relevant. If in doubt, always select a bag that provides more warmth than might seem necessary – after all, it’s easy to open the zip and cool off.

Season Rating

To quickly narrow down your choice to a few relevant sleeping bags, take a look at the season rating. This is another indicator of warmth that tells you when you can use it, based on typical UK conditions.

One Season – Lightweight bags suitable for summer use only.

Two Season – Perfect for late spring to early autumn, aimed at those who like to camp during the warmer months of the year.

Three Season – Designed for use from spring through to autumn, these versatile bags offer comfort and warmth even on cooler nights.

Three+ Season – Increased insulation means these bags can cope with the potentially bitter temperatures of early spring and late autumn, when the thermometer dips under zero.

Four Season – Designed for the coldest months of the year, these winter bags will keep you comfortable in super low temperatures and windy conditions.

Four+ Season – Specialist bags for high altitude mountaineering and use in the world’s harshest environments. Think Everest!