Don’t miss out on a good night’s sleep - find the right sleeping bag for your summer adventures
Your sleeping bag is probably your most personal piece of outdoor equipment. Keep that in mind when you’re looking into the different sleeping bags on the market. What works for others may not be the best option for you. Do some research and pick a sleeping bag that will give you endless nights of good sleep this season. Why? So you can explore more.
Down or synthetic? The neverending question.
Sleeping bags made of down material
A sleeping bag made of down material costs more and requires more care. However down will give you the best insulation to weight ratio, meaning it’s lightweight, yet keeps you warm. How to take care of your down bag? If it gets wet, it will lose its ability to insulate. Keep it dry, and if you do get it wet, put it in the tumble dryer with tennis balls to get the fluff up and running again. A down bag also needs to get aired after use, and make sure it’s stored with a little bit of fluff - don’t compress it and leave it be.
Sleeping bags made of synthetic materials
So why choose synthetic then? With a constant push for innovation, our synthetic materials are not far behind down material in their ability to retain heat. The big advantage to this material is that it insulates even when it’s damp, and will dry much quicker than your down sleeping bag. You should still make sure to air it out when you’re done using it, but the synthetic material is not as sensitive when it comes to compression - and you don’t need to tumble dry it to get the insulation working.
What’s your environment?
The next thing you should think about is where and when do you want to use the sleeping bag? What’s the temperature range going to be? How is your typical climate? The perception of comfort is different from every person. It will also vary from day to day based on your physical fitness, mental condition and what you have eaten. Nevertheless remember that the weather changes quickly, even in the summertime, so keep in mind “the bad days” as well when choosing your optimal sleeping bag for the season.