What I like most about this bag and almost all of Nemo's sleeping bags is the wide cut in the torso area up to the knees. Like the Therm-a-Rest Questar above, this bag is almost a mix of the mummy bag and your dad's good old 1970s square sleeping bag. What I mean to say is that this bag is spacious. The downside is that there is more free space for your body to warm up, but as someone who sleeps hot anyway, I'll take the extra room.
Specification:
- temperature rating: -20°F / -7°C
- Comfort Rating: 30°F / -1.1°C
- to fill: artificial
How to Choose the Perfect Sleeping Bag
Sleeping bags are usually one of the most expensive pieces of camping gear you can buy. If none of our picks appeal to you, here are some general guidelines.
How will you use your sleeping bag?
Are you car camping? Hiking through the PCT? Went out overnight in the August heat? Planning a winter ski trip to the Karakoram Himalayas? Which sleeping bag is right for you depends on how you are going to use it, specifically the temperatures in which you plan to go camping or backpacking, and how you sleep – warm, Cool, in the middle.
Unfortunately, there is no ideal sleeping bag that will work in all seasons. If you encounter a variety of conditions in your camping, I would consider two bags. Get a good down bag for cooler conditions and a cheap, lightweight synthetic-fill bag for summer use.
Like most things in the outdoor world, you're going to pay more for lightweight materials, so if you don't need them, for example, you're just going car camping, don't pay extra for an ultralight bag. Do it. Maybe don't even pay for a down bag. Synthetic bags are generally the best budget sleeping option for people camping in the summer.
Similarly, if you're primarily a summer hiker and are doing the Appalachian Trail in sections, you don't need a 0-degree bag. Identify your use and then look for a sleeping bag that best suits you. Also, take the temperature rating with a grain of salt. Everyone sleeps differently. I almost always sleep warm, which means I don't need a 0-degree bag in anything but the harshest of conditions. My colleague Adrienne So is almost the opposite and uses a 0-degree bag in 40-degree weather. None of us are “perfect”, we've just learned to shop based on how we sleep.
sleeping bag insulation type
There are two types of insulation used in today's sleeping bags, down feather and synthetic fibers. comes down mainly from swans and ducksSynthetics range from nylon to polyester. Insulation works by creating air pockets, either through a structure of feathers or through a structure of synthetic fibers. These pockets of air then trap your body heat, keeping it close and keeping you warm. The more loft there is—the more air spaces there are—the warmer you'll stay and the lower the temperature rating of the sleeping bag.
In most situations, a down sleeping bag is a better choice. It's warm, packs small and is light weight-wise. Where down fails is when it gets wet. Wetting is generally useless – all the air pockets that trap heat are eliminated. Synthetics, on the other hand, retain more warmth when wet. No one wants to sleep in a wet sleeping bag, but if you think it's possible, synthetic is the way to go.