The sleeping bag is the one of those essential pieces of kit – you can’t go overnighting without one.
Loft and fill weight
Loft is the volume of one ounce of down once expanded. Fill weight is the total weight of the insulation. The bigger the numbers for loft and fill weight, the greater the warmth.
Insulation
Water-resistant or hydrophobic down is common and promises to continue to insulate in wet conditions, or at least dry more quickly than untreated down.
Synthetic insulation is comprised of layered sheets of man-made fibres. They are affordable, durable and maintain their insulating properties when wet. They also tend to be bulkier and heavier than down bags.
Shell fabric
Lightweight ripstop nylon and polyester fabrics, many with DWR coatings, are common. Down bags utilise fabrics with high thread counts to prevent down poking through the fabric. These also provide greater burst resistance to trap warm air.
Neck muffs and draught tubes
Neck muffs pull up around the neck and shoulders, preventing warm air escaping through the hood opening. Draught tubes behind the zips prevent air passing in and out of the bag.
Hood
Multi-baffled, anatomically-shaped hoods enclose the head and work with neck baffles to minimise heat loss. Cheaper models lay flat but will still have drawcord closure to improve warmth.
Shape
The warmest bags are mummy-shaped to reduce dead air volume. They taper at the foot and can feel quite restrictive, so ensure your chosen model is large enough to provide comfort. Rectangular bags can be opened out like a blanket on warmer nights.
A trapezoid foot box allows feet to rest in a natural upright position. Anatomic shapes are lighter and more compact when packed.
Baffles
Baffles come in many guises: radial or lateral box, trapezoidal, v-shaped, and side block. They are all designed to prevent the down from moving around, holding it over key areas of your body, maximising loft and minimising air movement through the seams.
Synthetic bags rely on offset sheets of fill, tuck stitching and other techniques to hold the insulation in place and prevent heat loss.
Zips
The warmest sleeping bags have three-quarter length zips to reduce heat loss and also weight. Zips that run full length of the bag – or combine with a zip at the foot – allow for ventilation options on hotter nights.
Lining
Linings help reduce clamminess by wicking body oils and moisture.
Storage
Sleeping bags need to be hung or kept in their storage bag in a dry and well-ventilated space out of direct sunlight.
Temperature ratings
European temperature ratings standard EN13537 was devised in 2002 and updated in 2012 to regulate sleeping bag manufacturers and provide an easily understood rating system.
The EN13537 temperatures shown here are:
- Comfort: The temperature an adult woman could expect a comfortable night’s sleep.
- Limit: The temperature at which a standard man can sleep for eight hours in a curled position without waking.
- Extreme: The minimum temperature at which a standard woman can remain for six hours without risk of death from hypothermia (though frostbite is still possible).
(If a bag in this feature is not EN certified, a temperature range is given.)
Now you know what to look for, it’s time to choose a model…
Rab Andes 800 $1299.95
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Mont Spindrift Hydronaute XT Specialist Boxfoot $949.95
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The North Face Inferno -18 $1100
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Therm-A-Rest Antares HD $999.99 (reg)
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Rab Neutrino Endurance 400 $799.95
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Macpac Latitude 700XP $749.99 (std)
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Macpac Epic 400 $749.99 (std)
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Mont Helium 450 $699.95
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Rab Summit 600 $679.95
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Rab Ascent 500 $579.95
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Therm-A-Rest Questar HD $549.99 (reg)
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 Exped Lite 700 $579 (med)3D over-sized draft collar, anatomically shaped hood, double-tucked stitching for three layers of fabric, inner pocket, mat loops, sealed baffles, angled trapezoid foot box, waterproof sack, storage bag. Fill 650g of 800 loft goose down Shell PA35 ripstop nylon with waterproof treatment Lining PR46 ripstop polyester Temperature rating -3°C (comfort), -10°C (limit), -28°C (extreme) Weight 1130g.  |
Exped Comfort 600 $519 (med)
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The North Face Gold Kazoo $500 |
Therm-A-Rest Saros $399.99 (reg)
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 Domex Black Ice from $189Double-layer offset synthetic fill, semi-rectangular, side and foot zips, side zip with dual zippers and auto-locking slider, hood with shoulder collar and draw cord, 5-year warranty. Available in three sizes. Fill Two offset layers of 200g 7D Xcell treated with antibacterial Ultra-Fresh Shell 75D/230T nylon ripstop Lining Comfort Temp Temperature rating -3ºC to -8ºC Weight 2000g. |
Domex Bushmate from $129
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Domex Packlite from $99
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