KEY FEATURES

1. FILL

There are a range of natural and man-made materials that a sleeping bag can be filled with in order to provide maximum insulation. Sometimes the choice is a trade-off between warmth and weight, but modern materials continue to improve, creating lightweight bags with great heat-retaining properties.

2. LINING MATERIALS

Many anglers prefer their bags to be fleece-lined. However, although warm, fleece-lined bags can be hard to move about in, especially if you’re also wearing a garment made of a fleece-like material. It may be that a combination of fleece and cotton/polyester linings will be more to your liking.

3. CRASH ZIPS

If you’re lucky enough to get a bite in the depths of a winter night, the last thing you need is to find yourself stuck trying to get out of your bag in a hurry. Smooth, easily-located zips are an absolute essential on any sleeping bag worth its salt.

4. LAYERING

Many modern sleeping bags now feature a layering system so that you can remove and replace inner sheets for year-round use. If there is just one layer then you might find it a bit hot in your bag during the warmer months.

5. DIMENSIONS

Let’s face it, we’re not all built the same and so some anglers will prefer a wider bag. Only use one of these if you need it, though, as too much internal space will lead to cold spots inside your sleeping bag. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!