HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR SLEEPING BAG
From first-time campers where comfort is top-priority to seasoned backpackers looking to save every gram, our comprehensive sleeping bag range has your outdoor needs covered. To ensure your nights under the stars are memorable for all the right reasons, it is vital to choose a sleeping bag capable of keeping you warm in the conditions that you’ll be experiencing.
To help you make this decision, we provide both our own season rating and the EN temperature ratings. Used in conjunction, they help highlight the conditions for which the bag was designed. If in doubt about what to choose, we suggest that you select the bag that provides more warmth than you may consider necessary.
TEMPERATURE RATINGS
For each sleeping bag, we include the comfort, limit and extreme temperature rating: results gained from testing under the EN 13537 ‘Requirements for Sleeping Bags’ European Standard. The standard enables reliable comparison between the different brands and bags. The test produces three temperature results, which relate to different user experiences:
Comfort Temperature Based on a ‘standard’ adult woman having a comfortable night’s sleep.
Limit Temperature Based on the lowest temperature at which a ‘standard’ adult male is deemed to be able to have a comfortable night’s sleep.
Extreme Temperature A survival only rating for a ‘standard’ adult woman. At this temperature, there is a serious risk of hypothermia and other temperature related ailments.
The two ratings that you should focus on are the Comfort and the Limit temperatures. Based on the assumption that women sleep colder, we would suggest that women (and anyone who feels the cold more) should focus on the Comfort temperature and men should focus on the Limit temperature. You want to make sure that this represents the lowest temperature that you expect to experience.
NB: The EN 13537 standard is not accurate for sleeping bags at the extreme ends of the weight and temperature spectrums. For these bags, the ratings supplied are based on the manufacturer’s recommended sleep limit.
SEASON RATINGS
One Season These lightweight bags are suitable for use on the warm nights experienced during the summer.
Two Season Perfect for late spring to early autumn temperatures, these bags are 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 the comfort and warmth needed for cooler temperatures down to and just below freezing.
Three+ Season With the increased insulation necessary to cope with the potentially bitter temperatures of early spring and late autumn, these bags will also provide some users with enough warmth for year-round use.
Four Season Designed for use during the coldest months of the year, these winter bags will keep you comfortable in low temperatures and harsh conditions.
Four+ Season Specialist bags for high altitude mountaineering and use in the world’s harshest environments.
DOWN OR SYNTHETIC?
Ounce for ounce nothing insulates as effectively as down. Down-filled bags are very light, warm and compressible, and when cared for correctly will last for many years. Down is measured in fill power; which represents how much loft the down has. The higher the fill power, the better the warmth to weight ratio will be. However, without a hydrophobic treatment, down is susceptible to moisture - when wet its insulating capabilities will significantly drop.
Offering good performance at a lower price, synthetic insulation is light, durable and retains a much higher percentage of its insulating properties when wet. Modern materials and constructions enable synthetic sleeping bags to still achieve good warmth ratings, and with better water resistance than their down counterparts, they make excellent choices for adventures in damp conditions. Easier to care for, if you’re camping with kids, they’re the sensible choice!
DON’T FORGET YOUR MAT
Sleeping bags should always be used with a sleeping mat. Protecting you from ground heat loss, and providing cushioning and support, they’re the essential addition to your sleep system. For highlights of our range, see pages 36-38.