If there is one item of winter gear that merits a spulurge, it is a good sleeping bag. Few things are as luxurious – or as essential for an enjoyable cold-weather camping experience – as a cozy and warm night’s sleep. A winter sleeping bag is a significant financial investment, however, making it all the more important to find th perfect bag for your needs.
How Warm?
A subzero sleeping bag is recommended for winter camping. As a general rule, a bag rated between minus 10 and minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit will provide adequate insulation for even the coldest of nights. A zero-degree bag will often suffice in less Arctic conditions (especially if you are a warm sleeper) and can also be used during the cooler shorter seasons of spring and fall, when a warmer bag would be overkill. On really cold nights, however, you will almost certainly need to layer up inside a zero degree bag to stay warm.
Down vs. Synthetic
Invest in a down winter sleeping bag if at all possible. A down-filled bag weighs significantly less – often a pound or more – and compresses significantly smaller than a Synthetic-Down version, which will consume a huge portion of your backpack even when maximally squashed. Down bags are also a superior long-term investment; they last for decades with little to no loss in warmth. Synthetic bags, on the other hand, typically lose a noticeable amount of loft and warmth after only a season or two of use. The lightest winter bags use high fill-power down, which provides warmth with less weight, but can easily add several hundred dollars to the price tag – worth it only for the most serious winter enthusiast.
Fit to be Warm
If at all possible, climb inside and test drive a winter bag before you buy. Once cocooned inside, first evaluate the length. Your feet should not push against the end, which compresses the insulation and reduces warmth. Unlike three, season bags, a little extra room in the tail is often desirable in winter bags to provide space for storing clothes or boot liners at night so they are drier and warmer in the morning. Next, consider the girth of the sleeping bag, the dimensions across your chest and hips. You want the bag to be large enough so that you can move easily inside the bag and war extra layers comfortably when necessary.
Nice Features
A water-resistant shell fabric helps prevent outside moisture from entering the bag and is useful for guarding against the inevitable front that will collect inside your tent at night. A compression stuff sack is particularly useful for bulky winter sleeping bags and can save a significant amount of space in your pack. Lastly, look for a stiff layer of fabric alongside the zipper, which greatly helps reduce the amount of time you spend dealing with material snagged in the zipper pull.
Shop our great selection of sleeping bags here.
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