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Thread: Thoughts about sleeping bags

  1. #1

    Default Thoughts about sleeping bags

    Recently, I made a video with my friend for people who are starting off camping. the subject of the video was sleeping bags, and I think I covered anything people would have needed to know, but I wanted to ask you guys for your opinions on what's important in a sleeping bag, or else some other $.02 that you might have to offer.

    Here is a link to the video if you want to watch it, but it's quite lengthy.

    http://youtu.be/utucCf74FTc


  2. #2
    Senior Member natertot's Avatar
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    hi George,

    Sleeping bags are like anything else in that they will only excel in the environment in which they were designed. My most used bag is an Army surplus that I got for $5 at the local surplus store. Works great for temps down to 40* as long as I'm wearing semi war clothing underneath. I also like it cause it will keep me warm when wet (Don't ask me how I know) and it will compact down pretty small in a commercial compression sack that I picked up at Wally World. I do have a few from Sportsman's Guide (the house brand digital camo ones) that are great for family camping. If it is really cold, I can put the Army bag inside the Sportsman's Guide bag and it is really warm.

    That has been my preference for the past few years. I have had a few of the flannel bags in the past and my experience with those is that they seem to work great in perfect ideal conditions. It's hard to find those conditions outdoors.

    That's my $0.02
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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Plus 1 on Nate's comment.
    I have several, for everything from couch surfing to Bivey in the boonies.

    Thanks for you effort.......was kinda long, with a modem that buffers.....so didn't get to the end.
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    I have one of those Sportsman's Guide bags ( it's actually 2 bags: you can put one inside the other). I also have a Swiss Gear mummy bag that's rated at 0 degrees. It's pretty warm but I don't know if it's warmth will hold up to it's rating. I also have a Snugpak Xpedition 0 degree bag that is pretty close to it's rating. It has a smallish foot box, though.
    I wonder about your statement early in the video that nylon is water-proof; if it's been treated it may be but I don't think all nylon is water-proof.
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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pete lynch View Post
    ........
    I wonder about your statement early in the video that nylon is water-proof; if it's been treated it may be but I don't think all nylon is water-proof.
    I wondered that as well, nylon does not necessarily mean water proof......
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    After thinking about it, I guess nylon itself is water-proof as it will not absorb water but any fabric woven from nylon( like the outer shell of a sleeping bag) could or could not be water-proof depending on how it's treated and the tightness of the weave.
    And nevertheless, you made a very good video. Thanks for that.
    Last edited by pete lynch; 02-04-2014 at 05:42 AM.
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    Not a Mod finallyME's Avatar
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    Nylon isn't hydrophic. It absorbs water. Most nylon covered sleeping bags are not waterproof. There is a reason for that. The ones that are, have a gortex like cover and cost $$$.
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  8. #8

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    What I've found with the nylon bag is that the outer surface will be wet, but i'll be dry inside of it, so it may be treated or something, but i've never had it soak through. I'll try pouring some water on it and seeing what happens next time I take it out. Thank you guys for your help though, i'm a bit of a work in progress, trying to help people that aren't quite as far along as me, but at the same time getting help from people like y'all when I feel I've probably mucked something up pretty good like the nylon thing.

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    Senior Member natertot's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by George Harkenrider View Post
    I'll try pouring some water on it and seeing what happens next time I take it out.
    Just be sure to take a spare bag. Don't wanna be miserable over a test.......
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    Or test it at home, not when your comfort or life may depend on it.
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    Senior Member natertot's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by crashdive123 View Post
    Or test it at home, not when your comfort or life may depend on it.
    Now where's the fun in that!
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    Senior Member Phaedrus's Avatar
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    I can get into my Wiggy's bag with wet clothes and wake up dry. It still amazes me how that works!

  13. #13

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    I poured some water on that bag, and it won't soak through in a realistic scenario, I think there might be an inner liner of sorts.

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    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    But instead of pouring water over the top, try making a puddle on the ground then laying on top of it.
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    Yeah, the same material you use to protect yourself from a rain is often the same material that wakes you up at 2:00 a.m. on a cold night because it soaked through and got you wet. Weird how that works.
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    Resident Wildman Wildthang's Avatar
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    Dont forget, a ground pad is very important to the performance of any sleeping bag. A -20 bag may only be comfortable down to +20 without a good pad!

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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wildthang View Post
    Dont forget, a ground pad is very important to the performance of any sleeping bag. A -20 bag may only be comfortable down to +20 without a good pad!
    I still think those rating are more of an "opinion" that a fact.....
    Big difference between "won't die to comfortable."

    But then I'm old now, and not as willing to "Cowboy thru" for any length of time.
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    Resident Wildman Wildthang's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hunter63 View Post
    I still think those rating are more of an "opinion" that a fact.....
    Big difference between "won't die to comfortable."

    But then I'm old now, and not as willing to "Cowboy thru" for any length of time.
    Yeah the ratings are a joke for some sleeping bags. I saw one in Wall Mart that said it was rated down to 0 degrees. I doubt if it would have kept you warm in 35 degree weather. Even the good ones overate the comfort zone. I have always wondered if sleeping bag ratings were, ( will keep you from freezing to death and dying at * temperature ) or, ( will be as snug as a bug at * temperature ). Does anybody really know?

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    There are two ratings: one (women's) for 'comfort' and one 'mens' to keep you non-hypothermic, I think. Most wal mart bags only give the non-hypothermic one.
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    Not a Mod finallyME's Avatar
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    There is an official EN rating for sleeping bags. Not all bag manufacturers follow the ratings, especially here in the states. I think European manufacturers have to follow the EN ratings.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EN_13537

    Don't expect Walmart bags to follow the rating. But, a quality manufacturer will have a good rating regardless if they follow the EN standards or not. Western Mountaineering and Feathered Friends are known for accurate temp ratings.
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