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Winter Trekking Can Be a Nightmare Without the Right Bag

November 22, 2010 - To safely and comfortably enjoy an extended trip into the New England outdoors in winter, you're going to need a quality cold-weather sleeping bag.

But with a multitude of reputable brands available, each with its own style and features, how do you choose among all the bells and whistles?

Here are a few tips to help you find the bag that matches your needs and price range.

TEMPERATURE RATING

"Temperature rating is the place to start," said Kevin Nadeau, camping equipment product developer with L.L. Bean. "What's the lowest temperature that you expect to encounter?"

For outings in late fall and early winter, and again in late winter and early spring, you can probably get by with a sleeping bag rated down to 0 degrees. But for full-on, deep winter conditions, nothing less than a bag rated to -20F will do. Consider it peace of mind; an added margin of safety.

It's important to remember that manufacturer temperature ratings are just guidelines. Everybody sleeps differently, notes Nadeau, so you've got to know yourself and whether you're a warm or cold sleeper.

Further, all sleeping bag ratings assume the use of proper insulation underneath, including long underwear and a hat.

Nadeau recommends two pads: a closed foam pad to act as a thermal barrier between you and the ground, then a self-inflating pad on top of that for added insulation and cushioning.

INSULATION

There are two types of insulation to choose from in quality sleeping bags: down and synthetic. Either will come encased within a nylon or polyester fabric shell and is held in place with baffles, or compartments, to prevent shifting.

"Down offers the best warmth-to-weight ratio," Nadeau said. "It's more comfortable, lighter and packs smaller."

Down only works when it's kept dry. Get your down bag soaked and the insulation will compress into soggy clumps that'll be useless for warmth and next to impossible to dry out in the field.

You can buy down bags with a waterproof/breathable shell, but that runs into extra money.

With a modicum of care, a quality waterproof stuff sack and a plastic sheet underneath your bag, you should be able to keep your down bag dry in most conditions.

External conditions aside, most moisture is produced by your own perspiration while sleeping in the bag, but that's not an issue on short trips.

Synthetic insulation is heavier and bulkier than down. It is, however, significantly less expensive -- as little as half the cost -- while offering comparable warmth.

Space and weight are considerations when thinking about down vs. synthetic. If you plan to tote your sleeping bag along with the rest of your gear in your backpack, then space matters.

Down bags compress into smaller packages and weigh a lot less than synthetic bags.

If you're car camping or sledding your gear into camp, then weight and bulk are less of an issue.

TWO SHAPES

Sleeping bags come in two basic shapes: rectangular or mummy.

"For winter use, a mummy bag is the only way to go," advises Nadeau. "Leave the rectangular bag for summer camp use."

A sleeping bag doesn't produce heat, but rather traps the heat your own body produces in the thick layers of insulation. So when there is less space to warm up, as with the mummy design, you'll need less heat to fill the smaller area and thus stay warmer.

Two key features of the mummy are the hood and draft collar.

Given that your head produces a lot of heat and is therefore prone to lose it just as easily, you'll want to cinch the hood snugly at night to conserve precious warmth. Same goes for the draft collar at shoulder level, which helps keep body warmth in and cold air out.

OTHER FACTORS

Will there be enough room in your chosen bag to sleep and move around comfortably?

If the fit is too narrow, you'll feel confined and uncomfortable; too wide and you'll have difficulty producing and retaining enough body heat.

"The trick is to find a winter bag that's close-fitting but comfortable," said Nadeau, an obvious point, but one to be considered seriously before you embark on a winter trip.

The best way to test the comfort of a bag is to crawl into it right there on the floor of your outdoor retailer's shop. Or, if you've purchased by mail order, get inside it at home well before you plan to go.

If it isn't right, find a different model.

A winter sleeping bag is an expensive and important purchase and you certainly want to buy the right one.

By Carey Kish, Portland Press Herald, Nov. 21, 2010


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