Types of Sleeping Bags
More Articles Related to Survival GearA good nights sleep is of paramount importance in any survival situation. When confronted with stress, lack of food and water, and perhaps even injury, being able to rest in comfort and warmth is important way to save on energy and recuperate in preparation for any effort that may be needed.
If faced with a survival situation in inclement or cold weather, it is often best to hunker down and wait for help. With the proper shelter and warm sleeping bag you could survive for weeks on little more than water and indefinately where there is plenty of food to be had.
When choosing a sleeping bag there are a number of features you should consider the following:
- Temperature Rating
- Type of Construction
- Insulation Material
- Shape of the sleeping bag
- Bulk or size of the sleeping bag
- The weight of the sleeping bag
In this survival topic we will cover the four basic types of sleeping bags, as defined by their shapes, and how to choose the one that is right for you.
Sleeping Bag Types
Sleeping bags are generally defined by their shape, of which there are generally considered to be four. Each type has a number of variations in insulation material and temperature rating to choose from. Whatever shape you decide upon, sleeping bag insulation is a very important consideration in any survival situation.
When choosing a type of sleeping bag consider your body size, the minimum temperature you may expect while using it, and how long you may be in your sleeping bag – for example during periods of wild weather in the winter you could be in your sleeping bag for the greater part of several days.
Rectangular Sleeping Bags
Rectangular sleeping bags are those generally used by casual campers or children for sleep overs. These kind of sleeping bags are often of simple rectangular construction, usually without a hood and have a zipper along much of their length. Most rectangular sleeping bags on the market are made of cotton or inexpensive synthetic material.
Some drawbacks to rectangular sleeping bags are their bulkiness and added weight in comparison to other types of sleeping bags. The long zipper allows additional heat to escape, and the roomy interior takes more body heat to keep at a comfortable temperature in cold weather. The lack of a built in hood on most rectangular sleeping bags preclude them as serious choices for most wilderness survival situations.
Advantages of rectangular sleeping bags include being relatively inexpensive and their roominess. Often two bags can be zipped together, allowing you share body heat and whatever else the other person consents to.
Semi-Rectangular Bags
Semi Rectangular sleeping bags offer a compromise between the comfortable rectangular sleeping bags and the more confined space of mummy bags. Semi-rectangular sleeping bags taper from the shoulder area to the feet, saving somewhat on bulk, weight, and the volume of space your body is required to heat.
For people with larger frames, some variation the semi rectangular sleeping bag may be the best choice. A good nights sleep is one of the major requirements for successful survival situation.
Semi Mummy Bags
Mummy bags are often very constrictive as the goal of a mummy sleeping bag is to save as much as possible on weight, bulk, and the volume of space inside the bag. The semi mummy sleeping bag is an attempt at compromise, being less bulky and heavy than its rectangular brethren but allowing for a little more freedom of movement than that found in a full mummy sleeping bag.
Good mummy and semi mummy bags come in a variety of insulation materials and temperature ratings. They also have insulated hoods and drawstrings that allow complete tight closure around the neck and face so that the maximum amount of your body is encased in the warmth of the sleeping bag and drafts that rob the bag of the warmth you have generated are eliminated. Eighty percent of a sleeping bags heat can be lost through its opening and a hood is an important feature to prevent this.
The zipper area on a sleeping bag is one of it's weak points as the zipper area is a thin spot in the bag where cold can penetrate on a driven nail on the coldest of nights. On good sleeping bags the zipper problem is solved somewhat by limiting the length of the zipper and adding a well made baffle along the inside length of the zipper.
Mummy Sleeping Bags
Mummy sleeping bags offer the ultimate in reduction of weight and bulk. In a mummy bag your body has the least amount of space to heat and therefore per pound the is the warmest sleeping bag around. However sleeping in a mummy bag for some is like sleeping in a straight jacket. People of larger frames may want to choose a semi mummy or even a semi rectangular sleeping bag for a more comfortable sleep.
An alternative Sleeping Bag
To save further on weight and bulk, some mountaineers carry a special small sleeping bag called a half bag. While bivouacked they put the lower half of their body into the small half bag and rely upon clothing to insulate the upper half of the body.
This method of using a half sleeping bag for only the lower half of your body is risky. What if your upper clothing becomes wet from rain, and unexpected immersion in water, or by sweat? Perhaps the weather changes for the worse and become extremely cold. A dry, full sized sleeping bag provides more survival options than living on the edge of comfort and tempting fate.
Compressed Survival Sleeping Bag
Wiggy's also offers an interesting vacuum packed survival sleeping bag. It is the most tightly compressed sleeping bag I have ever seen. The compressed sleeping bag comes in a small waterproof package, excellent to stow in your vehicle for use in an unforseen emergency.
Sleeping Bag System
An excellent method to cover a wide variety of temperatures and sleeping conditions is to use a two bag system. The first bag is your main sleeping bag, rated somewhere from between -20F and 0F. The secondary sleeping bag, or overbag, is cut larger in order to fit over this main bag and is rated to about freezing, or roughly 30 to 35 degrees F. When your main bag is placed within your outer sleeping bag your comfort zone extends into the winter expedition range.
Wiggy's Bags offers just such a sleeping bag system it has developed for the US Armed Forces.
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phoenix
i've heard that down sleeping bags should be stored open and hanging in a closet otherwise it loses insulation qualities.
Survival Topics: Down needs to be stored uncompressed so that it's loft, and therefore it's insulative properties, are maintained.