Sleeping bags

Getting it right with your sleeping bag can make the difference between a peaceful night of rest in the mountains or spending an uncomfortable night awake waiting for the sun to rise. The sleeping bag alone or any other garment does not generate heat directly, the temperature given off by our bodies is stored in the bag, therefore, the more volume of insulation it has, the more heat it will provide. One of the most important factors to consider in a sleeping bag are: the amount of padding and the padding quality .

The type of filling of the sleeping bag is a really important element when buying your sleeping bag. We can distinguish between two types of insulation; the synthetic and goose insulation. The synthetic filler is perfect for camping or sleeping in mountain huts, synthetic fiber is the best choice for its competitive price. In addition, in recent years, the quality of the filling has been significantly improved, even getting closer to matching the quality of feather sleeping bags. The organic filler made from goose feathers is perfect for multi-day alpine expeditions and we are looking for an optimal weight / warmth ratio. feather filling is by far the best filler material.

The quality of the feathers is distinguished by the Cubic Inches , this refers to the measurement that compares the ratio of volume and weight. This test is performed by putting the same grams of feather in a one cubic inch specimen, where the percentage it occupies in said specimen will give us the cubic inches of the feather. The temperature range is a parameter that identifies the minimum temperature at which we will stay warm, on the basis that the person will sleep in " long- sleeved" clothing. The feeling of being cold depends on the metabolism of each person, and it must also be taken into account that these ranges vary according to each manufacturer.

Presently, although we have different tests and quality standards, in practice manufacturers are still too optimistic with the limits that are attributed to each model. Normally they are marked between 3 to 4 temperatures: maximum (not all include it), comfort , limit and extreme . Broadly speaking, we should always look at the temperature of comfort , as it will give us an idea of the limit temperature at which we can sleep comfortably. It is therefore advisable to choose a sleeping bag with a comfort temperature below the minimum temperature at which we expect to sleep , if this is higher than expected, you can always open the zipper. We have to consider that the comfort temperature of a man and a woman is different, so women should always choose a warmer sleeping bag.