Copyright © 2005 by Alan M. Marcum. All rights reserved.

Permission granted for Scouting units to copy or use this material, in whole or in part, so long as attribution is given. Others please contact the author.

Sleeping Comfortably:Sleeping Bags and Sleeping Pads

Alan M. MarcumAsst. Scoutmaster, Troop 14

Roundtable - December, 2005 Comfie Sleeping Slide 2

The Plan• General info

• Broad recommendations

• Specifics

• Practical stuff

Roundtable - December, 2005 Comfie Sleeping Slide 3

Purpose of Bag and Pad• Keep you warm

• Create dead air above• Create dead air around• Separate from ground below

• Cushioning

Roundtable - December, 2005 Comfie Sleeping Slide 4

General Categories• Season-based (summer, 3-season, winter)

• Fill type (down, synthetic)

• Shape (mummy, rectangular, semi-)

• Design purpose (car camping, ultralight, etc.)

Roundtable - December, 2005 Comfie Sleeping Slide 5

Comfort Ratings• Approximate minimum comfortable

temperature

• Not an absolute

• Different methods used by different companies

• Generally:• 40ºF bag summer only• 15º–30ºF three-season• 0ºF (some say –20ºF) for winter

Roundtable - December, 2005 Comfie Sleeping Slide 6

Bag Terminology• Shell

• Shape• Mummy• Semi-mummy• Rectangular

• Hood, Draft tube, draft collar

• Baffles

• Loft

• Fill power

Roundtable - December, 2005 Comfie Sleeping Slide 7

Recommendations for Youth• Synthetic• Three-season

• Winter bag too warm: uncomfortable, clammy• Summer-only bag not warm enough

• Mummy• Full-featured (i.e., not ultralight)

• Reasonable zipper• Hood• Draft tube

• Be sensible!

Roundtable - December, 2005 Comfie Sleeping Slide 8

Scout’s First Bag: Examples

Bag Rating Weight Price*

Slumberjack Big Scout +30°F 3#0 $45

Kelty Light Year 3D +25°F 2#6 $100

REI Volcano Jr. +15°F 2#9 $90

ALPS Crescent Lake +20°F 3#12 $60

TNF Tigger +20°F 2#5 $70

ALPS Clearwater +20°F 3#0 $70*Price is non-discounted sample retail

Roundtable - December, 2005 Comfie Sleeping Slide 9

Purchasing Pads for Youth• Be sensible!

• Best bets: solid foam• Closed-cell foam (blue Ensolite®)• Ridged dense foam• Waffle pads

• Have the boy try it out in the store• Kids often need less padding than adults• Be sure the user will be comfie

• Self-inflating pads need more care

Roundtable - December, 2005 Comfie Sleeping Slide 10

Bags, Pads for Women• Shorter

• Broader in the hips

• Slightly more insulation

• Insulation distributed for typical cold spots

Roundtable - December, 2005 Comfie Sleeping Slide 11

New Technology• Shell fabrics: Pertex®, taffeta, ripstop, GOR-

TEX®

• Insulators• Down: age-old; recently higher fills (e.g., 800

and 900 in3/oz)• Innumerable synthetics: Polarguard, Quallofil,

Cloudloft, PrimaLoft

• Semi-elastic thread

• Zippers (self-healing, plastic, etc.)

Roundtable - December, 2005 Comfie Sleeping Slide 12

Weight• Down is lightest

• Shell affects weight

• Features affect weight• Zipper length• Pillow pocket• Draft collar

• Typically, warmer is heavier

Roundtable - December, 2005 Comfie Sleeping Slide 13

Fills and Loft• Fill: the insulating stuff inside

• Loft: insulation volume (thickness)

• Loft insulates• It’s the loft• It’s not the weight• It’s not the fill material• It’s not the baffles• It’s the loft

Roundtable - December, 2005 Comfie Sleeping Slide 14

Down

• Typical: 600 in³/oz

• High-end: 800 or 900 in³/oz

• Light; compresses well

• Does not insulate when wet

• Expensive

Roundtable - December, 2005 Comfie Sleeping Slide 15

Synthetics

• Variety• Hollofil, Quallofil: heavy, bulky• Polarguard: bulky, not so heavy• Thinsulate Lite Loft, MicroLoft, Primaloft,

Thermolite: closing in on down; less expensive

• Newest relatively light, compress fairly well

• Insulates when wet

• Low to moderate cost (less than down)

Roundtable - December, 2005 Comfie Sleeping Slide 16

Storing and Cleaning• Store bag in large storage sack

• Do not store in its stuff sack!• Ensure it’s dry• Ensure it’s clean

• Store self-inflating pad inflated and unrolled

• Clean bags• Use only gentle soap• By hand or in front loader (no agitator)• Lift and carry carefully!• Tumble dry, very low heat, with clean tennis ball

Roundtable - December, 2005 Comfie Sleeping Slide 17

Bag and Pad Emergencies• Rip in shell

• Soaking wet bag

• Hole in self-inflating pad

Roundtable - December, 2005 Comfie Sleeping Slide 18

Old Wives’ Tales• Don’t wear extra clothes to bed: you’ll be

warmer without them• Applies to the damp (even slightly damp)

clothes you’ve been in all day• Insulation is insulation• If you’re cold, put on a dry shirt• Consider sleeping in a watch cap (keep that

head warm!)

Roundtable - December, 2005 Comfie Sleeping Slide 19

OWTs (cont)• You don’t need a pad

• Warmth: uncompressible insulation• Comfort: cushions!

• You don’t need a tent• Indeed, you don’t, but you might want one• Warmth• Weather protection (precipitation, wind, dust)• Insect protection

Roundtable - December, 2005 Comfie Sleeping Slide 20

Show & Tell