Sleeping bags are essential for camping. They fall on top of your camping gear list. Proper sleep during camping will make your outdoor experience worth it. In any case, some of you are still wondering, are sleeping bags comfortable?
It depends on the type of sleeping bag and your comfort level. Plus, when and where you’ll be using the sleeping bag. If you get cold easily, a mummy sleeping bag would be more comfortable for you. But, you will feel confined inside a mummy bag because it is narrower. On the other hand, a rectangular bag allows you more freedom to move inside the sleeping bag.
There are a number of things to consider in deciding the comfort of sleeping bags. Let’s discover what those factors are and how they affect your comfort.
Type of Sleeping Bag
Sleeping bags come in a wide variety of types. The most common type is the mummy sleeping bag. It is narrower around your body and offers a hood.
Mummy sleeping bags are lightweight and warm. That makes them the perfect fit for backpacking and hiking.
A rectangular bag on the other hand is heavier and larger. It offers more space for movement. Therefore, for general recreational use where size and weight are not considerations, a rectangular sleeping bag is suitable.
Also, for car camping and sleeping indoors in an RV, a rectangular sleeping bag is most comfortable.
So we can’t say that one type of sleeping bag is more comfortable than others. It depends on your needs and where you are using the sleeping bag.
This makes it clear that if you want to be comfortable during your adventure you should always have more than one sleeping bag.
What Type of Sleeper You Are And Your Comfort Requirements?
People have different comfort requirements. Most people love to sleep on their side. In that case, a mummy sleeping bag will not provide you enough freedom to move. If you sleep on your back then a mummy sleeping bag is good for you. It will keep you warm during a chilly night.
On a warm summer night, a rectangular sleeping bag would feel more comfortable for you. In addition, it will provide more room for people who move a lot in their sleep.
Primary Conditions For Sleeping Bag Comfort:
Comfort is your top priority during camping. You want to utilize all the resources to make you comfortable. So there is no compromise with comfort. The two conditions for comfort are:
Warmth
Warmth is the primary factor that determines your comfort. If you feel cold during a chilly night you can’t sleep. Without good sleep, you will not feel refreshed in the morning. So your whole camping experience will be ruined.
This has happened to me once because I get cold easily. Also, I have constantly heard people saying that they felt extremely cold up in the mountains because their sleeping bags didn’t provide enough warmth.
That was because they were using sleeping bags with no appropriate temperature ratings for that weather. As the weather in high elevations gets worse. So using the appropriate temperature rating is important.
You can lose 80% of your body warmth through your head. The hood of a mummy sleeping bag covers your neck and head. Prevents heat loss thus keeping you warm. If you’re camping in a colder region you must bring a mummy bag.
The material of the sleeping bag liner and the type of filling also determine how comfortable your sleeping bag is going to be.
Insulation Between Your Sleeping Bag and The Ground
Comfort also depends on how you prepare your space. A sleeping pad will not only provide a soft surface but also prevent your body heat from escaping into the ground.
Also, a sleeping pad will help you sleep well and wake up fresh in the morning. Without a sleeping pad, you might feel tired when you wake up.
For example, if you are sleeping without a sleeping pad on a mountain or on a surface having lots of roots you will end up waking in the middle of the night.
On a soft surface, you can somehow manage to survive without a sleeping pad. However, on a cold night, it would be difficult.
Therefore, you should be using a sleeping pad with a sleeping bag for more comfort.
Sleeping Bag Temperature Rating
It is also critically important to choose the right temperature rating for your needs. For summer camping and indoor use in an RV choose a 6-degree C / 43-degree F sleeping bag.
For Spring, Summer, and Fall camping choose a -7 degree C / 19 degrees F. While for Winter and Fall camping, you should bring -45 degrees C / -49 degrees F.
When and Where You’ll Be Using The Sleeping Bag?
No matter how you sleep and what your comfort requirement is if you are planning to camp in the mountains and high elevations always bring a mummy sleeping bag. There is no alternative.
Mummy sleeping bags are particularly designed to keep you warm in extreme weather conditions.
A rectangular bag being bulkier can not be transported to such heights in the first place. Also, it doesn’t have a hood to keep you warm. In addition, a rectangular bag takes a lot of time to get warm once you get in.
Find the climate conditions of the region where you’ll be using the sleeping bag. Accordingly, bring the right sleeping bag with you. So the circumstances determine your choice of sleeping bag.
In order to sleep comfortably, you also need a sleeping pad along with a sleeping bag. I have written another article on: Is a sleeping pad necessary? check it out here.
Conclusion: Are Sleeping Bags Comfortable?
Mummy sleeping bags are comfortable for camping and backpacking in colder regions. Being narrower around your body they keep you warm on a chilly night. Moreover, their hood keeps your head and neck warm, preventing heat loss.
For general recreational and indoor use, a rectangular bag is more comfortable. Also, for car camping and RV camping, a rectangular bag would be reasonable.
As you discovered, how comfortable you are going to feel depends on the type of sleeping bag and what are your circumstances.
