Buy The Right Temperature Sleeping Bag
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
By Dale Gatehouse
If there is one thing to consider when buying your next sleeping bag, I say its all about temperature. Get the right range! If the forecast says its going to be warm during the day and then cool off overnight, find out how cold cool off really is, then buy the sleeping bag that is good to 20 degrees below that!
A couple of years ago, I was preparing for a 2 day boat trip to the 1000 Islands. After shopping around all Summer, my husband and I found a boat in late October which suited our needs. We decided to drive the boat back home down river rather than trailer it to save some money, but the boat had no heater.
So we knew it was time to buy warmer sleeping bags. I checked a few forecasts to see how cool it might get overnight and found the average to be around 45 degrees. I researched my sleeping bag options on-line, and found a wealth of information. So many sleeping bags to choose from, with so many choices to make!
I ended up choosing a sleeping bag from Mountain Hardwear called Sunrise. Yes, sleeping bags have names! It cost about $200.00 and seemed to suit my needs. Of course, I didn't really think about temperature options then, I was comparing prices and looks. This sleeping bag was a pretty blue one that matched our new boat!
But no, I went with color and completely regretted the decision that night. Arriving at the marina to pick up our boat in the early morning, the temperature was in the mid 60s and we enjoyed a lovely day cruise down river. We ended up on one of our favorite islands near Brockville, Ontario and had a nice meal just as the sun was setting.
Knowing we had an early start the next day, we quickly made up our beds in the cabin and turned in by 10:00 p.m. Sometime after midnight, our golden retriever Kramer started growling so I got up to check on him. Holy crap, it was cold! I brought our dog into the cabin where he settled happily on the couch.
I quickly ushered the dog into the cabin then dove back into my sleeping bag, but I swear my feet didn't warm up all night - it was miserable. I didn't even have the benefit of my husbands warmth, because he was all bound up in his own misery right next to me.
The next morning we heard on our radio that temperatures had dropped to 25 overnight! What a surprise, the weathermen got it wrong. So please take my advice and learn from my mistakes - when deciding on which sleeping bag to buy, get one that works to at least 10 degrees lower than you think you may need. You'll be happy you did!
A couple of years ago, I was preparing for a 2 day boat trip to the 1000 Islands. After shopping around all Summer, my husband and I found a boat in late October which suited our needs. We decided to drive the boat back home down river rather than trailer it to save some money, but the boat had no heater.
So we knew it was time to buy warmer sleeping bags. I checked a few forecasts to see how cool it might get overnight and found the average to be around 45 degrees. I researched my sleeping bag options on-line, and found a wealth of information. So many sleeping bags to choose from, with so many choices to make!
I ended up choosing a sleeping bag from Mountain Hardwear called Sunrise. Yes, sleeping bags have names! It cost about $200.00 and seemed to suit my needs. Of course, I didn't really think about temperature options then, I was comparing prices and looks. This sleeping bag was a pretty blue one that matched our new boat!
But no, I went with color and completely regretted the decision that night. Arriving at the marina to pick up our boat in the early morning, the temperature was in the mid 60s and we enjoyed a lovely day cruise down river. We ended up on one of our favorite islands near Brockville, Ontario and had a nice meal just as the sun was setting.
Knowing we had an early start the next day, we quickly made up our beds in the cabin and turned in by 10:00 p.m. Sometime after midnight, our golden retriever Kramer started growling so I got up to check on him. Holy crap, it was cold! I brought our dog into the cabin where he settled happily on the couch.
I quickly ushered the dog into the cabin then dove back into my sleeping bag, but I swear my feet didn't warm up all night - it was miserable. I didn't even have the benefit of my husbands warmth, because he was all bound up in his own misery right next to me.
The next morning we heard on our radio that temperatures had dropped to 25 overnight! What a surprise, the weathermen got it wrong. So please take my advice and learn from my mistakes - when deciding on which sleeping bag to buy, get one that works to at least 10 degrees lower than you think you may need. You'll be happy you did!
About the Author:
Dale Gatehouse is a professional reporter who loves boating and camping with her husband. To visit her preferred website to purchase down sleeping bags, visit Top Down Sleeping Bags.
Posted byBertie at 4:35 AM
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