Choosing The Right Sleeping Bag

Once you?ve sorted your campervan insurance, you?ll want to move on to the next essential: your sleeping bag! Sleeping bags come in a wide range of styles and shapes. Knowing which sleeping bag is best for you is the key to a good night's sleep out in the woods or in your camper.

The first type is the basic rectangle style. This type usually fits almost any body size, and usually has a zipper that can be used with another sleeping bag for combining 2 or more sleeping bags. Some of the rectangle bags come with built in pillows, which is a good thing, especially if you don't want to add a pillow to your luggage.

The second type is the mummy style. This bag is shaped like a body, with the foot area being smaller and then tapering to a wide area at the head. Most of them come with some sort of drawstring device at the head, for closing it around your face to keep out cold air, insects, etc.

The third type is for children. These bags come in smaller sizes to fit small children. Children often use these for sleep-overs, and want to be able to open them up to play on before bedtime, so make sure the one you buy has the option of unzipping it and opening it up flat. If your child often loses their pillow at sleep-overs, I would suggest that you buy one with a pillow already sewn into the bag. Children often have torches, glasses, etc. with them, so finding a bag with pockets inside is a good idea. Most of the child bags will also have sleeves underneath the bag which holds the sleeping pad under the bag. With this sleeve holding the pad in place, the child doesn't have to worry about it slipping away from the bag or getting lost. It will also roll up easily with the bag.

Other types of sleeping bags are ones made for 2 people, for women, or for larger people. These bags have shapes which accommodate all of those shapes and sizes of people.

The most important factor is the temperature rating of the bag. If the bag states that it is rated as a 20, that means it is good for temperatures down to 20 degrees. Use this formula to figure out which bag you need. Knowing the temperature rating for the bag is crucial for keeping you warm in the environment you will be in. Don't buy a summer rated bag and use it in snow!

Finally, if you will be in a damp climate, make sure you get a bag that has either a waterproof coating on it, or a shell which repels moisture. Nobody likes to wake up in a wet sleeping bag.

Now, go out and find the perfect sleeping bag, and enjoy your journey without having to worry about whether or not your sleeping bag will survive the elements. Happy camping!