four season sleeping bag

There are many reasons why you would want to own a 4 season sleeping bag. If you are interested in camping, hiking, climbing or hill walking then you will need to be able to keep warm and dry at night no matter what the conditions or the time of year.

A sleeping bag that will cope with these situations is called a four season sleeping bag. They are designed to be easy to carry and also to fulfil several crucial points:

They are designed to be small, compact and light so that once they are stowed away in their liner, they are easy to keep in your backpack or bag. You might want to consider looking at the weights of the bags before you buy. A synthetic fibre filled sleeping bag will weigh more than the natural filled one.

These kids of sleeping bags are made to be able to crush down in to a very small size. This helps keep the bulk down in your backpack and also allow you to carry many more items. Older sleeping bags were not made like this and had to be fastened to the outside of your rucksack.

These sleeping bags have layered insulation to keep the warm air trapped within the bag nearest to your body, whilst also allowing your skin to breath. The 4 season models are made using 2 different fillings. Either a synthetic fibre or a natural down.

The natural down filling provides you with greater warmth as well as being naturally waterproof but also adds to the price of the bag. The man made fibre models are more than sufficient for the majority of people and they are perfect for those of us who may suffer from allergies to feathers or wools.

Apart from keeping your warm at night, the sleeping bag will also help you stay dry. It is possible that you may be sleeping under the stars (or clouds) so having a waterproof model is essential. After all, it is likely that even on a summer night a little rain may fall. Morning dew, mist and fog may also be an issue if you are roughing it and it will pay dividends to have a water resistant lining on your bag. The fillings of the sleeping bags are also designed to withstand water and dry quickly too.

Most sleeping bags that are used for outdoor sports such as hiking, come in what is called the Mummy shape.  This refers to the egyptian mummification process, not your mother.  Equipped with a hood, these bags allow for total wind proofing and comfort the whole year round.