Sleeping Comfortably Sleeping Bags and Sleeping Pads Alan

Sleeping Comfortably: Sleeping Bags and Sleeping Pads Alan M. Marcum Asst. Scoutmaster, Troop 14 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. Roundtable - December, 2005 Comfie Sleeping

The Plan • • General info Broad recommendations Specifics Practical stuff Roundtable - December, 2005 Comfie Sleeping 1

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 2

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 3

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 4

Bag Terminology • Shell • Shape • Mummy • Semi-mummy • Rectangular • • Hood, Draft tube, draft collar Baffles Loft Fill power Roundtable - December, 2005 Comfie Sleeping 5

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 6

Scout’s First Bag: Examples Bag Rating Weight Price* Slumberjack Big Scout +30°F 3#0 $45 Kelty Light Year 3 D +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 7

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 8

Bags, Pads for Women • • Shorter Broader in the hips Slightly more insulation Insulation distributed for typical cold spots Roundtable - December, 2005 Comfie Sleeping 9

New Technology • Shell fabrics: Pertex®, taffeta, ripstop, GORTEX® • Insulators • Down: age-old; recently higher fills (e. g. , 800 and 900 in 3/oz) • Innumerable synthetics: Polarguard, Quallofil, Cloudloft, Prima. Loft • Semi-elastic thread • Zippers (self-healing, plastic, etc. ) Roundtable - December, 2005 Comfie Sleeping 10

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 11

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 12

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 13

Synthetics • Variety • Hollofil, Quallofil: heavy, bulky • Polarguard: bulky, not so heavy • Thinsulate Lite Loft, Micro. Loft, 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 14

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 15

Bag and Pad Emergencies • Rip in shell • Soaking wet bag • Hole in self-inflating pad Roundtable - December, 2005 Comfie Sleeping 16

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 17

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 18

Show & Tell Roundtable - December, 2005 Comfie Sleeping 19