--- title: "6 tips on how to choose a sleeping bag for treks and multi-day crossings" description: "About to pick an ultralight down sleeping bag and not sure where to start? Check out our article with 6 tips on how to choose a sleeping bag for treks and multi-day crossings." canonical_url: "https://gramino.com/blog/6-tips-how-to-choose-a-sleeping-bag-for-treks-and-multi-day-crossings" last_updated: "2019-06-17" --- # 6 tips on how to choose a sleeping bag for treks and multi-day crossings Authors: David Czempka Date: 2019-06-17 About to pick an ultralight down sleeping bag and not sure where to start? Check out our article with 6 tips on how to choose a sleeping bag for treks and multi-day crossings. There's nothing better than a warm sleeping bag you can burrow into after a demanding day and recharge your batteries for the next one. It's worth spending a bit more time choosing a sleeping bag than you would buying a pot or a knife. For one thing it's a bigger investment, and for another, a poor choice exposes you to greater risk or at least discomfort. So that you get it right the first time without spending weeks on it, we've put together the most important things about choosing a sleeping bag in six points. ## When and where will you use your sleeping bag most often? On summer crossings of the Beskids or autumn trips to the Tatras? The season, location and altitude determine the temperatures your sleeping bag has to keep you comfortable and warm in. Get clear on what kind of trips you'll be taking your sleeping bag on most often. If you don't have a feel for temperatures in the mountains, you can use data from the [Czech](https://www.chmi.cz/historicka-data/pocasi/mesicni-data/mesicni-data-dle-z.-123-1998-Sb) or [Slovak](http://www.shmu.sk/sk/?page=1&id=klimat_operativneudaje1) Hydrometeorological Institute, or from Norway's [yr.no](https://www.yr.no/en/) (in the statistics tab for your chosen location). You'll find that on Lysá hora (1321 m above sea level), for example, the average minimum temperature in July 2018 was 10 °C. From that you can work out that your summer sleeping bag should have a comfort rating of around 10 °C. [Sleeping bags](/c/sleep/sleeping-bags) can be divided into three basic categories by season of use: **summer**, **three-season** and **winter** (four-season). Most people go for the most versatile three-season sleeping bag, because it covers the largest part of the year (spring to autumn). If you decide on more than one sleeping bag, a summer and a winter one complement each other well. ## What do the individual sleeping bag temperatures mean? Even though sleeping bags themselves are labeled by season of use, it's better to choose by temperature range, which tells you much more. Most sleeping bags made in Europe are rated to a single standard (EN 13537 until 2016, now EN 23537-1), which lets us compare products from different brands. Using the standard isn't required by law, though, and it's up to the manufacturers themselves whether they follow it or choose a different metric. So if the individual temperatures on some sleeping bags seem nonsensical to you relative to the fill weight or other parameters, check which standard the parameters were determined by. Three temperatures are usually given – comfort, limit and extreme. To choose correctly, it's important to know what each of these temperatures actually means. - **Comfort temperature** – the lower temperature at which a woman lying in a relaxed position (on her back, for example) is in thermal balance and doesn't feel cold - **Limit temperature** – the lower temperature at which a man lying in a curled-up position is in thermal balance and doesn't feel cold - **Extreme temperature** – the temperature at which there is already a risk of health damage from hypothermia The standard determines the temperatures using a heated mannequin dressed in standardized clothing. The tests assume a "standard man" (25 years old, weight 73 kg, height 173 cm) and a "standard woman" (25 years old, weight 60 kg, height 160 cm). When choosing, don't forget to factor in your own experience of coping with cold. Are you a cold sleeper or a warm one? Are you better off than the woman or man the standard assumes when setting the temperatures? In general it could be summed up like this: women should go by the comfort temperature, men by a temperature somewhere between comfort and limit, and tough guys and gals can happily look at the limit. The extreme temperature shouldn't be the deciding factor for anyone. - [Cumulus Lite Line 400](/p/cumulus-lite-line-400.md) - [Cumulus Panyam 600](/p/cumulus-panyam-600.md) - [Patizon G 800](/p/patizon-g800.md) - [Warmpeace Viking 600](/p/warmpeace-viking-600.md) - [Cumulus Lite Line 300](/p/cumulus-lite-line-300.md) - [Patizon G 400](/p/patizon-g400.md) - [Big Agnes Fly Creek UL 25 Sleeping Bag](/p/big-agnes-fly-creek-ul-25-sleeping-bag.md) - [Cumulus X-Lite 400](/p/cumulus-x-lite-400.md) - [Cumulus Teneqa 700](/p/cumulus-teneqa-700.md) - [Patizon D 290](/p/patizon-d-290.md) ## Weight and packability The total weight of a sleeping bag and its packed size depend above all on its fill and its fabric. The fill can be made from **natural (down)** or **synthetic materials**. Both have their pros and cons, so let's sum it up. Synthetic fills are significantly cheaper, need minimal care and keep you warm even when damp. Down, on the other hand, leads on low weight, packability and thermal comfort. Another substantial advantage of down is its long lifespan. If you're choosing a sleeping bag you'll carry in a backpack or on a bike, you'll want it to give you the best possible warmth for the least weight and volume. In that case definitely go for a down sleeping bag. If you put a down and a synthetic sleeping bag with the same thermal comfort side by side, the down one can easily be 4x lighter and smaller. Down comes in various types and qualities, and the sleeping bag's final properties follow from that. If you want to dig deeper into the topic, read our article – not all down is created equal. Otherwise, a few basics will do. **Cuin (fill power)** can be described in lay terms as the fluffiness of the down. The higher the value, the higher the quality of the down. A sleeping bag with high **fill power will be more packable and lighter**. Most often you'll come across **duck or goose down**. Goose down is better when it comes to thermal insulation properties. Duck down, on the other hand, is cheaper. **The ratio of down to small feathers**. Down provides the insulating properties, while small feathers help fill the space in the baffles better. The ideal ratio is around 90/10 to 95/5. A sleeping bag's fabric doesn't have it easy – it has to meet a whole range of criteria: good breathability, packability, durability and low weight. At the same time it has to resist small feathers pushing their way out of the bag and be pleasant to the touch. Some of the most widely used fabrics in the world are made by Pertex and Toray. ## Useful details and features of sleeping bags Every manufacturer tries to come up with something small or large that users will appreciate and that sets it apart from the competition. We've listed a few sleeping bag features you'll be extra happy about. #### Features - **The option to join two sleeping bags** – If you get two sleeping bags with opposite zippers (right and left), you can join them together and create a sleeping bag for two people. You'll appreciate this when traveling with your other half. - **Semi-automatic zipper** – Lets you open the sleeping bag just by pulling on the fabric. It also stops the zipper from working itself open while you sleep. This feature is found on sleeping bags from [Patizon](/b/patizon). - **Draft tube behind the zipper** – The zipper area is prone to heat loss. Placing a down-filled tube behind the zipper prevents that heat loss. - **A zipper that doesn't snag in the fabric** – There's nothing more annoying than constantly pulling snagged fabric out of a zipper. Bet you that next time you urgently need to pee, the zipper will snag. Make sure your sleeping bag has a zipper flap or another anti-snag treatment. - **Anatomical hood** – You'll appreciate a hood that hugs your head snugly without much cinching, especially on three-season and winter sleeping bags. - **Internal pocket** – Handy for keeping items you always want within reach while sleeping (documents, phone, earplugs), or that you want to protect from frost (water filter, batteries). ## Sleeping bag construction and dimensions With sleeping bags for colder conditions, the construction of the baffles matters too. Seams are, after all, the ideal place for heat to escape. Better-designed baffle constructions that limit cold spots are **trapezoidal baffles** or **Z-baffles**. With winter sleeping bags especially, it's worth thinking about whether you'll be putting other things in the bag, like a water bottle to keep it from freezing or clothing you want to finish drying. Choose a sleeping bag a few centimeters longer than your body height accordingly. Some manufacturers let you choose which side the zipper is on. You open the sleeping bag with your far hand. For right-handers, a **left zipper** is more convenient, and for left-handers a **right zipper**. Most ultralight sleeping bags have a **mummy shape** that follows the curves of the human body. That reduces their total weight. There's also less air inside for you to have to warm with your own body heat to be comfortable. You do need to watch the width of the bag at the shoulders, though – some modern sleeping bags have a rather narrow cut. With down sleeping bags it's good when the outer fabric has a durable **water-repellent DWR treatment** that protects the down against a few drops of water. Down in direct contact with water loses its insulating properties, so we recommend always carrying your sleeping bag in your backpack in a [waterproof drybag](/c/gear/drybags-and-organisers). - [Sea To Summit Ultra-Sil Dry Bag](/p/sea-to-summit-ultra-sil-dry-bag.md) - [Sea To Summit eVac Compression Dry Bag](/p/sea-to-summit-evac-compression-dry-bag.md) - [Sea To Summit Lightweight View Dry Bag](/p/sea-to-summit-lightweight-view-dry-bag.md) - [Sea To Summit eVac Compression Dry Bag UL](/p/sea-to-summit-evac-compression-dry-bag-ul.md) - [Sea To Summit Premium Aeros Pillow](/p/sea-to-summit-premium-aeros-pillow.md) - [Sea To Summit Ultralight Aeros Pillow](/p/sea-to-summit-ultralight-aeros-pillow.md) - [Hyperlite Mountain Gear Stuff Sack Pillow](/p/hyperlite-mountain-gear-stuff-sack-pillow.md) ## Sleeping bag accessories Some [sleeping bags](/c/sleep/sleeping-bags) come with other useful accessories you'll appreciate. - **Travel storage sack** – a small sack of a given volume intended for traveling - **Compression sack** – a small sack for travel that also has straps or another system that lets you reduce the sleeping bag's volume further - **Home storage sack** – a large sack intended for storing the sleeping bag at home ## Lightweight down sleeping bags *Patizon ReLight Pro Lady women's down jacket* *Cumulus Mysterious Traveller 700* This post is also available as [HTML](/blog/6-tips-how-to-choose-a-sleeping-bag-for-treks-and-multi-day-crossings). ## Sitemap See the full [sitemap](/sitemap.md) for all pages.