Sleeping Bag Opinion

[pseudoghost]

Bag manufacturers have conclusively demonstrated through rigorous testing that people sleep warmer with more clothes on, as you would obviously expect. Don't fall for the hype of sleeping naked. It doesn't work, despite all the anecdotal evidence that you will read on these forums.

You're going to have to spend at least $150-$200 to get a decent bag. The Marmot Sawtooth is a really good entry level down bag for the money ($200). The Kelty Cosmic Down 0 is also pretty good (but not actually a 0 degree bag; more like a 20-30 degree bag). Either bag will last you many years and are very warm.

[ajkagy]

Let the sleeping bag do its job in keeping you warm... sleep in your underwear or base layer. Clothing actually reduces the bag's ability to keep you warm.

This is an old wives tale and is patently false.

I disagree. I've had much better experiences with my bag when not sleeping in lots of clothes. Perhaps my experience is unique, but it DEFINITELY works well for me.

I had no idea sleeping bags somehow contradict the laws of thermodynamics

[Turtle Boy]

Let the sleeping bag do its job in keeping you warm... sleep in your underwear or base layer. Clothing actually reduces the bag's ability to keep you warm.

This is an old wives tale and is patently false.

+1 (the old wives tale) with an exception.

If you put on enough bulk to reduce/compress the loft in your sleeping bag I can see this as a potential problem.

However all of my bags have enough room for me to wear a fleece or puffy without causing loft degradation. Every time I have had to do this (add clothing layers due to temps approaching the bags rating) I've improved my warmth just like when I add layers hiking and climbing.

[the toninator]

I've had decent luck with the Marmot Kenosha 20 deg bag. More than enough for colorado high altitude summers, tetons spring and Texas winter. I got a great deal on it a couple of years back not sure what the price is now.

[oldschool]

This is an old wives tale and is patently false.[/quote]
I disagree. I've had much better experiences with my bag when not sleeping in lots of clothes. Perhaps my experience is unique, but it DEFINITELY works well for me.[/quote]

I spent over 4 years working outdoors in Utah and Colorado. I would be in the field for 8 days on/6 days off, winter and summer. I would spend this time in the Book Cliffs, Tabiona, UT, Moab,Canyonlands.....all over.

In the winter the temps would hit -30....damn cold. I used a Wiggy bag, made in Grand Junction. Very good product but rather heavy for the warmth rating.

My point.....there are many many studies and articles that support less clothing keeps you warmer. Your body needs to heat the sleeping bag insulation. If you're wearing layers of clothing in your bag your body heats those layers, not the bag. Look it up.

And yes I saw conflicting studies...I'm going on years of field studies....my own! I fully agree that less clothing is much better.

My Dad used to tell me a funny story when I was a kid. He would tell me a thermos was the smartest thing in the world. He would tell me that when you put something hit inside, it stayed hot. Put something cold inside, it stayed cold. He would say to me " how does the thermos know what to do?" Funny...but think about it in relation to a sleeping bag.

[SkaredShtles]

<snip> Your body needs to heat the sleeping bag insulation.

So you're telling me if I'm in my sleeping bag in long underwear, fleece pants & shirt, and I get cold... I should take my clothes off?



You're going to need to provide citations for this one.

[oldschool]

No....what I'm saying is don't sleep in your bag with a down puffy on, heavy insulated pants, and other items. A hat? For sure. Minimal clothing......base layer shirt, long undies if you must....but lose the jackets and such.

[ajkagy]

My point.....there are many many studies and articles that support less clothing keeps you warmer. Your body needs to heat the sleeping bag insulation. If you're wearing layers of clothing in your bag your body heats those layers, not the bag. Look it up.

It's simple science. More insulation = slower heat dissipation. You're trying to trap heat IN not warm the insulating layer. This means the more layers you have on the warmer you will be. The only instance where this would not be the case as what was pointed out in an earlier post is if the clothing you have on cuts off your circulation (less heat coming from the body) or it compresses the insulation layer of the bag. Air is one of the best insulators, use it to your advantage. That down coat works wonders in keeping the heat in.

[the toninator]

<snip> Your body needs to heat the sleeping bag insulation.

So you're telling me if I'm in my sleeping bag in long underwear, fleece pants & shirt, and I get cold... I should take my clothes off?



You're going to need to provide citations for this one.

Apparently from his response, even though he say's 'no', he's still saying 'yes' but he might be talking over my head.

[ezabielski]

My point.....there are many many studies and articles that support less clothing keeps you warmer. Your body needs to heat the sleeping bag insulation. If you're wearing layers of clothing in your bag your body heats those layers, not the bag. Look it up.

So can you link to one of those articles? Because that's just not how it works. The insulation doesn't need to be heated up. Insulation just prevents the transfer of heat, which you seem to understand with your Thermos story. Just like the Thermos story, your sleeping bag doesn't know* that you're wearing a puffy jacket (or any other layers) as long as it isn't compressing the loft of the bag itself. All the sleeping bag does is prevent the transfer of heat from one side to the other, and the insulation doesn't need to be heated to work.

I have no idea how this myth stays alive.

*In fact, sleeping bags are rather unintelligent and they don't really know anything.

[susanjoypaul]

I have no idea how this myth stays alive.

Probably like this:

Girl in the tent: "I'm cold!"
Guy in the tent: "Take off all your clothes and you'll be warmer. It's a proven fact!"

[Turtle Boy]

My point.....there are many many studies and articles that support less clothing keeps you warmer. Your body needs to heat the sleeping bag insulation. If you're wearing layers of clothing in your bag your body heats those layers, not the bag. Look it up.

It's simple science. More insulation = slower heat dissipation. You're trying to trap heat IN not warm the insulating layer. This means the more layers you have on the warmer you will be. The only instance where this would not be the case as what was pointed out in an earlier post is if the clothing you have on cuts off your circulation (less heat coming from the body) or it compresses the insulation layer of the bag. Air is one of the best insulators, use it to your advantage. That down coat works wonders in keeping the heat in.

+1 again. You are trapping the heat by providing dead air space not warming the insulation layer.

To insulate your house better you add more insulation. If the insulation gets compressed by packing it in tight you lose this advantage. I have a lot of outdoor years as well and I've never taken layers off to get warm in my sleeping bag. Every time adding more insulation worked as long as I didn't violate the compression of the sleeping bag. I would love to see one of those articles about less clothing makes you warmer as well and what the conditions of testing were.

I hadn't thought about tight clothing being a problem but that certainly makes sense as well.