Paris Around

Posts Tagged ‘Sleeping’

There is nothing better for a freedom lover than backpacking. It is the ultimate dream being outside and at one with nature, there is so much to take in – walking about on the rough terrain, the unpredictable weather and also coming across bugs. The experienced backpacker will have left nothing to chance, by well prepared for just about everything as one slip up can make the simplest trip a dangerous one at that. This doesn’t mean that they are afraid of getting hurt, but the thought of not being able to get about in nature to enjoy it and the views it offers. Special attention is paid to all aspects of the type of gear that they need to bring for their trip.

An essential part of the gear that a backpacker needs to consider bringing is a good sleeping bag. An excellent sleeping bag must be ideal for the backpacker to carry. It should be lightweight, easy enough to stow away and carry, to ensure a good night’s sleep. What determines this will take some thought and research, looking at one’s preferences, so that it’s relatively easy to decide on the right choice of bag.

A person should look at the itinerary for their backpacking to consider what type of sleeping bag they will require. The area they are travelling to needs to be looked at – will it have warm or cool temperatures? What is the temperature going to be like once the sun has gone down? Will it be a rainy environment or is it likely to have some humidity? A sleeping bag has more insulating quantities when it gets wet if it is insulated with synthetic material compared with natural material, or bags that are filled with down, so that is important to think about if you are to stay warm. Shell linings that are made of nylon are ideal to cope with humid environments as they are quite durable, but for cold and windy environments they do not as well for this type of weather. Microfibre is a material that is suitable for resistance to water and wind, though you will find them more expensive and heavier to carry in comparison with other materials. A bag that has less material will be lighter to carry and easier to stow into a backpack. It is always best to travel light when you are backpacking and have to take everything with you.  Read more...

As the modern-day equivalent of the old explorers, the backpacker will be exposed to all kinds of climatic conditions on many different types of terrain. He or she must be self-sufficient and prepared for the worst at all times. And preparedness starts before leaving home, with the selection of backpacking gear. Of particular importance is your backpacking sleeping bag. Not getting a good nights rest can lead to mistakes that can mean the difference between enjoying that view of the sunset from a mountain ridge and seeing that same sunset from a Search and Rescue helicopter.

1. The Backpacking Sleeping Bag – All Sleeping Bags Are Not Created Equal

Before choosing a sleeping bag, it can be helpful to know what some of the key differences are between the backpacking sleeping bag and other sleeping bags. The needs of a backpacker lead to special considerations that the backpacker must address:

The backpacking sleeping bag must be light. A typical backpacker will already be carrying food, extra clothing for rain or snow, fire-starting and cooking gear, flashlights, water bottles, first aid supplies and other survival gear, and any special equipment for traversing the terrain the backpacker will be in, such as ropes, pitons, etc. Adding a 25 pound sleeping bag to this load can make the weight unmanageable for someone not blessed with a Herculean physique.

It must be easy to store. The backpacking sleeping bag should roll into the smallest space possible, for easy stowage and maneuvering. A big, bulky sleeping bag tied to your back can be a major impediment when moving through difficult or heavily forested terrain.

The backpacking sleeping bag must adequately protect the backpacker from the elements. This is a more complicated issue to address and will be explored in more depth below.

2. Nature and You – Protecting Yourself from the Elements

Before you choose which sleeping bag to take with you on a given excursion, consider where you will be going. You wouldn’t take the same backpacking sleeping bag with you on a trip to the Rocky Mountains as you would on a trip to the Louisiana bayou. Is the area you are going hot? Cold? Humid? Dry? Is it the rainy (or snowy) season there? What kind of temperature variations are there between day and night? A polyfill or synthetic type insulated backpacking sleeping bag will keep you warm better when it is wet than a down filled, but a down-filled bag will keep you warmer in frozen, windy environments. A simple nylon shell may work well in a warm, humid climate, but cold winds will cut right through it. Microfiber linings will work well when wet, and provide good wind protection, but can be heavy and costly. And of course, the amount of a given material the backpacking sleeping bag uses directly influences both weight and bulk.  Read more...