Sleeping Bags

Synthetic Sleeping Bags: still insulates when wet. Up-front cost is lower, but heavier and bulkier and have a shorter lifespan.

Down Sleeping Bags: not ideal in very wet environments. Higher up-front cost, but lighter, packs smaller and lasts much longer.

Mummy sleeping bag shapes vary significantly; some are very narrow, and do not work well for side-sleepers/stomach sleepers. Sea to Summit mummy bags – particularly the Comfort and Versatility models like the Ascent - have enough room for the sleeper to sleep comfortably in any position.

Do not wash a sleeping bag in a top-loader washing machine - a front-loader with a wool or silk program is OK. Use down soap (supermarket detergent residue sticks insulation fibers together). Dry the bag in a dryer (cool or warm) with a couple of clean tennis balls.

Make sure your sleeping bag is completely dry before storing (in a cool, dry place) in a bag or pouch that will allow the bag to loft up. Pro tip - use a liner to reduce frequency of washing.

Pack bulkier sleeping bags in a compression sack (compression dry bag for wet environments). Pack compact sleeping bags in an eVac Dry Bag. Pro-tip: always have your sleeping bag inside your pack at the bottom: mounted externally, they can snag on branches.