How to choose the right sleeping bag for you
First
For what activity will the bag be used? Backpacking? Hunting? Family Camping? Scouting? Fast packing? Since different activities require different standards, Slumberjack sleeping bags are categorized by activity and by price.
Second
In what weather conditions will the bag be used? What seasons? What areas of the country? What kind of terrain? Mountains? Deserts? Wet areas? From a far-away mountain range to the local state park, in what kind of temperatures will the bag be asked to perform? Check the temperature ratings of the bags to match them with your expected use. Remember, though, that minimum temperature ratings are given as guidelines only, not absolute temperature parameters. After all, what is comfortable to one person might not be comfortable to another. And don't forget that a strong north wind can blow the ratings right off the chart!
Third
Who will be using the bag? Man? Woman? Adult? Child? Large? Small? Petite? Husky? When it comes to sleeping bags, one size does not fit all. Slumberjack sleeping bags are intended to offer a fit as personal as any item of clothing. So the best way to help your customer select the right size is to have them get in, try it on and see how they feel. This method of measurement works better than any ruler ever invented.
Different shapes of Sleeping bags
Mummy: Takes up less room and weighs the least. They're also smaller in size than rectangular bags, therefore decreasing the amount of space around the body. The less space that needs to be warmed by body heat, the warmer the bag will be.
Barrel: A rectangular shape tapered slightly at the foot to help decrease overall size. The barrel shape is slightly more portable and compactible than a full rectangular shape.
Rectangular: Bags that offer the user the greatest flexibility and interior room. Once unzipped, they can be used as comforters, blankets, and for other outdoor or indoor uses. Hooded rectangulars provide the added warmth of a hood to the comfort of a rectangular.
What makes Slumberjack sleeping bags better than others.
Details are a trademark... When you look closely, you see that comfort is more than a result of great design, effective materials, high performance insulations, or additional stitching and quilting. Details and additional design features are what separate Slumberjack bags from ordinary sleeping bags. Here are a few examples of what we mean:
Internal Collars are baffles sewn to the liner and used to prevent heat loss from the user's body.
Draft Tubes are baffles sewn adjacent to the zipper to keep cold air out and prevent heat loss through the zipper coils.
Weather Wedge is a small piece of triangular fabric (either filled or unfilled) that is sewn at the base of the zipper to prevent heat loss at the zipper opening. This also reduces stress at the point where the zipper is sewn.
Anti-Snag Zipper Tape is sewn along the draft tube and the liner to prevent the zippers from snagging.
Utility Pockets are used to store small items, so they'll be close at hand, such as car keys, flashlights, MP3 player, or similar items.
Dual Designated Drawcord with barrel locks allow for easy closure of hood and/or neck of bag. The hood cord is flat and the neck cord is round for easy distinction.
Flip Over Hood allows you to flip the hood inside out giving the user the option of a flat hood or a fully contoured hood.
Hook and Loop Neck Closures provide firm closure of the bag and prevent zippers from separating or opening.
Trapezoid Foot Box provides space in which the feet remain in a natural position for better comfort.
Different types of fills and frabics
There is an obvious reason why Slumberjack sleeping bags are considered the finest bags. We continue to test and introduce new materials and insulations. Here are some of the ingredients that go into making these great bags:
Fills
600+ Power Fill Goose Down, Polarguard Delta, Polarguard 3D, Thermolite Extreme, Thermolite Extra, Thermolite Quallo, Slumberloft HQ, Slumberloft HL
Fabrics
Nylon Ripstop, Polyester Taffeta, Polyester Ripstop, 10oz Cotton Duck, Brushed Polyester, Teflon®, Lycra®, Coolmax® and Yarn Dyed Cotton Flannel
How does a sleeping bag keep you warm
Three factors that affect warmth...
Insulation - Since air is a poor conductor of heat, the trapped air within the insulation acts like a thermal barrier between you and the cold air outside the bag by not letting your body heat escape from the bag. The insulation traps air and keeps it from moving around, hence the phrase "dead air". The more dead air you can trap, the more you will be insulated from the cold, and the warmer your bag will be.
Construction - How the sleeping bag is stitched or sewn also has a lot to do with the heat integrity of the bag. For example, if the outer liner material is stitched through the insulation to the inner liner material, this construction will not perform as efficiently as if the outer material is quilted to the insulation. This means the stitch lines don't go all the way through and thus, will not allow heat to escape through stitch holes.
Environment - The use of a sleeping mat or pad can improve the thermal performance of your sleeping bag by as much as 10° F, not to mention the added benefit when using a tent or bivy shelter. The advertised temperature ratings are only guidelines and assume the use of a ground pad and the user being inside a shelter.
The body loses heat three ways...
Convection takes place when warm air moves away from the body through openings in the bag and by air movement in large gaps between the body and the bag.
Radiation is the process of radiant energy leaving the body and passing through the material of the bag.
Conduction is the transfer of body heat through still air and through the materials that make up the insulator.
The best way to clean your sleeping bag
Sleeping bags made of synthetic insulations
Machine Wash
Wash only in commercial heavy duty, front-loading, tumble-type machine set on "gentle" cycle. These are the machines usually found at laundry mats.
Wash in warm water with mild soap, detergent or specialty bag cleaning solution (for example, McNett X-Treme wash) with the bag zippered closed.
Dry by hanging over a clothesline or in a commercial front load tumble-type dryer set on "cold air only".
Hand Wash
Hand wash in warm water with a mild soap, detergent or specialty bag cleaning solution (for example, McNett X-Treme wash).
Rinse thoroughly in warm water until all the soap is removed.
Dry by hanging over a clothesline or in a commercial front load tumble-type dryer set on "cold air only".
NOTE: To avoid damage to the washing machine and your bag, do not use agitator or plunger type machines.
Sleeping bags made with down insulation should be:
Hand washed in mild soap such as Woolite® or McNett Thunder Down Cleaner. After washing, hang to dry, periodically shaking the bag to loosen wet down. OR Dry cleaned by a professional familiar with down products.
