Sleeping hags, tents necessary hut expensive
By Charles Johnson
Sleeping bags and tents are necessary but
expensive items for the packpacker. According to Jan
Perrin, a local lecturer on camping and a camping
goods retailer, advertisements for equipment often
prey on the public's lack of knowledge.
"The loft is the thing that keeps you warm, not
the type of filling," he said about sleeping bags. The
loft is the thickness of the bag when unrolled. Such
things as the color or species of goose used for the
down have no effect in determining the quality of the
bag, he said.
Light weight and maximum warmth are of primary
importance to a backpacker when choosing a sleeping
bag, according to Perrin. "You should look at the
amount of fill, or the loft, and what you are going to
be ushg the bag for," ho said.
He divided steeping bags into three classes: these
with polyester insulation, those with Dacron II
insulation and those with down insulation.
Polyester insulated sleeping bags should have
about 3 ibs. of insulation in a mummy style bag. A
mummy bag is contoured to fit the body, and is used
by backpackers instead of a standard rectangular bag
because it's lighter, Perrin said.
The weight of this kind of sleeping bag is about 5
Ibs. and it sells for less than $25. This type of
insulation is 60 as effective as down, giving it a
temperature rating of 25 to 30 degrees, according to
.Perrin.
Dacron II sleeping bags have a filling of Dacron 80
covered with silicone. This gives greater loft with the
same amount of insulation, he said. These should
have a double layer of insulation, so there are no cold
spots, he added,
With about 3 Ibs. of insulation, the Dacron II
model should keep the person warm down to about
10 degress and costs from $25 to $50, according to
Perrin. This bag weighs about 5 Ibs.
This style of sleeping bag has one advantage over
down filled bags, said Perrin. "You can get it wet and
it will dry rapidly, while a down bag will take four or
five days to dry before you can sleep in it again."
Goose down is the best insulation, according to
most experts. "But the major factor is what the down
will loft to," Perrin said. Duck down also is used in
more expensive sleeping bags.
"Normally, a down bag weighing 3 to 4 Ibs. with
'2Vi lbs. of fill is good down to 10 degrees below
zero," he said. Down bags cost at least $50.
Other important factors to consider as noted in
Backpacking: One Step At a Time, are the fit and
structure of filling in the bag.
One needs a bag length longer than his height, but
it should be the smallest bag a person can fit into,
comfortably. Bags also shoulJ be equipped with
synthetic nylon zippers that won't freeze shut, said
Perrin.
In addition to a good sleeping bag, an "ensolite or
polyfoam pad is needed underneath the bag," said
Perrin. "It gives comfort and warmth. It only has to
be as long as the distance from your head to your
hips. An air mattress is just an air space, and it
doesn't really give you any insulation."
Comfortable sleeping while backpacking usually
requires a tent. Harvey Manning wrote in
Backpacking: One Step At a Time," A shelter greatly
reduces radiation heat loss and gives a warmer and
drier sleep.
"Most tents are made of taffeta nylon or rip-stop
nylon," Perrin said. Rip-stop nylon is not as strong as
taffeta; but it will not unravel. However, rip-stop
costs more, he noted.
Manning recommended that beginners start with
. an inexpensive nylon tarp, but this is impractical in
tea with much rain, Advantages of a tarn are low
cost and weight.
Basically, there arc two types of tentsaccording
to Perrin. Impregnated nylon tents, that is, think,
waterproofed nylon tents, are little more than a
"nylon reinforced plastic bag," said Perrin.
Nonimpregnated nylon tents come with a waterproof
fly that is set up over the tent.
The less expensive impregnated tents sell for less
than $30, according to Perria Their main
disadvantage is that, since they're waterproof, they
can't breathe. This means all exhaled water vapor
condenses and drips down the sides of the tent to the
floor. Such a tent weighs less than 4 Ibs.
Tents with waterproof nylon flies have a top of
nonwaterproofed nylon, allowing the tent to breathe,
Perrin said. He recommended this type of tent
because it stays dry and is warmer in the winter and
cooler in the summer. ,
Good 2-man tents range in price from $70 to
$300, he said. "Normally, the weight of a 2-man tent
is just under 5 lbs.," he said.
"I'd recommend that people buy a tent with
breathable side walls. It's most important to have a
tent with a fly." ' ... ,
He also recommended buying a tent with very fine
mosquito netting, a high number of stitches per inch
where it is sewn together (at least 16) and elastic in
the guy lines.
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