The Best Sleeping Bag For Cold Weather
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In this day and age, the importance of a quality survival-rated sleeping bag has taken center stage.
Most people prefer to camp in spring and summer when the weather is warmer. And of course, the kids are out of school which makes it easier to plan the family vacation.
But you can camp all year long. As long as you are prepared. We cover winter camping in detail in this article.
But there are some general tips to keep in mind when camping when it might get cold. Remember, it can get frigid, even if you are not camping in the winter. I think the riskiest time is spring.
We spend a couple of months all cooped up and then it gets warm. So we head out for the weekend. The days are sunny. But a sudden cold front drops the temperatures down 30 degrees in a few hours.
The best way to prepare for camping with cold weather is your clothing. Don’t wear cotton. It’s too easy to get wet and stay damp. This increases your chance of catching hypothermia. And that is serious.
So learn how to layer appropriately. And avoid sweating. Sweating in cold weather can put you into an emergency, very quickly.
Of course, you also want to make sure you have your shelter taken care of. A solid tent. Perhaps invest in a campfire reflector. And don’t forget to put a tarp above and under your tent. A tarp under your tent will keep your tent dry. And will provide additional insulation.
The tarp above your tent will provide additional protection from any rain or snow.
Plus here’s another tip - look for tarps that have a mylar side. Or if they don’t, look for large emergency blankets that you can put between your tent and the tarp. These will reflect your body heat to the tent.
When you are setting up your sleeping quarters, besides a tent, you should also think about getting a sleeping pad. The sleeping pad serves several functions.
Most important is comfort. Yes, I know, when we go camping, we want to go “rough it.” And sleep on the ground like we see John Wayne in an old western. This feels like being a real outdoors person.
But you know what?
That ground is friggin’ hard. And full of rocks. And twigs. And clumps of dirt. There’s a reason why we invented beds.
Being able to sleep comfortably is going to make sure you get proper rest. And will do a lot to help keep morale up if it’s raining or snowing outside.
It also will provide a layer of insulation between you and the ground as well. If the weather is cold, the ground will be even more frozen. And it’s going to do its best to suck all of the warmth out of your body.
This review is going to assess the TETON Sports Celsius XXL Sleeping Bag and determine whether it has the qualities necessary to win you over on an upcoming camping trip.
Main Features
- Mummy-Style Hood Sleeping Bag
- Survival and Comfort-Rated
- Unique Fiber Filling
- Includes Heavy-Duty Straps
- Three Colors: Black, Gray, Olive Green
Pros
1) Beautiful Design
Let’s start with the beautiful design because it’s incredibly eye-catching and works wonders. The black, gray, or olive green finish will ensure you end up with something that’s easy on the eyes and looks the part.
Every physical detail has been designed with a purpose whether it’s the zipper, filling, or outer layer. It’s a masterpiece in terms of beauty and does win you over because of its appearance.
2) Warm and Cozy
Along with having an incredibly elegant design, this is also one of the warmest sleeping bags on the planet. Anyone that is heading outdoors will know how cold the nights can be. As a result, the manufacturer has taken time to build something that is robust and able to handle drops in temperature without missing a beat.
They have put it through various tests indicating the importance of their comfort-rated design. It works well and is a joy to use when the temperature plummets.
3) Spacious
This is an underrated benefit and has to be mentioned here.
There is a considerable amount of space for you to enjoy while resting in this sleeping bag. They have designed it in a manner where there’s enough room for men or women to lie down without issue.
You can twist and turn without breaking a sweat, and this is what makes it such a fascinating purchase. Otherwise, too many sleeping bags are made without enough space to turn during the night. This is when things become uncomfortable. Luckily, the TETON Sports Celsius XXL Sleeping Bag is as roomy as a sleeping bag can get!
Cons
1) Doesn’t Unzip Completely
It’s important to note the zipper will not go all the way down. This is an essential “quirk” that has to be kept in mind. While it’s not going to get in the way of what you’re doing, it is something to pay attention to. Otherwise, you may be in for a little surprise when it’s time to unzip, and the zipper gets stuck.
Final Verdict
This is among the finest sleeping bags in the industry right now and comes in at an affordable price.
Whether it’s in the colder days of winter or the heart of the summer, this sleeping bag will do wonders as soon as it is put to use. Too many sleeping bags don’t offer this type of versatility, which takes away from their overall quality.
This is lightweight, breathable, and roomy all wrapped into one quality product. Anyone looking to invest in a brand-new sleeping bag for their camping trip needs to put this at the top of their list!
PS. There is one more trick you can pull if you are still cold in your sleeping bag. Boil some water. Pour it into a water bottle. Then put it in your sleeping bag by your feet.
And before you go to sleep, if you can drink some warm broth. Make sure the broth has salt in it. The broth will warm you up. And the salt will decrease the chances you will need to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
