Comparison Pinguin Comfort 185 vs Pinguin Topas 185

Since a sleeping bag is a travel outfit, its weight can be one of the key characteristics. Two points should be taken into account here: firstly, more insulation usually requires more material and increases weight, and secondly, warm models with low weight are much more expensive than heavier options with the same temperature characteristics.

Also, when choosing a sleeping bag, you should decide what exactly you are buying it for. If we are talking about picnics, festivals and other simple trips to nature without long walks, or if you plan to carry equipment by car, you can not pay much attention to weight, focus on other characteristics. If you plan to go on long hiking or cycling trips, you should choose a model with a minimum weight.

As for specific numbers, most modern sleeping bags are in the range of 1.1 – 1.5 kg or 1.6 – 2 kg, although there are quite a few ultra-light models — 1 kg or less. An indicator of 2.1 – 2.5 kg is already considered quite significant, and a weight of 2.6 – 3 kg or more is found mainly in two types of sleeping bags: separate expeditionary models with a high degree of insulation, as well as double products.

The comfort limit temperature of this sleeping bag.

Some manufacturers use their own criteria for specifying this temperature, but EN13537 is considered the generally accepted standard. According to him, t of the comfort limit is the lowest ambient temperature at which a man in thermal underwear can comfortably sleep in a sleeping bag all night (at least 8 hours) in a heat-saving position (curling up) without waking up from the cold. Such criteria are used taking into account the fact that men are less likely to get cold during sleep than women, and the acceptable temperature for them is slightly lower. Of course, in each individual case, comfort will also depend on the characteristics of the body and the preparation of the tourist. However, in general, the general rule is: if the sleeping bag is used by a man, then the minimum temperature at the place of lodging should ideally be between comfort t and comfort limit t; for a woman, a few degrees must be added to the comfort limit t, and it is best to focus on comfort t (see above).

This indicator is quite closely related to seasonality. So, for winter use, t of the comfort limit should be less than -4 ... 0 °C ; in the warmest models, it can be very low, -15 °C and below. In purely summer and even spring/autumn models, there are values of +10 °C and even higher, however, if you are afraid of sudden col...d snaps at night, it is advisable to choose sleeping bags with indicators of at least +6..10 °С, and preferably +1...5 °C(especially for the off-season).

Some manufacturers use their own criteria to indicate this temperature, but the generally accepted standard is EN13537. According to it, the comfort limit t is the lowest ambient temperature at which a man in thermal underwear can comfortably sleep in a sleeping bag all night (at least 8 hours) without waking up from the cold in a heat-saving position (curled up). Of course, in each individual case, comfort will also depend on the characteristics of the body and the training of the tourist.

Some manufacturers use their own criteria to indicate this temperature, but the generally accepted standard is EN13537. According to it, the comfort limit t is the lowest ambient temperature at which a woman in thermal underwear can sleep in a sleeping bag all night (at least 8 hours) in a heat-saving position (curled up), maintaining thermal balance. Of course, in each individual case, comfort will also depend on the characteristics of the body and the preparation of the tourist.

Extreme temperature of this sleeping bag.

Some manufacturers use their own criteria for specifying this temperature, but EN13537 is considered the generally accepted standard. According to him, the extreme temperature is the temperature at which a well-trained female tourist of a dense physique (height 160 cm, weight 60 kg) in thermal underwear can spend the night (at least 6 hours) in a sleeping bag in a heat-saving position (“kalachik”) without the risk of hypothermia. Such criteria are taken from the considerations that a person's resistance to cold depends on gender (women are colder than men), physique (thin people are more sensitive to cold) and training. It is worth noting here that if you are not used to hiking conditions, then the extreme temperature should be considered as the lowest temperature at which you can spend the night in a sleeping bag without risking your life. At the same time, there is no question of comfort, in addition, there is a high probability of hypothermia; so at such temperatures, not only high-quality thermal underwear, but also additional insulation may be required.

- Polyester. Synthetic material with good strength, resistant to temperature changes, high humidity and ultraviolet radiation, and easy to clean. Thanks to all this, polyester is extremely popular in outdoor gear. It costs slightly more than another common material - nylon - but this is compensated by some advantages: in particular, polyester does not stretch when wet.

- Nylon. Another synthetic material popular in modern sleeping bags. Most varieties of nylon are cheaper than polyester, but are less resistant to UV radiation and tend to stretch when wet. However, this material is found even in high-end expeditionary equipment - in such models the mentioned disadvantages are compensated for by various tricks (for example, special additives or increased thickness of nylon fiber).

- Polycotton. A blended material that combines cotton and synthetic fiber, usually polyester. One of the advantages of polycotton is considered to be good air permeability, which allows the sleeping bag to “breathe”. On the other hand, such fabric is somewhat less durable and reliable than pure polyester, and may cost more. Therefore, products with an outer surface made of polycotton are relatively rare.

— Polyurethane. In sleeping bags, polyurethane is usually used as an external material in the form of a continuous film, often transparent. This material is quite durable and at the same time elastic; it tolerates low temperatures and temperature changes well. Howev...er, the main advantage of polyurethane shells is water resistance, which makes this option ideal for professional winter expedition sleeping bags that use down insulation (see below). But for less extreme situations this material is less suitable, because... It does not allow not only water to pass through, but also air - and in relatively warm weather, sleeping in a “non-breathable” sleeping bag can be very uncomfortable.

— Synthetic. Insulation based on synthetic fibers, usually polyester. The main advantage of this material is its resistance to moisture: when wet, it not only retains its strength but also continues to maintain most of its thermal insulation properties, and drying such a sleeping bag is easy — when hung, most of the water drains off in the first few minutes. Additionally, synthetic materials do not cause allergies. On the other hand, the overall thermal insulation of such sleeping bags is somewhat lower than that of down, and prolonged storage in a compression sack further reduces it due to fiber compression. Modern sleeping bags may use short and long synthetic fibers; the first option generally has better characteristics, while the second is significantly cheaper.

— Down. Natural duck or goose down is mainly used in premium-class sleeping bags. With smaller dimensions and weight than synthetic materials, this material has significantly better thermal insulation. On the other hand, down is very sensitive to moisture, losing its insulating properties when wet and drying quite slowly. Therefore, many down bags have special water-repellent coatings and/or come with synthetic waterproof covers. The prices of such sleeping bags are noticeably higher than synthetic ones. Overall, down bags are considered suitable primarily for winter hikes and mountain climbing. It is also worth noting that people prone t...o allergies should use this material with caution.

— Combined. This category includes sleeping bags based on high-quality synthetic materials designed to replace down (see above). Such materials are comparable to down in terms of insulation, lightness, and compactness, while lacking the main drawback — sensitivity to moisture: they do not absorb water and dry significantly faster. However, the price of such sleeping bags is accordingly higher.

— Cotton. Sleeping bags with cotton filling provide comfort and good thermoregulation due to the natural properties of the material. Cotton is soft, hypoallergenic, and pleasant to the skin, making these bags suitable for people with sensitive skin. However, cotton filling is less effective at retaining heat compared to synthetic materials and dries slowly when wet, making it less practical for hiking in damp or cold weather. These bags are more suitable for camping in dry and moderate climates.

Dimensions of the sleeping bag when unfolded. Although the designation of sizes includes the traditional three numbers, in the case of sleeping bags there is a peculiarity: these numbers do not indicate length, width and height (depth, thickness), but length, width at the shoulders and width at the legs. For example, the designation 220x80x50 means 220 cm in length, 80 cm in width at the shoulders and 50 cm in width at the legs (for more information about sleeping bags with different widths, see “Type”).

It is believed that the optimal sleeping bag sizes are:

- Length - 15-20 cm more than a person’s height (for sleeping bags with a hood) or his height to the shoulders (for sleeping bags without a hood).
— The width at the shoulders is such that the sleeping bag fits tightly and at the same time does not interfere with movement.
— The width in the legs (for cocoons, see “Type”) is such that you can slightly bend your legs without tension on the fabric of the sleeping bag (otherwise heat loss is possible, and it will wear out more).

Note that these requirements apply primarily to sleeping bags intended for use in cold weather. If you are purchasing a sleeping bag for summer trips, the width requirements are not so critical - the main thing is that it does not feel cramped and the length matches.

Of course, when folded, the sleeping bag takes up significantly less space - see “Dimensions (folded)”.

The dimensions of the sleeping bag when folded, when packed in a complete cover; if this cover is made in the form of a compression bag(see "Equipment"), then the dimensions are indicated with the compression straps tightened to the maximum.

Other things being equal, the smaller the size of the sleeping bag, the more convenient it is in storage and transportation. At the same time, more compact models are usually more expensive.