Comparison Deuter Orbit -5 vs Pinguin Mistral 195

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.

Some manufacturers use their own criteria to designate this temperature; however, they predominantly use the accepted standard. According to it, the comfort temperature is the lowest ambient temperature at which a man in thermal underwear can comfortably sleep in a sleeping bag all night (a minimum of 8 hours) without waking from the cold, in a relaxed position. Naturally, actual comfort will depend on the individual's body and preparation.

Some manufacturers use their own criteria to define this temperature, but the generally accepted standard is predominantly used. According to this standard, the comfort limit temperature is the lowest ambient air temperature at which a man in thermal underwear can sleep in a sleeping bag all night (at least 8 hours) in a heat-conserving position (curled up in the "fetal position"), maintaining thermal balance. Naturally, in each individual case, comfort will also depend on the characteristics of the individual's body and the tourist's preparation.

Some manufacturers use their own criteria to designate this temperature, but predominantly, the common standard is used. According to it, the comfort temperature is the lowest ambient air temperature at which a woman in thermal underwear can sleep comfortably, without waking up from the cold, in a sleeping bag throughout the night (at least 8 hours) in a relaxed position. Of course, actual comfort will depend on the individual's body characteristics and specific person's preparation.

Some manufacturers use their own criteria to indicate this temperature, but the generally accepted standard is predominantly used. According to this standard, the comfort limit temperature is the lowest ambient air temperature at which a woman in thermal underwear can sleep in a sleeping bag for the entire night (at least 8 hours) in a heat-conserving position (curled up), maintaining thermal balance. Naturally, comfort will also depend on the individual characteristics of the organism and the preparation of the tourist in each specific case.

Extreme temperature of this sleeping bag.

Some manufacturers use their own criteria to designate this temperature, but predominantly a commonly accepted standard is used. According to it, the extreme temperature is the temperature at which a prepared female traveler with a sturdy build (height 160 cm, weight 60 kg) in thermal underwear can spend the night (at least 6 hours) in the sleeping bag in a heat-conserving position ("curled up") without the risk of hypothermia. These criteria are based on the considerations that a person's tolerance to cold depends on gender (women feel colder than men), body build (slim people are more sensitive to cold), and preparation. It should be noted here that if you are not accustomed to camping conditions, the extreme temperature should be considered as the lowest temperature at which the sleeping bag can be used without life risk. Comfort is not guaranteed, and there is a high chance of hypothermia; therefore, in such temperatures, not only quality thermal wear might be needed but also additional insulation.

- 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.

In addition to the standard elements of the sleeping bag design in the form of a hood(can also be removable), headrest, inner pocket, thermal zipper roller, drying loop and the ability to zip up, there may also be a light-accumulating loop, a compartment for a pillow, a warm collar, a fastener at the feet, a mosquito net, a compression bag.

— Hood. A classic hood that covers the head of a person in a sleeping bag. This detail provides additional thermal insulation: firstly, due to the fact that it protects the neck, the back of the head and most of the head from the cold, and secondly, due to the reduction of the space through which heat can escape from the sleeping bag.

— Removable hood. A type of hood (see above) with the ability to remove it at the user's discretion. This makes the sleeping bag more versatile: in warm weather, you can remove the hood so that it does not interfere, and when it gets cold, you can fasten it back, providing maximum protection from the cold.

— Headrest. A lining without the ability to...tighten around the head, used for more comfortable placement on the sleeping place and to reduce heat loss through the head on cool nights. Used in sleeping bags of the blanket type. Headrests for sleeping bags are often rectangular in shape and have an integrated pillow.

— Mosquito net. A protective net that covers the face of a person lying in a sleeping bag. Such a net holds back mosquitoes and other annoying insects, while at the same time air passes through it freely.

— Leg closure. A separate closure located in the leg area of the sleeping bag. In warm weather, this closure can be unzipped without opening the entire bag — this way, your legs won’t sweat in the sleeping bag, and the rest of your body will remain covered. The closure can be either a zipper or a drawstring.

— Zip-up capability. The ability to connect the sleeping bag to another bag (bags), creating a sleeping place for several people (usually for two, but in some models it is possible for more). This function will be useful in case of cold weather: it can be difficult to warm up in a sleeping bag alone, but several people in one bag additionally warm each other. When choosing, it is worth considering that sleeping bags from different manufacturers (and even different models from the same manufacturer) may differ in design and size of zippers. So if you are going to use this function, you should pay special attention to compatibility.

— Light-accumulating loop. A loop on the zipper puller that has an insert made of light-accumulating material. This material “charges” during daylight hours and glows itself in the dark. Thus, the fastener can be found even in complete darkness; this provides not only comfort, but also additional safety in case you need to quickly get out of your sleeping bag.

— Inner pocket. A pocket located on the inside of the sleeping bag. This compartment is convenient for storing documents and other small but valuable items: it is not easy to steal them from an inner pocket, and the likelihood of losing the contents while sleeping is reduced to almost zero.

— Pillow compartment. A special compartment in which you can place a pillow or its substitute (for example, a bag of spare clothes) without fear of damaging or stretching the sleeping bag itself.

— Insulated collar. An additional collar that tightly covers the neck of the person in the sleeping bag. This provides additional sealing and maximally blocks the access of outside air to the body and legs. In addition, the collar helps the head and neck warm up faster.

— Insulated zipper (fastener). A system of zipper insulation, usually in the form of a heat-insulating roller or strip along the entire fastener. The zipper is one of the weakest points of a sleeping bag in terms of thermal insulation, and therefore when choosing a sleeping bag for low temperatures (especially an expedition one, see "By Purpose"), it is worth paying attention to the presence of a thermal roller, preventing heat loss.

— Drying loops. Special loops that allow you to hang your sleeping bag to dry — on a rope or even on tree branches. Note that experienced tourists recommend “ventilating” your sleeping bag every morning, as moisture inevitably accumulates in it overnight; and in any case, a wet sleeping bag dries much faster when suspended than when lying on the ground.

— Compression bag. A bag-cover for storing and carrying a sleeping bag, equipped with compression straps. Such straps allow you to strongly compress the cover with the sleeping bag packed in it, maximally “squeeze out” the air from the inside and thus reduce the size of the package - this significantly simplifies transportation. However, we note that you cannot keep the sleeping bag compressed all the time; for long-term storage, the straps should be loosened.

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)”.