Sleeping bag
From KayakWiki
Camping equipment normally includes a nice warm sleeping bag.
One term used to discuss sleeping bags is loft. Loft is a measure of the thickness of the insulation when it is allowed to expand. The best sleeping bags have high loft for the weight and compressed size.
Sleeping bags for couples
If you are a couple, you can get matching sleeping bags that zip together into one. However, that wastes volume in the kayak. It is possible to use a single sleeping bag for two people - that saves space when packing gear in the kayaks. Get two Thermarest or similar pads - the wider ones are best for this - and join them together with a "couple kit". The latter is a set of straps that hold the pads together so they act as a single mattress. Make a fitted sheet for the pad pair out of a light, quick-dry fabric. Use a rectangular bag over the two of you as a comforter. You can also use a rectangular sleeping bag liner as a top sheet.
[edit] Fills
Sleeping bags fall into two basic categories:
- Down fill. A Down filled bag is comfortable, soft, warm and very compact but totally useless if it gets wet. A wet Down bag will make you colder than no bag at all.
- Synthetic fill bags vary but are generally a little bulkier than Down and do somewhat better when they get wet.
[edit] Shapes
- Mummy bags compress into a smaller space, but can be too confining for those who like to spread out when sleeping.
- Rectangular bags are a tad less efficient, but allow you to move around. For mild weather camping, a rectangular bag is fine.
- Barrel bags are similar to rectangular but are widest in the torso and narrower at the foot and neck. Some have hoods like mummy bags.
- Taper bags are similar to rectangular but are widest at the top and narrower at the foot. Some have hoods like mummy bags.
Always carry it in a dry bag. Consider getting a compression dry bag for a sleeping bag - these allow you to easily maximize the compression of the bag.
[edit] Storage
Between trips, store your sleeping bag in a loose, breathable stuff sack. Keeping it compressed will permanently reduce the loft.
