Do you like camping? Are you and your family planning for camping this coming winter? I’m pretty sure you didn’t leave the sleeping bag out of the preparations. It is your indispensable companion on the campground.
However, just using the item anyhow’ will not give you all the comfort you yearn for and I sob anytime my beloved readers miss out on what they should ordinarily enjoy.
Why Does the Sleeping Bag Keep You Warm
This is not a rhetorical question as I’ll reveal the theory behind this must-have piece of gear. Usually, people freeze out at night while camping due to excessive cold. This has led to the evolvement of sleeping bags; items that produce warmth for the body.
Interestingly, this item is being improved on with the latest technology. Recently, vapor stoppages, waterproof insulation and ultralight materials were added to the device to increase users’ experience.
The bag relies on the surrounding dead air to keep your body warm and also lower the heat loss. More specifically, this bag keeps you warm by transferring thermal energy between two objects of different temperatures which in turn creates thermal insulation.
Through the process of respiration, we lose 25% of heat while we are sleeping or resting while the remaining heat is lost through the body surface.
However, sleeping bags are reputed for slowing down this process by trapping the air between the environment and the body. So, the trapped air is rapidly heated through radiation, thereby causing warmth for the body.
In order to optimally enjoy your bag, pack it correctly and never compress the insulation.
How to Keep Your Feet Warm in the Sleeping Bag
I understand how the winter extremities affect your feet and being in camp seems to always complicate the problem. However, keeping your feet warm is very easy. I will share some practical steps with you:
In a blunt language, hot water bottle is the answer! Before bedtime, endeavor to boil water and pour it into a bottle (leakproof).
I use a plastic bottle but I’m pretty sure a metal bottle should work perfectly too. Then, tuck the bottle at the bottom of the bag. Apart from enjoying the warmth, your sleep that night will be superb! Check my must-have camping gear list
in order to see what kind of bottle I use and what else I carry with me in my backpack.
Also, always ensure the pad is very warm and very long to prevent your feet from hanging at the edges.
Alternatively, get a pair of warm wool socks while going to camp. Wear them at night and also keep at the edge of your sleeping bag for the sole purpose of sleep; this will prevent you from sullying them when the trail socks become wet.
How to Keep your Face Warm in the Sleeping Bag
I will share some practical tips I’ve always used in overcoming cold at camp. Just read on and see the salvation of a sleeping bag.
First, don’t breathe inside your bag; always breathe out. Get a thick ski mask to cover your face and only leave out the portion of your nose you breathe with and mouth.
Always try to air out the bed consistently. Over time, it has been discovered that the moisture in the bag reduces its efficiency.
You can get a hat to wear at night and then tuck your head into the bag. If you still feel some cold, don’t allow your neck gaiter to lie useless; wear it. In addition, eat the right food and hydrate properly before bedtime so as to keep you warm.
Many of my friends do use towel or scarf to cover their faces and so far, the result has always been fantastic. So, try out one of these few tips and return to appreciate me for sharing such an invaluable piece of information with you.
Is It Warmer to Sleep With Clothes On or Off in a Sleeping Bag
Have you ever been cut up in a heated argument over which is better in sleeping during camping – naked or with clothes? If not, you can only imagine it! I don’t argue over such issues because I’ve tried out both on several occasions and I know which is better.
It is a mere myth that sleeping naked will keep you warmer. Although I understand that there are many reasons for you to easily buy into this unfounded philosophy – such as damp and wet clothes have to be taken off before entering your sleeping bag — don’t you think that’s just a matter of common sense?
Never wear damp clothes at bedtime if you don’t want to risk sleeping in an ice box!
However, it has been proven that when you layer up, it prevents heat loss. Just ensure there are air pockets on the clothes to trap the dead air whenever you layer up. This logicality will keep you warmer as it adds to the original warmth the sleeping bag is providing.
Let me conclude on this issue thus: sleeping naked doesn’t keep one warmer than when one layers up using dry clothes. However, if your clothes are wet, go for the naked option!
Is it Warmer to Sleep With Clothes On or Off With a Partner
Apparently, this is the last issue I’ll be exploring on this subject matter. More interestingly, the point I just explained is directly related to this. Although I said sleeping naked alone doesn’t keep you warmer but the case is different when it comes to two people!
Of what use is camping without one’s partner? Anytime you want to sleep with your partner in a bag, always do it with your clothes off in order to get warmer. Warmth is better transferred from one person to another when both parties are naked.
Surely, your next camping season is going to be a bang and you’ll use your sleeping bag in an entirely different way! The fun is yours. Once you can stick to every point that has been raised here, you have no worries.
Leave a Reply