A sleeping bag is one of the most important equipment purchases a camper will make. Everything looks better the next day if you get a good night’s sleep and of course your sleeping bag should make a difference.

There are many choices when it comes to sleeping bags. The type of bag you need depends on what type of camping you are going to be doing. You can have more than one bag if you like to do backpacking and also family style camping when weight is not much of an issue.

Sleeping bags come in two basic shapes, mummy and rectangular. The best choice for you depends on your type of camping, and how much room you want to move around.

If you like to have room to move in your bag then you would more than likely want a rectangular bag. If you were into high tech, lightweight bags then you would be happier with a mummy style bag.

Also if space is a concern then the mummy bag would be your choice.

With both styles of bag, you want to make sure that it is long enough and has the proper temperature rating.

Temperature rating is very important to your safety as well as comfort. If the rating on the bag does not meet your temperature requirements then you could find yourself in serious trouble, your metabolism slows down when you are sleeping and you might not wake up in the same condition you went to sleep.

You can spend as much as you want on a sleeping bag but if it does not meet your needs then it is useless.

Do some research and make an educated choice, your sleeping bag is not the piece of equipment you want to buy on an impulse.

Always be adventurous, but always be safe!