Size of sleeping bag

Posted by: HeikeDog

Size of sleeping bag - 01/01/12 07:50 PM

OK ... I didn't realize sleeping bags came in sizes. The sleeping bags we have say Slumberjack 15 on the outside and are mummy in design. I don't know how long they are, but I suspect 6 feet. At 5'4" and being slender, I had plenty of room, even to bend up one leg and sort of sleep half on my side, half on my stomach with the bag fully zipped. I don't move much in my sleep either. Bag is fine for me. My 6' 16yo son, however, was too long for the same-size bag and couldn't get it zipped over his shoulders. He got cold at night because his arms and shoulders were out of the bag, and he couldn't take advantage of the "mummy" configuration around his head. T rolls a lot in his sleep, too. Do bags come in length and breadth sizes? T is average in breadth -- not skinny and not heavily muscled or fat. Is a mummy bag even a good choice for an active sleeper?
Posted by: wandering_daisy

Re: Size of sleeping bag - 01/01/12 08:06 PM

Bags come in short, regular and long. Be aware that each manufacturer has a different length to these. In the last few years women-specific bags are available. They fit better for most women and have the down filling distributed differently - more in the hip area. As for width, each model is slighly different. Some are cut wide for those who like more room. The narrow cut bags are generally meant for climbers who need to minimize the size of the bag. You can look up the width (called girth) if you google the bags on the internet. Girth is usually given in three locations - top, middle (hip) and foot. The only way you can really know if a bag fits, is to get in it at a store.
Posted by: oldranger

Re: Size of sleeping bag - 01/01/12 08:10 PM

Your first attempts at sleeping in a mummy can be awkward. With a little experience, you will be more comfortable. The greater efficiency (warmth vs weight) makes it all worthwhile. Do get a bag that is adequate size.
Posted by: Glenn

Re: Size of sleeping bag - 01/01/12 08:49 PM

Your son's bag clearly didn't fit - width (girth) or length, or both, were the problem. When you buy a bag in a store, always crawl into it, zip it up, cinch the hood, and make sure it fits. (If the store won't let you do this, or the clerks and customers give you funny looks and pull the kiddies closer, you're probably shopping in the wrong store. smile )

If you order by mail, make sure they allow full-credit returns; then do the same fitting routine you'd do in a store.

As far as side-sleeping in a mummy bag, you don't turn inside the bag. Instead, lying on your back, scoot toward the edge of your pad, then roll you and the bag toward the center of the pad. This means you end up properly oriented in the bag, and you can simply bend your knees, taking the bag with them. It takes a little practice (again, in the store and/or living room), but it's really not too hard.