Backcountry Basics: Sleeping Pad & Bag Selection

          A quality night’s sleep is crucial when adventuring. Your sleeping pad and bag are two of the most important decisions to make before embarking. You’ll want to consider  the temperature ratings of your bag and the R-value of your sleeping  pad. This will determine how warm you’ll be when you sleep.

Choosing the right sleeping bag and pad can be one of the more challenging gear selection choices you make, but we are here to help break it down a bit.

Sleeping Bags

Temperature Ratings

There are three different types of temperature rating for sleeping bags: 

• Comfort 
• Limit/Lower Limit 
• Survivability 

For the most comfortable experience, match the forecasted temperatures with the ‘Comfort’ temperature rating on a sleeping bag. Manufacturers list their bag’s comfort temperature rating on the original packaging. If you cannot find it or have thrown out the original packaging, check the tags or inside collar of the sleeping bag. Listed you will find the Comfort and Limit temperature rating. 

There are also two different standards for temperature ratings, ISO and EN. As for the differing standards, ISO and EN are generally so similar that it does not make much difference.

Temperature Ratings Pro-Tip: Know yourself. If you are generally a cold person or cold sleeper, get something a little warmer.  

 

Bag Shape

Sleeping bags come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The ‘mummy’ shaped bag is very common, as they are the most efficient way to stay warm in a sleeping bag. Manufacturers have created a wide variety of bags that are ‘other’ shapes that are more spacious and allow you to move around more freely.  I recommend a spoon shape if you’re a side sleeper or roll around at night!

Remember, if you are over 6 ft. for men and 5 ft. 6 in. for women, look for a long over a regular sized bag. Long bags are generally labeled on the packing with an ‘L.’ Women over 5 ft. 10 in. can consider getting a men’s bag for added length.

Quilts are another great option. Picture a sleeping bag with the back cut out. Most backpacking style quilts will come with a foot box to help keep feet warm on colder nights. Often overlooked, quilts can be warm but also versatile, lightweight, packable, and great for hammock camping. 

 

Bag Insulation

Lastly, you will also want to consider down vs. synthetic insulation for your sleeping bag. Down is lighter and more packable, but can be a nightmare if it gets wet. Synthetics perform better when wet and can be easier to dry out, but are often bulkier and heavier. It’s important to note that over the years, down has improved at staying dry and synthetics have become lighter and more packable. 

 

Sleeping Pads

Remember all those sleeping bag temperature ratings I just mentioned? Those ratings are all based on the assumption that you will be using a sleeping pad! 

 

R-Values of Sleeping Pads

Sleeping pads and R-values might sound complicated, but higher R-values will simply offer you more insulation from the ground. R-values ranging from 1 to 7 with 7 being the most insulated. The main job of a sleeping pad is to keep you warm, adding comfortability is just a bonus. Check out this graphic for a deeper understand of R-values: 

 

Pad Shapes

Like sleeping bags, sleeping pads are available in a variety of shapes and sizes. A standard pad will be 20 inches wide. If you prefer to use a long sleeping bag, match it with a long/wide sleeping pad. A long/wide pad will be an additional 5 inches wider from a standard pad. I recommend getting a wide pad, those extra 5 inches will certainly be a luxury when adventuring.

 

Pad Materials

Sleeping pads can vary greatly but generally will fall into three categories: 

• Foam
• Self-inflating
• Inflatable 

Foam pads are usually constructed with a closed cell foam. What they lack in luxury, they make up for in durability. Foam pads also tend to be the most affordable option. Self-inflating pads are made with an outer face fabric that is filled with an open cell foam, as the open cell foam expands it will draw air into the sleeping pad. These pads still usually need a few puffs of air to fully inflate, but they tend to offer pretty good R-values and are generally more comfortable than foam pads. 

Inflatable pads will generally not have any foam in them, but will generally have insulating layers and reflective heat technologies to decrease heat loss. Today’s inflatable pads have much better R–values than early inflatable options. Improved materials and construction make them more durable and reliable. These improvements have also reduced inflatable pads weight and bulk over the years, making them a great option for backpacking. 

 

Choosing The Right Sleep System

There are a lot of options when it comes to choosing a sleeping pad. They can get expensive, but even having a basic foam pad can really improve the quality of your next trip.  Maybe you can even use your foam pad from 10 years ago under your new inflatable because you are camping on snow. Doubling up is a great way to increase your R-value in the cold. There are a lot of versatile options that will work  great in a variety of situations. Just be sure to find a sleeping bag and pad that are comfortable enough to get a good night’s sleep on your next adventure.  

Pro Tip: If you are adventuring with a large group, consider bringing ear plugs. They may become an essential component of your sleep system. 

 

 

Meet the Author: Trystyn Molitor

Trystyn graduated from the University of Montana with degrees in Recreation Management, Resource Conservation, and Geographical Information Systems. A backpacker for over 20 years, he has hiked and explored some of the most remote places in the country. Trystyn also spent a number of years working for the United States Forest Service as a Wilderness Ranger.