Choose your girl-sleeping-bag

Choosing a girl-sleeping-bag?

Whether it is a girl-sleeping-bag or a boy’s, the selection criteria are the same. Don’t guess either, make sure that you try them out and take your children with you to ensure the right fit

What is Fill Weight and Total Weight?

A sleeping bag usually has two associated weights, and you must distinguish between the two. There is the fill weight and there is the total weight. The total weight is the weight you carry on your back, a high total weight means extra load. Fill weight is also factored along with loft count, and this is all about the performance of the bag filling. The light weight sleeping bags have higher loft counts, which means better fill and more warmth

Your sleeping bag consists of an inner sack and an outer sack. In between those sacks is inserted the insulating fill. The fill is designed to trap and retain your own body heat within the various air pockets. Many low end and simpler bags have a cotton or polyester filling and they function well as insulators. For higher performance the choice is what is called a technical synthetic or a down filled bag. Whether you are buying an adults or girl-sleeping-bag, the selection rules are the same.

What is Synthetic Fill?

These comprise a nest of fibers that are bundled to entrain or trap static air. To increase the effectiveness the fibers are also hollow and this all adds up to weight reductions. Common synthetic fill fibers include Hollofill and Quallofill from DuPont. Another is Powerloft 3D which comprises a 4-hole hollow cored blend of spiral fibers that have a silicon finish to give a light weight and water resistant capability.

While they are not as efficient as down fills with respect to their weight they also tend to be bulkier to pack and also heavier and lose their loft a lot quicker. One large advantage is that they retain some insulation properties even when wet, whereas down ones do not. Whether you are buying an adults or girl-sleeping-bag, the selection rules are the same.

What is Down Fill?

Down is essentially the undercoating of a waterfowl, and are those soft feathers or plumules that sit under the birds main feathers. Goose down is usually preferred over duck feathers although performance is very similar. The best goose down comes from birds in cold climate areas. In any down fill there will be a mixture of pure down, down fibers, feathers, and good manufacturers will quote the down to feather percentage, but be aware there are no actual standards to conform to. Whether you are buying an adults or girl-sleeping-bag, the selection rules are the same.

Explain the Term Loft

The insulative value of any sleeping bags fill and the capacity to retain heat is indicated by what is called it’s loft. Loft is calculated by a one ounce quantity of the fill material being allowed to expand naturally. The volume of space that the one ounce of material occupies (measured in cubic inches) is directly related to the loft rating. For example a sleeping bag with a loft count of 500 means that the one ounce of fill material is capable of expanding to 500 cubic inches. What does all this mean to you the bag buyer? If you compare the loft fill ratings between various bags one may have a higher number meaning a higher fill quality for the same overall weight.

What about Bag Shape?

There are a considerable variety of shapes and you must be careful about choosing just because the shape looks cool or fashionable. What are the choices? There is the rectangular, the mummy and the tapered rectangular. The hood shape or design also affects the overall shape appearance. Whether you are buying an adults or girl-sleeping-bag, the selection rules are the same

The rectangular sleeping bag will have zippers down the sides and at the feet and this allows it to be opened up completely to make a blanket. Comfort is generally a more important primary consideration than warmth. Some rectangular bags also can be zipped together to form a double bag and your partner may be the best source of heat.

The mummy shaped bag are specifically designed to trap the maximum amount of body heat within the fill. This is maximized as the bag is figure and body hugging. They tend to very efficient and also lighter in weight making them very popular. Whether you are buying an adults or girl-sleeping-bag, the selection rules are the same

The tapered rectangular sleeping bag is a hybrid compromise bag having improved warmth with lower overall weights.

What about Bag Size?

Don’t guess, make sure you try out a bag for size before you buy it. You need to see that your feet don’t touch the bottom of the sleeping bag. You also need to verify that you have enough knee and foot room, and also the shoulders.

If a bag is too tight and constrictive the insulating fill may not loft properly so be less efficient. There are many sizes to choose from, some to specifically suit women and girls. Whether you are buying an adults or girl-sleeping-bag, the selection rules are the same.