- Camping equipment (1)
- Camping tips (1)
- Sleep (1)
April 18th, 2007
A friend recently called me, explaing that he’s been shopping around for a zero-degree sleeping bag and wasn’t exactly sure about the specific strengths and weaknesses of the various materials: goose down, hollofil, quallofil. Here’s how I see it:
When it’s dry, goose down is definitely an efficient insulating material. When it gets wet, however, it tends to lose that ability. The synthetic materials - hollofil, quallofil, and others - are similar products by different manufacturers and are reliable insulators, whether wet or dry. Pound for pound, I believe down has more insulating capabilities overall, but keep in mind where you are going and how wet it will be there.
A sleeping bag with 3 lbs of synthetic insulation is good for 25°-35° temperatures. For 0°, you’ll want an expedition bag with 4-5 lbs of insulation, a cotton or synthetic insert (kind of like an inner sleeve), and a waterproof shell for rain and/or condensation protection. Most important, get a good quality insulated sleeping pad that goes the whole length of your body, not the torso size. Be sure to also wear socks, pajamas, and a knit cap to bed. If you get warm, unzip the bag a little.
Filed under: Camping equipment, Sleep | - administrator @ 12:53 pm
March 30th, 2007
We understand. Sometimes after a long day of hiking and outdoor activities, capers have trouble getting restorative sleep. Either you have noisy neighbors, the highway is too loud, or maybe the birds got you up at 5am. Don’t worry; here are some tips for getting the rest you need during your camping/RV trip.
1) Try turning on an electric fan. They’re cheap and can be found at most major retailers (Wal Mart, target). If the fan vibrates or rattles on the floor or table, just put a towel under it. On colder nights, try facing the fan away from you so you won’t get too chilly. On warmer nights, it adds a nice breeze to keep you cool. In addition to maintaing climate control, the “humming” of the fan can help induce sleep.
2) Some campers have benefitted from sound machines or soothing cd’s The peaceful sound of birds in a rainforest or crashing ocean waves might do just the trick for blocking out the noise outside your tent or trailer.
Filed under: Camping tips | - administrator @ 3:28 pm