Comparison Terra Incognita Pharaon Evo 200 vs Deuter Dream Lite 500

Since a sleeping bag is a travel outfit, its weight can be one of the key characteristics. Two points should be taken into account here: firstly, more insulation usually requires more material and increases weight, and secondly, warm models with low weight are much more expensive than heavier options with the same temperature characteristics.

Also, when choosing a sleeping bag, you should decide what exactly you are buying it for. If we are talking about picnics, festivals and other simple trips to nature without long walks, or if you plan to carry equipment by car, you can not pay much attention to weight, focus on other characteristics. If you plan to go on long hiking or cycling trips, you should choose a model with a minimum weight.

As for specific numbers, most modern sleeping bags are in the range of 1.1 – 1.5 kg or 1.6 – 2 kg, although there are quite a few ultra-light models — 1 kg or less. An indicator of 2.1 – 2.5 kg is already considered quite significant, and a weight of 2.6 – 3 kg or more is found mainly in two types of sleeping bags: separate expeditionary models with a high degree of insulation, as well as double products.

The highest ambient temperature at which a person can comfortably spend the night in a sleeping bag without excessive sweating and overheating of the body. The parameter is indicated for conditions when the hood and zipper of the sleeping bag remain open, and the hands of the sleeper are outside the sleeping bag.

The comfort limit temperature of this sleeping bag.

Some manufacturers use their own criteria for specifying this temperature, but EN13537 is considered the generally accepted standard. According to him, t of the comfort limit is the lowest ambient temperature at which a man in thermal underwear can comfortably sleep in a sleeping bag all night (at least 8 hours) in a heat-saving position (curling up) without waking up from the cold. Such criteria are used taking into account the fact that men are less likely to get cold during sleep than women, and the acceptable temperature for them is slightly lower. Of course, in each individual case, comfort will also depend on the characteristics of the body and the preparation of the tourist. However, in general, the general rule is: if the sleeping bag is used by a man, then the minimum temperature at the place of lodging should ideally be between comfort t and comfort limit t; for a woman, a few degrees must be added to the comfort limit t, and it is best to focus on comfort t (see above).

This indicator is quite closely related to seasonality. So, for winter use, t of the comfort limit should be less than -4 ... 0 °C ; in the warmest models, it can be very low, -15 °C and below. In purely summer and even spring/autumn models, there are values of +10 °C and even higher, however, if you are afraid of sudden col...d snaps at night, it is advisable to choose sleeping bags with indicators of at least +6..10 °С, and preferably +1...5 °C(especially for the off-season).

The comfort temperature of this sleeping bag.

Some manufacturers use their own criteria for specifying this temperature, but EN13537 is considered the generally accepted standard. According to this standard, comfort t is the lowest ambient temperature at which a woman in thermal underwear can comfortably sleep in a sleeping bag all night (at least 8 hours) in a relaxed position without waking up from the cold. This definition is taken from the considerations that women are more likely to get cold during sleep than men. Of course, the actual comfort will depend on the characteristics of the body and the preparation of a particular person. However, most likely, at ambient temperatures at the level of comfort t and above, it will be comfortable (or even hot) in a sleeping bag for any user, regardless of gender. For details on temperature selection features, see "comfort limit t" below.

Specific values of t comfort in modern sleeping bags can often be -5 ..-9 °C, or even lower, however, there are also models for hot weather — + 10 ... 15 °C and even higher. At the same time, we note that seasonality and the possibility of winter use are not strictly related to this indicator: in particular, winter models can have a comfort t of +15 °С, or even +20 °С.

Extreme temperature of this sleeping bag.

Some manufacturers use their own criteria for specifying this temperature, but EN13537 is considered the generally accepted standard. According to him, the extreme temperature is the temperature at which a well-trained female tourist of a dense physique (height 160 cm, weight 60 kg) in thermal underwear can spend the night (at least 6 hours) in a sleeping bag in a heat-saving position (“kalachik”) without the risk of hypothermia. Such criteria are taken from the considerations that a person's resistance to cold depends on gender (women are colder than men), physique (thin people are more sensitive to cold) and training. It is worth noting here that if you are not used to hiking conditions, then the extreme temperature should be considered as the lowest temperature at which you can spend the night in a sleeping bag without risking your life. At the same time, there is no question of comfort, in addition, there is a high probability of hypothermia; so at such temperatures, not only high-quality thermal underwear, but also additional insulation may be required.

- Polyester. Synthetic material with good strength, resistant to temperature changes, high humidity and ultraviolet radiation, and easy to clean. Thanks to all this, polyester is extremely popular in outdoor gear. It costs slightly more than another common material - nylon - but this is compensated by some advantages: in particular, polyester does not stretch when wet.

- Nylon. Another synthetic material popular in modern sleeping bags. Most varieties of nylon are cheaper than polyester, but are less resistant to UV radiation and tend to stretch when wet. However, this material is found even in high-end expeditionary equipment - in such models the mentioned disadvantages are compensated for by various tricks (for example, special additives or increased thickness of nylon fiber).

- Polycotton. A blended material that combines cotton and synthetic fiber, usually polyester. One of the advantages of polycotton is considered to be good air permeability, which allows the sleeping bag to “breathe”. On the other hand, such fabric is somewhat less durable and reliable than pure polyester, and may cost more. Therefore, products with an outer surface made of polycotton are relatively rare.

— Polyurethane. In sleeping bags, polyurethane is usually used as an external material in the form of a continuous film, often transparent. This material is quite durable and at the same time elastic; it tolerates low temperatures and temperature changes well. Howev...er, the main advantage of polyurethane shells is water resistance, which makes this option ideal for professional winter expedition sleeping bags that use down insulation (see below). But for less extreme situations this material is less suitable, because... It does not allow not only water to pass through, but also air - and in relatively warm weather, sleeping in a “non-breathable” sleeping bag can be very uncomfortable.

— Polyester. Synthetic material. The advantages of polyester are good water-repellent properties, strength and durability. On the other hand, it, like many synthetic materials, is not very pleasant to the touch and can cause some discomfort, especially in warm weather, when you can sleep in one underwear.

— Flannel. Natural fabric of cotton or wool type. It is pleasant to the touch and quite versatile: it is well suited for both warm and even hot weather (due to naturalness), and for cold weather (it saves heat well). The disadvantages of flannel are the tendency to wear (the appearance of "pellets") with prolonged use, as well as high hygroscopicity — the fabric absorbs moisture well and dries for a long time.

— Cotton. Cotton, like flannel, belongs to natural materials and is well suited for use in hot weather, however, the thermal insulation of such an “insider” is significantly lower. Among the other advantages of cotton, it is worth noting strength, resistance to water, temperature extremes and light (although it may turn yellow in the light); of the shortcomings is hygroscopicity (although less than that of flannel).

— Polycotton. Combined material based on a combination of polyester and cotton in varying proportions. Designed to combine the advantages of both materials. Polycotton is strong, durable,...has good water repellency while being nicer to the touch than pure polyester and is better for use in hot weather.

— Fleece. Synthetic material, widely used for the manufacture of warm clothing. It has the appropriate characteristics, in particular it is light, retains heat well, including in a wet state; passes the evaporated moisture ("breathes"), does not accumulate it and dries quickly. At the same time, fleece is somewhat less durable than the rest of the synthetics, and also catches fire easily, therefore it requires some caution in the presence of fires and other sources of fire nearby.

— Nylon. A synthetic material similar in most properties to polyester (see above), but somewhat less durable and resistant to moisture (tends to stretch when wet). It is used mainly in inexpensive models of sleeping bags.

The number of individual layers of insulation provided in the sleeping bag. The multi-layer construction significantly improves the "warming" characteristics of the sleeping bag — firstly, due to additional layers of air between the layers of the filler, and secondly, by overlapping the seam of one layer with another layer. For summer sleeping bags (see "Seasonality"), 1-2 layers are considered sufficient, in autumn-spring they are usually 2-3, and in winter — at least 3 layers.

It is worth noting that the number of layers is usually indicated for a synthetic filler (see "Insulation"); down insulation does not fit in layers.

In addition to the standard design elements of a sleeping bag in the form of a hood(can also be removable), a headrest, an inner pocket, bite protection, a thermal zipper roller, a drying loop and the possibility of fastening, there may also be a removable lining, a light-accumulating loop, a compartment under the pillow, a thermal collar, leg closure, mosquito net, compression bag.

- Hood. A classic hood that covers the head of a person in a sleeping bag. Such a detail provides additional thermal insulation: firstly, due to the fact that it covers the neck, the back of the head and most of the head from the cold, and secondly, by reducing the space through which heat can escape from the sleeping bag.

- Detachable hood. A kind of hood (see above) with the ability to remove it at the request of the user. This makes the sleeping bag more versatile: in warm weather, you can remove the hood so that it does not interfere, and when it gets cold, you can fasten it back..., providing maximum protection from the cold.

- Headrest. Lining without the possibility of tightening around the head, used for more comfortable placement in a sleeping place and reducing heat loss through the head on cool nights. It is used in sleeping bags like blankets. Sleeping bag headrests are often rectangular and have an integrated pillow.

- Removable lining. Lining - inner insulation layer - having a removable design. This feature expands the possibilities for using a sleeping bag: in warm weather, you can unfasten the insulation so that it is not so hot in the bag, besides, the removed lining can also be used separately, as a bedspread.

- Mosquito net. Protective mesh covering the face of a person lying in a sleeping bag. Such a mesh traps mosquitoes and other annoying insects, at the same time, air passes through it freely.

- Clasp in the legs. Separate fastener located in the leg area. In warm weather, such a fastener can be unfastened without opening the whole bag - thus, the legs will not sweat in the sleeping bag, and the rest of the body will remain covered. The role of the fastener can be performed by both a zipper and a tie. Moreover, the zipper is often made with two runners, thereby allowing you to create a ventilation hole for the legs in any part of the lower segment of the sleeping bag.

— Possibility of fastening. The ability to connect a sleeping bag with another bag (s), forming a sleeping place for several people (usually for two, but in some models more is possible). Such a function will be useful in case of a cold snap: it can be difficult to warm up alone in a sleeping bag, but several people in one bag additionally warm each other. When choosing, it should be borne in mind that sleeping bags from different manufacturers (and even different models from the same manufacturer) may vary in design and size of zippers. So if you are going to use this feature, you should pay special attention to compatibility.

- Light-accumulating loop. A loop on a zipper pawl with an insert made of light-accumulating material. This material "charges" during daylight hours, and in the dark - glows itself. Thus, the fastener can be found even in complete darkness; this provides not only comfort, but also additional protection in case you need to urgently get out of the sleeping bag.

- Inner pocket. Pocket located on the inside of the sleeping bag. It is convenient to store documents and other small but valuable things in such a compartment: it is not easy to steal them from an inner pocket, and the probability of losing the contents during sleep is reduced to almost zero.

- Pillow compartment. A special compartment in which you can place a pillow or its substitute (for example, a change of clothes bag) without fear of damaging or stretching the sleeping bag itself.

- Lightning bite protection. A device that reduces the likelihood of biting the fabric of the sleeping bag between the dog and the teeth of the zipper. Usually it looks like a tape made of dense material, additionally covering the zipper from the inside. Note that bite protection is not only about convenience - in extreme situations (like a fire or an avalanche), the ability to quickly unzip a sleeping bag can be a matter of life and death. Therefore, this function is very common in modern sleeping bags, and for expeditionary models (see "In the direction") it is actually mandatory.

- Thermal collar. An additional collar that tightly covers the neck of a person in a sleeping bag. This provides additional sealing and maximally blocks the access of outside air to the body and legs. In addition, the collar helps the head and neck warm up faster.

- Thermal zipper roller. A system of zipper insulation, usually in the form of a heat-insulating roller or strip along the entire fastener. The zipper is one of the weakest points of the sleeping bag in terms of thermal insulation, and therefore, when choosing a sleeping bag for low temperatures (especially an expeditionary one, see "Intended use"), you should pay attention to the presence of a thermal roller that prevents heat loss.

- Loops for drying. Special loops that allow you to hang the sleeping bag to dry - on a rope or even on tree branches. Note that experienced tourists recommend “ventilating” the sleeping bag every morning, as moisture inevitably accumulates in it during the night; well, in any case, in a suspended state, a wet sleeping bag dries out much faster than lying on the ground.

- Compression bag. Bag-case for storing and carrying a sleeping bag, equipped with compression straps. Such ties allow you to strongly compress the cover with the sleeping bag packed into it, “squeeze out” the air from the inside as much as possible and thus reduce the size of the package - this greatly simplifies transportation. However, we note that it is impossible to keep the sleeping bag compressed all the time; for long-term storage, the ties must be loosened.