Comparison Trimm Balance 185 vs Pinguin Topas 185

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 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.

— 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.

— Synthetics. Insulation based on synthetic fibers, usually polyester. The main advantage of such a material is resistance to moisture: when wet, it not only does not lose strength, but even continues to retain most of the thermal insulation properties, and it is easy to dry such a sleeping bag — when hanging, most of the water drains from it in the first few minutes. In addition, synthetics do not cause allergies. On the other hand, in general, the thermal insulation of such sleeping bags is somewhat lower than that of downy ones, and during long-term storage in a compression bag, it is even more reduced due to the compaction of the fibers. Modern sleeping bags can use short and long synthetic fibers; The first option as a whole has better characteristics, the second one is much cheaper.

— Fluff. Natural duck or goose down is used mainly in premium sleeping bags. With smaller dimensions and weight than synthetics, this material has significantly better thermal insulation. On the other hand, down is very sensitive to moisture, it loses its insulating properties when wet, and dries for quite a long time. Therefore, many down bags have a special water-repellent coating and/or are equipped with synthetic waterproof covers. The prices of such sleeping bags are significantly higher than those of synthetic ones. In general, down bags are considered suitable primarily for winter hiking and mountain climbin...g. It is also worth noting that people prone to allergies should use such material with caution.

— Combined. This category includes sleeping bags made from high quality synthetic materials designed to replace down (see above). Such materials are comparable to down in terms of the degree of insulation, lightness and compactness, while devoid of the main drawback — sensitivity to moisture: they do not absorb water and are much easier to dry. However, the price of such sleeping bags is appropriate.

Dimensions of the sleeping bag when unfolded. Although the designation of sizes includes the traditional three numbers, in the case of sleeping bags there is a peculiarity: these numbers do not indicate length, width and height (depth, thickness), but length, width at the shoulders and width at the legs. For example, the designation 220x80x50 means 220 cm in length, 80 cm in width at the shoulders and 50 cm in width at the legs (for more information about sleeping bags with different widths, see “Type”).

It is believed that the optimal sleeping bag sizes are:

- Length - 15-20 cm more than a person’s height (for sleeping bags with a hood) or his height to the shoulders (for sleeping bags without a hood).
— The width at the shoulders is such that the sleeping bag fits tightly and at the same time does not interfere with movement.
— The width in the legs (for cocoons, see “Type”) is such that you can slightly bend your legs without tension on the fabric of the sleeping bag (otherwise heat loss is possible, and it will wear out more).

Note that these requirements apply primarily to sleeping bags intended for use in cold weather. If you are purchasing a sleeping bag for summer trips, the width requirements are not so critical - the main thing is that it does not feel cramped and the length matches.

Of course, when folded, the sleeping bag takes up significantly less space - see “Dimensions (folded)”.

The height of the person for whom the sleeping bag is designed. For more information on choosing the correct size of a sleeping bag, see the paragraph "Length".

The dimensions of the sleeping bag when folded, when packed in a complete cover; if this cover is made in the form of a compression bag(see "Equipment"), then the dimensions are indicated with the compression straps tightened to the maximum.

Other things being equal, the smaller the size of the sleeping bag, the more convenient it is in storage and transportation. At the same time, more compact models are usually more expensive.