Down Sleeping Bags
A Rectangular Down Sleeping Bag is a great choice.
A Rectangular Down Sleeping Bag is a great choice if you want maximum comfort and the lightest possible weight for hiking or camping.
When choosing a sleeping bag you need to make a choice between the two types of fill available. The choice is between Synthetic or Down fill and both have advantages, and disadvantages, but when it comes to warmth per lb (or kg) of weight then the Down Sleeping bag filling wins hands down.
When it comes to hiking or trail walking or even more importantly mountain climbing weight becomes all important and using a down filled sleeping bag is a sure way to ensure comfort and warmth without adding weight to your backpack.
The rectangular down sleeping bag is very much lighter than any other form of rectangular sleeping bag and if you prefer this style and shape over the mummy form of sleeping bag you will benefit by not having to lug the extra weight around. The other benefit of down sleeping bags is the compressibility of the down makes for space saving so not only is your backpack lighter but it is also less bulky and cumbersome.
Because the Rectangular Down Sleeping Bag is easier to roll up and stash away in its stash sack you are also making sure that minimum time is spent preparing for each days climb or hike.
Rectangular Down Sleeping Bag often preferred.
The rectangular shape is often preferred because it gives you that little extra room to move around and therefore is most comfortable.
The “fill” of a sleeping bag works by trapping little pockets of air in a way which doesn’t let convection currents spread the heat around. So each tiny pocket of air is warmed by the body and only slowly leaks that heat to the next pocket of air.
The ability of down to trap thousands of times more air pockets with almost no weight is what allows arctic and Antarctic living birds to survive. No man made material has yet come close to being able to match the insulating properties of high quality down.
Being able to sleep to recharge your energy and get through the night is a requirement of survival in harsh environments and being warm is critical to a good nights sleep.
The other ability that makes down sleeping bag fill superior to man made fiber fill is down’s compressibility. Compressibility is important because it means that you can fit more into your backpack; more food more clothing, more water, all the vital survival things.
Two disadvantages of Rectangular Down Sleeping Bag
While the Rectangular Down Bag has the advantages of light weight superior warmth and room to move they do have two perceived disadvantages. Firstly they may seem more expensive than bags with than synthetic fill but I believe that over the life of the bag there really isn’t much difference in price, a down filled bag may cost twice or three times as much initially but I still have down filled bags which are over 20 years old and still as warm and comfortable as the day I bought them.
Secondly, there can be a problem when a down bag gets wet, that the down clumps together and doesn’t work as it should, (all those tiny air pockets tend to fill with water), but no sleeping bag works well when wet and whilst it is easier to dry out a synthetic filled bag the solution is in prevention of the bag getting wet in the first place.
In over 20 years of hiking and camping I’ve only twice had a situation where my Rectangular Down Sleeping Bag has gotten so wet that it was useless and in both cases it was because I didn’t think I’d really need the bag at all (warm climate – tropical downpour) and didn’t take the precautions I usually take- foolish me.
One thing you can do with a down bag is compress it incredibly and in its small size it is therefore easier to protect from the water far easier than a synthetic filled bag. (try carrying a synthetic filled bag on a scuba caving expedition).
The choice is simple weight and warmth choose the Rectangular Down Sleeping Bag, price and quality I’d still choose the down bag over any other. Wet water rafting, scuba caving, sea kayaking again, because I can compress the bag and stash it in a small waterproof container, a rectangular down sleeping bag again.