Sleeping Bags

[Victor Benz]

We have always used sleeping bags in our trailer for convenience. I have been a 4-season tenter since childhood, and always had numerous bags to choose from. Lately, I'm not that interested in tenting, and my numerous bags were given away. I found a multi-layer rectangular bag design at Costco some years ago, and bought three of them. Best thing I have ever found. I just searched the Costco site, and then googled it and could not find an equivalent.

The bag is essentially three bags, one inside the other. You choose which layer to sleep in, how many above, how many below. Since it is a rectangular bag, two can be zipped together for a double bag. The design still allows the flexibility of different layers on different sides!

It is a bit bulky with lots of zippers, but it works like a charm for the spring/summer/fall camping we have done with our trailer.

Vic

[keekers]

I use a 0 degree bag in the trailer or for car/tent camping. Not made for backpacking, but sure is warm. In the camper, it is used more like a comforter. Bag is made by Wiggy's here in GJT. They make stuff for the military.

[deryk]

My mummy bag is from Wiggy's too! Its about 15 years old and still holding up like new! Did my last winter camping in a tent 3 years ago...dropped to the teens and slept all comfy in it. I think about grabbin it from my storage place(read Parent's basement lol) that if my heater ever cut out when Im staying at my friends place in the middle of the night I could pull it out and go right back to sleep!

deryk

[Nancy]

Layers. whatever Vic found sounds ideal.

We sometimes only want the t shirt type sheet in the summer. Then I have a fleece throw for when I want a bit more than the sheet. Pull out the Norwegian Dyna (comforter) when the going gets tough. Have also used comforter type thing as insulation between head shoulders and wall. Put one of the dyna's under shoulders and up by the window as a block against the cold weather.

BTY, you might want to buy a roll of the 24 inch reflectix insulation at Menards. I just cut sizes to fit between the window curtain and below. Put a piece of Velcro at the bottom to hold it to the rat fur. Nice insulation for cold weather camping.

I'll be at our place in Proctor in a few days, if you want a partial roll of reflectix pm me and I will bring it over.

Nancy

[Cyndi B.]

Oh! I just got that, Doug.

[Rene]

I can see the attraction of sleeping bags especially if you have a 13 footer and you need to make and take down your bed every day. If you are running the furnace most bags should do the trick. If not a colder temp bag might be in order. Just avoid the mummy bags if your claustrophobic. Mummy bags are for backpackers. We use a very warm down duvet with sheets on our always set up bed.

[Jim Bennett]

Rene, good point about having a bed you need to convert to a dinette daily. I could see bags being advantageous there, for sure.

[RogerDat]

Sleeping bags designed for backpacking are often intended to be "stuffed" into the sack and will take up less storage space. My sub zero winter bag takes up less space than a lite weight summer comforter.

We have gone with both, our sleeping bags from tent camping and sheets and comforter. DW likes the sheets better since we leave the bed set up all the time and mummy bags don't really cover the bed.

I'm liking the idea mentioned of two square cut bags zipped together, one heavy and one lite. Would cover the bed better and could be rolled up if we wanted to use the table. With just two of us there should be room on the seats for us and the rolled up bags.

Now if I can just find those bags with an attractive design....

[David Tilston]

Because the seven of us must use both the van, and the trailer for sleeping, eating, and in the case of the van, getting around. We use sleeping bags, so that we can pack up quickly, and not take up much space.