My first season as a Ridgerunner on the Appalachian Trail in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park was incredible—but it started off cold. I quickly learned that staying warm enough to sleep well through the night was a challenge. Here’s a little something I discovered about choosing the right sleeping bag for cold weather…
At the time, I owned both down and synthetic women’s sleeping bags rated to 15°F. They both kept me equally warm in moderately cold conditions. However, since I’m nearly the exact height of the bag’s length, they were both a fairly tight fit when I stretched out on my back. Add to that the reality of winter backpacking: every night, I had to stuff my sleeping bag with battery packs, electronics, a water filter, and my fuel canister to prevent them from freezing. All those cold, hard objects at my feet? They kept my feet cold all night. So, when I decided to take on another season as a long-season Ridgerunner, I figured it was time for an upgrade—because, well, sleeping is good!
Thinking I was being clever, I purchased a 0°F down men’s sleeping bag with extra length designed for someone 6’ tall (and of course, it was on sale—bonus!). Knowing that sleeping bags are temperature-rated differently for men and women (men’s bags are rated for “survival,” while women’s are rated for “comfort”), I assumed the extra warmth would make up for any difference. What I didn’t anticipate was how difficult it would be to warm all that extra space, especially around my feet. Even with a warm sleeping bag liner and ultralight down booties, my feet never fully warmed up, and I shivered all night!
AHA! A sleeping bag should fit snugly enough to eliminate unnecessary dead space (which is hard to heat up) but not so tight that it feels restrictive or claustrophobic. Who knew that a few extra inches at the bottom of a sleeping bag could mean the difference between a warm, cozy night and a night spent shivering? The moral of the story is that if you’re a naturally cold sleeper, the better your sleeping bag fits from top to bottom, the warmer you will be. Choose wisely, stay cozy, and happy trails!
