Sleeping bag-cocoon: the device, how to select the pros

Sleeping bag - camping equipment designed for sleeping during campaigns. The market offers two types of sleeping bags, blankets and cocoon. The main difference between them is in the form of a bag and heat retention.

Cocoon - a sleeping bag, repeating the anatomical structure of the human, is sewed in form of a trapeze - wide up with a narrowed bottom. This outfit sleeping snugly fits the human body, and there is no space inside the bag, resulting in better retain heat.

Apparatus sleeping-bag cocoon

It consists of three material layers:

• external;
• insulation;
• interior.

cocoon design provides presence bottoms, hood and insulated gate around the shoulders, inner pocket, mosquito nets for the face (not for each model) and accessories.

The outer layer in the sleeping bag cocoon

The material for the outer layer of the cocoon-sleeping bag should have the following characteristics:

• moisture resistance;
• strength;
• durability;
• breathability.

Producers of sleeping bags for sewing the outer layer of modern materials now used more often - nylon and polyester. Nylon is characterized by good breathability, polyester is more abrasion resistance.

Insulation in the sleeping bag-cocoon

In the construction of a sleeping bag cocoon-like heat-insulating layer used synthetic and natural insulation.

Tourist equipment on the market are cocoons with natural insulation of goose down. Quality goose down is directly related to the producing country. It is considered that geese fluff grown in the more severe environmental conditions, has superior insulating properties.

The advantage of sleeping bags with synthetic insulation - the availability and practicality.

By synthetic fillers include:

• sintepon - the nonwoven made of polyester fibers bonded by a thermal method. The popularity of this type of insulation due to a number of positive qualities of the material: easy, reasonable price. Less syntepon - material caking during operation and, consequently, lose initial thermal characteristics;
• hollofayber- a material made of thermobonded polyester fibers. It is characterized by a high degree of elasticity. Compared with synthetic padding is less subject to deformation, but at the same material cost 1.5-3 times higher;
• Thinsulate - heat insulation material is 75% of fine Dacron fibers, the remaining 25% - polypropylene. Characterized resistant insulating properties, strength, elasticity. Thinsulate negative - the high price;
• Fibertech - represents a composition of fine hollow polyester fibers are pre-treated with silicone and reinforced with polypropylene;
• Polarguard 3D - a non-woven material with excellent insulating properties and elasticity. When you compress it immediately regains its original shape. The disadvantage of this heater - large volume;
• Thermolite - a part of this type of insulation consists of three types of fibers. Each type is responsible for the specific material properties of one of elasticity, strength of the second, third affect the thermal insulation characteristics.

The inner layer of the sleeping-bag cocoon

The inner layer of the cocoon close contact with the human body, due to this factor requirements for material:

• softness;
• breathability;
• pleasant tactile sensations;
• hygiene.

The materials that manufacturers use to sew the inner layer include:

• fleece;
• nylon;
• cotton fabric;
• blended fabrics.

Each type of material characterized by both positive and negative sides. Fleece creates an additional layer of insulation, pleasant to touch, moisture-proof, but the disadvantage is the excessive amount of material.

Cotton fabrics are hygienic, causing a pleasant tactile feel, but absorbs moisture, a lot of weigh.

Nylon is lightweight, dries quickly, but the tactile qualities of the material inferior to other types of tissues. Common type of mixed fabrics acts polycotton. The mixture of cotton and polyester fibers gives the material strength, moisture resistance but the tissue is not at the highest level.

How to choose a sleeping bag-cocoon

The quality of sleeping bag depends on the manufacture and quality of tailoring materials. Signs of high quality bags are:

• straight lines with no breaks;
• through lack of quilted seams;
• loop to dry a sleeping bag;
• Reinforced tape along the zipper, which protects against ingress of moisture through the fixture;
• quality fittings;
• drawstring cord on the hood latch cocoon.

Options provides sleeping bags storage pouch. In the low-end models - a nylon bag, a sleeping-cocoons higher price category are equipped with a compression bag.

The advantage of the compression bag - saving space in your backpack. The bag is made into a cylindrical shape with slings sewn along the sides of the bag, when tightening sling bag acquires a spherical shape and reduced in volume up to two times.

The size and temperature range of sleeping bags, cocoons

On each bag indicates three temperature indicator:

• comfortable temperature - minimum ambient temperature at which the cocoon will provide comfortable conditions for uninterrupted sleep for 8 hours without the risk of freezing;
• temperatureMaximum - maximum temperature at which provide a comfortable sleeping environment for uninterrupted sleep for 8 hours without feeling excessive heat and excessive sweating;
• extreme temperatures - the lower temperature limit at which the average healthy person may be within the sleeping bag for 8 hours without the threat of hypothermia.

If you need to sleep to be in tourist tent, It is also worth considering when choosing a temperature indicator of your future sleeping bag.

Sleeping bags, based on the temperature conditions, is divided into three categories:

1. Summer - intended for use in hot days and nights, the temperature indicator comfort for sleeping in this category 5 degrees;
2. between seasons - used at room temperature, close to zero, and the extreme temperature is in the range of minus 17 - minus 2 degrees;
3. Winter - provide a comfortable environment for sleeping at subzero temperatures, a lower temperature limit (T_extrem) up to 50 degrees.

Depending on the parameters of sleeping-cocoons are classified as follows:

• Baby - sleeping width 71 cm, length 145 cm;
• Teenagers - width 73 cm, length 167 cm;
• Standard - sleeping size 73 to 190 cm;
• Enhanced - 84 to 198 cm or 96 to 205 cm.

Weight sleeping bag-cocoon depends on the type of insulation. Cheap sleeping bags weigh between 1.5-2 kg and ergonomic model mid-priced 1-1.5 kg.

Pros and cons of the sleeping bag-cocoon

Advantages of the sleeping bag-cocoon

When comparing the two types of sleeping bags - the cocoon and blankets - designed to the same temperature mode, the first superior with insulating properties (product warmer), and weight (and easier to cocoon compact).

The advantage of the model is a cocoon, and the presence of the hood, which protects the head of the tourist from hypothermia. Cocoon - a sustainable solution for the organization of tourist trips in the mountains or in the woods.

Disadvantages sleeping bag-cocoon:

• people who are used to sleeping in different poses, often turning over in his sleep, sleep is not comfortable in the bag-cocoon;
• the limited space in the legs.

Sleeping-blanket benefits in terms of space and functionality can optionally be used as a blanket for a picnic. A loss in its heat can be compensated by the presence of camping or tourist tent.

How to use

• tourist equipment Transport must be carried in a special pouch that was included with the bag. To avoid penetration of moisture into the cover during transport, experienced hikers recommended prior to packaging to place a sleeping bag in a sealed plastic bag or wrap with cling film;

Important: pack a sleeping bag fulfill buttoned state.

• Before going to bed and after sleeping cocoon ventilate, hanging on special loops provided for construction;
• When laying in a sleeping bag compression bag is not necessary to try to gently roll it promotes caking insulation. Stack cocoon need the most chaotic;
• It is not necessary to sleep in a sleeping bag in street clothes. Properly selected cocoon will provide comfortable conditions for rest. It is recommended to sleep in underwear or T-shirt, light pants and socks.

How to store a sleeping bag-cocoon?

After returning home, the cocoon should be well dried in the fresh air. Keep the equipment needed in the expanded form, preferably in limbo. Storage room for a sleeping bag-cocoon needs to be ventilated. Do not store a sleeping bag in a room with high humidity.

How to wash a sleeping bag-cocoon?

Bad idea to chitska bag a vacuum cleaner with a brush. Wash sleeping bag-cocoon in the washing machine is not recommended.

If you need laundry still there, then follow these rules:

• used for washing machine front-loading;
• distribute the cocoon in the drum;
• use the "delicate wash" mode (here You can read about the washing machine operating modes);
• water temperature to 30 degrees;
• pressing bag at low revs. Information on the spin cycle is in the this article.

Handwash:

• soak;
• water temperature for washing sleeping no more than 35 degrees;
• washing powder to use a third part of the standard dose (preferably liquid), do not use fabric softener;
• at the end of the wash overcome, without twisting;
• dry thoroughly.

Drying cocoon sleeping-bag

Drying bag is best done outdoors in sunny weather. Should not be used for this towel or radiators.

For drying of tourist equipment, you can use the automatic dryer.

Basic Rules:

• drain off excess fluid in a natural way;
• put in the dryer drum;
• drying at low speed at low temperature;
• to avoid the collapse of a heater, put the drum pair of tennis balls.

When transferring a wet sleeping bag to the place of drying required extreme care as under its own weight can be torn seams or internal partitions.

Repairs

Common problems that can confront a tourist during the operation of the bag-cocoon:

• breakthrough fabrics;
• lightning damage.

Patch a hole in the sleeping bag can be using an elastic adhesive. To repair a model with synthetic heater in addition to the adhesive need to shred the fabric of synthetics, for the repair of the cocoon with down filling - puhoderzhaschey piece of fabric.

If the zipper sleeping bag-cocoon out of service to repair the bag can be attributed to the studio. If the problem happened in the field conditions, then zip over the edge was sutured in place breakage, using the sleeping bag up to the moment you return home. Opening it is possible in this case only to the wired portion.