WHAT SLEEPING BAG TO TAKE ON SKI TOURING?
Choosing ski touring equipment can be troublesome and challenging, especially for beginners. However, contrary to appearances, the answer to the question of which sleeping bag is best for ski touring is very simple. Two words, two parameters: lightweight and warm! That's all you need. But how do you find such a sleeping bag?
WHAT WILL YOU LEARN FROM THIS POST?
- Why it's worth taking a down sleeping bag for ski touring?
- Is a down sleeping bag suitable for sleeping in a snow hole?
- What should a ski touring sleeping bag be like?
IN SHORT
In the mountains during winter, nothing ensures a comfortable sleep like a down sleeping bag. A mummy bag filled with down with a loft between 700 and 900 cuin will allow you to recover energy during overnight rest in a tent or snow hole, and the lightness and compressibility of the down will guarantee that you can easily carry your ski touring backpack.
IF IT'S A SLEEPING BAG FOR SKI TOURING, THEN ONLY DOWN!
Filling with natural insulation provides an invaluable advantage over synthetic sleeping bags. This is due to the exceptional properties of duck and goose down. Not only does it insulate from the cold remarkably well, but it is also lightweight and compressible, which means it doesn't take up much space in a backpack. This is fantastic news for those who plan to tackle kilometers with all their equipment on their backs.
It doesn't take a lot of down to fulfill its task perfectly. It's not the quantity of insulation, but its quality that makes down such an effective insulator. The secret lies in its loftiness. The higher this parameter, the more still, warmed air can be trapped between individual down clusters. It is this air that is the true "insulator". However, without appropriately lofty filling, the sleeping bag would not be able to retain it. The loftiness of down is measured in cubic inches per ounce (cuin). For winter conditions, products with a loft of 700 cuin and above are best. Higher down loft combined with suitable outer fabrics also translates into better compressibility of the products.
WILL A DOWN SLEEPING BAG GET SOAKED DURING SKI TOURING?
Almost instinctively, we want to look for waterproof sleeping bags with membranes... Unfortunately, not everything is as obvious as it seems. Indeed, water inside the sleeping bag's chambers is not the best situation. Heating it up would consume tremendous amounts of energy. This water can enter the sleeping bag from the outside (dripping from the roof of a snow hole or condensing on the tent walls). The second source is our body, which releases up to half a liter of water through the skin overnight (yes, you read that right!). A membrane won't solve this problem because it can only breathe when physical conditions allow it: a significant difference in temperature and humidity between both sides of the fabric.
Sleeping bags without membranes perform much better on long expeditions. This is because water can evaporate freely from the inside of the sleeping bag. This solution has been tested in the most challenging conditions, from the North Pole and K2 to deep caves.
In the latter case, an interesting solution is used: simply put a thin synthetic sleeping bag over the down sleeping bag. This trick allows shifting the dew point and preventing the down sleeping bag from getting wet. If you're concerned about moisture, you can use this trick. However, it's also important to remember that while down insulation is hygroscopic, it also dries incredibly quickly only under the influence of body heat.
PAJAK'S SLEEPING BAGS FOR SKI TOURING
The most technologically advanced down sleeping bags available on the Polish market today are from the RADICAL line. They were created with both large and small expeditions in mind. Among them, you can find the warmest sleeping bag in the world - Radical 16H, which reportedly was too warm for Andrzej Bargiel in the Himalayas...! But don't worry, the RADICAL line also includes models like 10Z and 4Z, and others. They are all characterized by super-lofty 900 cuin down, ensuring maximum insulation, ultra-lightweight, and small packed size. Choose the model that will work best in the conditions in which you'll be camping. Just visit the pajaksport.pl website, where you'll find the appropriate temperature specifications for each model. The range is tested in rigorous laboratory tests, so there is no room for error.
When choosing a sleeping bag in which you plan to sleep in a tent or snow hole, also remember about important design details that will allow you to sleep safely and comfortably throughout the night. Features such as an adjustable hood, a full-length draft collar, or a thermal collar are an absolute must-have.
If you're planning to stay overnight in a warm shelter or cottage, consider the QUEST sleeping bag, which can also be used as a (two-person!) quilt when unfolded. It weighs 420 g, so you definitely won't strain yourself - especially if you share it with your other half.
Where can you find the perfect down sleeping bag? Of course, at pajaksport.pl!