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As in the case of tents, a sleeping bag constitutes a significant investmet. Good sleeping bags are expensive, and considering that they may last for many years, it is convenient to think about the issue before purchasing one. In order to use a sleeping bag in the best possible way, it is necessary to conceive it as a system composed by three elements: 1)- The sleeping bag itself. 2)- An isolating mat. 3)- A sleeping bag cover. The mat has a double function: in the first place, it increases your primitive comfort, and in the second place, it isolates you from the soil, so that there is less caloric transmission and you feel less cold. Bag covers are usually rainproof and breathable. The idea is to protect the sleeping bag from rain, snow, dew and environmental humidity, and also serves a similar function regarding the atmosphere. Usually made out of fabrics like Gore Tex, good covers can increase the overall effectiveness of you sleeping bag around 40%, but the bad news about them is that they can cost as much as the bag itself. Combining these three elements, you will obtain a top-quality kind of equipment which is at the same time, more versatile than one composed just by one piece of gear, because by putting on or taking off the cover, you will be able to prepare your bag to resist lower or higher temperatures, according to your needs at the moment You simply can't do that just by using a sleeping bag and what's more: the cover itself can be used as a convenience bag in survival situations, light camping and tropical regions. Indeed, another important factor to consider before purchasing a sleeping bag is the span of temperatures that you expect to encounter while you use it. It is not the same to sleep in Colombia as in Scandinavia. No piece of gear is suitable for all climates, and it would be of little use to purchase a top-quality sleeping bag if you can't use it due to the fact that it was not designed for the temperatures that you are facing at any particular moment. The idea of providing yourself with three elements instead of one is to minimize this problem and to increase both your flexibility and the capability of your sleeping system on cold or damp areas. In other words, it makes it possible to sleep in situations whe it would be extremely uncomfortable otherwise. Alas, you should also consider the kind of filling that you want to have in order to obtain a good sleeping bag. The filling is the key of the bag's functionality, and the best ones are duvet or geese feathers, and hollowfill, which is a synthetic product. Duvet is somewhat better and more elastic than hollowfill, but it is also somewhat less On the other hand, hollowfill requires less care. It is a product presented as fibres that imitate the natural characteristics of deer's hairs, which are hollow and thus protect the animal from the crude environment where it lives by forming an isolating coat or layer. In general, sleeping bags with other fillings are not so good as these, but they may become useful in template and warm regions. There are basically two kinds of sleeping bags according to their form: 1)- Mummy-shaped. 2)- Rectangular. What you will use depends much on your tastes, but the first is preferred among professional climbers and explorers because albeit it allows for less movement inside it, they are lighter and occupy less space. The latter ones are more flexible and allow more movement, and are best suited for general use or when you expect body changes to take place, such as during growth or pregnancy.
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