Many solutions abound on how to make sleeping bag warmer. Sleeping bags were created for warmth. Extremely cold weathers like the winter months call for the use of sleeping bags.
This is because, while the body emits natural heat, this heat cannot be contained if in a very open space.
The best way to contain this heat is when sleeping in an enclosure like a sleeping bag. As the body emits heat, the heat is circulated around the bag, and you are kept warm inside the bag.
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HOW TO USE A SLEEPING BAG
Step 1: Lay a mat on your floor if you are out camping
Step 2: Gently unstrap your sleeping bag pack and bring out your folded sleeping bag
Step 3: Unfold your sleeping bag and spread it neatly on the spread-out mat
Step 4: Unzip the bag, most sleeping bags have zips attached by the sides or adjustable ropes at the neck or mouth of the bag. Assuming your sleeping bag has the zip attached by the side, unzip this zip but be careful not to unzip to the end.
The effect if unzipped to the end, could be the bag opening and spreading out beyond the mat underneath. Your sleeping bag can get dirty in the process.
Step 5: Climb in through the unzipped side and adjust your legs till they are at the foot of the bag.
Step 6: Zip up the unzipped side and snuggle in as comfortably as you can. You can pull up the upper end of the bag to serve as a pillow if you don’t have a pillow.
Stepping out of the sleeping bag is also as easy as stepping inside the bag.
Step 1: Snuggle out your head and arms.
Step 2: Unzip the bag till it gets to your legs
Step 3: Step out, one foot first, followed by the next foot.
Remember that we are focused on sleeping outside the home, probably in camp, hence be careful not to stain your bag.
Step 4: Gently zip closed the bag and fold it into your sleeping bag pack
Step 5: Undust the mat and fold it into its satchel.
HOW TO MAKE SLEEPING BAG WARMER
The best way to make a sleeping bag warmer is by attaching a sleeping bag liner to your sleeping bag. Sleeping bag liners are designed to not only keep you warm, but also prevent your sleeping bags from accumulating specks of dirt, whilst giving you that extra comfort you need for a sound sleep.
RELATED: HOW TO MAKE SLEEPING BAG OUT OF BLANKETS
RELATED: DO SLEEPING BAG LINERS WORK?
HAND WARMERS IN SLEEPING BAG
Hand warmers are not used for the hands alone. Some are designed to be used as sleeping bags. The hand warmers that one chooses to use for sleeping bags depend to a great extent on the type.
Refillable hand warmers made of carbon monoxide can be hazardous to health if kept in an enclosed place.
Let’s see 5 things you can do with the hand warmer:
- Hand warmers give warmth to the hands and are a necessity when outdoors in a cold season.
- They are used by physiotherapists to provide soothing heat for muscular joint aches.
- They can be used in the home to prevent your filter from freezing
- They can be improvised as foot warmers for people who are known to have cold feet during cold seasons.
- Hand warmers can be used as warmers for sleeping bags.
Our focus will be on the 5th thing hand warmers are used for. Hand warmers when thrown into sleeping bags can give extra warmth and comfort.
The materials used in the production of hand warmers are designed to keep one warm. You can stuff them inside your stockings or old clothes to avoid direct contact with them while sleeping.
FLEECE BLANKET INSIDE SLEEPING BAG
There are many reasons why a fleece blanket can be placed inside a sleeping bag. Two such reasons are, for either warmth or for comfort purposes.
The fleece blanket is a soft material that emits warmth. Apart from keeping you warm, fleece blankets are designed to give you maximum comfort.
There are several ways by which you can decide to attach your fleece blankets to your sleeping bag. Wrapping the blanket around your body first before proceeding to enter inside the sleeping bag might be your go-to option.
There are still some who would lay the blanket on the floor of the bag, snuggle in and cover themselves with the extension from the fleece blanket before proceeding to zip up their sleeping bags.
I have also seen some others who would rather make a quilt with their blankets and stitch it carefully onto the sleeping bag’s inner floor.
This way, the fleece blanket, while emitting warmth, is at the same time serving as a pad for the bag which gives extra comfort.
There are still others who would choose to fold the blanket into a pillow-like shape and use it as their headrest while sleeping and some others who would rather fold it into a huggable bunch.
Hugging the blanket will not only give warmth but serve as a support system while inside the sleeping bag.
Now that you’ve seen how some others use their fleece blankets while sleeping in their sleeping bags, how would you like to use yours?
WHAT TO WEAR IN A SLEEPING BAG
Examples of the items to wear in a sleeping bag are as follows: Head warmer, gloves, stockings, and additional clothing at least 2 extra layers of clothing will keep you warm in your sleeping bag.
Some can go as far as wearing 5 to 7 layers of extra clothing to keep themselves warm.
These extra layers can however negate the original intention of getting warm. It’s also important to create room for your body’s natural heat to circulate around the sleeping bag.
Research has shown that the body emits at least 100 joules of heat per second. This, if contained in a sleeping bag can increase the warmth of the bag.
BATTERY – POWERED SLEEPING BAG WARMER
Battery-powered sleeping bag warmers are heaters with a limited lifespan.
These sleeping bag heaters have batteries that can either be recharged with power banks.
They normally come with plugs that can be plugged directly into the power bank, with a button that when pressed, automatically heats up the bag.
They are best used during outdoor backpacking or camping.
Most sleeping bags are designed with internal heaters or heating pads.
These pads have buttons built inside the bag, with plugs that can be plugged into a power bank. Long pressing this inbuilt button while plugged into a power bank will circulate the heat around the bag.
An example of a sleeping bag brand that comes with a battery-powered inbuilt heater is;
Therm-a-Rest Polar Ranger: Designed to absorb 90% less moisture, the Therm-a-Rest Polar Range down sleeping bag can dry three times faster than the untreated down.
The bag comes with a snorkel hood with a magnetic closure that prevents the loss of heat.
This bag also has a foot warmer pocket that helps to keep the feet warm. Reviews have shown that the sleeping bag was designed for the coldest places.
HOW TO KEEP FEET WARM IN A SLEEPING BAG
Follow the instructions below to keep your feet warm in a sleeping bag:
Clean up properly and make sure that you are dry. Wet feet can cause cold.
Avoid oils in between your toes, this can make you sweaty and cold
Wear airy stockings if you normally have sweaty feet.
Use feet warmer for extra warmth. Getting sleeping bags that have pockets for foot warmers can do the magic.
Use a blanket. There are heated blankets that can increase warmth in extremely cold weather.
You can throw in a hand warmer around your feet. The heat emitting from this hand warmer can help keep you warm.
HOW TO MAKE A 40-DEGREE SLEEPING BAG WARMER
Have you ever experienced a decline in the usual heat your sleeping bag emits? Have you ever wondered why it’s so?
Well, it could be that the sleeping bag is becoming worn out and probably needs a revamp! I’m going to give you some ideas on what you can do to make your bags warmer, but first, you must do this, clean up your bag.
Giving it a thorough wash might just be the remedy you need to boost the usual warmth it gave you when you first bought it.
Foot and hand warmers like stockings and gloves are designed to keep you warm while in your sleeping bag.
Electrical hand warmers are even better. Throwing them inside your bag will circulate adequate heat around the bag.
The use of sleeping bag liners can also be adapted for warmth purposes.
There are blankets with heaters designed to keep you warmer, trying out such blankets will do no harm. After all, we all want nothing but warmth and comfort while in our sleeping bags.
HOW CAN I INCREASE THE WARMTH OF MY SLEEPING BAG?
There are several ways how to increase the warmth in your sleeping bag. If you are already used to not zipping up your bag when sleeping in it, you might need to reconsider.
Zipping your bags halfway will result in a loss of heat which will increase the cold levels.
For extra warmth, use the following, sleeping bag warmer, insulator, hand warmers, extra clothing or materials stuffed in the bag, heated or electric blankets, and bag liners.
DO SLEEPING BAG LINERS INCREASE WARMTH?
It’s basically a yes. The more enclosed the bag is, the more heat is retained and circulated around the bag.
The sleeping bag liners can increase the degree of warmth in your sleeping bag. These liners are designed to provide an extra layer of insulation that can help keep you both warm and comfortable.
You can liken the use of sleeping bag liners to the use of blankets. Imagine sleeping inside a liner and the liner is enclosed inside a sleeping bag, that’s like an extra layer of warmth.
Research has also shown that sleeping bag liners are more valuable during extremely cold weather like the winter season.
Apart from extra warmth, sleeping bag liners can increase the lifespan of your sleeping bags. Your sleeping bags are protective mechanisms that shield your bag from all forms of dirt.
CAN YOU PUT A BLANKET INSIDE A SLEEPING BAG?
There are one thousand and one benefits of putting a blanket inside your sleeping bag. Blankets not only serve as additional warmth givers but can increase the overall comfort and coziness you can feel when inside your sleeping bag.
Wrapping yourself in a blanket whether heated or not is a very normal thing during backpacking. Apart from the warmth and comfort it gives, heated blankets are a masseuse to the muscles.
Blankets can be folded to serve as headrests while sleeping in your sleeping bag. They can also be thrown into the bags as extra layers of materials for the purpose of heat generation.
Lonely nights are best with blankets around. Cuddling yourself with your blanket can serve as a support mechanism for your bones.
Cold hands and feet can also be cured with blankets. Wrap the blankets properly around your knuckles and your feet, and engage in some frictional activity.
It could be rubbing your palms together to increase your body temperature. The same can be done to your feet.
WHY AM I COLD IN MY SLEEPING BAG?
You are probably always cold when inside your sleeping bag because of one or more of these reasons, you have a habit of wearing damp clothes to bed, you have night sweats, you padded up with more layers of extra clothing than needed, and you are sleeping in an empty bag.
Damp clothes: While you are out backpacking, there is a high tendency that you will engage in extracurricular activities that might make you sweaty afterward.
Accumulated sweat can go unnoticed, especially when in places like your collars or tiny dots in your armpits. It’s always important to wash off sweat before heading into your sleeping bag.
Sleeping with sweat lurking somewhere in your collar or armpits can make you feel cold in your sleeping bag.
Night sweats: There are health conditions like night fever that can make you wet at night.
If you are met with this challenge while backpacking, it’s advised to either go home or devise strategies on how to remain dry at night.
Keeping extra clothes and occasionally changing into these dry clothes after each bout of fever, will keep you warm.
More layers of extra clothing than needed: In a bid to stay warm, you might want to wear as many clothes as possible.
This is common with those who are new to backpacking. Too many clothes will hinder your natural body heat from oozing out and circulating around your sleeping bag. If you must use extra layers of clothing, use 2.
Empty sleeping bag: Imagine venturing to a campsite, with just a sleeping bag! No extra blankets, no insulator, nothing to give you extra warmth. The case will be that of a bunch of clattering teeth till daybreak.
CONCLUSION
Backpacking is more fun when the right precautions are taken. Sleeping bags are warm and cozy when the necessary items are put in place to ensure optimum warmth and comfort.
If you must go backpacking make sure to go along with all the materials you will need to keep warm, especially during the early hours of the morning and in the middle of the night.
These periods are when the temperature is mostly at its lowest.
