Sleeping Bags: The struggle is real

So, I invested in a decent cold weather sleeping bag last year. Unlike my regular sleeping bag, this one is mummy design. I have to admit that while it keeps me warm, I have yet to figure out just HOW I’m supposed to sleep in it. I mean, do I turn over IN the bag, or am I supposed to sinch myself in and the bag turns WITH me? Please tell me I’m not the only one doing the Battle of the Bag :grimacing:

You just gotta go with the flow and have the bag turn with you haha. Now that you mention it I can see how it seems uncomfortable, but i’ve never been annoyed by it!

Ok next question . . . when it’s really cold and I’m cozily battling my sleeping bag, the other problem I have is moisture build up on the outside edge of it where I’m breathing on the nylon. The whiner in me is like, “ewww it’s cold and wet!” Is this just an acceptable hazard? (I swear I’m not high maintenance hahaha, I just have a tendency to see design flaws and look for ways to improve the experience. I also realize the design flaw here might be user error :grimacing: )

Well when you’re warm and it’s cold outside it’s pretty impossible to avoid condensation. If you have a two walled tent, rather than a 1 walled, that can mitigate the issues with condensation but it’ll never be perfect unfortunately.

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Well, at least it isn’t user error :wink:
Seems like a wicking rim around that part of the sleeping bag where you face sticks out (and you breathe on all night) might be a nice design improvement…something removable and easily washed. Betting I can rig something up. Thanks!

I also have a mummy sleeping bag, especially in cold weather.

To be honest, I toss and turn and the bag just does its own thing. My biggest issue is that I’m a stomach sleeper, and I also like to use my arms as a pillow.

So I always end up kinda slithering my way out of the top half of my bag. So, I usually get extra long sleeping bags so I can kinda sink down inside it.

But yes, the struggle. Struggle struggle.

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@Anthony, Please add a burrowing Wiener Dog to this scenario and you are living my cold camping life.

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I have a secret way to sleep in mummy bags since i’m a stomach sleeper but I don’t want a cold nose or my face being covered in a thick sleeping bag (not to mention it is hard to breathe). I have a fleece liner I got from REI many many moons ago and I sleep with the liner bag on me in reverse of the sleeping bag. So the thinner hood is covering my face and keeping my nose warm against my sleeping pad while my sleeping bag covers the back of my head. It makes for a full cocoon of comfort and allows me to toss and turn.

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I have the exact problem, Anthony - slithering in the sleeping bag! And then, to make matters worse during our solo tent camping trip, my side of the sleeping quarters was on a gentle slope. As I slept, I felt myself slidinggg to the right :rofl:

I learnt to find a leveled ground next time, duh, and then to put regular sheet cover on my thick pad. Somehow, in my mind, it helped with the sliding and my comfort level while camping. :smiley:

You’re not the only one! I finally decided that last year I was going to sleep with a bunch of layers on the top half of my body so my arms didn’t have to be stuck inside of my mummy bag. I don’t like to be confined. On my bottom half I wear just leggings and socks and the bag turns with me. It almost always wakes me up and it takes a couple of nights to acclimate not having a leg stuck out of the “covers” which is how I normally sleep.

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Now we’re talkin’! Great idea! i’m so gonna try this…when it gets cold again :slight_smile:

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Against all recommendations I’ve always bought roomy and long mummy bags. Because I prefer to turn in the bag and maintain my “warm” spot on my inflatable pad. Tougher for ladies, but I wear a fleece beanie when I sleep and usually a LS turtleneck (when below 30), because my upper torso often migrates outside my bag. Above 30 I unzip and use it as a quilt. Make your own comfort rules…

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I find mummy bags to be just too restrictive
I have a couple of old twin size Coleman canvas bags that I still use to this day
They have been waterproofed when needed and I’ll likely never buy a modern bag again
I also have a couple of vintage oversized LL Bean bags that are fantastic
I’m 6’1" and it covers my head if needed
I do have 2 REI mummy bags for the grandkids when they join us…they seem to like them

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Here is place you can use to find good one: https://www.sportsmanfinder.com/camping/sleeping-bags