View Full Version : Women's sleeping bag sizes
i'm female, and i'm interested in women's specific sleeping products (bags, mats, etc), but i'm a little concerned about the sizing.
MOST women's regular bags say they fit up to 5'5", longs fit 5'10". i am 5'5" and i'm worried that the regular could be too snug of a fit. my base camp bag is a unisex regular (6'0") and i slip too far down into it. i like to kinda move around a bit so i'm thinking the women's long would be a better bet...but will the 5 extra inches be too much? :-?
i'm looking for a bag in the 0-20 degree range, assuming the general rule is still to add 10 degrees to get to what it's really rated for. i'll be using it backpacking, planning for a trip to glacier national park next year.
thanks in advance ;)
Pringles
09-12-2010, 11:06
I'd recommend the longer option. I have a couple of women's sleeping bags. I'm 5' 3 1/2 (the perfect height!) and feel that the bags I have are about the right length. I have a couple of inches to spare. You want to be able to stretch your feet, and maybe tuck some damp socks in there with you. Just my two cents.
It is a shock, the first time you get into a shorter bag, that there's not a huge amount of extra bag hanging over your head.
Pringles
If you can buy from a place you can return stuff to--good. Not always possible to exchange when you are looking for sale items.
Go with the longer bag. You can always tie it up or fold it under. And it is good to have space for clothes and even shoes to keep them warm.
Womens bags are sometimes filled with more down and are sometimes wider at the hips. If those qualities interest you go for gender specific. If not, any bag will probably work for you.
If you can try one on at a store, that is the best way. Get into a bunch of different bags and the keep looking for the ones you like to go on sale.
gunner76
09-12-2010, 13:07
Having a bag that is longer is nice as you can stuff some clothes in the foot of the bag so you have something warm to put on in the AM if it is chilly.
good idea. i didn't think about hiding clothes at the bottom for the AM! i'm thinking of getting synthetic bc last time we were in glacier there were several drizzly damp days. i'm generally a pretty hot sleeper. i get much hotter than my husband, so the extra insulation around the feet or head isn't a huge draw to me. i'm considering the women's bags really just to save weight & space. i'll go w/ the women's long i suppose...unless i can find a unisex/men's short that's somewhere between 6' and 5'5"
any specific recommendations? brands? i'll probably be looking in the $200 or less range...but if something is really super awesome and like $20 more i'll go for it.
I'd recommend a larger bag too - I'm 5' 5 1/2, 130lbs, and the women's regular bags were too snug (even ones that said they'd fit 5'6"). If you're not worried about having the women's features, men's regular bags will usually save you a bit of length and weight over a women's long.
Given your criteria and plans, you might find this synthetic bag interesting: http://www.rei.com/product/747894 I like the top opening idea.
I have a down Sahara from REI--good prices at the outlet now. Light, warm, packs small and runs short so you would want the long women's probably.
i saw that one. at 3lbs 3oz it seems a little heavy. what do y'all think?
Moose2001
09-26-2010, 12:50
I disagree about the larger bag. More unused space means more air space your body has to heat. That's why mummy bags are warmer than rectangular bags. It doesn't take much space for extra clothes. Get a bag that fits correctly and you'll be warmer and more comfortable.
i went by a REI this weekend and tried a women's regular (5'6") and long (5'10"). the regular was wayyyyy too snug, and i'm an inch shorter than the limit. the long was, well, long...but there's no way a women's regular would work for me.
still trying to find the right bag in the 20 degree range...
Any extra length in the bag is best pleated up under your knees--make a tuck in the bag so that you don't have to heat up extra space. I'm a little bit taller than you so I go with a standard length unisex bag, and slide my feet down to the foot box, adjust the top to fit, and tuck whatever is left over underneath me at the knees. As a side sleeper, the extra insulation for my knees is welcome because I often sprawl my knees off my sleeping pad.
good to know. thanks!
one thing i was thinking about is the price difference. the men's & women's regulars cost the same. the m & w longs cost the same. the problem here is that the women's long costs more than a men's reg, which is 2" longer. grr
i'll already have extra space with the 5'10" bag, will 6' be too much? my base camp bag is 6' and i kinda like having the extra room, but rectangle bags are easier to adjust/move around than a mummy.
i'm considering getting a 32* bag and wearing layers. i'll get more use out of that temp bag i think, but i'm a little concerned if it dropped into the mid 20s. all the 32* bags are EN rated around 40*. thoughts?
any thoughts on the mountain hardwear ultralamina series?