Monday, November 21, 2011

The Kelty Sleeping Bags Guide

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If you are thinking about purchasing Kelty sleeping bags, then there are a few basic guidelines that you will want to consider before making a decision. It's important to select the right sleeping bag for the conditions that you may be exposed to.

Kelty is a very reputable brand that has a long history and their sleeping bags are amongst the bestselling sleeping bags due to their reliability and value for money.

We have outlined a few simple guidelines to help you make the right choice when choosing your sleeping bag whether it's a Kelty sleeping bag or any other brand that you may be interested in.

First you will need to think about the sort of environment you planning to venture into along with the climate. Also think about whether you will be doing a great amount of hiking as this will determine if a lightweight bag is needed.

You will also need to decide on what shape sleeping bag you prefer, as there are a few to choose from and each has different thermal qualities.

What Season Is It!

Kelty sleeping bags come in three different categories according to season. They are Warm Weather, Cold Weather and 3-Season. Within each of these seasons there are bags for different temperature ranges. Kelty has made it easy to choose a bag by placing a number after the bag model name. This number is actually the lowest temperature that the bag is designed for before it starts to lose its thermal capabilities. So in this step just simply determine what season it will be when you go on your camping trip.

For cold weather Kelty has a number of sleeping bags to choose from, such as the Coromell 0. This bag will definitely keep you warm on the coldest nights. It is "semi-rectangular" in shape and has a removable hood, 550 fill down and lots of other features like ground-level seams that prevent heat escaping and this bag can be fully unzipped and used as a blanket.

Another popular choice for cold weather is the Cosmic Down 0. This bag is bright yellow to give the feeling of warmth and is the perfect companion for winter camping as it has hood and collar baffles which are padded material rolls that fit around the head and neck to prevent heat loss. This bag also has 550 fill down and is available in a Long size for the taller person.

A couple of good choices for the warm weather are Kelty's Light Year Down 40 and the Callisto 35. The Light Year Down is a Mummy shaped bag that has 600 fill down and weighs less than 2 pounds. It also has chevron stitching which limits the movement of the down (fill). This bag is a perfect choice for those warm summer nights. The other warm weather choice is the Callisto 35. This is a very inexpensive bag but still loaded with features such as that it can be unzipped and used as a blanket and can also be zipped together with another to form a double bag. It has Kelty's unique synthetic CloudLoft fill and quilt stitching.

A couple of choices for Kelty sleeping bags in the 3 Season range are the Mistral 20 which is a great bag for those on a budget who want a reliable and comfortable bag. It can be fully unzipped to be used as a blanket and also has extra CloudLoft insulation around the chest area.

The other good choice here is the Cosmic Down 20 which comes in three different lengths and weighs from just 1kg to 1.23kg. It is a Mummy shape and is suited for those cooler fall nights.

Which Insulation Do I Choose?

Kelty offers a couple of choices when it comes to insulation. You may choose Down insulation or Synthetic insulation.

Down is lighter and more compressible than synthetic but is also more expensive as it is a natural product from geese or ducks. It is also the warmest fill available. The drawback of down is that if it gets wet it will lose its thermal capabilities. So this is not the ideal bag to take into wet environments.

Synthetic is less expensive and will still perform even when wet. It will dry out quickly and because synthetic is manmade, it is usually hypoallergenic. Synthetic is also less compact so it is not suitable if you are doing a lot of hiking.

What Shape Is Best?

This all comes down to personal choice although the different shape bags do have varying thermal qualities.

If you are the sort of person that moves around while sleeping, then a Rectangular shape bag would be a good choice for you. The only issue here is that they are will take longer to heat up and also lose heat quicker. The Calisto, Galactic and Eclipse Kelty sleeping bags are popular choices here.

Next there is the Semi-Rectangular shape which still offers some room to move but will warm up much faster and retain heat for longer. A very good choice is the Coromell.

The most popular bags today are the Mummy shape as they reach their thermal capabilities much quicker and with all the extra baffles and other features, they also retain the heat longer. These bags are more lightweight and compressible so are ideal for hikers.

There is also a range of Kelty sleeping bags specifically designed for kids so that they can also take full advantage of the thermal qualities of these bags. Other designs that Kelty offers are woman's sleeping bags that are designed to fit a woman's contour.

Now you should have enough information to make a wise decision when choosing your Kelty sleeping bag and remember that Kelty has been around for over 50 years and are known for their high quality and reliable products. They also offer a lifetime guarantee on their products.

Noel Samuels is a review writer for sporting goods and outdoor products. For more great information visit Kelty Sleeping Bags. Here you can find reviews and a buying guides for sleeping bags such as the Kelty Cosmic Down, Light Year and others.

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