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Show Wednesday, May 29, 1971 . . . why bag it? 'till In the past, sleeping bags were made of various layers of woolen blanket material sewn together and finished with a canvas cover. Essentially, you toted your bed covers to camp with you, and most of the time by the end of a long trail, it felt like the bed was rolled up in there also. Luckily, the modern concept of backpacking has brought about the invention of the sleeping bag as we know it today, comfortable, warm and lightweight. Along with the choice of good pack, the choice of your sleeping bag is really critical and could well determine your peace of mind, as well as body, during a camp-ou-t. Before you purchase your bag, you might invest some time exploring various catalogues from mountaineering firms. These can be found at almost any mountaineering store. Send to Forrest Mountaineering, LTD., 5050 N. Fox Street, Denver, Colorado 80216 - you might be surprised at the prices and quality of their equipment. All the catalogues will describe each of the sleeping bags they offer, the price, weight, design, fabric, construction, the amount of and the type of filling used. They will also include information on the temperature range within which the bag supposedly will keep the occupant comfortable. Armed with the above information, and I would suggest that you arm yourself as sleeping bags are the most costly (usually) of the equipment you will purchase, check out the local equipment stores and find the bag that is most suitable for your needs. You might keep the following information in mind: DESIGN: This is the shape of the bag, i.e!, rectangular or mummy, or a slight modification of ' either. The most efficient shape on the market today is the mummy bag; however, some people find it a little claustrophic and prefer a more rectangular does warmer The you keep bag mummy shape. because there is less space between the bag and you to insulate by body heat, but also because they are able to be drawn around your head. If bag, please you do feel more comfortable about a rectangular-shape- d the to enable you to gather be sure that it has a pull drawstring at top the bag around your neck and head. Also included under design of the bag is the inner construction of the compartments holding the filling of the bag. These will usually be baffled, straight, slanted or overlapping. All are quite efficient, but some companies state that the slanted or overlapping baffle design will keep you warmer because there is less empty air space or pockets. Most expedition bags are made with overlapping baffle. FILLING: Dacron or kapok bags are the most inexpensive and they the when are satisfactory nights are mild, usually over 45 degrees, but a friend of ours recently bag and was very comfortable purchased a really super dacron-fille- d in temperatures down to 20 degrees. A 100 per cent down-fille- d sleeping coninto in for cooler take excels Please the warmth nights. bag sideration your metabolism when choosing the filling for your choice of bag. Prime goose down is warmest per ounce and lasts the longest. When purchasing a bag, remember that the loft fluffiness of the tilling is important to insulating efficiency: the greater the loft of the filling agent, the warmer the bag. Weight again is dependent on the amount of warmth needed by you to be comfortable; one pound may suit some (not many), two pounds will be fine if you sleep warm, three pounds will keep most people comfortable above freezing, and four to five pounds is usually considered a heavy weight and will keep you warm to around 20 below zero. SPECIFICS: The length of the zipper will determine ventilation and ease of access. Bags are made with several different lengths of zippers, and some with no zippers at all. The best material for a zipper is heavy nylon, as this is more durable than metal, weighs less, and usually doesnt jam as easily. Seams of the bag should not be sewn through the bag - they should overlap in some way. Also be sure to check the length of the bag against the length of you. Although most bags have a top and the bottom of the bag, be sure separating baffle between the down-filled that there is one, especially in bags as the down has a habit The of visiting each other and it will slip around if not material, very lightweight and casing for bags is usually a nylon-typ- e You can also purchase durable. Best on the market today is p p some tape for mending any holes or tears in your bag while you p are on the trail. tape is good while on the trail for quick and easy mending; however, I would suggest that you patch your bag permanently when you get it home. You can also purchase a liner of light washable material for your bag. This saves on wear and tear, and also is very easy to clean - one of those nice but not really necessary well-confine- rip-sto- rip-sto- Rip-sto- features. d. Page 22 PADS: I have known a few masochists who prefer to sleep on the ground with no ground cover and no mattress. It takes all kinds, I guess, but, for me, I need the extra comfort of a mattress pad. There are two kinds you might consider. One is an open cell construction, polyethylene or Urethane. These in various thicknesses and dimensions are the most comfortable, but at the same time, as they are open cellular in structure, they will act like a sponge unless you cover them with a waterproof cover. If you dont want the hassle of a cover, you can purchase a closed cell pad such as Ensolite. It is thinner and more compact, not as fluffy, but will do very well and is waterproof. We purchased closed cell pads at the War Surplus (Allied) for less than $1 a piece and they have been just fine for us. Study these factors, balance your needs against the price, and purchase what appears to be the best bag for you. Usually, a medium-price- d bag, total weight between three and five pounds, will give comfortable outdoor nights for many years. I would like to add something about FROSTLINE KITS. If you are on good terms with your sewing machine, or on good terms with someone who is, you must consider making your bag. I made ours from Frostline Kits, and we are so pleased with them. It is a lot of work, but the kits are beautifully designed. With very easy instructions, they come pre-cand Frosfiin e in general is a good company to work with. Our bags cost us less than the price of a comparable bag in the equipment stores ; the only draw back is that you have to like feathers a lot, because you will have them around for a long time, in every comer in the house while you are making your bags. If you would like more information about Frostline, the address is: Dept. C.P.O., Box 589, Broomfield, Colorado 80020. ut one-ha- lf Jerri L. Ragland Books Spring Western Americana wurs; for Men Wednesday thru Sunday i iam - 6pm Friday 11am-9pm Finery and Women : : |