When it comes to camping and hunting, choosing the right sleeping bag and staying dry in unpredictable weather can make or break your outdoor experience. Whether you're trekking through damp forests or setting up camp in rainy conditions, your sleeping bag's insulation, weight, and waterproofing capabilities are key to ensuring warmth and comfort.

In this guide, we'll explore the differences between down and synthetic sleeping bags, tips for staying dry in the elements, and essential advice on maintaining your gear. Plus, we'll share some expert bonus tips for making the most of your next adventure. Let's dive into the essentials of sleeping bag selection and keeping your gear dry, so you're fully prepared for whatever nature throws your way.

Choosing the Right Sleeping Bag

Aside from staying dry, selecting the right sleeping bag is equally crucial for a comfortable camping experience. Here’s a quick breakdown of things to consider:

1. Down vs. Synthetic Sleeping Bags

• Down Insulation: Lightweight, compressible, and durable, down is ideal for backpackers looking to save space and weight. However, it loses its insulating properties when wet, so it's best used in drier environments or with extra waterproofing measures.
• Synthetic Insulation: While bulkier and heavier, synthetic bags retain their insulating properties even when wet, making them a solid choice for wet-weather camping. Plus, they’re generally more affordable and hypoallergenic.

Bonus Tip: Consider a water-resistant down option if you prefer the lightweight feel of down but want extra moisture protection.

2. Temperature Ratings

Pay close attention to temperature ratings. Many sleeping bags list survival ratings rather than comfort ratings. To ensure you’re warm enough, it’s often wise to add 10 degrees to the listed temperature rating. For instance, a 20-degree bag will be comfortable at 30 degrees but will keep you alive down to 20 degrees.

3. Weight and Packability

For backpack hunters, saving space and weight is critical. Down sleeping bags offer better warmth-to-weight ratios and pack down smaller than synthetic ones. However, synthetic options are more affordable, so weigh your priorities accordingly.

4. Bag Shape and Size

Consider the shape and dimensions of the bag. Mummy-shaped bags are more efficient for warmth but may feel restrictive. Rectangle bags provide more room to move but are less thermally efficient. Ensure the bag fits your body size properly to avoid compressing insulation, which reduces warmth.

The Ultimate Guide to Keeping Your Sleeping Bag Dry

Camping out in wet weather can be both a little depressing, and exceptionally challenging, especially when it comes to keeping your sleeping gear dry. 

While we all analyse multiple weather forecasts multiple times before putting our pack on and setting, sometimes the reality is that either we decide to do it anyway, the forecast underestimated just how much moisture there was going to be or, we are just heading into a region that's wet 70% of the year (looking at you Fiordland). 

In a lot of cases, the condensation in the tent is impossible to avoid resulting in a surprisingly wet bag. 

A wet sleeping bag not only disrupts your sleep but also affects your warmth and comfort—in some cases that can even be life threatening. Luckily, with a few preventative measures and the right gear, you can avoid the dreaded damp sleeping bag.

Disclaimer: these methods may not help if you have a river running through your tent (we’ve been there). 

1. Use a Waterproof Ground Tarp or Footprint

One of the most important steps to keep your sleeping bag dry is ensuring moisture doesn’t seep up from the ground. If you are able to bring one, pack a waterproof tarp or tent footprint underneath your tent to block ground moisture. Make sure it extends slightly beyond the edges of your tent for maximum protection, but not too far, or it could collect rain and make matters even worse!

Bonus Tip: In really wet conditions, consider folding the edges of the tarp inward to prevent water pooling under your tent.

2. Use a Sleeping Matt

This might be an obvious one, but there are a few of you out there who don’t pack a sleeping pad. Never lay your sleeping bag directly on the floor of the tent. Instead, use a sleeping matt to create an insulating barrier between your bag and the potentially damp ground. Not only does this keep moisture at bay, but it also adds an extra layer of comfort and warmth.

Some of the best weight-warmth ratio pads, we recommend the: Nemo Tensor All-Season Ultralight Insulated Sleeping Pad and the: NeoAir® XLite™ NXT Sleeping Pad or something a little more affordable, the: Therm-a-rest  ProLite™ Plus Sleeping Pad

3. Air Out Your Sleeping Bag

If your sleeping bag gets damp, don’t pack it away wet. As soon as you arrive at your site, hang it up or spread it out to air dry. This will help remove any residual moisture and prevent mildew. 

Bonus Tip: If possible, try airing your sleeping bag in direct sunlight. UV rays help kill bacteria and speed up the drying process.

4. Camp Location

Location is everything when setting up camp in the backcountry, it can mean the difference between enjoying & embracing the elements or putting your life at risk. 

Try to avoid posting up on exposed ridges—that means potentially sacrificing an insta-worthy view when you wake up. But being hit by strong wind gusts and sideways rain that can collapse your tent during the night just isn’t worth it. So find a location that can shelter you from the prevailing winds. 

Don’t set up a tent beside a river for obvious reasons. But what’s not always obvious how high and how quickly a river or creek can rise with some rainfall. So get above and away from the river banks. Once you’re far enough away, go a little further. 

Don’t set up where you think water can pool—this can be easier said than done, because when the rain comes in heavy you’ll be surprised at where water will pool up causing water to flow into the tent. The best thing you can do is find a little mound that’s sheltered from the wind. 

5. Ensure Proper Tent Setup

Make sure your tent is properly sealed and the rainfly is tightly secured. Check for any holes, worn seams, or gaps in your tent that could allow water to seep in. A well-maintained tent is your first line of defense against a wet night.

Regularly apply seam sealer Seam Grip + FC™ Tent Seam Sealant to your tent to ensure the seams remain sealed, even when  over time. To add to that, we’d also recommend waterproofing your tent using an aerosol protector to restore the water-repellant finish on your tent, ahead of time too. Here’s the product we stock, its super easy to use and can be put on any outdoor fabric, the Fabsil Universal Protector Aerosol Spray

Bonus Tip: We ALWAYS carry a couple of repair items like the Tenacious Tape™ - Repair Tape, Tent Pole Splint, shoe laces, spare pegs for temporary fixes when you are out. 

6. Keep Wet Clothes Separate

Wet clothes and gear can transfer moisture to your sleeping bag. Store damp items in a separate dry bag or compartment within your tent to keep them from soaking your sleeping setup.

How we do it is we prioritise putting our sleeping bags into their own dry bags.  And the products we use to store these in are the First Lite Roll Top Dry Sack.

7. Use a Tarp Over Your Sleeping Area

If heavy rain is forecasted, consider placing a tarp or groundsheet over your entire sleeping area as an extra layer of protection. This method adds an additional waterproof barrier.

We can’t help but recommend our own product here! Built for purpose, extremely waterproof and also lightweight- the TwinNeedle Tarp 

8. Bonus Tips for Wet Weather Camping

• Pack Liners: Use a waterproof pack liner or dry bags to store your sleeping bag and clothes while hiking. This ensures they stay dry, even in torrential rain.
• Mid-Layers for Sleeping: Wearing moisture-wicking polyester or wool mid-layers while sleeping helps keep you warm and dry.
• Reset Dry Method: If your sleeping bag gets wet, take time to dry out all your gear during a sunny break in the weather. Hang it up, spread it out, and let the breeze and sun do the work.
  
  

Look After Your Gear Before Your Next Adventure

Before you head off on your next camping or hunting trip, it’s important to ensure both your sleeping bag and tent are in top condition. At TwinNeedle, we offer a range of sleeping bag and tent repair services to keep your gear performing at its best. Whether your equipment is down or synthetic-filled, we’ve got you covered with our expert repairs. Our services include:

Sleeping Bag Services:

• Patching & re-stitching: Fix small tears and extend the life of your sleeping bag.
• Wash and dry: Thorough cleaning to restore insulation and remove dirt, sweat, and oils.
• 100g of high-quality 90/10 goose down: Boost your sleeping bag’s insulation with additional premium down.
• Down boosting: Enhance your bag’s warmth with added down insulation.
• Zip replacement: Ensure smooth-functioning zips for hassle-free use.
• Slider replacement: Fix broken sliders to improve functionality.

Tent Repair Services:

• Patching & re-stitching: Repair tears or worn seams to ensure your tent stays waterproof.
• Zip repairs and replacement: Fix faulty zippers to make sure your tent stays sealed.
• Waterproofing: Restore the waterproofing on your tent’s fabric and seams. TwinNeedle sells the Seam Grip + FC™ Tent Seam Sealant and Fabsil Universal Protector Aerosol Spray which you can use to easily reproof your tent and seams. 

Don’t wait until your gear fails you in the middle of the wilderness. Bring your sleeping bag and tent into TwinNeedle for a refresh, and ensure they’re ready for your next big adventure! You can find all of the details on our repair services here.