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Well, they might as well be!

When I'm at home, I sleep in my birthday suit, which allows me to move quite freely against the covers.
When I go camping, I have to wear something (warmth, decency etc.)
Now last year I found that I couldn't move much in my sleeping bag, but then I'm a big girl, so thought that's just the way it's gonna be!

I've been getting nervous about freezing at easter so I bought myself a thicker bag, which is also larger, great I thought, I'll be able to move in this one!
Wrong!

It's the soft cottony lining in the bag that does it, combined with wearing something soft and cottony, it just causes too much friction!

So now I've bought some satin pyjamas (polyester, yuk!), so instead of wearing a track suit in bed, I'll try wearing cotton pyjamas and the satin ones over the top.

Is it just me or is this all too complicated?

When I was a kid, sleeping bags were smooth nylony stuff inside and out, you wore your cotton PJs and everything ran smoothly! (so to speak)

Whatever happend to sleeping bags having a smooth lining?

Both of ours bags are smooth inside and reasonably new - so no problems with friction and wriggling! We do also have a couple of lighter bags with a cotton lining but they were much cheaper around the £20 mark.

Suzy,

take your duvet.

I hate being hemmed in and I am on the 'comfy' side too, I find any sleeping bag too restrictive so I bought a cheap duvet from Asda. It's as warm as toast and I can stick my feet out if I need to. It was really cold up here last may bank holiday, but we were really warm in our duvet bed. We would go to bed at 8 and watch TV from the bedroom.

Jackie

Quote: Originally posted by Volupturaptor on 04/03/2005

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Whatever happend to sleeping bags having a smooth lining?

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They started replacing the nylon linings with polycotton some years back. At first only avaialble on more expensive bags, it seems they all have them now.

Polycotton is generally more comfortable, especially if its warm.

I agree, I have the same problems so I've resorted to using a duvet instead.

When I was young the sleeping bag moved with me so if I turned over so did the bag, but with the modern ones I have to turn over inside the bag & it just doesn't seem to work.

buy two single sleeping bags to match, and zip them TOGETHER.  In effect, you then have a double.

Also I still have the old nylon sleeping bags - bought at boot sales.  Much easier to wash and dry, and easier, as you say to turn over in, if just using one bag.

When you have done with them, sew them up in the opposite way that they would normally be used............they make wonderful duvets for dogs, about 4'6" x 4'.

To be even cannier - zip them up as normal, and use for super-duper windscreen shield........as good as silver screens - just trap them in the two front doors......brill

Yep i remember my first sleeping bag was like a duvet inside and loads of space to turn. But now at 32 I can't fit in the thing - it's a single but more like for a teenager. Yep am built for comfort ha ha ha!

If you are good at sewing maybe try sewing a  sheet onto the inside of your sleeping bag. I  must say that I am like others - I now take our duvet with and is so much easier to toss and turn - should you be prone to (which I am).

Just another idea from one of us.

Joy

Dear Suzy,

First of all let me tell tou that I wouldn't mind you sleeping in your birthday suit, whatever any other camper will comment.

About the friction. Besides creating so much static electricity that air traffic can't navigate, cellphones go on the blink and pacemakers start going dodgy because of the interferance, it's must be very uncomfortable for you, too. As one before me has written, it's confining and crampy. I had the same problem when we changed our slik (not silk!) sleeping bags for some "new and improved ones". We've never slept comfortable again untill we've started using duvee's. It tuckes in nicely, doesn't give you that boxed in feeling and is smooth to the skin and cool to. Mind you, get one from natural fibres, cover and actual duvee (doun?)

Might be steeper in price compared to the "ner and improved" sleeping bags, but think of the money saved because you don't have to buy all those different PJ's.

And -best of all- you can still sleep in the buff and I would still not mind.

Cheers!

John Rademaker

They started replacing the nylon linings with polycotton some years back. At first only avaialble on more expensive bags, it seems they all have them now.

Polycotton is generally more comfortable, especially if its warm.

My bags are all shiny stuff....pertex, and variants. On looing at Field & trek etc I see they virtually all have these linings. Cotton absorbs sweat and stays wet whereas the newer fibres wick moisture away so keeping you warmer and snug....just a bit chilly to get into mind!   

I, too, am larger than a size 12 (!) and do not find that bags hem me in....Mountain Equipment bags even unzip all the way arounsd the foot area so you unzip andhang your feet out whilst unzipping the top bit for your arms. Unlessit i cold then I snuggle right down!

I find that moving the bag with me is better than trying to turn round in it.... or I get the hood over my face!

Julie....who is a very untidy sleeper!