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HAve taken 2 zipped together sleeping bags but this year we're taking a light weight 4 tog duvet + cover and one sleeping bag. This duvet packs up as small as a sleeping bag.We're going to France and expecting night time temps to be reasonable. Also taking small fleece blanket in case it's not!

Quote: Originally posted by emgin on 18/07/2005

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Do duvets really keep you as warm as a sleeping bag?

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Duvets will keep you warm in a house (where it is usually quite warm already) but tents outside are quite a lot colder.

I suppose a Winter 'house' duvet may be OK for a summer 'camping' duvet, but personally I find duvets far too bulky to even consider taking.

What is a sleeping bag but a duvet sewn up into a tube shape.

I've never not used sleeping bags throughout 40 years of camping, and "perceived wisdom" (ie everyone else uses them) seems automatically to be that if you go camping you use a sleeping bag. I've not known anyone who has used a duvet instead of a sleeping bag when camping. Sleeping bags pack up smaller so are more convenient that way, and can the rest of the camping & outdoor world all be wrong about using sleeping bags? (No I know that's not really a very good argument!)

Realistically to be as warm under a duvet as you would be with a sleeping bag, you'd have to wrap yourself in the duvet so it resembles a sleeping bag round you, or else you'd need something similar underneath you as well as on top, because you do get cold from underneath (& from the sides too). The sleeping bag just seems so more obvious & practical.