In a shop, sleeping bags appear to be one of the easiest products to buy. Whilst they come in a variety of colours and fabrics, and obviously range from thick to thin depending on how warm you want to be, their design and shape tell you little. The insulation – and at crux we only talk about down – is the part that does the job of keeping you warm, and this is virtually impossible to assess by touching or looking at it. Additionally, from a design point of view sleeping bags offer very little room for creativity (even cosmetically) and hence, more than anything else we manufacture, sleeping bags are very much a product of their specification. The key criteria – warmth and weight – are completely dependent upon the insulation, fabrics and components used. Consequently, our knowledge base has a more extensive range of subjects and information than any other group of products.

Choosing a sleeping bag – a qualitative approach
Temperature ratings – understand what they mean
Sleeping bag design – an overview of generic design and construction
Sleeping bag care and maintenance – essential reading
Hydrophobic down – what it is and why we don’t use it
Goose down – sources, quality, and measurement
eVent fabric – why it is the best fabric for a waterproof bag
Riri zips – some background information