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What is a Mummy Sleeping Bag & Why You Need One

Posted on September 9, 2017 by Brandon

What is a mummy sleeping bag?

Are they any good, warm, and high quality?

Well let’s discuss exactly what they are in this article.

I’m actually a mummy bag kind of guy to be honest. I tend to favor them over other sleeping bag shapes.

But that’s just me, and the whole reason why I’m creating this article.

I’ve found them beneficial in many ways and now i want to share with YOU what they are all about and best used for.

What is a Mummy Sleeping Bag?


Mountaintop 32 F Ultralight Lightweight Mummy Down Sleeping Bag for Backpacking Adults Camping Hiking with Compression Sack

The mummy shaped bag is named exactly that due to the shape of it.

Mummy sleeping bags have much better heat retention than other shapes. As soon as you crawl into a mummy bag you will soon discover why they are commonly used.

The entire bag WRAPS, or MOLDS around your body so it holds heat and keeps it in for the entire night.

It’s starts off wide at the top (shoulders) and decreases in volume as it gets down to the bottom (feet).

The foot area is much smaller than the shoulders since our feet are more prone to heat loss. The foot box counteracts this and ensures your feet always stay warm.

The zippers don’t actually go down all the way to the feet either, because zippers are a sleeping bags weak spot.

The longer the zipper the more chances for it to break, and of course since it creates more areas for cold air to seep into.

Mummy bags do not roll up like other sleeping bags, they are actually STUFFED back into the stuff sack or compression sack so it holds its loft longer and increases the life of the bag.

They don’t have much insulation at the bottom of the sleeping bag and often times there is none at all!

Why?

There’s actually no point because the body just squishes it, and exactly why a sleeping pad or other insulation material is needed.

The Features of Mummy Bags


  • Hood – The hood on the mummy bag provides great heat retention
  • Drawstring with Cord Lock – Tighten the hood with the drawstring and cord lock to prevent hot air from escaping
  • Left & Right Hand – Choose one of each and zip them together to create a double sleeping bag
  • Baffle – The baffle sits inside the sleeping bag and keeps the heat evenly distributed instead of having warm/cold spots all over the place
  • Two-Way Zipper – In case you overheat, you can open the sleeping bag wherever ventilation is needed
  • Zipper Draft Tube – As stated already in this article, cold air CAN enter the bag through the zipper holes and warm air can easily escape. The draft tubes stops this from happening, or as much as possible anyway
  • Zip Covers – A velcro strap is commonly used on mummy bags so the zipper doesn’t come undone as you sleep
  • Draft Collar – Located at the neck area and includes its own insulation, the draft collar helps stop body heat escaping

Things to keep in Mind


  • Mummy bags fit people more tightly at the bottom than traditional bags to retain as much heat as possible
  • Some people find it hard getting comfortable in them because they’re more restrictive than other shapes
  • They are not as heavy as rectangular bags or other similar shapes, making them widely used by backpackers
  • Some mummy sleeping bags can be WAY too hot for summer camping. Be sure to read the temperature rating before purchasing

What’ they’re Best Used for


Mummy sleeping bags are best used for backpacking, as they are lightweight, waterproof and highly compact.

You can absolutely get one for warm-weather camping. They’re not even that hard to find.

Even though they can be used for almost any outdoor adventure, many people use them in the mountains/high altitudes where temperatures may dip to -20 F or even lower.

So are they really High Quality and Warm?


A large majority of mummy-shaped bags are from trusted companies. They make them with high quality materials, they are durable and of course WARM.

My favorite brands are Eureka, Coleman and Teton Sports.

All of them make good bags that retain heat extremely well, they are waterproof, but more importantly built so well they last for many years.

Well thanks for reading.

If you ever need help choosing a sleeping bag I’ll be happy to help.

Just drop a comment below!

Or at least share it before you leave 😀

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Thanks again and have a nice day!

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