Spring is fast approaching and the days are getting longer. Many of us are now thinking and planning our holidays and the camping season will be soon upon us. Camping under canvas (or should it be nylon with today’s modern materials), is a great way to get back to basics, and somehow seems to appeal to our hidden caveman instincts.

It’s certainly the only way to truly get close to nature and enjoy the great outdoors (then again for Festival goers it’s just about the only option really worth thinking about). But let’s face it, when it comes to a good nights’ sleep, you just have to choose your kit wisely, starting most importantly with your choice of sleeping bag.

What do you need to consider when buying a Sleeping Bag?

Fill Material

To cope with potentially wet conditions you should consider sleeping bags filled with a modern synthetic material such as lite-loft, primaloft, polarguard, hollofil, microloft, etc. These materials are all superior for wet conditions as they retain a great deal of their insulating ability when wet, are relatively easy to clean, resistant to mildew and rot and they dry faster when compared to natural insulators such as Goose down.

Shell Material

The material needs to be breathable and options include nylon, polyester, microfiber (a tightly woven material), and Dryloft which is the most water resistant shell material. Dryloft is the most expensive followed in turn by microfiber and then nylon and polyester.

Type of Bag

“Mummy” style sleeping bags are the de-facto standard for backpackers as the narrow, tapered design is efficient and lightweight. This style of bag heats up fast and packs into a small space – although they don’t provide a lot of room for manoeuvring so choose a semi-rectangular sleeping bag if you need additional space to toss and turn. The semi-rectangular bag has room in the middle but generally will still have the mummy hood and tapered toe box – ideal when thermal efficiency is less critical. Don’t forget you will also need a comfortable sleep mat as a base for the sleeping bags.

Highlander Voyager Sleeping Bags

One of the top manufacturers of sleeping bags is Highlander (Scotland) Ltd, established over twenty years ago in Edinburgh. Highlander Voyager Sleeping Bags are on eof the most popular range of sleeping bag. Combining warmth with small pack sizes, these bags are affordable and an excellent option for the majority of campers and backpackers.

Options available in the Highlander Voyager sleeping bag range include the Voyager Compact, Voyager Compact Ultra Lite, Voyager Lite and Voyager Super Lite designs.

Highlander Voyager sleeping bags come supplied with baffled zips and in a mummy shape making them more resistant to drafts or ingress of cold air during the night. The breathable polyester lining is perfect for keeping you cooler on balmier nights. Hexagonal rip-stop polyester shells provide increased durability and there are affordable options that are suitable for both cooler and warmer temperatures.

Highlander Voyager Compact Sleeping Bag

The Highlander Voyager Compact Sleeping Bag makes an excellent summer bag for new campers with good warmth to weight ratio and is ideal for temperatures in the range 13°c to 5°c.

The compact sleeping bag priced at £32.98 including VAT is filled with 150gsm 7 hole siliconised hollow fibre fill and weights 1.1kg.

It measures 215×70x50cm when spread out and can be packed into a sleeping bag carrier measuring 28×17x17cm. Colour available is stone.

Highlander Voyager Compact Ultra Lite Sleeping Bag

The Highlander Voyager Compact Ultra Lite Sleeping Bag is similar to the Compact in style, however, it is filled with 100gsm instead of 150gsm fill, and as a result its pack size is reduced to 24×13x14cm.

The Compact Ultra Lite Sleeping Bag is a 1-2 season option and suitable for slightly warmer temperatures 15°c to 7°c.

The Compact Ultra Lite is priced at £28.00 including VAT is an ideal sleeping bag if space is a premium.

Highlander Voyager Lite Sleeping Bag

The Highlander Voyager Lite Sleeping Bag is the warmest Voyager bag and provides good warmth to weight ratio.

Filled with 250gsm 7 hole siliconised hollow fibre it is a 3 season sleeping bag and can be used in temperatures as low as -7°c.

It weighs 1.5kg, measures 225×70x50cm with a pack down size of 33×21x21cm.

Priced at £36.99 including VAT and the available colour is mocha.

Highlander Voyager Super Lite Sleeping Bag

The Highlander Voyager Super Lite Sleeping Bag is also an excellent general use bag for new campers and can be used over 2-3 seasons.

It is lighter than the Highlander Voyager Lite Sleeping Bag, weighing 1.35kg, and is suitable for temperatures as low as -3°c.

The blue coloured Voyager Super Lite Sleeping Bag is priced at £34.99 including V.A.T.

Cleaning and care for your Sleeping Bag

Try to keep to keep the sleeping bag clean so as to avoid the need for frequent and aggressive washing – which can compromise the benefits of the design. Always follow the cleaning instructions attached to the sleeping bag, typically a mild powder is required not a liquid one which can damage the bag’s shell and wash in warm or cold water. If you can, use a larger commercial washer in a laundrette as they have more capacity to accommodate your bag and do not have centre agitator which can damage the materials.

Lay the bag out or hang it and dry it fully prior to storage. Never store your sleeping bag in a compressed bag or sack, store it in a cotton sleeping bag storage bag.

Highlander Voyager Sleeping Bag Gallery

The Highlander Voyager Sleeping Bags are great value for money, and available at The Outdoor Store in Weymouth or can be ordered from our online shop.