German Army Sleeping Bag

If you have never seen a German army sleeping bag, it just looks like a spacesuit of sorts. However, aside from its unusual outward design, what should sell is whether it does a good job of providing enough comfort and convenience for the user.

The advantage of having your arms outside of the sleeping bag is easy to see. You are not restricted in movement for one. You could read, reach for a drink, and be fully functional up until the time you fall asleep. If you are sleeping outdoors, you can be ready to defend yourself at the drop of a hat because you do not need to zip down to free your arms.

Other advantages of the German army sleeping bag is the fact that because it is a zipper at the bottom, you can stand up without even getting out of your sleeping bag! If you are a hunter or fisherman, you can actually use your sleeping bag in the early hours of the morning to keep warm, and still be able to target shoot or fish.

Speaking of warmth, if you are going to use it under extremely cold weather conditions, make sure that it has an inner sleeping bag. Otherwise, it is generally capable of handling reasonable cold weather conditions. This modular design makes it one of the better winter camping sleeping bags. In fact, it will not be wise to use this when the weather is hot especially if you tend to get hot easily.

Understanding the logic behind the German army sleeping bag should not be difficult. The arm sleeves are there to help the German soldiers get into attack and defense positions easily. The reason the bottom half can be opened up is because it allows the German soldiers to use the sleeping bag as a parka – thus, a dual purpose.

The price of a German army sleeping bag is not even exorbitant, far from it. You will be able to find one below US$50, maybe much lower if you are persistent and keen on getting the best deal available. Of course, most German army sleeping bags are sold as a surplus item, and this means that supply is not constant or steady. Nevertheless, as a alternative choice for camping and outdoor adventure trips, this German army sleeping bag is really worth looking into.

One of the main distinctions between camping sleeping bags is there are two different types of fill.  There are down sleeping bags and bags that have synthetic fill (usually polyester).  There are advantages and disadvantages to both types.  Down is usually lighter weight, more comfortable, and keep you warmer.  Synthetic fill dries much faster in wet conditions and is less expensive.

Another nice option is double sleeping bags.  These are twice the width of a normal sleeping bag and are designed to sleep two.  These can be nice to have if you are camping with your spouse or partner.  You can also zip two single sleeping bags together if they have compatible zippers.

They also design sleeping bags for children and there are even baby sleeping bags.  The ones for babies are designed to fit over your baby’s clothing with opening for his or her arms and head.  They provide warmth and safety for a sleeping baby.  These are usually not associated with camping but more for use at home in a crib.

If you are going to be camping in extremely cold conditions you need to make sure you have the right camping gear. You may even want to consider an army sleeping bag.  These are manufactured to military specifications and are very durable.  They can be used in very cold sub zero temperatures.

Another important factor to consider is the temperature rating that has been assigned to the camping sleeping bag.  They will give a rating based on the lowest temperature that will keep an average sleeping person warm.  For summer camping you may only need a rating of 35, but for cold weather camping you may want one somewhere between -10 to +10F.

You will also need to decide on the shape that you want your camping sleeping bag to be in.  There are mummy shaped sleeping bags that will keep you very warm.  If you prefer more space a rectangular or semi-rectangular bag may be more comfortable for you.

Even if you prefer to camping in a motorhome, a folding camper or a gazebo tent, having a good sleeping bag is great for when you have too many people to fit in the camper or if the weather is really nice and you want to sleep outside.

Other Camping Gear

In addition to a sleeping bag, you may want to consider some other outdoors camping gear. For a more comfortable camping experience you may consider bringing along camping chairs and a camping lantern. Just because you’re outdoors doesn’t mean that you have to be uncomfortable.