Down sleeping bags

We produce a wide range of down filled sleeping bags. The purpose, duration and climate of your adventure along with your personal sleeping style and preferences are just some of the things that should influence your choice of sleeping bag. No matter your destination, we have the perfect sleeping bag for you.


As mentioned, many factors may influence the decision of buying a sleeping bag. Most importantly, you should consider weather conditions and temperature. A sleeping bag’s temperature rating is a guideline based on laboratory measurements and divided in three separate recommendations. Comfort Temperature indicates the minimum temperature to which the sleeping bag keep a typical woman comfortable. Limit Temperature is the same for men and Extreme indicates the temperature to which it will keep your vitals safe. The temperatures are guidelines and you should always consider any individual preferences for a warm or cold sleeping environment.


Next is the important choice between down or synthetic filling. The short version is that down provide a natural insulation, which is lighter, more compact and softer than any synthetic material. Nordisk down products, marked with the iconic red Y, is guaranteed to derive from a sustainable production with animal welfare as a top priority. Read more about our Ethical Down Code here. The only downside to down (so to speak…) is that it is usually vulnerable to moist, so take care that your bag does not get wet. If you choose to go with a synthetic fibre bag, you will be better off in humid condition, but will be feeling the extra weight and packsize in your backpack.

A Buyers Guide: Which shape should I choose?

• A sleeping bag’s shape influences its performance significantly and you will eventually be choosing between performance and comfort.
• A mummy-shaped sleeping bag has less vacant air inside than a blanket-shape, meaning less air for your body to heat up. This makes it the most efficient shape in terms of performance and weight, but it will restrict your space for moving around in your sleep.
• A wider Egg-Shaped sleeping bag will give you more space to move around in, but it also contains more air, that needs heating up. Meaning that if you are sensitive to the cold, you should consider choosing a bag with extra insulation power and a better temperature rating. If you have a big upper body, you may want to choose a Egg-shape regardless of your sleeping habits.
• The same goes for the Blanket-shaped sleeping bags. With its rectangular shape and a full zipper opening, a blanket-shaped sleeping bag allows you to open it up as a double blanket to tuck yourself under with the little ones or your special one. They offer a ton of space inside for extra sleeping comfort, but they are harder to keep warm on a cold night. Consider choosing a temperature rating that goes beyond your actual need if you are sensitive to the cold.
• If you are planning to use your sleeping bag for a race or ultralightweight adventure, you need to prioritize weight and packsize above your sleeping comfort. That calls for a Fever Down Sleeping bag, which is not only the world lightest sleeping bags - it also pack smaller than any other. It has an extra slim Mummy-shape, cut especially for racers for whom every gram counts.
• For hiking and ultralightweight adventures, we recommend a V.I.B., a Passion or a Balance; all incredible all year sleeping bags, with a great balance between comfort, weight and performance.
• The Tension-series is great for Family camping or shelter-sleepovers. The Tension bags come in all shapes, temperatures and sizes and offer exceptional quality and comfort for everyone. The fabric is slightly thicker than on the ultralightweight bags, which enhances their wind-resistance, making them especially suited for a night in an open shelter.
  
  

Good advise to make the most of your down sleeping bag

In a down sleeping bag, it is not the down itself that keeps you warm, it is the air between them. The fibres of the down tangle and keep the fabric chambers apart to form insulating air pockets. For this reason, it is important to keep the down fluffy and resilient by storing, treating and using it correctly.

Take the bag out of its packsack before you go to bed. It needs at least 30 minutes to breathe and unfold the down fibres to their original state from being compressed in your bag.

Avoid sleeping in too much clothes, as you will be using your body heat to warm up your clothes rather than your sleeping bag, thereby not taking full advantage of its capability. You will get the best nights sleep in one layer off wool. You can consider to use your other clothes to stuff the inside around your feet. Not only will you get extra warmth and less vacant air where you need it the most, you will also have the luxury of waking up with warm clothes to put on.


Avoid storing your down sleeping bag compressed. The fibres will become flat and loose their resilience, ultimately limiting the fill power of the sleeping bag. Our down sleeping bags always come with two storage bag, one for storage and one for compression. Remember to use them both for their intended purpose. But don’t worry, if you should discover a long forgotten down sleeping bag compressed in the corner of an old cabinet, we can revive it. Our Nordisk Care and Repair Center in Germany are specialists in down and can restore it to its finest state by carefully washing and refilling it with new springy Crystal Down®

Extra tips for cold nights in the great outdoors.

It is a good idea to get your blood circulation going before you dive into your sleeping bag. This will help you to heat it up faster. 5 pushups or A-skips can work wonders as a beginning to a good night's sleep. Just enough to get your pulse up. Don’t break a sweat, as this will serve the opposite purpose and cool you down rapidly.

You can also pre-heat your sleeping bag by wrapping it around you for 20-30 minutes before bedtime.

Remember to wear a hat at night, as most of the heat will disappear from your head. You should also always tighten the adjustable hood around your head for the same reason.

If you need help choosing the right sleeping bag, we would love to help. Contact one of our sleeping bag experts via Facebook, mail or by calling us on +45 73734069.