Temperature interpretation

Perception of warth

The perception of temperature of human beings is very individual und subjective. It depends of many factors such as:

• Sex (Females generally feel colder than Males)
• State of exhaustion (an exhausted body feels cold fast)
• Hunger (a hungry body feels cold faster than a well fed)
• Experience (How used a person is to sleeping in a sleeping bag)
• Influence of Alcohol

There are also objective measurable factors that have an impact on temperature perception while sleeping:

• Wind-chill (always try to protect from wind!)
• Insulation from the ground (on the ground the insulation gets compressed and looses its power. -> Whenever possible use a sleeping mat)
• Humidity (wet climates feel colder)

Evaluation of temperature settings

Since 2002, a definition for temperature ratings on sleeping bags exists with the European Norm 13537.  Temperatures are rated with the help of standardised climate chamber tests.

Ajungilak cooperates with the Swiss EMPA and the Norwegian THELMA institutes, to work out temperatures in accordance with the EN Standards. We communicate these results as the temperature point where it goes from comfort to extreme (lowest point of comfort range).
The comfort area means, that a person in good shape (facts above) can sleep through the whole night.  The EN standard is based on an unclothed body for summer sleeping bags and a clothed body (e.g. socks, expedition underwear, hat) for winter and arctic sleeping bags.

The EN 13537 extreme temperature rating is to be viewed only as a survival protection level.