Date:         Tue, 17 Oct 2006 15:48:41 -0700
Reply-To:     Florian Speier <groups.florian@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Florian Speier <groups.florian@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Westy Winter Camping Suggestions..
Comments: To: Joy Hecht <jhecht@alum.mit.edu>
In-Reply-To:  <5c1si1$8ovfb3@smtp01.lnh.mail.rcn.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

joy wrote:
> Actually that's serious - a pair of sleeping bags that can zip together
> would certainly be warmer than two separate ones.
>
>

actually thats not true in most cases.  If you are talking about high
quality sleeping bags, its warmer alone in one bag then together in two
zipped together bags.  I am not saying zipping together does not make sense,
obviously it has great benefits,  but it is colder. the reason is that for a
perfect zip you would need two 3/4 sleeping bags -  in the sense of that
they should be missing a side. when you merge two sleeping bags, the result
is about the interior size of two and a half to three sleeping bags. this is
an additional space that must be heated. In addition, two persons dont
always move together exactly in the same way, thereby creating and
deminishing airspaces  in the bag, in contrast to one bag that moves with
one sleeper. so the doubled up sleeping bag tends to pump in and out a lot
more air, which needs to be reheated.
oh ja, and last advice to winter camping.... dont leave your little coleman
prpoane burner out in the snow overnight..... the propane freezes if its not
a very high quality mixture.  dont know if this can happen to the westy
propane tank?  however, I had a friend who thawed the propane canister with
a gas burner......not a very wise idea...... since i could not convince him
to stop i picked up my stuff and ran away....

have fun
flo