Sleeping bags

From the user’s perspective, it is necessary to focus on the validation of sleeping bag properties. The user should determine the conditions in which the sleeping bag will be used, because a universal sleeping bag doesn’t exist to all conditions. The main information for choosing a sleeping bag is a graph according to EN 13537.

It is important to choose a sleeping bag with the temperature comfort close to the most common use to which it will put. The farther from the temperature, the bigger risk of hypothermia.

What is tested on sleeping bags

Properties of the finished product:

Thermal properties
Using manikin the temperature of thermal comfort Tcomf is determined (it's the temperature when in a relaxed body position the user doesn't feel cold),
Tlim means the limit value (this is the temperature when in the huddled body position the user doesn't feel cold),
Text is the extreme temperature (hypothermia health danger).
Transmittance of heat and vapours
the ability to remove water vapour through the bag surface
Bag dimensions
verification of internal dimensions with respect to the height of the body
The volume of the compression bag
compressibility with respect to ease of packing into a bag
Weight

Filling properties

Feather: the composition, hygienic properties, penetration, density are tested
Other materials: mass per unit area

Mechanical properties

Abrasion resistance
Tear resistance
Determination of pilling
Test of zippers - number of opening and closing cycles

Colour fastness

Colour fastness to washing
Colour fastness to artificial light
Colour fastness to perspiration
Colour fastness to rubbing

Health – hygienic properties

Testing of selected indicators of health - hygienic properties (formaldehyde, pH, heavy metals, aromatic amines)
Antimicrobial properties

What is assessed on sleeping bags

The manufacturer's documentation and labeling accuracy
Fulfilment of the individual parameters
Penetration feather

Frequently occurring problems with sleeping bags

Incorrectly written comfortable temperature
Inappropriate zippers construction

Standards for testing outdoor sleeping bags

EN 13537 Requirements for sleeping bags
EN 13538-3 Determination of dimensional characteristics of sleeping bags – Part 3: Volume under load and easiness of packing
EN 12934 Feather and down – Composition labelling of processed feathers and down for use as sole filling material
EN 12935 Feather and down – Hygiene and cleanliness requirements
EN 12130 Feather and down – Test methods – Determination of the filling power (massic volume)
EN 12132-1 Feather and down – Methods of testing the down proof properties of fabrics – Part 1: Rubbing test
EN 13088 Manufactured articles filled with feather and down – Method for the determination of a filled product's total mass and of the mass of the filling
EN 15586 Textiles – Methods of testing the fibre proof properties of fabrics: Rubbing test
EN 29073-1 Textiles – Test methods for nonwovens – Part 1: Determination of mass per unit area
EN ISO 12947-2 Textiles – Determination of the abrasion resistance of fabrics by the Martindale method – Part 2: Determination of specimen breakdown
EN ISO 15831 Clothing – Physiological effects – Measurement of thermal insulation by means of a thermal manikin
EN ISO 11092 Textiles – Determination of physiological properties – Measurement of thermal and water-vapour resistance under steady-state conditions (sweating guarded – hotplate test)
EN ISO 13937-1 Textiles – Tear properties of fabrics – Part 1: Determination of tear force using ballistic pendulum method (Elmendorf)
EN ISO 12945-2 Textiles – Determination of fabric propensity to surface fuzzing and to pilling – Part 2: Modified Martindale method

Colour fastness:

EN ISO 105-C06 Textiles – Tests for colour fastness – Part C06: Colour fastness to domestic and commercial laundering
EN ISO 105-B02 Textiles – Tests for colour fastness – Part B02: Colour fastness to artificial light: Xenon arc fading lamp test
EN ISO 105-E04 Textiles – Tests for colour fastness – Part E04: Colour fastness to perspiration
EN ISO 105-X12 Textiles – Tests for colour fastness – Part X12: Colour fastness to rubbing

Health –hygienic properties:

EN ISO 20645 Textile fabrics – Determination of antibacterial activity – Agar diffusion plate test
EN ISO 20743 Textiles – Determination of antibacterial activity of textile products
AATCC TM 100-2012 Antibacterial finishes on textile materials: Assessment of
ASTM E2149-13a Standard test method for determining the antimicrobial activity of antimicrobial agents under dynamic contact conditions
EN ISO 14184-1 Textiles – Determination of formaldehyde – Part 1: Free and hydrolysed formaldehyde (water extraction method)
EN ISO 3071 Textiles – Determination of pH of aqueous extract
EN ISO 15586 Water quality – Determination of trace elements using atomic absorption spectrometry with graphite furnace
EN 14362-1 Textiles – Methods for determination of certain aromatic amines derived from azo colorants – Part 1: Detection of the use of certain azo colorants accessible with and without extracting the fibres