Sleeping bag recommendations-claustrophobic cold person

[Just2MoreSeasons]

I really want to do more camping (I love it in the daytime!)but- I get really cold and claustrophobic in tents. I might try a hammock but I’m worried about being too cold.
Hate the mummy style sleeping bags - I just can’t seem to sleep in that sort of shape.
what I really want is a 4 season feather sleeping bag in a rectangular shape. It doesn’t seem to exist though.
Anyone got any thoughts or recommendations?
thankyou

I’m the same as you and bought this.
Liked it so much that I bought a second one.

It’s not feather but the flannel lining makes it feel like a bed rather than a sleeping bag and it’s wide. I don’t feel constrained in it.

Trail Luxury Sleeping Bag, Cotton Flannel Lined, Double Layer Fill, 3 to 4 Season, Envelope Sleeping Bag with Compact Compression Bag
https://amzn.eu/d/iTRbAoU

I’ve got an Alpkit Cloud Nine rectangular sleeping bag as I can’t stand the mummy style ones either. It’s a 3-season but you could add a blanket if it was really cold.

What do you sleep on top of? The art of keeping warm very often comes down to what your ground insulation is like.

I just used to take my duvet as I also get very claustrophobic in sleeping bags.
4 season winter weight duvet with another thin duvet underneath to insulate, a self-inflating mattress, multiple blankets and a hot water bottle.
We did a LOT of camping when the dcs were little and being warm in bed was my number 1 priority, even though the full set-up took up loads of space in the car. It also meant I could leech warmth from Dh.

ground insulation is absolutely key. I can’t be doing with sleeping bags, I just take my normal quilt TBH

It really depends on whether you are hiking and camping or base camping. If base camping and you have room in the car then my set up (seasoned youth leader who camps multiple times a year in the UK, hates the cold and hates feeling confined!) is a really good self-inflating mat - I have the exped mega mat 10 (expensive but worth every penny), a four season double sleeping bag (mine is an Outwell), a double hollowfill duvet, and proper pillows!

Yes, my palatial set up is a running joke with the other leaders but they wouldn't be laughing if they had to put up with me once I am cold and haven't slept!

We've had Vango Ultralite Square sleeping bags for maybe 25 years (they get washed in the washing machine!). They come as a pair - left and right and can be zipped together. They are only 3 season rated - I'm pretty sure the filling is synthetic. We bought cheap fleece liners from Blacks as a just-in-case and have used them on occasions but really not very often. The sleeping bags are shaped at the top to keep you warm at the head end... I'd have no hesitation in buying a similar bag again. The extra space with the square ends really does allow you to squirm your legs around a lot more without feeling entangled. hth

I think we may be sisters 😉
I seem to have become a scout leader- I’m not sure how it happened to be honest 😆
so it’s one of the reasons I need to sort myself out in a tent.
i also have The exped 10 sim and I often put those interlocking foam mats under. So I think that’s enough underneath -but maybe I’m wrong?

im most definitely a base camper but restricted a bit by a fairly small car.

interesting that some of you are taking duvets. Would you take a double duvet to put on a single sized sim and let the ends dangle on the floor? Or is it better to have a single sized duvet?

going to look at the links now!

This one looks good. And pretty cheap!!
would you recommend a single or double?

Brownie leader here and I don't like double duvets as I find my feet get cold. I've been so much comfier since I ditched the mummy sleeping bag and bought an Outwell rectangular one. I bought it about 10yrs ago but it's similar to this. https://www.outwell.com/en-gb/ecommerce/sleeping/sleeping-bags/single-sleeping-bags/campion-lux-teal?_gl=11n67pnr_upMQ.._gs*MQ..&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3pS-kLvsjAMVUpVQBh1X-iM8EAAYASAAEgI5v_D_BwE I think I'm going to upgrade to a double though before I next go away. Depending on your budget, the Outwell website has fancier ones as well.

Remember to factor in your camp blanket + badges as an extra layer once you get really into scouting! I use a pure wool blanket for my badges and it adds an extra warm layer on top for me.

Glad to see you like this one, I saw it on my searches but discounted it as not 4 season. But you’re absolutely right - I could just add a blanket. And a hot water bottle!

Thanks everyone- all valuable comments.

i wish i could articulate why im claustrophobic but i dont think i know myself. I cant even work out whether i want my covers to be heavy to make me feel grounded or light do i can feel freedom 🤪

i just know when the flap gets zipped down, my arms are in my sleeping bag and i lie down, my heart starts beating really fast and i feel like have to get back out of the tent. Can easily do 8 or 9 big wees in the night too - I think it’s the adrenaline. Consequently there’s barely any sleep happening at all,

its been a struggle for ages and put me off camping but now I’m a scout leader not only do I have to conquer this, but I need to be in top form in the morning.

im even think about getting some hypnotherapy sessions for it! But the cost puts me off.

We just take our duvet too. We have a double SIM o top of a traditional thin roll up mat, pop a sheet on top and take the duvet and pillows from home. Can’t stand not being able to move in a sleeping bag.

I’m quite claustrophobic as well and think that’s why I like the Cloud Nine, it’s warm but there is no weight to it so I don’t feel hemmed in. But when I’m at home, I have a duvet, weighted blanket and throw on my bed! Which makes no sense.

I’ve camped in all sorts of weather, including snow. The key to being warm in bed is to wash and dry your feet before you get in your sleeping bag. Just wiping with a wet flannel and drying with a towel will do. Cold water is fine. Sounds mad but it works. Wear a woolly hat as well. If you will need to get up in the night wear woolly socks.

Scout leader who can no longer do sleeping on the floor and still be coherent the next day. I used my big, 5 man tent with huge bedroom, full standing height and huge porch. My excuse is that the big porch is storage space. Plus we have ended up shoving scouts in the bedroom and sleeping in the porch when necessary for medical reasons.

Anyway. Because it is full height I use a camp bed (the ones with metal legs and canvas) then a Berghaus SIM on top. Then my lovely, down OEX sleeping bag. It's a Leviathan EV 900. It is mummy but roomy.

The alpkit cloud 9 could be worth a try though and just layer up with merino base layers if cold. You'll struggle to find square and cold rating just because mummy keeps you warmer.

I always put a hot water bottle in my bed and use fleece blanket on top of airbed then sleeping bag- I have the outwell someone linked plus a duvet so I can not need it fully zipped. Totally get you not wanting to feel zipped in. I'm the same.
And nor are there prizes for suffering. No harm in being warm when you're doing such a wonderful job. Thank you to all you leaders on behalf of parents.

My dh gets claustrophobic in a tent too, op
He usually gets up and walks around, mares him feel better

He says a sleeping bag doesn't help, so he usually has a duvet

As a pp said, something under the blow up mattresses to isolate it will keep you warmer

Those coloured foam kids squares for the floor are good - take three of those

The key is layers, and to have a warm head. If you don’t like mummy bags with the hood up (I have a lovely down mummy bag that’s sooo cosy) then you need to compensate by wearing a warm hat at night. And preferably a warm woolly or merino/cashmere jumper on top half, sometimes socks as well. Pair this with a good SIM with a duvet, wool blanket and finally sheet on top, and then for top layer go for a heavy thick winter duvet and then a blanket and hot water bottle. Or even a couple of medium weight duvets to be able to dial the heat up it down depending on your sleeping needs and the weather on the night. The hat and jumper help with warm arms and head, implanting you don’t have a mummy bag. More important for camping in May than in high summer when it’s often warmer at nights.
Good luck :)

Vango do a large rectangular (“grande” maybe?) brushed cotton type sleeping bag. I‘m very much a fair weather camper, but I can wriggle in that and often have to stick my feet out of the bottom as it’s warm.