Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

CAMP BEDDINGI3Tground the sleeper and chills him. So he uses plainkhaki for a bag cover instead of waterproofed mate^rial. However, his type of sleeping bag is a snugger" " fit than the average, and so arranged with hoodand closing flaps that it ventilates only through thecloth itself. The larger and heavier bags commonlyused are roomy enough to provide considerable ventilationfrom the unconscious wriggling of thesleeper. Besides, the cover, though waterproof, isnot impermeable to air, as rubber or oilskin wouldbe.If several layers of blanketing are used within ?roomy cover of waterproofed canvas the outer layerwill take up what little *' sweating " occurs insideFig. 8i.— Fiala Sleeping Bagthe canvas. Such a cover is desirable to protect theoccupant from damp ground, from moist air, andfrom rain when he bivouacs away from camp. Italso keeps the bedding dry while en route, as, forexample, in a boat or canoe when water is shipped.If the bag is opened out and its lining sunned frequently,as should be done with any sort of bedding,no trouble from condensed moisture will be experiencedin ordinary climates.I have spoken of fur bags. They are much toohot for our climate, except in the high mountainswhere one must bivouac perhaps in wind and snow.The warmest of all coverings for its weight is abag made of caribou nr reindeer-skin. The hair of