Choosing a sleeping bag for camping can be a bit daunting, with so many styles and brands to choose, it's worth reading up a little before you decide to buy so that you make an informed choice and spend your cash wisely. My own experience of trying to find a sleeping bag a few years back was not a good one, with little information avaialble at the stores I visited.

These are just a few basic tips on selecting the right sleeping bag for you:

Shape – This should be dependant on purpose. Mummy style sleeping bags offer the most warmth, however, if you're using the sleeping bag indoors or in mild conditions, a semi rectangular bag can give you far more movement inside and will be less claustrophobic.

Grading - Sleeping bags are usually rated by season and the temperatures you will be using it in, it is imperitive to check with the stockist which will be most suitable for your need. Generally: 1 is for summer (about 5 degrees Celsius), 2 is for spring into summer (0 degrees Celsius), 3 is for spring to autumn (-5 degrees Celsius), 4 is for winter ( -10 degrees Celsius) and 5 is for much colder climates (around -15 degrees Celsius).

Lining (Outer) - Down sleeping bags are often more expensive than synthetic sleeping bags but they do generally last longer, however, these would not be ideal for wet or damp conditions. The ultralight shell fabrics are more suitable for wet and damp conditions as they often possess a durable water-repellent coating.

Lining (Inner) & Insulation - If you will be in dry but cold conditions then down sleeping bags are effective, they possess a high weight to warmth ratio (down insulation is measured by one ounce per cubic inch with 900 being the around the highest). For machine washable and damp resistant sleeping bags, those with synthetic insulation work best.

It is worth considering sleeping bag accessories too, for instance, sleeping bag heaters, mats to help cushion the ground and insulate from cold beneath, travel pillows for comfort and sleeping bag liners for extra insulation in really cold weather.

Camping-Online.co.uk offer free advice and stock a decent range of camping sleeping bags, and other camping equipment.