Military Sleeping Bags
Soldiering is one of those jobs out there that is a
close equivalent to “professional backpacker.”
The regular military man carries a
lot of gear into combat. Depending on
the weather and length of the mission, soldiers will carry weapons, rations,
and of course, sleeping bags. However,
comfort for soldiers wasn’t such a big thing until the past century.
Before World War 2, blankets were the
only protection the military gave their men against the cold.
Since the greatest war ever, soldiers
have been issued sleeping bags to match any weather.
The first military sleeping bags were issued to ski
troops in arctic conditions. The year
was 1941. The military recognized the
popularity of mummy bags that were being used in mountaineering, and hence
used the mummy design. These bags
were very efficient and lighter than past bags, but still had to be refined
and redesigned for use with all mountain troops.
The M-1942 system came with a
waterproof casing and was filled with down and feather for maximum warmth.
Its unique stitching also made it
more impervious to the cold. It came with an extra casing and an inflatable
insulated sleeping pad for extreme weather. This
system was only slightly modified with the arrival of the M-1949, which came
in large and regular sizes. These
bags were used well into the 60’s.
For warmer weather, regular infantry were issued
blanket bags made of wool. These were
not great for sudden weather changes. This
necessitated the development of two kinds of sleeping bags in the 70’s.
Depending on climate conditions,
troops were given either the intermediate cold weather or extreme cold
weather bags. The first bag could
protect against the cold up to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, and the second was
resistant to -30 degrees. Both were
seven pounds in weight. These bags
were used for decades and were only mildly modified in the process.
New technology allowed for a more efficient system.
Carrying both the intermediate and
the extreme bag would be too heavy when combined with other gear.
Early in the new millennium, the
modular sleep system was introduced, and it was highly successful.
This 4 component system protected the
soldier against any weather. The
patrol bag was great at 30 to 50 degrees, and it was perfect for wet
conditions. When combined with the
intermediate mummy bag, a soldier can sleep comfortably at -30.
He could even withstand weather down to -50 if he was wearing his
military issue extreme cold weather clothes.
Add a compression sack and a water proof
The military always gave its troopers the best
equipment. Through the years, it
constantly improved the sleeping bags of its men.
Now, they have the best sleeping bag
system for the modern warrior. To
partially fund new tech though, the military sold each generation of bags to
make way for the new one. Curious how
good these bags are? Almost all of these can be found in army surplus shops
for cheap. The new system can even go
as low as $185. The hardcore
backpacker can use sleeping gear that is just as tough as the brave men and
women in the military.
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