We’ve been selling the Snugpak Jungle Bag sleeping bag for a number of years, as this was one of the first ‘anti-mosquito’ bags available. But with so many newer additions to the sleeping bag market, including the Vango Planet & Highlander Voyager ranges, why should you consider the Jungle Bag when choosing your travel sleeping bag? In this post I’ll run through the key features of the Snugpak favourite and highlight the pros and cons of this 1 season travel sleeping bag.
Sleeping Bag Specifications
First things first, let’s take a look at the Jungle Bag’s specifications.
Season Rating: 1 season
Comfort Temperature: 7°C
Extreme Temperature: 2°C
Open Size: 220 x 75cm
Pack Size (compressed): 15 x 18cm
Weight: 950g
Insulation: Travelsoft
Lining: Paratex Anti-bacterial
Shell: Micro Diamond Ripstop
For me, 950g is a pretty impressive weight for a sleeping bag with a 1 season rating. Not only that, but you’d expect a larger pack size and weight from a rectangular shaped bag, but somehow the Jungle Bag manages to keep its pack size and weight considerably low, in fact it even manages to be more compact than many of the 1 season mummy shaped sleeping bags we sell! I also double checked the weight on our warehouse scales and it weighs in at 925g, so was actually a little lighter than specified by the manufacturer.
In terms of compressing the sleeping bag down, I can confirm that Snugpak’s calculations are correct in that it will compress to 18 x 15cm in size, and I did this with relative ease. Before compressing the Jungle Bag it measured 27 x 15cm in size, so you can reduce its pack size by a fair amount using the compression sack.
Key Features
You don’t have to be sleeping in the depths of the jungle to use this sleeping bag, but it was designed for use in hot and humid climates, where biting insects can be a problem. The biggest stand out feature of the Snugpak Jungle Bag has to be the roll away mosquito net, which is constructed from a fine black mesh and located in the hood of the sleeping bag.
The net comes with a two-way zip for easy opening and closure from both inside and outside the sleeping bag and also includes a stash pocket at the front of the sleeping bag if you choose not to use this feature. Even if you don’t use the net over your face during the night, it can be zipped up during the day to stop bugs from crawling inside your sleeping bag.
Another key travel related feature of the Jungle Bag is the Paratex anti-bacterial treatment on the outer and inner fabric. This anti-bacterial & anti-microbial treatment helps reduce bacteria growth, so you don’t have to worry about your sleeping bag starting to smell when you’re unable to clean it for a while.
Many travel sleeping bags come in a mummy shape, as this style is generally more compact and lightweight. As previously mentioned, the Jungle Bag is an exception with a square shape, small pack size and low weight. As the Jungle Bag comes in a square shape it can be opened out and used as a blanket, which is a nice feature to have in hot climates…Just make sure you’re sleeping under a mosquito net if you’re in a country with a Malaria risk or in areas where insects are prevalent.
There is also a separate zip along the foot of the sleeping bag, so you can unzip it and allow some air inside if you get too hot. Again, I would only recommend doing this if you’re sleeping under a net or staying in an area where insects aren’t an issue, otherwise you run the risk of mosquitoes and other insects getting inside your bag. Vango added a mosquito net to the foot area of their Planet range when they revamped it in 2015, and for me this is all the Jungle Bag is missing, but is by no means a deal-breaker.
A lot of travel specific sleeping bags include an internal pocket for storing items such as mobile phones, cash and your passport, so it’s good to see this feature has been included on the Snugpak Jungle Bag. The pocket is slightly different to other sleeping bag models, as it is a mesh material for better visibility of what you’ve stashed inside and has a zip closure to keep contents securely stored inside. The pocket measures 22 x 16cm in size, so would easily store a passport, cash and a mobile phone if required.
On first glance you’d be forgiven for thinking the zips on the Jungle Bag were a one way design, but the puller can actually slide to the inside of the sleeping bag for opening from the inside, which I found quite a useful feature.
Comfort Features
Comfort-wise, the best thing about the Jungle Bag is the square shape and the sleeping bag’s ability to be used as a quilt. I hate the restricted feel of mummy shaped bags on my legs and this sleeping bag has a 75cm width in the foot area, which is much more roomy than the 30cm foot width you get from the majority of mummy shaped bags.
Personally I prefer the feel of the Vango Planet, but to be honest, the outer shell of the Jungle Bag feels much more durable and has a water repellent finish, which enhances the sleeping bag’s performance by helping to keep the bag itself and the insulation dry. I also thought the lining was smooth to the touch, so would be comfortable against bare skin. The Travelsoft insulation is designed to be lightweight and consists of fine, high loft fibres, so it performs well enough to provide a comfort temperature of 7°C without adding too much bulk. It also compresses well and I found the sleeping bag pretty easy to pack away.
In terms of heat retaining features, the Snugpak Jungle Bag comes with an adjustable hood, which Snugpak claim to be similar to one you’d find on a jacket. It also has a zip baffle to prevent heat loss and drafts coming through the zips, there is also a zip baffle located along the foot area zip.
Summary
The Snugpak Jungle Bag has an RRP of £39.95*, which is reasonable for a 1 season sleeping bag of this quality with so many travel related features. To be honest, you’re also paying for the name, as Snugpak are a well established sleeping bag manufacturer. A huge pro for this sleeping bag has to be the pack size and weight, which are low for a 1 season square shaped bag.
One slight niggle would be that the zip for mosquito net can be a little fiddly, but once you’ve tried it a couple of times you’d probably get the hang of it. I also think the black colour isn’t the best choice for a sleeping bag designed for use in hot climates, but you can also get the Jungle Bag in olive if you like the sound of the features and want something a little lighter in colour. Although the black colour way wouldn’t show dirt as easily.
*Prices correct at time of publishing
