Hate those tiny "coffin" or "mummy" bags? The Form Fitting Sleeping Bag features two arm attatchments and and a split bottom to accomodate leg movement. There are rubberized soles on the bottom. The top has a hood which allows the user to stand up and walk while still IN the sleeping bag. This no doubt will make midnight bathroom runs during camp outs more pleasant.-- Blumster, Jan 22 2005 Biwakponcho http://www.backpack...0,1023,2282,00.htmlReview at Backpacker Magazine [tiromancer, Jan 22 2005] Snowsuit http://www.store.li...ear.com/xwwdet.html [robinism, Jan 22 2005] Sleeping Bag that Converts to Parka http://west.loadup....eXzTudpS&mv_pc=1873More a mermaid than a mummy [robinism, Jan 23 2005] Ambulatory Sleeping Bag - Susan's version http://www.colitz.c...507805/4507805f.htmFrom "Wacky patent of the month" website [robinism, Jan 23 2005] Arukeru Nebukuro http://www.popgadge...amping-without.htmlThis one has legs but no arms. [robinism, Jan 23 2005] Can't find it, but at some point the military was testing a sleeping bag/bivy arrangement that could quickly be converted to a great coat or poncho. It was similar to the linked item, but a bit more involved and, of course, more green.
On the down side, the extra zippers and seams will signifcantly increase the weight of the bag, and decrease its effectiveness.-- tiromancer, Jan 22 2005 "protrusions for extremities", eh?-- hippo, Jan 22 2005 This wouldn't be very warm unless it's thick with insulation, thereby making it difficult to walk to said bathroom. As far as I can tell, the entire purpose of mummy bags (besides being lighter than regular rectangular sleeping bags) is to be warmer because they have less unused airspace inside them.
[+] for the hysterical picture reading this put in my head.-- tekym, Jan 22 2005 This is just one of those ideas that you have to say to: "Why yes! that would solve it!"
[Tiromancer] there could be a zipper leading from where the anus is (like in baby suits) up to the neck. There being only one zipper and zippers being made as light as they are, it would pose no problem in the extra weigt department.
[Tekym] Nope, I have a Nomad(insert trademark thingy here) sleepingbag which weighs only about 200 grams and can withstand temperatures up to -5 celcius and is about 1/5 cm thick.
I would buy this!
It would also be handy to keep in the back of your car in case you get stranded in cold weather.
Its a shame I only get one vote! What are you waiting for Blumster? Get your behind to the Patent office!!-- Susan, Jan 22 2005 The picture I got while reading this is the snowsuit I wore as a child. I'll add a link...-- robinism, Jan 22 2005 This would be colder than a regular sleeping bag for the same reason that a glove is colder than a mitten. (Hmmm, bodyglove...) Keeping your different "protrusions" in the same cavity helps keep them all warmer. Especially for those of us with poor peripheral circulation.
I'd buy a mummy bag with a single sleeping cavity plus four mobility tubes made of stretch fleece. When you are sleeping, the tubes are self-sealing. When you need to go out to pee, arms and legs slide into the fleece tubes. The tubes aren't that warm but they don't need to be, since they are only used briefly.-- robinism, Jan 22 2005 Aside from the benefit of having all your furniture in the same room .. there is the padding. So what if more awkward people fall, if they are safe inside resilient padding then fewer will be hurt.-- reensure, Jan 23 2005 [reensure], in case you are responding to me...
I was picturing the leg holes positioned about two feet from the lower end of the bag. That should keep people from tripping on the bag. The arm holes would be a bit low too. That way, when you stand up, some of the bag gathers over the tummy (maybe with a clip or two to hold the gathers) and some of it cowls at the neck, and some of it hangs like a stubby tail.
If it were manufactured in the right fabric, it could also work as a lizard costume.-- robinism, Jan 23 2005 Hah!
Maybe a sleeping bag with orifices to which you can attatch your regular clothes. Your jacket would form the upper/top quarter of the bag, and you'd put it on backwards.-- tiromancer, Jan 23 2005 If this thing is totally form fitting does it mean you need different makes for differently sized people... not to mention people of different genders?-- Cats Whiskers, Jan 23 2005 [Robinism] has a point about a sleepingbag being warmer. For the arms I don't see a problem. You can just retract your arms out of the extensions and hold them inside the body just like you would with an ordinary sleeping bag. The legs are more of a problem.
I suggest a sleeping bag with 2 triangular shaped zippers between the feet. One in the front and one in the back, the base of the triangle would be between the feet and the top in the crotch. on the front of the upperleg region there would be a velcro patch.
When you want to go to the bathroom, or just walk about, you zip open the front and back, twist it round the legs to attach it to the velcro. The front could twist around the left leg, the back around the right leg.
This way you can avoid the problem of having to heave up a certain portion of the bag (which I am sure will hamper walking considerably) and you can slightly get around the size problem.-- Susan, Jan 23 2005 //a zipper leading from where the anus is (like in baby suits) up to the neck// So it's the Baden Powell model?-- ConsulFlaminicus, Jan 23 2005 [Susan], That's a good solution. If you planned to twist the bag around 90 degrees, then you would put the zippers in the side seams, instead of putting triangles in front and back, right?
Depending on how the zippers come together, you may have invented the world's first crotchless sleeping bag.-- robinism, Jan 23 2005 [ConsulFlamincus] I have no idea who Baden Powel is and I'm not going to look it up. I have substituted that idea for the one with the zippers.
[Robinism] AHA..I see your point...going to ponder further..-- Susan, Jan 23 2005 My original plan was for unzippable leg and arm holes similar to [robinism]'s idea.
I think it'd work great.
Problem is that it doesn't stand up to the real reason I thought of this, and the primary reason that all of you are skipping over. Comfort. Mummy bags are not comfortable, but I imagine this one would be.
Susan is all over the redesign. Nice-- Blumster, Jan 23 2005 Why would you pack a mummy bag unless you're worried about warmth and weight? You could use a rectangular bag or a blanket, both of which you can walk around in, to some extent.
A mummy bag which allows you to walk around and is still useful as a mummy bag is a bit of a design challenge, which I imagine is why people are having a go at it.-- tiromancer, Jan 24 2005 random, halfbakery