Getting out in nature can really do wonders for the soul, but it can also frustrate a person to the core. When you rid yourself of all the luxuries of home, namely four walls and roof, you become an open target for mosquitos and other irritating pests. Luckily, there is something on the market that can alleviate the general aggravation and irritation brought on by this nuisance. A little thing called mosquito netting, more specifically mosquito netting for sleeping bags.
Function
Basically, mosquito netting for sleeping bags is designed specifically to fit over a standard sleeping bag (as well as your head) so you are protected from insects. Even if you're sleeping in a tent, this extra layer of protection can help you last the night, bite free. Due to its overall weight, you'll hardly notice it's there at all.
Features
Most of the mosquito netting for sleeping bags available today are relatively cheap, but you can find more structural models (bug huts, as they're often called) that cost as much as $50. The most basic kind of mosquito netting looks like a sheet that you tuck around you to create an extra layer of protection. Though somewhat archaic looking, you can also purchase the rectangular model that has four corners on top and another four on the bottom. Usually, you'll need to run cords from each of the top corners and tether them off to another structure to keep the "box" in which you sleep from falling down around you. There's also the cream of the crop, so to speak, which is a bug hut that lies closer to the ground with a balloon-like net at one end under which you'd lay your head.
Benefits
The most obvious benefit of the mosquito netting for sleeping bags is the trouble-free night of sleep. If you've ever been camping, there's nothing more annoying that having a mosquito buzzing in your ear as you try to drift off. Besides the lack of bites while trying to slumber, you're also protecting yourself from the diseases mosquito can carry, such as West Nile Virus or even malaria, depending on where you're camping.
Considerations
Although mosquito netting for sleeping bags adds an additional layer of protection, nothing is ever perfect. Bugs always seem to find a way of maneuvering into the most secure locations. To fortify this netted shield, you should really think about spraying the material with a coating of bug repellant. It may seem like it defeats the purpose of investing in the mosquito netting, but you know what they say about an ounce of prevention...it's worth a pound of cure. And when we're talking about the West Nile Virus or malaria, the consequences are serious.
Identification
If you're wondering where you can pick up some mosquito netting for your sleeping bag, you can go to most any sporting goods store or a specialty camping retailer to pick up one for each member of your camping party. And depending on your budget, you may want to pick up the "Cadillac" of models ---they'll last a lifetime, although even the relatively inexpensive versions will protect you for a number of years.
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