Best Sleeping bag????

[bivibish]

I am in a Dilemma , as i have bought a Ray mears Osprey sleeping bag to use with my wbbb hammock , but have stumbled across the Carinthia Defence 4 bag and i am now starting to doubt my purchase as the Nanok Osprey is a little snug and the material catches a lot , anyone had any comparisons made between the 2 and would like to share their views?

Awaiting patiently debit card in hand !!!!

 

[forestwalker]

I am in a Dilemma , as i have bought a Ray mears Osprey sleeping bag to use with my wbbb hammock , but have stumbled across the Carinthia Defence 4 bag and i am now starting to doubt my purchase as the Nanok Osprey is a little snug and the material catches a lot , anyone had any comparisons made between the 2 and would like to share their views?

Awaiting patiently debit card in hand !!!!

The crappy fabric i the osprey is what irritates me with mine (I have rough feet, 'nuff said). My Carinthia, OTOH, I love, even if I only have experience with their Survival One winter bag..

 

[spandit]

The Defence 4 is a real winter bag - when zipped up, the breathing hole isn't large (about 6" across) so not for those who are claustrophobic. It's not terribly long either - I'm 6'3" and my 200 model only just fits. I'd be inclined to try one first before investing, although that's easier said than done

 

[Greek1983]

The crappy fabric i the osprey is what irritates me with mine (I have rough feet, 'nuff said). My Carinthia, OTOH, I love, even if I only have experience with their Survival One winter bag..

Wish I had the money for the Survival One. Would've been fun to wear it as a coat.

 

[The Lord Poncho]

The Defence 4 is tough, and its outer is waterproof (not taped)- those things plus its warmth for weight and size make it a bit of a winner for me!

I had an old snugpak that has very snaggy fabric- my rough feet messed it up too. However, that was only aethetics, it didn't actually affect the performance of the bag.

 

[blacktimberwolf]

Wouldn't a liner be the solution for those who's feet & other appendiges snag sleeping bag interiors ?

 

[calibanzwei]

Horses for courses... I'll throw in the Marmot Wave IV into the mix for half the price
Yes, I own one - snuggly-wuggly!

 

[sandbender]

I think the Woodlore bags are very well designed and made, I'm shoeless for much of the year and have feet like sandpaper, there is wear and tear down in the footwell but nothing to worry about.

Is it possible that they have changed suppliers? Or begun to use a cheaper fabric? Has anyone tried to compare a current bag against the ones they were knocking out a few years back?

The Defence 4 is a cold weather bag maybe the Carinthia MCSS Tropen would be a better replacement for the Osprey?

 

[forestwalker]

Wish I had the money for the Survival One. Would've been fun to wear it as a coat.

One looks like a Dr Who monster.

 

[forestwalker]

Wouldn't a liner be the solution for those who's feet & other appendiges snag sleeping bag interiors ?

I'm going to add a sewn in "foot-bucket". But it is imensely irritating that they made such a poor choice of fabric, apart from that I actually like my osprey quite a bit, well designed, warm, etc.. But with that piece of idiocy I won't buy another one.

 

[forestwalker]

I think the Woodlore bags are very well designed and made, I'm shoeless for much of the year and have feet like sandpaper, there is wear and tear down in the footwell but nothing to worry about.

Mine looks all "fuzzy", and one can feel how the feet catches on the fabric as one is using it. Now, I have not seen any actual holes, so it might be a non-issue, but my trust is broken.

Is it possible that they have changed suppliers? Or begun to use a cheaper fabric? Has anyone tried to compare a current bag against the ones they were knocking out a few years back?

Mine is a few years old (2-3?). I thougt that they were all Nanoks? But Nanok is proababy capable of making a bad to a price point.

The Defence 4 is a cold weather bag maybe the Carinthia MCSS Tropen would be a better replacement for the Osprey?

Also true, they are not equivalent bags, the D4 is a winter bag, even if not an *extreme* winter bag. The osprey is a scandinavian 3 seasons: not really a winter bag up here. I use mine as a spring and autumn bag, turning to the carithia for any winter trips, and other bags for summer.

 

[sandbender]

"...Mine looks all "fuzzy", and one can feel how the feet catches on the fabric as one is using it. Now, I have not seen any actual holes, so it might be a non-issue, but my trust is broken..."

You are not alone, there was a thread a while ago where someone had a similar problem, but with the velcro at the hood. If I recall he tried talking to Woodlore about it and they were not that helpful.

I have an Osprey and a Golden Eagle, I love them and use them all the time, I also have several Nanok bags and various mountaineering bags, I just find that the Woodlore ones give me the best nights sleep.

 

[Greek1983]

One good thing with the Carinthia Defence 4 is that is has attachment points for the polycotton liner (costs 40 Euros), thus no worries when sleeping with your boots on. However it adds 500 grams to the total weight of the sleeping bag.

The breathing hole has the same diameter with the Defence 1,4 and 6 sleeping bags, but it's not necessary to zip the liner that high.

 

[bivibish]

My carinthia defence 4 arrived today , so i unpacked it and lay it beside my nanok osprey , on comparison the carinthia is head and shoulders above the osprey , the material feels better the cut of the bag is better and the centre zip runs like a dream compared to the osprey and no more catching of the fabric on my skin , even the stuff sack is far superior , it has 7 compression straps!!!!!!!!!
Ill admit that i had not heard a lot about Carinthia products before now , but i am glad that i have , as it ticks all the box's . next purchase will be the Tropen 200 to go into my defence 4 , i did however place my osprey into my defence 4 to see if it would fit my 6 3" frame inside , which worked easily , however i did nearly have a panic attack as i zipped up 2 winter sleeping bags whilst inside my house with the heating on .
Now what to do with all the surplus bags i have that never quite cut it? fleabay ahoy.

 

[EdS]

best sleeping bag. Got to be PHD

 

[forestwalker]

You are not alone, there was a thread a while ago where someone had a similar problem, but with the velcro at the hood. If I recall he tried talking to Woodlore about it and they were not that helpful.

I think that was me...

I have an Osprey and a Golden Eagle, I love them and use them all the time, I also have several Nanok bags and various mountaineering bags, I just find that the Woodlore ones give me the best nights sleep.

As I said, apart from the fabric choice I love it, which is why I pointed it out to Woodlore. Once I find a suitable fabric my osprey will have a sewn in liner in the foot region, and the problem will be gone. Until then I sleep with my socks on.

 

[VFR800Essex]

http://survivalinfo.co.uk/survival-kit-reviews-page/sleeping-kit-shop/109-product-reviews/sleeping-kit-reviews/523-carinthia-explorer-down-1000

No one want a down bag??

 

[spandit]

My next purchase will be the Tropen 200

I bought a surplus Dutch sleep system that came with a Defence 4 and a Tropen for £70 (from fu-kit.com, I think). They're made under licence by FECSA but are the same spec. I will say that they don't exactly slot together perfectly - it is just one sleeping bag inside another. You have the bonus of a mosquito net with the Tropen but otherwise you might want to save your money & use an existing sleeping bag inside the Defence 4

 

[forestwalker]

http://survivalinfo.co.uk/survival-...-kit-reviews/523-carinthia-explorer-down-1000

No one want a down bag??

Tempted, actually. For my next winter bag: long life and smaller in the pack is the main issues that would entice me. Also, UKP300 is a quite reasonable price for a winter down bag (most are twice that). One almost wonders how they can pull it off. I *have* been toying with the notion of buying some densely woven cotton (ventile?) and a down duvet from IKEA and DIY. Nick the design from the osprey and the carinthia, ventile outer, egyptian cotton (or linnen?) inner.

OTOH, http://naturligt-ute.se/sovsack.html sells a kit for a 3-season down bag for SEK 1600 (and a ready made "down in cotton" winter bag for SEK 3300, about the same as the carinthia runs).

 

[forestwalker]

I bought a surplus Dutch sleep system that came with a Defence 4 and a Tropen for £70 (from fu-kit.com, I think). They're made under licence by FECSA but are the same spec. I will say that they don't exactly slot together perfectly - it is just one sleeping bag inside another. You have the bonus of a mosquito net with the Tropen but otherwise you might want to save your money & use an existing sleeping bag inside the Defence 4

There is a two bag sleeping system made by carinthia for the swedish army, it reportedly was (is?) quite good. Not centre zip, and I'm a convert to those. A thin summer bag, a thicker spring-autumn bag, and the combo would do -40 C IIRC.