Sleeping Bag with GOOD Zips?

[Braidsta]

Hi All,

Just wondering if anyone can recommend a sleepign bag with a GOOD zip? My surplus arctic bag is heaven to be in, very rugged etc but the winning factor for me believe it or not, is the chunky zip! After busting my Vango's zip THE NIGHT BEFORE LEAVING for a quest across South Downs, just by wiggling round on my mate's sofa, I bought my arctic bag the minute I returned, still grubby from my journey, dead leaf crumbs falling into my keyboard. The zip on it is obviously goign to stand up to any wiggling I do.

So, I'm after a lighter weight, cooler bag for the summer coming, but I don't want some weak tiny zip that tangles itself and catches every time I use it, inevitably failing on me. I should say that I'm always happy to do a bit of DIY, but I'm not confident enough to replace zips.

Does anyone know of maybe a three-season bag with a chunky (or at least hard wearing) reliable zip?

Apologies for the convoluted question, the answer could well be that I'm a fool for going with Vango, but I just don't know. I had a look round Go Outdoors but the zips are all more fiddly than the ones on my trouser flies, and testing them out I was catching the material in them in front of the assistant helping me, it's just no good!

Thanks very much for any advice

Have a good one

Brady

 

[Tonyuk]

Depending on how much you feel the cold, you could try the current issue hot weather, often called Jungle bag. This is a lighter weight 2 season bag but i've used one in our summer months several times with no problems. Best paired with one of those self inflating mats, bivvy bag & cheap liner to get the best from it, bag itself costs about £20. Otherwise look at the range of snugpac sleeping bags very lightweight with a decent zip and a mix of bags for different seasons, priced from about £60 upwards.

 

[Lister]

just buy your desired sleeping bag and a YKK Vislon zipper of the desired length and take it to a seamstress/tailor, additional cost ~£15-20 job done.

YKK Vislon (#10v specifically i believe) zippers are found on all army surplus gear (jackets, bags, pouches, trousers etc), often refered to the PLCE Complaint Zipper

A 2M #10 YKK Vislon 2 way zip costs ~£12 (http://www.antrimm.co.uk/ALL-THE-SAME-COLOUR--STANDARD--VISLON-id10352.aspx) - Others stockists are available.

 

[Braidsta]

cheers guys, I well appreciate it!

I'd forgotten about the jungle bag, I think I'll go for this if the snugpak ones don't tempt me... they're trying hard!

Good call on the tailoring route though, now I think about it like that, my mum could do it!

 

[copper_head]

Take a look at the Snugpak elite 2. Cheap enough and good quality. Had mine for 2 years of 3 season use.

 

[Angry Pirate]

Or just any decent bag which will have a ykk zip as standard. It won't be user chunky but ykk tend to last ages. Their quality is pretty spot on which is why they are the market leader.
I have used (and still use) two bags pretty extensively which are both 20 plus years old. Both have YKK zips which are going strong. Years ago I used to work in outdoor retail and we (IIRC) never had a YKK failure on a sleeping bag.

 

[Tonyuk]

If you like a bit more room for sleeping in you could always also try the czech army bed-roll. I've had one for a year new and used it a few times. Its very good quality for the price (£10) although again its a 2 season system at its best.

Tonyuk

 

[The Lord Poncho]

Or combine two of the ideas above, and buy a surplus british warm weather sleeping bag (obtainable for around £10), and if it doesn't work out warmth wise for you, cut the zip off, and sew it into something else!