Alpkit Skyhigh 600

[Pandabean]

I have been looking at getting a new sleeping bag as my pat 58 army one is a bit too much to carry around, considering it was over 2kg and takes up quite a bit of room in the rucksac even after compressed.
So I got looking at the Alpkit Skyhigh 600 as a replacement as the price is about right.

Has anyone had much experience with this particular bag? I am looking to use it in a hammock each year mainly from March to October/November with either end of the seasons being up here in Scotland. So not sure if -5 will be ok.

I would also like to use it as my summer bag for things like the Bushmoot and any courses I do down at Woodsmoke in the Lakes.

I did see on Rays site that the Nanok Osprey sleeping bag was a bit cheaper and had a lower rating of -10 and it looks nice but the weight is 2kg and just about as big as my army bag but it did have a centre zip unlike the Alpkit bags.

I also have or rather my girlfriend has a snugpak 3 season bag and I have been allowed to use it once and found that ok but still a bit bulky.

I have used Alpkit in the past and they have given pretty good service but I just want to see if the bag is right for me.

 

[PeterH]

My son has a SH600 which has been used all over from winters Chilterns (-8), early spring Snowdonia, late autumn Brecons and Ecuador from the pacific via the Andes to the Amazon. He uses a silk liner and says it is usually quite warm but he is 18. I was in the same tent at -8 in my Nanok -10 and significantly cold, he was toasty and annoying asleep all night!

As for use in hammock he uses a synthetic bag there rather than the downbag.

 

[Prawnster]

I have the Skyehigh 800 and I love it. I went for the skyehigh instead of the pipedream as I like a bit of extra room. It is very warm. It's the first bag I've had where I've had to strip to my underwear to cool down. I only got it in the autumn so I've not tried it in summer temperatures but I reckon I'd have to use mine as a quilt, there's no way I could sleep inside it in warm weather. The 600 that you're going for might be better suited for summer. The quality is excellent, the stuffbag is very good and the cotton bag for storage is very handy.

Cheers
Sean

 

[The Big Lebowski]

Used the 600 for the past year and a half... No problems but when its well in the minus, I use a bivi and liner.

If you sleep warm, the 600 wil be fine. cool/cold- 800 should keep you toasty warm.

 

[comeonbabylightmyfire]

I bought one and returned it because there was no filling in the underside. Alpkit replaced it but it was just the same with filling on the underside. I froze when I tried it out so I gave it away to my nephew for his trip to India. Perhaps the Pipedream might be better. I ended up buying a Marmot and I'm very happy with that.

 

[beamdune]

I bought one and returned it because there was no filling in the underside. Alpkit replaced it but it was just the same with filling on the underside. I froze when I tried it out so I gave it away to my nephew for his trip to India. Perhaps the Pipedream might be better. I ended up buying a Marmot and I'm very happy with that.

Interesting...

Was there none or just a lot less? I recently purchased a pipedream 800 - returned it as it felt a bit snug for me AND because there was a lot more fill across the top than the underside.

I understand the bags have sidewall baffles to stop the down migrating but, if combined with differential fill, this seems (to me) to be a bit of a disadvantage for side sleepers if the bag moves with you when you roll onto your side.

 

[comeonbabylightmyfire]

Your problem seems very similar to mine. There was significantly less down on the whole of the underside and absolutely none in the panel that would protect your shoulders and upper rear torso. I'm also a side sleeper so the bag does move with me when I roll onto my side. I can't move independently inside a mummy-type bag.

 

[PeterH]

If you feel the baffles carefully there is a small cutout at the end, like a folded corner, that seems to allow you to persuade down to move but it should not be needed on a new one. Did do a bit of messing after some bad washing caused rather a lot of uneven clumping.

 

[tartanferret]

Oh no ! this is not sounding good !, I'm currently waiting for a Pipedream to be delivered