Army sleep system

[a12jpm]

Does anyone have any experience with the British Army Sleep system bag - think it might be 95 pattern issue.

What are the realistic comfort ratings?
Does £39.95 seam like a fair price?

I know it won't be the lightest/smallest but at that price I don't really mind.

Here's a link to the one i mean:

http://www.surplusandadventure.com/shopscr3567.html

Many thanks in advance.

 

[SimonM]

Its a heavy bag, and is quite large even when compressed. I would say that the rating is about right at -15C so is a bit warm at times.

Price wise it sounds like a good deal, but remember 2kg for a doss bag is very heavy!

 

[w00dsmoke]

I think that's a fair deal, however I picked up a current issue ARCTIC bag brand new for £20 on ebay last summer, I'd go for that instead as for roughly the same weight it's much much warmer and has a full length zip, although they are a bit on the small side.

The good thing about both bags is the internal pockets for drying socks etc, they are a very good idea.

 

[redandshane]

I have some experience with that type of bag
I use it in Winter in hammock with sleeping mat it will get you through anything UK can offer in way of cold and can be at tad luxurious at times which is nice when its cold wet and windy
However it is bulky and heavy as stated and not for carrying too far(for me anyway)
I love using it and look forward to getting in it ;but if I am hiking distance its not my choice I would then take a lighter High street bought 3 seasons bag and bivi bag
I also have a fleece liner and a poncho liner so by mixing and matching I can be prepared for most things

At that price though its a big warm great bag
I think they come in a smaller size as my mate claims his is smaller than mine fnarr fnarr

 

[Limaed]

The issue bag is good kit, though as the other guys have said is bulky and heavy. One could argue this is justified by how warm the bag is.
£40 seems a fair price though as Woodsmoke suggested, check out ebay.
Incidently I often see these bags at car-boot sales for less than £5 (often with lots of other bushcraft type gear!) though you may have to wait a while to find one. Theres a couple of boot sales in your area: Perth football ground, Errol, Tayport and Kinross so you may get lucky?
Check out the British Forces jungle/lightweight bag also which is 1-2 season rated for a summer bag.
Ed

 

[a12jpm]

Thank you all for taking time to reply.

Looks like I might be parting with some of my hard earned for one of these "maggots".

Not too worried about the weight, if weight was a issue i'd stop eating all the pies! Allready got a decent summer bag but as a new hammock and tarp combo will be on its way i thought it would be a better idea to invest in a decent bag. Still lighter than the tent/3 season combo i have at the moment.

Re the car boots thats the wifes territory as i get to look after the kids on Sunday mornings - my punishment for spending every weekend in winter shooting!

Thanks again guys.

 

[He' s left the building]

The Army sleeping bags are now being produced and issued in two different styles, arctic and hot weather. I suspect that there should be lots of the original sleeping bags (1995 issue?) on the surplus market due to these recent changes.

The 39.95 one in the first link appears to be the original 1995 issue and is available here: http://www.the-outdoor.co.uk/ishop/853/shopscr118.html for 19.99 plus postage.

The same supplier is selling the current 'hot weather' version on Ebay (I found both via a Google search for 'british army sleeping system' I have no link with this supplier)

From my experience, the original issued bags are bulky and heavy (hence the success of Snugpak military sales!) but they are great for those of us who are 'larger framed' and are usually cheap and hard wearing (I've recently sold one and I'm now using a Snugpak)

 

[Bodge]

Its a heavy bag, and is quite large even when compressed. I would say that the rating is about right at -15C so is a bit warm at times.

Price wise it sounds like a good deal, but remember 2kg for a doss bag is very heavy!

Yes what SimonM says.
I use this bag along with an issue bivvy bag or in my dd hammock. it is toasty warm and find that I have to unzip it during the night if the ambient temp is more than 8 degrees or so.
I will not use it in warmer months and have different rated bags for then.

Bodge

 

[dwardo]

Very heavy bag as stated above but i combat this by stopping more often

I have used mine for about the past 3 years of winter weather and i have NEVER been cold, yes never is a strong statement i know but its true. This includes a few scotland trips to about -6 or so, the peaks at about -8 and many other chilly occasions.

Great bag for winter bivying and hamocking. Too hot for summer..

 

[PJMCBear]

If you can get one for about £20-25, buy it, but as you're going to be hammocking you might want to look at an under blanket to accompany the 'maggot'

 

[a12jpm]

Thanks for all your words of wisdom gents.

I fear the plastic might be getting a battering this afternoon as at £20 grade1 or £15 grade 2 condition it does seam too cheap to miss out.

Also spotted the Arctic one for £29 so might consider that also. - link below

http://www.a1armysurplus.com/product_info.php?products_id=40

Just can't decide so I might have t have both, think my 13 month old girl needs a big green bag?

Have a good weekend all.

 

[MikeE]

I have just seen the British army sleeping bag at £25 in stuff sac, appeared to be new and unissued! Shop on outskirts of Braintree in Essex, it's a branch of Fields textiles but not sure of store name. I'll see if I can get a name over the weekend. Loads of Brit and a little foreign kit at very reasonable prices. Crusader mug £5, well they did have one!

 

[a12jpm]

If you could get the name that would be brill. I think field textiles is the wholesale opration of the outdoors.co.uk. They do have lots of lovely stuff on the websites but if I was a bit closer I'd pay them a visit. Nothing like a rummage in a surplus shop to get rid of of some time and money Dunblane to Essex is a bit of a trek though.

 

[spamel]

I was using a Snugpak Discovery in the winter a few years back whilst on exercise in Germany. Now, i had used that bag up on Mount Igman above Sarajevo in a jury rigged hammock I made with two cam poles, some paracord and some urban hessian camouflage material and was warm sleeping in my pants and t-shirt! I had my rifle to cuddle up to to keep me warm! It had previously been used on top of Mount Kilimanjaro by a friend and went out to Norway with my brother for a winter exercise and he also stayed warm in it. I was freezing in germany using that same bag! Things got that bad that I donned my Snugpak Black on Black puffa jacket and still I was cold. On a visit back into camp to get another vehicle out on the exercise area, my wife dropped off an issue bag to me! I stayed very warm in that bag in the crew shelter sleeping on a kip mat on the deck. They are excellent bags that will keep you warm in the most dreadful conditions, they can also be used as part of a comedy Ninja Turtle fancy dress costume!

 

[MikeE]

I've been that turtle!

 

[a12jpm]

Sold to the fat man from Perthshire. Quite frankly anything that doubles as a Ninja Turtle outfit is a sound investment.

Appreciate your comments.

Cheers

 

[phaserrifle]

one of my mates used one on a camp a few years ago. went down to -7. he was the only warm guy in the tent (there where 5 or 6 of us total) one guy had a sleeping bag and a duvet, he was still freezing, and I was wearing so manny t-shirts I couldn't move my arms properly. i learned my lesson and purchased some thermals

 

[Tonedef]

I look at it, the weight I save by losing the tent ans using a bivi allows for the use of a green maggot.

 

[survivalist]

hi

i was in the army and thats the bags we had to use. £40 is a very good price and i might even order one from that sight myself. people spend far too much on sleeping bags these days and theres really no need. they are very warm and comfortable and even more so if you use a bivvi bag too. also they dont really take up that much room.


best of luck

shaun