Bespoke sleeping bags.

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CLEM

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jul 10, 2004
2,433
439
Stourbridge
Anyone here ever made their own sleeping bags as i fancy one to my own spec etc.
 

Ogri the trog

Mod
Mod
Apr 29, 2005
7,182
71
60
Mid Wales UK
Clem,
Not really a sleeping bag, but Ray Jardine (www.rayway or something similar) has information on making a quilt - argueing that the insulation on the underside of a sleeping bag gets crushed anyway, so use something else. He has kits available too. I might also be tempted when time and funds allow.

ATb

Ogri the trog
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,996
4,648
S. Lanarkshire
I have, many years ago, I used two feather pillows to stuff it with. Never had such a mess in my life .
I made two mummy shapes ( the inner one was 1" shorter & narrower all over) and then sewed them together from the feet up in rings about 6" apart. I left 2" open in each ring and then stuffed each ring seperately and closed the seam by hand. I had feathers erupting everywhere :eek:
Finally finished I was quite chuffed with my bag, well once I'd emptied the hoover half a dozen times, I was.

I used polycotton for the bag (it was what I could get :( ) and it worked fine for about 2 days, then I got up looking like a dandelion :eek:
It was warm though, and it just shook back up to loft in no time at all, but I couldn't stop the feathers coming out. Eventually it became the cats bed and got binned.
If you are going to use feathers buy "Feather proof ticking"......me? I'll buy one from Outdoorcode :rolleyes:

Best of luck with it.
Cheers,
Toddy
 

CLEM

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jul 10, 2004
2,433
439
Stourbridge
Well me problem is i am a big lump and need more room than average.So i figured this may be the way to go. :)
 

The Joker

Native
Sep 28, 2005
1,231
12
55
Surrey, Sussex uk
CLEM said:
Well me problem is i am a big lump and need more room than average.So i figured this may be the way to go. :)


Thats the same prob that I have they're all a bit tight around the chest.
Why not make a small section to expand the bag by zipping it to the bags zip, (if that makes sence)
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,996
4,648
S. Lanarkshire
CLEM said:
Well me problem is i am a big lump and need more room than average.So i figured this may be the way to go. :)

Phone Outdoorcode and ask....he's pretty obliging :) Match who is well over the six foot mark and me, okay, I'm 5'2" and a bit, both got suitable bags from him. And Match is long and lean and I'm :eek: definitely not!

Failing that, why not buy a cheap quilt and try modifying that to suit before you spend real money on the makings. If nothing else, it'll let you see what does and doesn't work for you. If it turns out to be a goodie buy a machine wash-in dye and just use the bag. :cool:

Cheers,
Toddy
 

wentworth

Settler
Aug 16, 2004
573
2
40
Australia
The Jardine quilts are great. I would highly reccommend them. Very light. However... HURRY as he is closing his business. You will want to get a quilt kit before supplies run out!
I too found sleeping bags a bit tight around the chest and hips. No probs with my quilt in that regard.
 

Big John

Nomad
Aug 24, 2005
399
0
51
Surrey
CLEM said:
Well me problem is i am a big lump and need more room than average.So i figured this may be the way to go. :)
I'm quite well built myself, and I got the Stormlite Zephyr 400 for Christmas - 230cm long and 85cm chest, it's a nice bag even though it's only £40 (£32 in the current Field & Trek sale) and I've slept under a basha in it in Feb and last weekend and it's been nice and warm both times.

http://www.fieldandtrek.com/cat_id/EQUISLEESYN3/product-Stormlite-Zephyr-400-31273.htm

Another commercial option is Mountain Equipment, they sell what they call the 'Freedom Baffle' which is a zip-in extender to give you more space in the bag - as described by clipper above:

http://www.mountain-equipment.co.uk/accessories/sleepingbag-liner.html

it's under 'Liners' for some reason!
 

CLEM

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jul 10, 2004
2,433
439
Stourbridge
wentworth said:
The Jardine quilts are great. I would highly reccommend them. Very light. However... HURRY as he is closing his business. You will want to get a quilt kit before supplies run out!
I too found sleeping bags a bit tight around the chest and hips. No probs with my quilt in that regard.
Will do,shall get my order off over the weekend i reckon.
 

Ogri the trog

Mod
Mod
Apr 29, 2005
7,182
71
60
Mid Wales UK
Clem,
As a last minute heads-up. If you can get anywhere near Leominster in the next few weeks, Sheppard Hill Stores has as ale on sleeping bags I picked up a 235 x 95 Coleman Polar item last week for £25 - not to be sniffed at.
Let me have a rummage for their website, here it is, www.sheppards.uk.com

ATB

Ogri the trog
 

CLEM

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jul 10, 2004
2,433
439
Stourbridge
Ogri the trog said:
Clem,
As a last minute heads-up. If you can get anywhere near Leominster in the next few weeks, Sheppard Hill Stores has as ale on sleeping bags I picked up a 235 x 95 Coleman Polar item last week for £25 - not to be sniffed at.
Let me have a rummage for their website, here it is, www.sheppards.uk.com

ATB

Ogri the trog
Thanks for that my friend,i shall check it out :)
 

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