Blacks Icelandic sleeping bag

[bailout]

Perhaps these are just too old for anyone else to still have one or even to have heard of them. They were a classic british sleeping bag that was very common and well regarded before the more modern mummy shaped bags with nylon outers took over. They were a simple tapered shape with a cotton outer, down filled with box baffles. No hood, a short zip and they rolled into an open bag that was sewn onto the bag.

I thought that people on here seem to like natural fibres when possible and hence someone might still be using one. They were blue though so not the most bushcraft friendly colour.

I have one that used to be my dad's. He probably only used it a couple of times at most. I similarly only used it a couple of times and then bought a modern bag to get something smaller and lighter so I imagine it is one of the best condition Icelandics still around. The Icelandic isn't that heavy at iirc about 1600gms which isn't too bad for a bag that I think used to be rated as a winter bag but obviously the cotton fabric is heavier than modern thin nylons.

I suspect that the Icelandic would probably long outlast my modern bag though

 

[John Fenna]

Excellent bags! - I remember soaping the seams to prevent down leakage
Mine is Loooong gone now

 

[oldtimer]

I have had one of these for at least 40 years and it's been to the Alps Pyrenees and Rockies among others. I only retired it when the cotton cover started to rot and it leaked down. I now use a Rab down bag. But I still have my first tent that my Dad bought me when I was 10 - and I'm 70 this year. I haven't unroled it for years as I think it is probably rotten. I now use a Jack Wolfskin one man ultralight if I'm on my own. My kit 50 years ago used to weigh 30 for a long weekend: it still does despite light modern technology. But 50 years ago I didn't carry GPS, mobile 'phone and assorted batteries. I gues I'm carry more weight too than 50 years ago, but I could go on I diet.

 

[bailout]

John, I haven't heard of soaping the seams before but as mine probably has under 2 weeks use since new it doesn't have any problems with leaking down. It leaks less than my modern nylon covered down bag.

oldtimer, I can imagine that it would take a lot of use if looked after.

 

[Imagedude]

Had one throughout my early years and my teens, sadly I got rid when synthetic bags appeared.



http://photos.imageevent.com/imagedude/bbladeupload/bags.jpg

 

[wise old owl]

How much do you want for that "relic?" What are it's dimensions?( In inches please!?") Is it retangular? It would go well with my "kit" of nolstagic gear. Now If I can just find a Blacks Good Companion Major?????? best regards, Woo-usa

 

[rik_uk3]

I had the Special and the Polar in the past and both were very good although I prefered the 'fit' of the Special. I still have one or more of each of the stoves listed, that advert has made me feel old:vio: nice one though

 

[bailout]

woo, I measured my bag and I think I have just discovered something I didn't know. Firstly I am about 71" tall and average build and have found the bag big enough. It doesn't have a hood like modern mummy bags and has a very short side zip, 28". I am a front/side sleeper so what I often used to do was open the zip and put it under me so the top was more like a quilt.

The shape of the bag is rectangular with tapered sides - if that makes sense The length is 70" and the width at the shoulders is 30" and 20" at the foot. Looking at the catalogue above it gives the length as 6ft 6" which would be 78" which is longer than mine.

The label on mine says Icelandic Standard Short Zip. I always thought this meant that the zip was short but perhaps the bag is short and they came in zipped or unzipped versions?

I will have a think whether I want to sell it or not and if so what price. I bought a lighter modern summer bag for cycle touring and backpacking and haven't used the Icelandic since. I had thought to keep it as a spare and for less weight critical situations as the cotton makes it more comfortable to sleep in than my new bag but I haven't used it yet and tbh probably won't.

I will try and get some photos up so you can see it as it would fit with the era of kit you are interested in.

 

[wise old owl]

bailout, that may be to short and narrow and claustophobic for me? I am 73", but weigh in at 260lbs. So the bag may be too small. If it were my Dad's, I'd keep it!

All the time I have been searching for a Black's GP Major when what I needed was a Itisa Senior tent. It pays to reread Showell Styles book occasionally.

Thanks for your info on the "relic!" If it were zipped up, and with its short zipper, in a emergency I wouldn't be able to get out?f And I have several of these emergencies nightly!!")

Would enjoy seeing the photos of the relic. cheers, woo

 

[tenderfoot]

Still got and use my blacks icelandic bag.it was as mentioned blue,and still is though faded. mine was the one with no zip.
it was filled with duck down and feather mix i recall.i think it was £21 to buy .it is quite a slim fit as it was a 2-3 season bag designed to be used inside a larger mummy shaped bag for more extreme use. i always intended to buy the second bag but never needed to.
Weirdly, i bought mine with some other kit in order to backpack around the lake district with two friends.We were inspired by reading a book by.... SHOWELL STYLES! Now it gets really surreal.... in the book i had :- with Showells' picture on the back cover . He advocated taking off boots and socks and soaking feet in a cold stream on a hike if the opportunity arose.
half way around our 112 mile walk my friends and i were doing just that when another walker arrived and joined us in soaking our feet. He looked familiar, i got out my book, and as the stranger observed me covertly comparing his features to the picture on the back cover he remarked: " I wrote that.Do you like it? " indeed it was he! I have not thought of this in many a year . It was 1978. I dont have the book ,i had to take it back to the library. My tent died many moons ago but the sleeping bag still gets used and will be used again in a couple of weekends time.Thanks for reminding me of those more carefree times. good luck with your quest.

 

[sasquatch]

Still got and use my blacks icelandic bag.it was as mentioned blue,and still is though faded. mine was the one with no zip.
it was filled with duck down and feather mix i recall.i think it was £21 to buy .it is quite a slim fit as it was a 2-3 season bag designed to be used inside a larger mummy shaped bag for more extreme use. i always intended to buy the second bag but never needed to.
Weirdly, i bought mine with some other kit in order to backpack around the lake district with two friends.We were inspired by reading a book by.... SHOWELL STYLES! Now it gets really surreal.... in the book i had :- with Showells' picture on the back cover . He advocated taking off boots and socks and soaking feet in a cold stream on a hike if the opportunity arose.
half way around our 112 mile walk my friends and i were doing just that when another walker arrived and joined us in soaking our feet. He looked familiar, i got out my book, and as the stranger observed me covertly comparing his features to the picture on the back cover he remarked: " I wrote that.Do you like it? " indeed it was he! I have not thought of this in many a year . It was 1978. I dont have the book ,i had to take it back to the library. My tent died many moons ago but the sleeping bag still gets used and will be used again in a couple of weekends time.Thanks for reminding me of those more carefree times. good luck with your quest.

Nice one! I'll bet he felt like a God that day!

 

[wise old owl]

Showell (Kip) Styles passed onto "the great hike" a couple of years back. You were very fortunate to meet him. He was another person in my life that I wanted to meet and learn from.

 

[wheelyjon]

I still use a Blacks Icelandic and no feathers leaking!

 

[clafean]

I have one of these bags, that used to be my father's. He used it extensively for both summer and winter backpacking. I have both the inner and the outer bag, but the sheet liner is long since gone.

I intend to put it back into use this summer as my bag is a winter bag and just too heavy for summer use. I have a question though, that one of you may be able to help me with. For the life of me, I can't remember which is the outer and which is the inner and furthermore, which you use in the summer months, when you are using just one bag. In the end, it likely doesn't matter if I choose wrong, but I would like to use the very light blue on blue bag, vs the heavier tan on blue bag. Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance for your input.

Chuck

 

[Andy BB]

When I was doing a lot of bike rallies in the late 70s, the "price-no-problem" bag of choice for winter rallies was the Blacks (?) Karakoram down bag. Expensive though, and most of us made do with a couple of cheapo nylon bags, one inside the other.

 

[Laurence Milton]

I still have and regularly use a Blacks bag from the 70s...it is/was a synthetic filling, 4 season bag, and in the day, expensive. It is a Blacks Highland One of the first synthetic bags I believe? It is black nylon on the outside with a sewn on golden slash and golden cotton inner. The zip goes all the way round but is semi mummy shaped with zip baffle and drawstring hood. My partner and I bought two, they are still in regular use and perfect condition. Superb.

Now I want to find a Good Companion Major tent or a copy of one..................

Might just have found one of these too...................

 

[Adrian]

I donated my old Blacks Icelandic a couple of years ago (the bit where stuff is sold) at the Wilderness gathering, together with my old Camp Trails Astral Cruiser pack frame and sac. I had it from school and it had been to North Norway, Canada, and all over Wales and the Lake District. I hadn't used it for over 30years, but it had been properly stored and aired, just that no one wanted either the bag or the pack!

I'd like to think that someone is getting good use out of them.

 

[Laurence Milton]

I still have and regularly use a Blacks bag from the 70s...it is/was a synthetic filling, 4 season bag, and in the day, expensive. It is a Blacks Highland One of the first synthetic bags I believe? It is black nylon on the outside with a sewn on golden slash and golden cotton inner. The zip goes all the way round but is semi mummy shaped with zip baffle and drawstring hood. My partner and I bought two, they are still in regular use and perfect condition. Superb.

Now I want to find a Good Companion Major tent or a copy of one..................

Might just have found one of these too...................

.....it's a Blacks Good Companion Standard with extended flysheet...............although faded, seems in excellent condition. Very lucky me.......

 

[Wisey]

I have just rediscovered my Blacks Icelandic at the back of the airing cupboard. I originally purchased it in 1960 so that makes it some 56 years old. I used it for many years but still seems serviceable and id good condition.. I will have it dry-cleaned. I forget the exact cost but think it was about £15.

 

[bigbear]

Classic kit from the days when Blacks were THE outfitter of choice, how are the mighty fallen !
RIP Pointfive while we are at it .........