Ok folks DD have brought out their own sleeping bag. As I don’t think there is any proper reviews out yet on it I would put this forward. Just so it’s known Nick from DD hasn't asked me to do this, I’m doing it because I helped do some of the trials on this sleeping bag it and I have been using it for over a year now. I’m mostly used to using my ex army issue dose bag and have not used any of the other sleeping bags that folk talk about in this forum, so I can only compare it to my military one.
So as for the Jura 2 sleeping bag at a quick glance it looks similar to my army doss bag with its hood and the zip down the middle of the sleeping bag. But this sleeping bag is not designed totally like my army one it thinner and lighter and unlike my army one it packs away to allot smaller taking up less space in my Bergen. It has three pockets on it two on the inside like my military one so you can store things like your socks or a midnight snack if that’s what takes you fancy. The other pocket is on the left hand side of the sleeping bag and is big enough to hold a small torch and a mobile phone. It also has two baffles inside it, one on the inside of the zip and the other around inner of the hood between your shoulders and head. As for the zip itself is double ended so it can be opened from the bottom should you get to warm. And something I have never seen on a sleeping bag before a waterproof foot area on the bottom of the bag so you can stand up in it without getting your feet or the bag wet, and it is waterproof on the inside as well just in case you fancy wearing your wellies to bed. And finally it is designed to fit people who are up to a 44 inch chest.
The one on the Right is the Jura2 (just in case you didn't guess)
Back in 2011 Nick had asked me if I knew anyone who could do a review this sleeping bag. It was called the Jura and it was named after an island in Scotland. Well after putting myself forward (wouldn't you), I asked MadDave and Mr John Fenner (who else) if they would be interested. Nick also had other people testing the bag as well as us.
Unfortunately by the time Nick had the sleeping bags in the beginning of 2012 Dave had gone on a jolly and wasn't going to be back soon, so he dipped out. But John and l had bag each to play with.
Shoulder baffle and inside pocket. And the pic next to it is the waterproof foot-well with the bottom of the double zip, notice on the first Jura how the zip baffle is on the outside it now works much better on the Jura 2 by being on the inside of the zip
The Jura is rated at go down to -5. So the first time I used it was at a meet near me in early February and that night was at least -5 if not colder the morning after the test everything above and below me was frozen
As for how the sleeping bag performed I found the hood plenty big enough to completely cover my head. And easily covers my face when cords are pulled tight. The shoulder baffles did their job well and going down the bag my upper body was fairly warm.
In fact the only part of me that got really cold was my knees this was because during the night I had slid down my hammock and my knees had been pushing against the sleeping bag. to be honest I did use a under blanket as it was so cold, but apart from that as I was reviewing how good the sleeping bag is I didn't use anything else which I would have normally used in those conditions like a bivi bag , liner or extra clothing.
I did find some things wrong with the Jura sleeping bag like the baffle for the zip was on the outside of the sleeping and was really fiddly to keep Velcro closed. There were some other issues as well like at the bottom of the zip had a gap. And I did find it "let’s just say it was rather snug". Now I'm a 42 inch chest and I know some folk are of a similar size to me (I asked John how he did and he admitted he was a little bit bigger than me). so I sent my findings back to nick and I'm glad to say that along with any other issues that other folk may have found all these were sorted out on the Jura 2, and it is also much more roomy and less 'snug'
I must say that I have been using the first Jura since doing the review and I can say it hasn't let me down although when it is a bit colder I do use a bivi bag as well or if it's really going to be cold I would use my army doss bag instead. And when I say cold I mean in -0 sort of cold
This is my 40 ltr day sack which it can nearly get lost in. And the second pic shows it squashed up so it will take up less space in a back pack
Now I know I can't be taken as a totally un-biest reviewer as I have Links to DD, so I asked diamond Dave for his opinion on the Jura2 as he just brought one in the last DD group buy and here it is in his own words
I had asked Dave two questions first his opinion of the sleeping bag
Here is Dave’s reply.
It's hard to know where to start, but here goes.
I was sleeping in my thermals and in a Sleeping bag liner.
On two nights I felt just a little uncomfortably cold but not anything serious. On the other nights the bag performed very well.
For a Synthetic bag it does pack down well in the Bergen which is a great asset.
The central zip is very good, but when you open the bag and you have things in the little mesh pockets they tend to fall out, perhaps a Velcro closure is required on these.
Another small thing is the boot well and perhaps the whole bag could be just a little larger. Nothing to much just a CM or 2.
Getting in the hammock is much easier even when you lay the bag in the hammock and climb in under the mozzi net?
Trying to control the liner and hold the bag up is quite frustrating but I'm sure it will be addressed sometime.
That said I am delighted as hell with this little bag and it has become my first choice bag for my camping trips.
Why nobody else has thought about this waterproof bottom is a mystery it is just so convenient.
Well not a full review but for the money this is one hell of a bag.
And my other question was what build was he (In reference to if the Jura 2 was as snug as the jura and the fact that he said he would like it slightly Larger)
I'm a well built sort of guy being described as "chunky" around 5-10 in height.
the weather was horrendous most of the time so much so that on two days we had to decamp to a stone bothy as the rain was torrential and winds around 50 miles per hour.
Although we were protected in the bothy it was still damp, cold and draughty. The other days were light rain and cold with the wind chill making it feel colder. During the day we were all dressed in warm and waterproof clothes.
As mentioned the bag could have been a little bigger while it was acceptable it was a little snug restricting me in the bag. On the subject of the mesh pockets, just a point is why not secure the top edge on the pocket and have access in from the side with a little Velcro.
It seemed strange not being able to move my feet sideways but nevertheless it was good being of waterproof material.
I have around 9 bags which I have acquired in my search for a better bag. My real favorite is my ex army bag which is brilliant except it is so bulky to carry and takes up all of the Bergen. My second best is this Jura 2 as it has the ability to be a real classic for the likes of me.
Thanks for that Dave. Mind you I would agree that the leg area is not as big as my army doss bag I was still able to kick my feet around when I used it the other weekend.
Whilst doing this review I have found another one that is on the DD website it is by a Chris Salisbury from WildWise Events Ltd and as it is possibly a bit more of a 'proper review' I thought I would put it on here as well.
So here it is.
I was pleased to see that somebody had finally recognised that sleeping in a hammock demanded something different from a sleeping bag. As soon as I saw this product on DD Hammocks website, I was keen to test it out, as I am a regular hammock user, as an instructor on WildWise's events and courses.
The Jura 2, as sold by DD Hammocks, has been custom designed for hammock sleeping, with 3 key features. The first is a waterproof foot-end, a 'foot-box' that allows you to stand upon damp or wet ground without absorbing moisture. As anyone knows who uses this sleeping system, its more convenient to enter and exit the hammock 'wearing' your sleeping bag, and so this is an excellent development in sleeping bag design.
The second feature is one I would look for in any sleeping bag, and that is the central zip. Why on earth manufacturers insist on a side zip is a mystery, as its far more user-friendly to have one in the middle, like the British army ones do. I am pleased to report that the Jura 2 has a zip-tag on the inside too, which again makes it so much easier to open and close from inside the bag. Thirdly, 2 zip-tags at either end also enables a bit of ventilation when its too warm. Its not rocket science, but these features don't half make a difference to the experience of hammock sleeping, and I applaud the manufacturers for including them in their design.
Of course the other critical factor is the temperature rating, a cause of much frustration in the process of buying a new bag. So often the temperature guide is misleading, or at worst plain wrong, but I'm pleased to say that so far the Jura 2 backs up its claims as a 4-season bag. I have now slept out in it at zero degrees, and I was plenty warm enough, so I'm willing at least to put to the test its official rating of being 'comfortable' at minus 5 degrees.
The other features are becoming more standard in a sleeping bag, such as a hood for the head, and a baffle for the zip, but the last praiseworthy aspect of the design, are 2 internal mesh pockets. Because they are mesh, its uncertain how long they will last with repeated use, only time will tell, but at least its been thought about.
The retail price for this bag at £67 from DD Hammocks represents truly excellent value, and I would heartily recommend it as part of your hammock sleeping system.'
Chris Salisbury
Director, WildWise Events Ltd
www.wildwise.co.uk
Ok folk sorry the pic's aren't the best,I'll have to take some more of them. As for the Jura 2 I like it and I hope it dose well for DD Hammocks and as you can see I'm not alone in that thought. The only problem I will have now is keeping it out of my eldest daughters hands as she has taken a bit of a shin to it.
Thanks for reading
Sandbag47
So as for the Jura 2 sleeping bag at a quick glance it looks similar to my army doss bag with its hood and the zip down the middle of the sleeping bag. But this sleeping bag is not designed totally like my army one it thinner and lighter and unlike my army one it packs away to allot smaller taking up less space in my Bergen. It has three pockets on it two on the inside like my military one so you can store things like your socks or a midnight snack if that’s what takes you fancy. The other pocket is on the left hand side of the sleeping bag and is big enough to hold a small torch and a mobile phone. It also has two baffles inside it, one on the inside of the zip and the other around inner of the hood between your shoulders and head. As for the zip itself is double ended so it can be opened from the bottom should you get to warm. And something I have never seen on a sleeping bag before a waterproof foot area on the bottom of the bag so you can stand up in it without getting your feet or the bag wet, and it is waterproof on the inside as well just in case you fancy wearing your wellies to bed. And finally it is designed to fit people who are up to a 44 inch chest.
The one on the Right is the Jura2 (just in case you didn't guess)
Back in 2011 Nick had asked me if I knew anyone who could do a review this sleeping bag. It was called the Jura and it was named after an island in Scotland. Well after putting myself forward (wouldn't you), I asked MadDave and Mr John Fenner (who else) if they would be interested. Nick also had other people testing the bag as well as us.
Unfortunately by the time Nick had the sleeping bags in the beginning of 2012 Dave had gone on a jolly and wasn't going to be back soon, so he dipped out. But John and l had bag each to play with.
Shoulder baffle and inside pocket. And the pic next to it is the waterproof foot-well with the bottom of the double zip, notice on the first Jura how the zip baffle is on the outside it now works much better on the Jura 2 by being on the inside of the zip
The Jura is rated at go down to -5. So the first time I used it was at a meet near me in early February and that night was at least -5 if not colder the morning after the test everything above and below me was frozen
As for how the sleeping bag performed I found the hood plenty big enough to completely cover my head. And easily covers my face when cords are pulled tight. The shoulder baffles did their job well and going down the bag my upper body was fairly warm.
In fact the only part of me that got really cold was my knees this was because during the night I had slid down my hammock and my knees had been pushing against the sleeping bag. to be honest I did use a under blanket as it was so cold, but apart from that as I was reviewing how good the sleeping bag is I didn't use anything else which I would have normally used in those conditions like a bivi bag , liner or extra clothing.
I did find some things wrong with the Jura sleeping bag like the baffle for the zip was on the outside of the sleeping and was really fiddly to keep Velcro closed. There were some other issues as well like at the bottom of the zip had a gap. And I did find it "let’s just say it was rather snug". Now I'm a 42 inch chest and I know some folk are of a similar size to me (I asked John how he did and he admitted he was a little bit bigger than me). so I sent my findings back to nick and I'm glad to say that along with any other issues that other folk may have found all these were sorted out on the Jura 2, and it is also much more roomy and less 'snug'
I must say that I have been using the first Jura since doing the review and I can say it hasn't let me down although when it is a bit colder I do use a bivi bag as well or if it's really going to be cold I would use my army doss bag instead. And when I say cold I mean in -0 sort of cold
This is my 40 ltr day sack which it can nearly get lost in. And the second pic shows it squashed up so it will take up less space in a back pack
Now I know I can't be taken as a totally un-biest reviewer as I have Links to DD, so I asked diamond Dave for his opinion on the Jura2 as he just brought one in the last DD group buy and here it is in his own words
I had asked Dave two questions first his opinion of the sleeping bag
Here is Dave’s reply.
It's hard to know where to start, but here goes.
I was sleeping in my thermals and in a Sleeping bag liner.
On two nights I felt just a little uncomfortably cold but not anything serious. On the other nights the bag performed very well.
For a Synthetic bag it does pack down well in the Bergen which is a great asset.
The central zip is very good, but when you open the bag and you have things in the little mesh pockets they tend to fall out, perhaps a Velcro closure is required on these.
Another small thing is the boot well and perhaps the whole bag could be just a little larger. Nothing to much just a CM or 2.
Getting in the hammock is much easier even when you lay the bag in the hammock and climb in under the mozzi net?
Trying to control the liner and hold the bag up is quite frustrating but I'm sure it will be addressed sometime.
That said I am delighted as hell with this little bag and it has become my first choice bag for my camping trips.
Why nobody else has thought about this waterproof bottom is a mystery it is just so convenient.
Well not a full review but for the money this is one hell of a bag.
And my other question was what build was he (In reference to if the Jura 2 was as snug as the jura and the fact that he said he would like it slightly Larger)
I'm a well built sort of guy being described as "chunky" around 5-10 in height.
the weather was horrendous most of the time so much so that on two days we had to decamp to a stone bothy as the rain was torrential and winds around 50 miles per hour.
Although we were protected in the bothy it was still damp, cold and draughty. The other days were light rain and cold with the wind chill making it feel colder. During the day we were all dressed in warm and waterproof clothes.
As mentioned the bag could have been a little bigger while it was acceptable it was a little snug restricting me in the bag. On the subject of the mesh pockets, just a point is why not secure the top edge on the pocket and have access in from the side with a little Velcro.
It seemed strange not being able to move my feet sideways but nevertheless it was good being of waterproof material.
I have around 9 bags which I have acquired in my search for a better bag. My real favorite is my ex army bag which is brilliant except it is so bulky to carry and takes up all of the Bergen. My second best is this Jura 2 as it has the ability to be a real classic for the likes of me.
Thanks for that Dave. Mind you I would agree that the leg area is not as big as my army doss bag I was still able to kick my feet around when I used it the other weekend.
Whilst doing this review I have found another one that is on the DD website it is by a Chris Salisbury from WildWise Events Ltd and as it is possibly a bit more of a 'proper review' I thought I would put it on here as well.
So here it is.
I was pleased to see that somebody had finally recognised that sleeping in a hammock demanded something different from a sleeping bag. As soon as I saw this product on DD Hammocks website, I was keen to test it out, as I am a regular hammock user, as an instructor on WildWise's events and courses.
The Jura 2, as sold by DD Hammocks, has been custom designed for hammock sleeping, with 3 key features. The first is a waterproof foot-end, a 'foot-box' that allows you to stand upon damp or wet ground without absorbing moisture. As anyone knows who uses this sleeping system, its more convenient to enter and exit the hammock 'wearing' your sleeping bag, and so this is an excellent development in sleeping bag design.
The second feature is one I would look for in any sleeping bag, and that is the central zip. Why on earth manufacturers insist on a side zip is a mystery, as its far more user-friendly to have one in the middle, like the British army ones do. I am pleased to report that the Jura 2 has a zip-tag on the inside too, which again makes it so much easier to open and close from inside the bag. Thirdly, 2 zip-tags at either end also enables a bit of ventilation when its too warm. Its not rocket science, but these features don't half make a difference to the experience of hammock sleeping, and I applaud the manufacturers for including them in their design.
Of course the other critical factor is the temperature rating, a cause of much frustration in the process of buying a new bag. So often the temperature guide is misleading, or at worst plain wrong, but I'm pleased to say that so far the Jura 2 backs up its claims as a 4-season bag. I have now slept out in it at zero degrees, and I was plenty warm enough, so I'm willing at least to put to the test its official rating of being 'comfortable' at minus 5 degrees.
The other features are becoming more standard in a sleeping bag, such as a hood for the head, and a baffle for the zip, but the last praiseworthy aspect of the design, are 2 internal mesh pockets. Because they are mesh, its uncertain how long they will last with repeated use, only time will tell, but at least its been thought about.
The retail price for this bag at £67 from DD Hammocks represents truly excellent value, and I would heartily recommend it as part of your hammock sleeping system.'
Chris Salisbury
Director, WildWise Events Ltd
www.wildwise.co.uk
Ok folk sorry the pic's aren't the best,I'll have to take some more of them. As for the Jura 2 I like it and I hope it dose well for DD Hammocks and as you can see I'm not alone in that thought. The only problem I will have now is keeping it out of my eldest daughters hands as she has taken a bit of a shin to it.
Thanks for reading
Sandbag47
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