Being a rather cold sleeper not being manly, i have a Defence 6 (which is by default the large size), and i suspect that it may be possible to use the (large?) Tropen in it, as inside the bag (apart from the draftcollar, with the same shell as the large Defence 4?) there are two loops each at both the foot-end and at the head end: can anyone confirm that these are for attaching a Tropen to, and is it therefore possible?
I find with the Defence 6 the width over the legs wide enough for a side-sleeper (i can‘t sleep on my back due to it being wonky from scoliosis) as one bends the legs at the knees, and my down bags seem too narrow here; however, the small hole in the hood seems queer to me as i’m used to being able to open up the hood, although i can use the bag unzipped and upside down as a quilt by, at the draftcollar, turning the hood over towards the foot-end. It seems to me that the fill is even right around (correct me should i be wrong) —unlike a down bag which often has less down on the bottom— so that having the zip to one side should not be a problem for sleeping on one’s back sideways.
The zip slipping down when not all the way up is a problem though.
Have used the Defence 6 in what became a -8ºC frost (in a test where i live) and wasn‘t cold, although the Thermarest XTherm mat became somewhat deflated because of the change in airpressure, and i was awoken by my hip touching the ground through it so had to get up and give it some more air—never had this problem with my thicker Exped Downmat 9! Have a merino wool inner, which is better than getting tied up in a tangle with a silk one (still, hardly weighs anything, so a bit of extra warmth if needed). In NZ it is rare to have a warm night in the Summer (even in Northland, being called the Winterless North) as the surrounding sea tempers (like in the desert where a -20ºC bag (for myself) is necessary, but one has to wait until it cools down—one watches the critters out at night, such as rattlers slithering under the tent floor), and even colder in the hills and the mountains, the advantage being that the mozzies disappear in the even as they don‘t have woollies on.
Resultingly, am interested in buying a Snugpak cold-rated sleepingbag as a comparison, or any other synthetic one that is of similar quality—i’ve only used in the past down sleepingbags (still have two; the really old one being used as a quilt for inside sleeping during colder seasons, and has had to be mended because of an attack kitten
), but dampness has often been a problem (not a problem in the desert) so decided to try a synthetic fill one…which are cheaper also (my newer down bag is rather expensive, but good to -28ºC for warm sleepers, closer to -20ºC for myself).
Any advice here would be appreciated; and has anyone modded a Carinthia to have a better hood arrangement?, or to stop the zip slipping? Ta.
I find with the Defence 6 the width over the legs wide enough for a side-sleeper (i can‘t sleep on my back due to it being wonky from scoliosis) as one bends the legs at the knees, and my down bags seem too narrow here; however, the small hole in the hood seems queer to me as i’m used to being able to open up the hood, although i can use the bag unzipped and upside down as a quilt by, at the draftcollar, turning the hood over towards the foot-end. It seems to me that the fill is even right around (correct me should i be wrong) —unlike a down bag which often has less down on the bottom— so that having the zip to one side should not be a problem for sleeping on one’s back sideways.
The zip slipping down when not all the way up is a problem though.Have used the Defence 6 in what became a -8ºC frost (in a test where i live) and wasn‘t cold, although the Thermarest XTherm mat became somewhat deflated because of the change in airpressure, and i was awoken by my hip touching the ground through it so had to get up and give it some more air—never had this problem with my thicker Exped Downmat 9! Have a merino wool inner, which is better than getting tied up in a tangle with a silk one (still, hardly weighs anything, so a bit of extra warmth if needed). In NZ it is rare to have a warm night in the Summer (even in Northland, being called the Winterless North) as the surrounding sea tempers (like in the desert where a -20ºC bag (for myself) is necessary, but one has to wait until it cools down—one watches the critters out at night, such as rattlers slithering under the tent floor), and even colder in the hills and the mountains, the advantage being that the mozzies disappear in the even as they don‘t have woollies on.
Resultingly, am interested in buying a Snugpak cold-rated sleepingbag as a comparison, or any other synthetic one that is of similar quality—i’ve only used in the past down sleepingbags (still have two; the really old one being used as a quilt for inside sleeping during colder seasons, and has had to be mended because of an attack kitten
), but dampness has often been a problem (not a problem in the desert) so decided to try a synthetic fill one…which are cheaper also (my newer down bag is rather expensive, but good to -28ºC for warm sleepers, closer to -20ºC for myself).Any advice here would be appreciated; and has anyone modded a Carinthia to have a better hood arrangement?, or to stop the zip slipping? Ta.
Great, now i’ll have to buy a Tropen to test it!—will report on whether it is successful.
