Down bags for the bigger person

[TeeDee]

Do any of the off the shelf ( not super expensive bespoke ones ) Down bags suit the bigger framed individual?

I don't do mountain marathons and the days of fitting into the normal sized bags are over.
My normal go to is a Carinthia antartica with an expanda panel but packed into a compression sack - its still a big old bit of kit.

So really I'm looking for a large down bag that can pack down small and not give up too much in the thermal loss department. Could be layered with a silk liner I guess.

Ideas?

 

[Chris]

Depends what you consider 'small', but as a 6'3" person with broad shoulders and additional pie-weight, the Rab Ascent 900 has so far been the first bag that I don't feel restricted in. I got the long version. Plenty warm enough down to -4C so far.

 

[TeeDee]

Depends what you consider 'small', but as a 6'3" person with broad shoulders and additional pie-weight, the Rab Ascent 900 has so far been the first bag that I don't feel restricted in. I got the long version. Plenty warm enough down to -4C so far.

Assume it packs small?

 

[Chris]

That's what I mean when I said it depends what you consider as 'small'. Way smaller than the issue British Army one for example, but this page has some pictures/measurements: https://thebaldscrambler.co.uk/prod...leeping-bag/?cmplz-force-reload=1736850221523

 

[Astrochicken]

I have a Mountain Equipment Helum 600, which compresses down pretty well whilst still have decent fill power. I've not tried it in the minus temps, but it's always kept me warm. It too comes in a long length option, however if it's width that's the question it may be best going to a large outdoor shop to see what the differences between manufacturers are like. My wife's sleeping bag is hourglass shaped to give more room for side sleeping as she prefers, and is made by Outwell. It's notably heavier though and in compressed form it packs out to be larger than my Helium.

On a related note, I'm not sure if down has become more costly to source ethically, but the same Helium 600 I've got now costs 55% more than when I bought it 2 yrs ago. Not sure if others have seen prices go up notably, but if so then it might be cost-challenging to get a decent warmth bag that can still be packed small for travelling (depending on your budget).

 

[Moondog55]

A standard "LARGE" bag is about a 155/156cm girth, some are more generous at 160cm; a standard "EXPEDITION" cut is about 165/166cm girth.
I bought a Big Agnes Farrington with a 152cm shoulder girth and I can't get into it and close the zipper
I can just squeeze into an expedition cut bag wearing a thin fleece layer.
My winter bag has an internal girth of 178cm but it's only rated to -8C [ Extreme limit -32C ] so sometimes I do need to add in and wear a warm layer like my Uniqlo UL down parka. 178cm does allow me to wear a much thicker and warmer parka inside. But sometimes it is better to use the down parka over the top and that has long been a standard technique.
One Planet don't have much of an export market tho but here is the web link.

Cocoon Sleeping bag Series | ONE PLANET | ultralight sleeping bag

The ultralight ONE PLANET Cocoon sleeping bag has exceptional warmth, a roomy fit and a full, cosy hood. Filled in Melbourne with Non PFC hydrophobic down

oneplanet.au

Mine was factory filled with an extra 150 grams of down.
If I was going somewhere really cold I could fit an expander wedge into it and use it as the outer half of a double bag.
Down has just about doubled in cost over the last decade and higher fill power downs more so

 

[MikeLA]

Problem I used to have with down bags they are all mummy shaped. I need a centre zip

 

[MikeLA]

Do any of the off the shelf ( not super expensive bespoke ones ) Down bags suit the bigger framed individual?

I don't do mountain marathons and the days of fitting into the normal sized bags are over.
My normal go to is a Carinthia antartica with an expanda panel but packed into a compression sack - its still a big old bit of kit.

So really I'm looking for a large down bag that can pack down small and not give up too much in the thermal loss department. Could be layered with a silk liner I guess.

Ideas?

Personally I would keep the bag you have. Big pack size or not you can’t beat a good nights sleep. I Still use the army bouncing bomb 90 ptn. Down even with condensation and damp in the air can get your bag wet.
Summer I use snugpak centre zip, I know not popular any more but great for me

 

[TeeDee]

Personally I would keep the bag you have. Big pack size or not you can’t beat a good nights sleep. I Still use the army bouncing bomb 90 ptn. Down even with condensation and damp in the air can get your bag wet.
Summer I use snugpak centre zip, I know not popular any more but great for me

I do agree - but part of me wants to do the south west costal path or some of the Welsh coast and as much as bulk doesn't necessarily mean weight I was thinking about how to pare down the pack size so I don't seem to have a house on my back.

 

[Moondog55]

I want a centre zip too but the Valandre is too small and Nunatak have stopped making theirs. And when the temperature drops below 5C I need a sleeping bag not a quilt

 

[Watch-keeper]

Nemo Disco spoon shaped bags are pretty roomy, it comes in two sizes although it doesn't have a center zip.
I have one and it seems very roomy to me but im not on the large side .

 

[Moondog55]

Can you sew?
Do you own or can you source a good down parka warm enough to sleep in?
While I am still working on my own DIY sleeping shell I've used a few variations on Gerry Cunninghams "Mountain sleeper system" over the decades
Basically it is an insulated bivvy cover with a full length pad sleeve on the bottom and you use it over the combination of a warm parka and a half bag.
Otherwise you could look at the PHD overbags and use the Greenlandic overbag with a down parka and a short half bag.
Although personally I prefer Western Mountaineerings "Tamarack" and I've slept in -35C using something similar and a decent down parka inside a Goretex bivvy bag, wearing base layers and 100 weight polarfleece, pants and a mohair jumper

The Greenlandic Snowline Bivvy Bag

An insulated bivvy bag / sleeping bag cover to protect and boost the warmth of Greenlandic down sleeping bags, increasing their warmth by a further 7°C while keeping off the muck and damp of the bivouac.

www.phdesigns.co.uk

The downside is the very high cost and you have to take the companies word on performance but using 60GSM Primaloft Gold the estimated boost would be around that 7C mark. I balk at the cost tho.