Down Sleeping Bag - Advice Sought

[ex-member BareThrills]

Lol I'm guessing by the descriptions on the website of the kodiak and megalite that you are a big bloke, I'm currently looking at the highlite, I like how light it is and it's not that far out of my budget. How do the ranges work on the bags? I'm 6 ' 1 would the 6 ft bag fit or would I have to go up to 6'6? Just looked at the temperature rating though and it's only 2°

id go for the 6'6"if i were you. I am a big guy but i also like the facility to stack my bags one inside the other for extreme cold trips. I have the expander panel for the kodiak which lets the megalite nest inside. I can also get in wearing all my clothes if needed.

I looked at the highlite but the lack of draught baffles and 50% sewn through baffles put me off. be a great bag for summer but wont go very far into the other seasons imho.

 

[Reece]

I sleep cold so I always use quilts or sleeping bags that are rated far colder than the conditions I'm likely to meet. That's very personal of course, my partner sleeps much warmer than I do and can be comfortable in a much lighter sleeping bag.

I love the feel of really good down, it settles around you like thistledown. If I couldn't afford top quality down I would go for a really good man made fibre however, I reckon modern ones now compare to lower quality down and are a lot cheaper. I've now gone over pretty much completely to using a quilt rather than a sleeping bag, I've never liked the restrictions of a bag and frequently wake up in a panic because I've twisted it around in my sleep.

I'm pretty lucky that once I'm asleep, I sleep like the dead haha. My partner on the other hand rolls and kicks but is like an oven unlike my ice cold hands and feet

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

 

[Reece]

id go for the 6'6"if i were you. I am a big guy but i also like the facility to stack my bags one inside the other for extreme cold trips. I have the expander panel for the kodiak which lets the megalite nest inside. I can also get in wearing all my clothes if needed.

I looked at the highlite but the lack of draught baffles and 50% sewn through baffles put me off. be a great bag for summer but wont go very far into the other seasons imho.

Yeah I did really like the weight on the highlite but it doesn't go cold enough, I've re evaluated by initial budget and I am now looking at the Ultralight, just wish it came in OG haha

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

Yeah I did really like the weight on the highlite but it doesn't go cold enough, I've re evaluated by initial budget and I am now looking at the Ultralight, just wish it came in OG haha

That would be my pick for you too.

 

[Reece]

That would be my pick for you too.

Could I go into colder conditions in it with layering and liners? Just thinking ahead. Also I was intending to use a cheap cotton liner with it just to prolong the life of the bag will this make it much warmer? I'm thinking that I'd use a cotton one most of the year and a silk one in winter. Will silk insulate better or is it a pack size and weight issue? I've not found much info on liners

Also thanks for all the advice so far you've saved me a lot of time Googling.

 

[Teepee]

Steer well away from cotton liners mate, they tangle round your feet badly IME. You don't get the same issues with silk, it's lovely and slippery. Silk is much more tolerant of moisture too and much quicker drying. Well worth the extra dollar.

 

[Shewie]

Yeah I did really like the weight on the highlite but it doesn't go cold enough, I've re evaluated by initial budget and I am now looking at the Ultralight, just wish it came in OG haha

You could get the Phd Minim 400 for £100 less and save yourself 150g in the pack compared to the WM Ultralite ..

http://www.phdesigns.co.uk/product_info.php?cat=26&products_id=118

Phd's temp ratings are very conservative, I've used my Minim 300 well into the minuses and stayed toasty throughout. Have a look at the reviews before pulling the trigger, support British and all that

 

[Squidders]

I was lucky to grab a Mountain Hardwear Big Bang SL Sleeping Bag for winter use for £100 because it didn't come with the right storage bag and had no compression sack. It's a full winter bag, too hot for other times of the year but there are bargains to be had.

Mountain Hardwear is a brand I trust since having a down jacket of theirs for a decade that is still brilliant after some heavy use.

 

[Reece]

You could get the Phd Minim 400 for £100 less and save yourself 150g in the pack compared to the WM Ultralite ..

http://www.phdesigns.co.uk/product_info.php?cat=26&products_id=118

Phd's temp ratings are very conservative, I've used my Minim 300 well into the minuses and stayed toasty throughout. Have a look at the reviews before pulling the trigger, support British and all that

Yeah I don't want to rush into a big purchase just yet, I've got a full month to have a shop about and to try some different fits. I do like buying British, it's nice to get quality goods made by British people, makes me feel all warm and toasty inside haha

 

[cbr6fs]

You could get the Phd Minim 400 for £100 less and save yourself 150g in the pack compared to the WM Ultralite ..

http://www.phdesigns.co.uk/product_info.php?cat=26&products_id=118

Phd's temp ratings are very conservative, I've used my Minim 300 well into the minuses and stayed toasty throughout. Have a look at the reviews before pulling the trigger, support British and all that

+1 on the PHD kit

I've got a Minimus with a full zip Drishell outer and 900 down fill, weighs 549g with it's stuff sack and has kept me toasty warm down to 3c.

 

[racer66]

pop over to the outdoormagic forum, always some cracking bags for sale on there from people. I have a Western Mountaineering Antelope MF I picked up for £200 brand new, and just got a Nanatuk Down quilt for summer use from someone else. Quilts are a way to have a good warm top coupled with a decent mattress and save some weight.
http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/forum/...ulus-quantum-350-down-sleeping-bag/62596.html

 

[racer66]

I should add the caveat that it gets expensive there, I have got very carried away with new ultralight gear from the guys on the forum!

 

[Shewie]

A nice Yeti Passion has popped up on OM today ..

http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/forum/...s-yeti-passion-1-down-sleeping-bag/62644.html

http://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co...s-c88/yeti-passion-one-down-sleeping-bag-p751