Down sleeping bag recommendations...

[comeonbabylightmyfire]

My new down sleeping bag, purchased in May and only slept in for 12 days, has lost all its down from the underside of the bag leaving the inner and outer skins with no filling. The down appears to have somehow migrated through the baffles. A quick email to the manufacturer reveals that there's not much that can be done.

What I want now is a down sleeping bag that is not going to lose its insulating properties during short periods of use. I need a left side zip, normal sized lightweight bag that compresses to a manageable size, so any recommendations would be much appreciated.

 

[spandit]

Send it back and demand a refund under the Sale of Goods Act

 

[Old Bones]

The first question is - what was the brand of bag you've just bought? Second question: what rating?

If your after a minus 5 bag, the highly praised Alpkit Skye High 600 is still available for £100 until tomorrow, when it goes up £25 http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16320&category_id=286. Of course, if you've just bought an Alpkit...

 

[Shewie]

Another vote for Alpkit, they've had issues with stock availability but I think they're worth the wait. Get yourself on the notification list if you're interested.

If the down's migrated then that's a poor show after 12 days of camping, who is the manufacturer and who did you buy from?

 

[Lurch]

Send it back and demand a refund under the Sale of Goods Act

+1
Clearly not up to the job.

 

[comeonbabylightmyfire]

Erm, it's the Skyehigh 600. In fairness they have told me to return it and I shall, but I find that once a piece of kit has failed in the field my confidence in the product is shattered. I was freezing the last time I was out. Even if it gets returned in good working order, I know I'll never use it again. So, more recommendations please.

 

[Imagedude]

PHD Minum 500, one of the best sub 800g bags you can buy for under £200, available only in their twice yearly sale.

 

[Paul_B]

Minim 300 in their sales is good 3 season bag. Sales should be coming soon at PHD.

Learn your lesson and get a quilt that has no down or anything underneath you so you save weight. Seriously I got a quilt and I found it more adaptable than a full sleeping bag. It is totally true that down underneath you is less important than the mat you use. My golite quilt is seriously warm and if I get too hot it is so simple to vent to cool down. I wrap myself up in it and am snug as a bug in a down quilt. I can put my mat inside the straps or not as I wish. There is nothing as good at that weight on the market at that price. (£100 in a special sale).

AS far as the down being lost from the bottom try shaking and manipulating the down back round to the base. It is possible that the down has somehow migrated around the horizontal baffles. You can sometimes move the down back without damaging the weak internal baffles. however it is likely to be a fault so don't be afraid of sending it back or even delay for one minute. Alpkit are pretty good at returns. As far as losing trust in a product due to a faulty one I know what you mean, I have that with cars when they first go wrong. However I think you have to accept that faults do get through with even the best of manufacturers and the more mass-produced the more likely it will happen. I am sure they will get your replacement right IF you do take a chance on it again.

 

[comeonbabylightmyfire]

Well it was returned to me today, in exactly the same condition. No explanation, no note and sadly no response to my email as yet.

Perhaps there just isn't meant to be any down filling in the underside baffles but it means that I'm lying directly on the sleep mat protected only by the inner and outer layers of the bag with no down filling in between. It just seems odd to me. This is the problem with internet shopping, you can't examine goods before purchase and so you occasionally get disappointed. I can't sell it because I wouldn't want anyone buy it knowing that it was sub-standard.

I've just checked my Snugpak and there's plenty of padding between the inner and outer layers in all the baffles on the underside of the bag but it's a bit heavy. I'm looking to save weight and reduce pack size which is why, regrettably, I opted for down. I've heard good things about Rab and Marmot but I'm not going to buy a bag over the internet - I want to inspect it first.

 

[Shewie]

That's not right, have you tried ringing them yet ?

 

[comeonbabylightmyfire]

No, I did send an email earlier and they haven't yet responded but I was going to give it until tomorrow before ringing them.

 

[Shewie]

Give them a bell mate as I'm sure there's been a cock up somewhere, they're a really nice bunch of folk who'll usually go out of their way to see you right.

So there's no down at all on the underside of the bag? They used to do a Pipedream 200 which was purposely made like that to save weight

 

[comeonbabylightmyfire]

Just rang them. They've sent me a replacement bag. Apparently the one I sent back was definitely underfilled. The replacement feels identical. I was told to physically move the down around in the baffles to try and redistribute it, but there's scarcely any down to begin with and I'm not too good at fiddly maintenance jobs. He also suggested I spend a night out in it and if it's cold to return it, again. Frankly I can't be bothered with the hassle any more.

Can anyone recommend any retail outlets selling down sleeping bags which I can inspect before purchase?

 

[Paul_c]

i dont know what kind of temperature extremes your looking at but i have a artic capable coleman (extreme temp range is 4 to -18 comfort is -3 to -15iirc) but i managed down to -25 for 5 days. the joys of camping in slightly sub artic russia in winter.
im not 100% but im sure its not down filled.

compress down to the size of a waste paper basket with ease. some pursuading its even smaller. , when i manage to find it ill dig out the name and specs on it. and measure it as well.

 

[Shewie]

I've never seen a SkyeHigh in the flesh so I'm not sure how they should feel, I've got two Pipedreams and they're excellent. It's odd that a bag rated at

If they've sent you another mate and you're not happy with the loft then prolly best to get a refund a shop elsewhere