Need a warm sleeping bag

[kINGPIN]

Hi all, as the title says, I need a good warm sleeping bag for some upcoming winter camps I am planning. Until now I have got by with a 3 season vango along with a lot of clothing and an extra blanket. Even with this I still wake up cold.

I am leaning towards the army surplus route, particularly the dutch and british (which one is best?) but any other suggestions would be welcome. Links would also be appreciated.

Thanks

Andy

 

[decorum]

What are you sleeping on? Ground dwelling or hammocK? If on the ground, what type and thickness of mat are you using? When wearing the extras, are you finding your vango bag tight?

 

[JAG009]

Wearing clothes in a sleeping bag is not a good idea because your body heat cant heat the bag up thats why your cold ,if i am pushing the limits on the sleeping bag i put it in a light weight bivi bag this can work well, try that with your three season bag you will see the difference
As for a warm bag i had the old british army one some years and it was very good


Jason

 

[jeffz]

Just blogged about it: http://www.jeffzie.com/tagged/bushcraft shelter

Would suggest combining:
- sleep-mat
- silk-liner
- down bag
- bivvy-bag
The link has more details. Layering works.

 

[Wayne]

Buy the best down bag you can afford. I prefer Rab or PHD. Avoid compressing your bags where possible store in a breathable large bag. Most decent brands supply a storage sack. I only ever compress my bags fully on expeditions when space is an absolute premium.

I'm not a fan of Army surplus kit although many of my customers love them.

 

[mountainm]

Wearing clothes in a sleeping bag is not a good idea because your body heat cant heat the bag up thats why your cold

This again - sorry, this isnt true. Extra insulation can only ever make you warmer otherwise we are breaking the laws of physics. HOWEVER if your clothing causes you to sweat then you will get cold, or if your clothing means the bags insulation is impeded by being compressed then you can get colder.

 

[para106]

Try a fleece liner or a Tesco micro down bag as an inner for your 3 season bag.

 

[The Lord Poncho]

Depends how lightweight you want to be. An option could be to combine two bags (i believe the softie 3 is made slightly larger for this reason) so it can go over your other bag when things get really cold.

I'm also a fan of wearing your insulating layers inside your sleeping bag. If you are going lightweight, then it seems to me to be a bit of a waste to carry a heavier, warmer sleeping bag, and then take off all your warm clothing which then sits unused in your pack overnight. For this reason i use a 2 to 3 season bag all year round, and wear my softie jacket, hat, and when things are really cold, my softie trousers inside it.

It's an option, and for you, it could work out to be a cheaper, and more versatile one.

 

[Elines]

Will the US army modular system be any use to you - heavy and bulky but bombproof ?but probably not for you if is weight an issue

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYdbGyqIqH4

 

[Barn Owl]

I am always warmer if I've removed my strides etc.

It lets your body heat get into the bags insulation faster.

Keeping your trousers on doesn't really allow an area of warm air between them and your skin.

maybe does defy physics but it really works.

 

[Fizzy]

What's your budget, and is size/weight a consideration?

 

[JAG009]

This again - sorry, this isnt true. Extra insulation can only ever make you warmer otherwise we are breaking the laws of physics. HOWEVER if your clothing causes you to sweat then you will get cold, or if your clothing means the bags insulation is impeded by being compressed then you can get colder.

I dont know any body who does not sweat ,especially if you have been out in the woods all day or walking


Jason

 

[mountainm]

... I give up, next time I get too hot in my sleeping bag I'm going to whack on my long johns and a woolly jumper and climb back into my bag to cool down.

 

[blacktimberwolf]

If you like your Vango then why not use a fleece liner which will add another season to your bag, also if you are a ground dweller good under insulation is essential as you will loose most of your heat through the ground.
The army bags have a good reputation (not used them myself) but they are both heavy & bulky . ....they take up a lot of room in a rucksack...even in a biggen.

 

[kINGPIN]

Wow, thanks for all the responses, I'll try to answer all the questions.

Im mostly a ground dweller, tent/bivi but I dabble in the hammock from time to time. I have decent ground insulation and often double it up. My vango is starting to feel a little snug these days as I have had it a few years and in the early days I would leave it compressed in my rucksack for weeks/months at a time. So I definatly think its time for a new one for winter camps. I've tried liners and the like but I think they are compounding the issue by tightening things up even more as has been said.

I really like the look of the US modular bag but cant justify spending that much as I already have a bivi bag. My budget is £50 max which is what is making me think of the army surplus route. Weight is not too much of an issue as I don't walk far on winter camps, prefer to just lounge about.

 

[stekker]

I've slept in the Dutch and the British army ones.
Both are really warm and comfortable.
I never use a liner, only an army bivy bag and an army thermarest.
Never had problems with this setup, weight is the only issue.

Theo.

 

[Chambers]

I have one of these

http://www.mountainwarehouse.com/tr...g-bags/microlite-1200-sleeping-bag-p1941.aspx

Very cheap and its always been warm enough for me. Worse comes to worst and I'll throw a liner in

 

[Jinsin456]

Have to admit I also feel warmer the closer to naked I get. At Glentrool I actually woke up a wee bit chilly after falling asleep fully clothed (One too many) even in a Woodlore bag. Got up, got undressed and was instantly toasty so I believe in it.

 

[Ichneumon]

I'm with you on this one mountainm. If your body heat is warming the bags insulation quicker it means that you are loosing heat from your body faster. The 'layers theory' works the same in sleeping bags as it does in daytime clothing. I have often heard the au naturale theory for sleeping bags but it's just an old wives tale IMHO.

Getting back on topic: I've got this - http://www.surplusandadventure.com/...s/snugpak-code-green-combo-system-377379.html

Very versatile and very warm, but also damned expensive unfortunately.

ATB

Paul

 

[filcon]

I agree with Jason, skin next to skin or light layers helps generate body heat. It is bag liner or layers around sleeping bag that keep the body heat in. As for Wooly jumpers and long johns suggestion, why not go for a romper suit as it would match the dummy they threw out the pram.

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