Sleeping Bag Compression and too many choices!

[bushtuckerman]

I am planning to buy a new sleeping bag (either a Nanok or Ajungilak). The Ajungilak Kompakt i can buy from a local camping shop, and the Nanok from either outdoorcode or john bull military clothing, online. I am worried though about how they are stored by the respective outlets. In camping shops they seem to sell bags which are stuffed in their sacks... but for how long have they been like this? Is this generally viewed as as unimportant?

Does anyone have any preference between the Nanok performance series (say the 0 deg. C rated bag of 1500g) and the Kompakt (1590g and rated as comfortable to -1)?

I'm struggling to decide between an Endurance SF-10 and a choice of either one of the lighter bags in the performance series or the kompakt, this is basically because i am 5'4" and both of the latter come in 180cm, whereas the SF-10 has a 'person length' of 195cm, possibly meaning it is longer than that, but i am clueless. Weight is a problem for me, pack size is not as i have a bergan to fill.

Is the extra weight worth it? I am a normal-to-cold sleeper at a guess, and the maximum extent to which i would use a new sleeping bag would be bivvying in north wales in the winter .

You would expect different companies to differ in their season ratings, but i was under the impression ajungilak and nanok were originally one and the same, and if as stated in other threads nanok are indeed very truthful about theirs, then ajungilak would appear to be optimistic about a comfortable -1 deg. constituting 3 seasons, but i am probably being a little too simplistic.

Thanks for any help

-ian

 

[happy camper]

hello,
there are lots of useful threads about winter bags and the differences between the various choices if you search the site. I was recently faced with a similiar choice and the info. i got here was invaluable.
I opted for the endurance from outdoorcode. I chose the endurance as the general concensus seemed to be that they are tough, roomy (equals comfy for me), accurate about temp. rating and overall an excellent bag for the money, so far i would definitely agree.
I chose to buy from outdoorcode because, in my experience, his prices and customer service really are second to none.
The bags are designed to fit someone who is max. 195cm, which i'd say is true as i'm 195 and i certainly wouldn't fit if it were any shorter. I don't know how you will find, or what the effect of the extra length would be for you but i guess it's not ideal as its more volume for your feet to heat up.
For a winter bag they don't strike me as particularly heavy or bulky when packed, unless you are comparing to down filled bags. I can't answer on the effects of storage in the shop, all i can say is that mine was rolled up in its bag but uncompressed when i got it and i dont store it in the bag so i assume the effect on loft was negligible.
i hope some of this helps

 

[sabre iom]

I cant give you any advice as to which of the bags you should buy, but dont let the length worry you. Just tie off the bottom section you dont use with a belt or some cord to remove the dead air space, this is also really handy when kids use adult bags.

 

[bushtuckerman]

it does. thanks happy camper. your advice is gladly taken on buying from outdoorcode, my impression of them from this forum is good. i have scoured the site (as far as my intelligence allows ) and cannot find anything on the kompakt, i guess people have opted for the SF -10 every time! since weight is the most important factor i have to consider i have tried to find out as much as i can about the kompakt, as i already know how good the SF-10 is . there were two reasons why the length is bothering me: the extra and unnecessary weight but also the fact that lofting around my feet is impeded (no pun intended). i have thought about tying it off, and as i act like a child anyway it makes a lot of sense , but i am trying to work out how much of a problem it is, since if the problem were too great i would just buy a shorter bag.

really i should just make a decision, life is too short, and sleeping bags are too long, but i hate getting the wrong piece of kit!

thanks,

-ian

 

[wilekayote]

I have a kompakt - I'd rate it down to 10oC in a hammock with a thermarest and silk liner. Theres about as much filling in them as your average small teddy bear. In fact you'd probably be just as warm taking the teddy instead, but its quite well made and packs small.

 

[happy camper]

hello again
i was worried about buying before trying aswell but for slightly different reasons.
My worry was that the bag would be too small so i contacted nanok direct, via their web site, to get some info on the possibility of getting an oversize one if it proved necessary. They were quick to respond and very helpful, so, it could be worth dropping them a line about potential problems you might have with the length. I'm sure you will get more advice and info. from people here, but i reckon you should get a reasonably accurate answer from nanok as they seem to have a reputation for being honest about the performance of their bags.
Another possibility could be the buffalo system bags, they come in various sizes to suit different heights and have a good reputation. Not lightweight but extremely durable and they are meant to perform well in the damp, so possibly ideal for a winter bivvi?

 

[bushtuckerman]

I have a silk liner and probably a teddy bear or two back at home, but no thermarest yet and no hammock! 10oC comfort level is not exactly complimentary then when they rate it as a survival/extreme bag at -22 thanks, that is exactly what i wanted to know, and hear, i have been trying to convince myself to go with the nanok for a while

now i know why no-one marvels at its pack size except ajungilak themselves.

-ian

 

[bushtuckerman]

thanks happy camper, i don't know why i didn't think of contacting them before...no wait, i do, it's because i'm an idiot.

yeah, the buffalo kit looks good. i think i've decidied on the nanok now though! the weight of the buffalo isn't ideal, and the weight of the SF is pushing it for me, my bergan is at least 2kg on its own and for 7 stone at 5'4" i'm not getting very far on two legs as it is

your help much appreciated,

-ian

 

[happy camper]

no worries mate
let us know how you get on!

 

[bushtuckerman]

will do

 

[bushtuckerman]

Oh yeah, and it turns out you...WE get 10% off at the moment!

thanks for the heads up on outdoorcode.

 

[bushtuckerman]

Got the bag today, in good time for my short trip to north wales at the weekend. I was worried about the size but it's shorter than the bag i had before and seems to fit quite nicely (i'm a bit fussy and like my room i guess). Cheers Andrew

It's not really heavier than my 0 season aztec bag so kinda chuffed about that.

update on my sleeping temp after the weekend! i'll be using the silk liner i have, but just to protect it really (kicking myself for not getting a nanok liner now, cheaper than mine, and...err, made by nanok...)

 

[Graham O]

Hi Bushtuckerman,
Although you've now got your new sleeping bag, there is a good pdf document on the Ajungilak website about the new rating system for sleeping bags. Go to their website and select downloads.
The trade information is that it is so expensive to test, that many sleeping bag manufacturers probably won't do it.

Graham

 

[bushtuckerman]

Hi, i've had a read (it's pretty thick though!). It's always going to be a subjective idea, so it's just down to my experiences with the new bag i guess, and to pretty much disregard whatever ratings it has been given, and just wear the right amount of clothing to compensate for weather change. I was pretty sceptical of the idea that wearing more clothes reduces the efficiency of your sleeping bag to any great degree, it surely would make you warmer, given the larger amount of trapped air (if you don't compress the bag's insulation above you that is - for me this is highly unlikely)

anyway, cheers for that, very interesting.

 

[oetzi]

When choosing the size of an Ajungilak consider the following:
The Kompact-range is cut very small and rather short when compared with, say, an Igloo or Tyin. Even if they say its the same size by tagging it 180 or 195!!!
I hesitate to put a customer of 1,75m in a Compact 180.
For everyone measuring less than 1,70m and weighting in at 65kg soaking wet this is no problem.
It is also not wise to generally believe in the temperature range a manufacturer of sleepingbags puts his products in. depending how easy you get cold, deduct at least 5 degree. I have an Kompact and when using it in the Swiss Alps with outside temperatures around freezing-point ( in Celsius), a second bag had to be used as an extra blanket by me. But I always need an extra layer, compared with everyone else.