Sleeping bag decisions??? Help required...

[billycan]

I'm after a reasonably compact summer/ autumn bag to go in the bottom of my sabre 45. I like the central zip design, which i find very practical. I like the look of the woodlore osprey, although pricey and heavy but as long as it compresses down and fits in my rucksack, i dont mind.
The snugpak special forces 1 bag looks very good and compact, however i wonder whether i might have to buy a higher rated snugpak bag to equate to the warmth ratings of other manufacturers, e.g. a snugpak kestrel 6 or even hawk 9 (although not a central zip)
What do you all reckon, i would appreceiate some first hand info, particularly about the snugpack sf 1 bag.

many thanks

 

[Spacemonkey]

I would have thought you'd get a very compact summer bag if you opt for down fill? You could still pack a very lightweight bivvy bag to ensure it stays dry if you're worried. USMC do a small light bivvy bag for £30: http://www.usmcpro.com/usmcgb/produ...14&PHPSESSID=e549a1b4cb2476647a60affb4e04b2aa
I would go to a big outdoors store such as Cotswolds if you have one (there's one in Bournemouth if none closer) so you can check them out when they're packed in the bag. My Rab is a genuine -10 (too warm for summer!) and it packs down to the size of a roll of cotton wool and weighs less than a kilo. A summer version would be much lighter I'd have thought.

 

[Womble]

I've been using an Aztec 3 season compact for the last year or so (bought at the outdoor show last year); and whilst up until recently It's been performing excellently, in the last 3 months it seems to have simply stopped working. I was using it at the weekend when sleeping under a tarp, and woke up cold - and this was whilst also in a goretex bivvy! It's always been a thin bag, but it seem to have lost all its heat retaining properties; even though I've kept it stored uncompressed out of the stuffsac.

So - time to get a new bag for the season?

 

[billycan]

Hi womble, was the aztec synthetic or down? what are you now considering?

 

[maverix]

have to say i just did 3 nights on Dartmoor with a Stormlite Rolling Clouds 500 £50 from field and trek and being someone who sleeps cold was plenty comfy.

for the price i cant really find reason to fault it, not sure how long it will last, ask me at the end of the year and i may be able to answer that. Plus it easily fitted into one of my new M fold dry bags (*nod to magikelly*) far better than my last mountain hardwear bag which was a lot bigger and heavier.

All the usual dont work, no connection disclaimer.

 

[mark a.]

Some of the Nanok bags have two zips (one on each side) so that might do the same job as the central zip in terms of convenience.

I've just received Nanok Comfort Down -5 from Andrew at Outdoorcode. Being down they're very small and pretty light - about 1.2kg if I remember correctly. I haven't tried it in anger yet (that'll be in a couple of weeks' time) so I can't confirm how warm they actually are, but Nanok do seem to have a better reputation than Snugpak of being accurate with their temperature ratings.

 

[FreshMint]

I have my standart German Army Sleeping bag back from my time in the german army (just lost it and had to fill out some paper work )
Anyways, I really like it and never had a problem with it, matter of fact I had to use it once in Stetten akm what is an army base in the black forest...it can get extremly cold there in the winter time.
They are super cheap as well just don't get the one with the Arms...get the mummy sleeping bag.

 

[Womble]

Hi womble, was the aztec synthetic or down? what are you now considering?

synthetic.

I'm not sure, really. I do have an ex-army down bag which still does the business; but it was the combination of warmth and compacting that I liked about the Aztec.

 

[Womble]

I have my standart German Army Sleeping bag back from my time in the german army (just lost it and had to fill out some paper work )
Anyways, I really like it and never had a problem with it, matter of fact I had to use it once in Stetten akm what is an army base in the black forest...it can get extremly cold there in the winter time.
They are super cheap as well just don't get the one with the Arms...get the mummy sleeping bag.

I had the one with the arms about 8 years ago... it was very uncomfortable and waaaaaaaay too hot.

 

[gregorach]

I would have thought you'd get a very compact summer bag if you opt for down fill? You could still pack a very lightweight bivvy bag to ensure it stays dry if you're worried. USMC do a small light bivvy bag for £30: http://www.usmcpro.com/usmcgb/produ...14&PHPSESSID=e549a1b4cb2476647a60affb4e04b2aa
I would go to a big outdoors store such as Cotswolds if you have one (there's one in Bournemouth if none closer) so you can check them out when they're packed in the bag. My Rab is a genuine -10 (too warm for summer!) and it packs down to the size of a roll of cotton wool and weighs less than a kilo. A summer version would be much lighter I'd have thought.

Oh yes - I've just bought myself a Rab Quantum 200 for summer use. 480 grams and packs down to almost nothing. Not cheap at £160, but I reckon it'll be worth it.

I'll post some pics and a mini-review in another thread...