Sleeping bag ratings

[petrochemicals]

fill power explained.

http://blog.snowys.com.au/how-to-find-the-perfect-sleeping-bag/

 

[Quixoticgeek]

Wiggy's standard-size superlight bag is rated down to 0F which is -18C, and most have confirmed that his temperatures are pretty spot-on, assuming an effective ground mat. I have gone down to -20C in mine and slept comfortably in base layers, although if expecting those temps I'd probably take my Ultima Thule to be on the safe side.

Spot on for men maybe, but he's entirely forgotten that there is a whole market he's ignored, so without giving any indication of a women's rating of his bags, I won't part money.

THe Superlight regular size weighs 4lbs. THe Snugpak bag that weighs 4lbs (actually 3lb, 13.729oz) is a Softie Harrier 10, and it's stated rating is -7C Comfort, -12C Extreme. And most think Snugpak temp recommendations are a trifle optimistic. Their top bag - rated at -20C comfort, is the Antarctica RE, weighing in at 6lb 8oz.

I have given up entirely on snugpak, their ratings are the work of an extremely creative imagination. You are better off comparing to the Mountain Hardware Lamina range that Wiggy slates so much.

So yes, against down bags, Wiggy's bags are heavy and bulky. Against similarly rated fibre bags, however, they are at worst no heavier, and in real terms normally lighter.

Against the Mountain hardware bags, they are heavier.

Over the last 40-odd years I've had dozens of bags, normally good quality, from the Blacks Karakorum to Ajungilak to Snugpak to Velandre stuff and a variety of military bags. All of them have lost their loft and warmth over time. My Wiggy bags haven't (despite me keeping them in compression sacs when not in use), and unlike all the others, if they ever do, I'll send them back to Wiggy to get a free replacement!

I just can't bring myself to carry that extra weight. No matter how good the bags might be. The lack of a sensible rating structure (like the one EN13757 gives), means that the I can't say which to pick anyway. Oh, and his poor grasp of metric temperatures...

Its a fact of life that we all get a bit territorial and protective about our stuff, whether its a car, dog, tent, stove or sleeping bag. Sad but true. With bags, its difficult to be factual because we haven't all slept in all the different bags in the same conditions, so we often rely on the latest hype or "next new thing" the mags are all raving about. So I'll finish by restating the simple fact that Wiggy bags are the only ones - in the World - who guarantee their loft and workmanship for life, regardless of how often its washed, or kept in a compression sack, and have honoured that guarantee for decades. That works for me. Those who want to pay more for a poorer product without those guarantees can do so with my blessing

I'll tell you what, if you carry the bag for me, I'll buy the wiggy bag Lets see if you agree after 200 miles at 20+ per day

J

 

[tankie]

go on then , tell me what a women's rating is for a sleeping bag?

 

[Quixoticgeek]

Women sleep colder than men. So if you take a bag rated as T-Limit, of 0°C, and give it to both a woman and a man, at 0°C, the man will be warm enough and the woman will be cold. EN13757 testing takes this into account with it's 3 temp points - T-Comfort, T-Limit and T-Extreme, which are, the rating for your average woman to have a comfortable nights sleep, the rating for your average man, and the temperature at which your average woman will survive for 6 hours, with just minor frostbite. Respectively.

Hence why a bag tested to the EN system should give you the 3 measurements.

There is a 4th, T-Upper, which is the upper temp at which a man can sleep with the zips open and arms outside the bag. It's the upper rating for the bag, but most companies don't mention it.

Julia

 

[cbr6fs]

Old Bones, great links.

Have to say i do find it very odd the amount of passion people put into their opinions on a companies and products they have no vested interests in.

Personally i'll stick with down, i've yet to get it wet enough to affect the warmth rating (in 30 odd years or outdoorsing) and i've not yet found anything that comes close for insulation to weight/pack size.

I do understand why people go for synthetic though, i just find some of the more evangelical opinions a little odd.

End of the day it's your money, you're carrying it and you are sleeping in it at night, so only you can make the decision what works best for you.

 

[Gray]

Don't forget the draping ability either - bags that snuggle down on you keep you much warmer than bags that don't!

Another factor often ignored is the effect of time and usage. Bags - both down and synthetic - absorb body greases etc, which damage the loft. The easier the bag is to clean, the more likely it is to be washed and therefore retain its thermal efficiency. Ditto its ability to retain its shape and loft after washing. Anyone who's had a down bag professionally cleaned after a long period of use will know what I mean!

To judge how good a sleeping bag really is, ask a couple of simple questions before buying. Forget the hype and hyperbole.

- Will the manufacturer (or retailer) guarantee its loft for the life of the bag, and provide evidence that he will honour this lifetime guarantee, preferably over several decades of trading?

- Will he guarantee this loft-for-life regardless of how many times you wash it in your machine at home?

Then go and buy a bag from Wiggys, who is the only manufacturer on earth who will do both (or either, come to that!)

plus 1, awesome bags