Sleeping Bag Suggestion - Down.

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TeeDee

Full Member
Nov 6, 2008
10,449
3,653
50
Exeter
My go to sleeping bag for many years has been the Snugpak Anartica RE with a set of Expanda Panels fitted which makes it roomier for me as A ) I'm big in the Torso B ) I hate feeling confined C ) I'm a wriggler

I love the bag but even when its packed away in its compression sack its still a big volume of kit.



So thinking of coming over to the dark side to try a Down Bag - so what would be a good start to look into??
I'm looking to reduce the overall size , keep the temp rating and comfort factor of having a large bag.


Any ideas please, Ta.
 

Athos

Full Member
Mar 12, 2021
253
194
East Sussex
Get a good silk liner and combine it with a lighter bag? I use a silk liner and a jungle bag for most of the year. You’ll be surprised at the difference the liner makes and they’re incredibly lightweight.

The Antarctica bag is great though, I actually used mine in Antarctica and it was the business!

Also try ditching the compression sack, store it in your bivi bag (if using one) and just scrunch it down and around your other gear. The bag will naturally compress in your Bergen and be more form fitting/distribute the weight better than carrying a bouncing bomb around. It’ll also deaden the sound of any kit you may have rattling around in there.
 

TeeDee

Full Member
Nov 6, 2008
10,449
3,653
50
Exeter
Get a good silk liner and combine it with a lighter bag? I use a silk liner and a jungle bag for most of the year. You’ll be surprised at the difference the liner makes and they’re incredibly lightweight.

The Antarctica bag is great though, I actually used mine in Antarctica and it was the business!

Also try ditching the compression sack, store it in your bivi bag (if using one) and just scrunch it down and around your other gear. The bag will naturally compress in your Bergen and be more form fitting/distribute the weight better than carrying a bouncing bomb around. It’ll also deaden the sound of any kit you may have rattling around in there.


Yes, I have a silk liner somewhere - I've always carted the big bag around working on the theory that if you get a good nights sleep you can deal with any bad day.

Works for me..

I just need to find a non-super tight Down bag then and try the liner idea.
 

Old Bones

Settler
Oct 14, 2009
745
72
East Anglia
Start with researching the main brands, and thinking about how you sleep. An RE is in theory down to minus 14 or close, so your looking at a Rab 900 ascent or similar at the cheaper end. Think ME, as well, plus Mumaut, etc.

Size is everything, and until you can go to a store, its an unknown.

You wont find an ultra light syntheric - they dont exist. Mountain Hardwear has good reviews in terms of compactness and weight for its synthetic bags, but even they have down bags at their top level. And there is alwaya sizing.
Liners can add a little, but much more efficent to find the right bag in the first place.
 
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Erbswurst

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 5, 2018
4,079
1,766
Berlin
I guess a Robens Couloir should work relatively well with a Snugpak Special Forces bivvy bag.

But I think that the Snugpak special Forces 1 sleeping bag is the better option for 3 seasons use anyway. Not just for the British weather conditions but always and everywhere. It packs very compact too. It is very light, pretty roomy, very comfortable, functions perfectly with it's bivvy bag and is a quality product that is made in the United Kingdom.





SF1 1050 g
SF bivvy 340g
Defcon 5 poncho 350g

In total 1740 g for a well working sleep system.
 
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Old Bones

Settler
Oct 14, 2009
745
72
East Anglia
If budget isnt a problem, that makes things easier.

Think about the temperature rating you need, and then, as i said before (had to go off to work, so couldnt comment more), go to a decent shop, and actually try some. You wont get anything truely high end, unless its a very specialist shop, but its likely that a good independent, or a Cotswolds will have a number of different brands. Even Go Outdoors will almost certainly have a Ran Ascent 900, if nothing else. Which meana you can try it for fit. If the bag is too small, you dont like the 'house cut', the foot is a bit tight, etc, then at least you know.

I would start with manufacturers closest to home, simply because they are easiest to source. People might swear by brand X, but if its like a unicorn trying to find one in the UK, its not much use to you. Alpkit, if your close to their showroom, might be worth a look - i understand they are not cut big, but at least you can look and ask questions.
Might be worth finding out about expansion panels - if ME and Rab do them, that opens up some possibilities for you.

And if you want the best, then PHD have a sale at the moment! There is a minus 15 bag there that might do very well, starting at £563. Thats the sale price, but PHD is like Savile Row. So they can do bespoke - they can make a bag to fit you perfectly. Wont be cheap, but it will be very very good.

There are a thousand sleeping bag threads, so i am interested as to how this one turns out.
 
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elma

Full Member
Sep 22, 2005
608
10
62
Ynysddu south wales
If you don't mind using military surplus, I use the USMC sleep system, which comprises of a 3 season bag a summer bag and gortex bivvy, the system has kept me toasty warm down to -18 and is rated lower,, plus you have the advantage of splitting it for conditions and time of year it is a big bag but will pack reasonably small with the British Army stuff sack
 
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JBA

Nov 14, 2021
9
2
Yorkshire
My go to sleeping bag for many years has been the Snugpak Anartica RE with a set of Expanda Panels fitted which makes it roomier for me as A ) I'm big in the Torso B ) I hate feeling confined C ) I'm a wriggler

I love the bag but even when its packed away in its compression sack its still a big volume of kit.



So thinking of coming over to the dark side to try a Down Bag - so what would be a good start to look into??
I'm looking to reduce the overall size , keep the temp rating and comfort factor of having a large bag.


Any ideas please, Ta.
Hi TeeDee,

I know it's an old thread and you've probably bought a down bag by now but I'm new here and just looking at the threads.
Criteria :-
Down bag- go for goose as more loft power than duckdown.
Fill power, ( as you probably know, is different from fill weight,) is essential 800 to 900 is good.
Hydrophobic down - maintains loft when damp.
Outer material DWR treated which is durable water repellancy treatment.
 
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Kilbith

Tenderfoot
Oct 18, 2013
55
9
South West
RAB, PHD : good UK brands, similar to our best brands.

Less expensive and quite good : Polish Cumulus.

Not expensive, not bad, but ethics probably not at the top : Aegismax (AE)
 

Wandering Fred

Full Member
Oct 1, 2018
105
93
66
Dorset
Have been down the perfect sleep system rabbit hole over the past couple of years.
Bought an Enlightened Equipment Enigma quilt but found I moved about too much to keep the drafts out so sold it on. (incredibly warm & a thing of beauty though)
Bought a secondhand Mountain Equipment Lightline bag, great bag, warm & lofted really well but a very athletic fit so felt like I was sleeping in a sock - so sold that on.
Big fan of the Carinthia Defence 4 bag but am selling that on as I don't use it enough. Also tried the Snugpag SF2, great bag but found it a bit restricting.
Ended up going back to Snugpak gear (Snugpak Expansion 4 bag, Jungle bag & Jungle Blanket XL) Really happy with the combination throughout the year either zipped up or opened out in the summer. I also occasionally use a Snugpak liner but I put my sleep mat inside which improves the R value of the mat.
The only down sleeping gear I have now is a Sierra Designs Back Country Quilt 700 which is light, massive & fine for at least half the year if you have to carry it.
 

Great egret

Full Member
Apr 17, 2017
172
117
Netherlands
You can cut volume by deleting the part where you lay on. That doesn't insulate so it 's a waste of material and volume. I sleep under a topquilt which works great with a good mat.
 

Wandering Fred

Full Member
Oct 1, 2018
105
93
66
Dorset
Sorry. didn't read your post clearly the first time (Been a very long day)
As you rightly say, the bit of the bag you lay on is compressed so a bit superfluous.
As a restless sleeper, I find quilts draughty in cold temperatures. I really like the concept of quilts in the winter, The EE Enigma was superb quality & warm but I struggled to get much benefit. Again quilts tend towards minimal weight & size.
Eventually came to the conclusion that sleeping bags work better for me in the winter & quilts work for me in the summer, in fact, I regularly use my sleeping bag as a top quilt when it is warmer. The SD quilt is huge so even I can keep warm.
 
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swyn

Life Member
Nov 24, 2004
1,159
227
Eastwards!
What if any @TeeDee decision did you reach?
Just read through this thread and my addition is to suggest that you look at the range that Alpkit sell.
I have been more than satisfied by their down bags as my children now have their own Alpkit down bags.
I have a Pipedream 600 and this is perfect for my summer needs not forgetting all their bags are fitted with YKK zips for reliability.
Their ethos is also good and in this day & age should not be overlooked.
S
 

henchy3rd

Settler
Apr 16, 2012
611
423
Derby
For when the chill really hits, a lightweight 700 down jacket & a pair of quilted trousers works for a cosy nights sleep in the sleeping bag.
Plus you could wear them during the day when chillaxing.
A good pair of thick loose woollen socks does wonders too.
 

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