Sleeping Bag Suggestion - Down.

[TeeDee]

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]

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]

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]

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.

 

[Erbswurst]

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.

Down sleeping bags - buy online direct from Robens here

www.robens.de

Down sleeping bags - buy online direct from Robens here

www.robens.de

Special Forces 1 WGTE

The Special Forces 1 WGTE Sleeping Bag can be used on its own or bought as a set of two, which can be zipped together to create an extreme bag for temperatures -15°C. Available for purchase as a whole system or can be built up from the various Special Forces WGTE sleeping bags. Comfort and...

www.snugpak.com

Special Forces Bivvi Bag WGTE

The Snugpak® SF Bivvi Bag WGTE is perfect for UK weather conditions and is the ideal choice for fast and light ventures, adventure races, bushcraft and emergency survival. With a small volume and exceptional light weight, it can be folded or packed away as a stalwart item in your outdoor kit...

www.snugpak.com

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

In total 1740 g for a well working sleep system.

 

[EdS]

Start with your budget

 

[TeeDee]

Start with your budget

Budget isn't a problem. I've had my Antarctica for years and years - I've no problem shelling out lots for the right bit of kit.

 

[Old Bones]

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.

 

[Erbswurst]

I guess it will end with a former pretty expensive sleeping bag with collapsed and mouldy down.

 

[C_Claycomb]

PHD gear is very nice! Stuart has a couple of their bags, and I managed to get one of their pull-overs second hand.

 

[elma]

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

 

[JBA]

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.

 

[billycoen]

What did you get in the end?

 

[JBA]

Sorry, the post was just info for you.

 

[Kilbith]

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]

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]

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]

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.

 

[swyn]

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]

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.