Sleeping bag

[Allie]

I'm contemplating selling on my Nanok -10 (although as yet untested) because I just think it's too big, and replacing it with something smaller. I've been looking at the snugpak selection - mainly the Elite 3 or 4, or the Chrysalis Winter or Xpedition (I sleep cold)..

I know sleeping bag talk has been probably rather done to death and I've been searching around, with the overwhelming consensus seeming to be to get a Nanok in preference to anything else, but the size of the Nanok just seems rather clumsy and just too large to me (particularly when I actually will only be using like half the bag anyway - it's way too long for me!), which is my reason for contemplating switching to the smaller snugpaks. If Snugpak ratings are as optimistic as is said, it seems the best choice would be the Elite 4 rather than the Elite 3, but then size and weight comes into play and I start leaning towards the Elite 3..

So I guess my question is, exactly how optimistic are the Snugpak ratings? I don't want to end up cold! Any ideas what would be the best bet? But then I start wondering whether I should get a specialised women's bag, although there don't seem to be many around..

 

[bigjackbrass]

Afraid I can't help you with Snugpak ratings, but you might like to take a look at PHD Mountain Software, where you can have a bag tailored very much to your requirements. Not cheap, but the quality is exceptional. They occasionally have a few reductions in odd colours and fabrics, too.

 

[Adrian]

Most people find that Snugpac bags are a little optimistic on the ratings, whereas Nanok are actually pretty good in that respect. If the first issue is the length - I'd say that the snugpac bags are unlikely to be much shorter than Nanok - they are both targeting the military market after all. At 5' 6", you are only about 31/2 inches shorter than me, and if you are only 16, you may have a bit more growth to come! I'd go for the larger bag; you can always tie off the bottom bit to reduce the internal volume. Snugging down in a bigger bag is rarely a problem, and you have space to bring your clothes/boots inside. A bag which is just a bit too small really is hard to get on with.

If you are looking at weight/bulk, then the best bet is still a down bag - the tundra range I believe is good, but down does cost more.

Regarding your sleeping temperature, that is individualistic, but remember that the quoted temperature range for ANY bag (other than those designed for women) is based on the assumption that the user is a fit male 18-24; for women, you have to reduce by 5 degrees, so a - 10 bag is actually for you a -5. As a male over 50, the same "discount" applies to me!

There are bags designed for women - Fjallraven do a range that i know of - it would be worth contacting Tamarack (who import them) for more information re pricing and look at www.fjallraven.se to see the range. There is really NO substitute for actually getting inside one before you buy it though.

Good luck

 

[Jedadiah]

Hi Allie,

you don't say what your budget is? If you want a small sized bag that packs up small and is still warm, if it's not going to get wet, try a down bag. This company do reasonable women specific The North Face sleeping bag's at a reasonable price,

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/madmountai..._W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ1249528QQftidZ2QQtZkm

What sort of level of insulation do you want? What season do you want? All year round or just late spring to early Autum? Aparently, if you are looking for a sleeping bag for a women you should look for something 6 deg cooler as that is the difference in sleeping temperatures for men and women. Alos, Women specific bag's have more insulation in 'women specific' areas. Again TNF are just one company but, if your budget is around £100 - £150, you can't go far wrong.

I have heard that Snugpack ratings are very much on the 'Optimistic' side, but i never had any problems with mine apart from the close fitting.

 

[Allie]

Wow thanks for all the replies everyone!
Sorry I should have been more specific - looking basically for a 4 season sleeping bag to keep me warm in pretty much all British conditions, so like the Nanok I guess, with roughly the same price - £80ish but really no more than that, preferably under, which I know restricts my options rather a lot!
I'm not too worried about the length - I know most bags will be rather too long, although it does seem a shame to have to have that extra bulk for no usage
Wow I didn't know I had to take off 5 degrees for women - so that would mean a Snugpak Elite 4 would in fact be -4 comfort for me, then adding in the optimism maybe even 0

 

[widu13]

Sleeping in your clothes will claw that deficit back tho.

 

[Dougster]

If you can stretch that budget a little - have a look at Alpkit.

Once you go for down, you'll never go back.

 

[Allie]

If you can stretch that budget a little - have a look at Alpkit.

Once you go for down, you'll never go back.

I'd love to get a down bag but unfortunately that is the budge stretched - it started at £40

 

[webbie]

i have a trail mag around here somewhere that has a sleeping bag test section and there are some lassys (girls) bags in there, i will look it out and report back with websites

webbie

 

[crazyclimber]

I've got an elite 3 and the nanok -10... been swapping between the two a lot this winter. IMO the Nanok's a good bag and roomy but for me that's possibly the downside; it's heavier (by almost a kg) and not being a particularly large guy I don't find it especially warm. Without a liner or something to that effect I think -10 would be pushing it. The snugpak... less room but room enough and I've used it several times below -5 wearing my usual active clothing (i.e. no duvet jacket), I'd say the rating's about right. With a silk liner I think -10 would be comfortable.
Only thing with SBs is everyone's different. I'm a fairly warm sleeper (or maybe I just sleep like a log), I know snugpak has a reputation for overly optimistic ratings but the elite 3's surprised me

 

[crazyclimber]

and by the way speaking of sizes, to put it into perspective I'm 22, 6' tall and 10.5 stone (aka lanky) and find the Nanok pretty big. I'd describe the elite 3 as comfortable

 

[ehedwr]

Allie, I have an Elite 3 and I find it great for coldish climates, however in Feb I used it at minus10 Celcius with my wife's Softie Chrysalis Kilo inside it and I cooked. The Elite 3 is a bit warm for summer nights so I gonna get a Snugpak Jungle bag for warmer nights. That way you can have it all, Jungle bag for summer, Softie 3 for Spring / Autumn, and both together for winter. Best of all the jungle bag compresses to about the size of a large grapefruit.

 

[Allie]

Right ok.. Thanks everyone.
Maybe I should sleep out one night and see how it is - and maybe I should buy a liner - what type is best/warmest?
I'm thinking with the size issue I could always somehow strap it onto the bottom/top of my rucksack, although there aren't any loops there so I'm not sure how I'd do that?

 

[myotis]

Allie,

I've been reading through the comments, and can't say anything specific about the different bags being discussed, but...

There is no way of outguessing how suitable a bag is for "your" use, and to go back to your original post, if you intend becoming an experienced camper/bushcrafter/backpacker, you WILL sleep cold some of the time.

If you persistently sleep cold then you should look at a warmer bag, or if you persistently sleep warm, look at saving bulk/weight by going for a lighter bag. Sleeping warm or cold seems to depend on lots of things, dampness, how tired you are, how hungry you are etc.

In the days when I used to share a tent with three other men during a regular winter camping trip, we would swap sleeping bags around, and try to establish patterns as to why any individual had a cold night while others were warm. We never figured it out.

Before buying a liner I would look at what you have sorted out to lie on, as its the cold from the ground that gets you. You don't mention what sort of sleeping mat you have. It was a revelation when I moved from using my rucsac and cagoule to sleep on, to a Karrimat. and then many years later to a Thermarest.

As well as sleeping mat of some sort, still put all your spare clothing underneath you. Wear a hat and socks. If you are cold try eating something, I always used some nice chocolate. If you are still cold, get the stove going and brew some drinking chocolate. You can do this while still in your sleeping bag, with the obvious proviso of taking care if you are lighting a stove in a tent. Dealing with an occasional cold night is something you just learn to cope with.

You maybe know all this, and of course your question was about sleeping bags, but sleeping warm is about a lot more than having the right bag.

It sound as if the bag you have is unused at the moment, so if you intend selling it on, then maybe making a change now to something easier to carry might be worthwhile, if this will improve your chances of selling on your existing bag.

But if you use your existing bag for a season, you will be so much more able to judge what you should replace it with, than you are now.

So in short I wouldn't make any changes until you have had several nights sleeping out with the existing bag, in a wide range of conditions.

Graham

 

[Celt_Ginger]

I reciently bought my daughter a Marmot women's specific bag, rated to -7 and she loves it. It would come in around your budget too.

 

[-Switch-]

Not too sure how relevent this post is gonna be...


I use a Nanok -10 and find it to be warm enough but there are a couple of things which bother me about it.

I sleep cold and regularly wake up if there is a cold wind. The Nanok is partly to blame because it isn't wind proof. It keeps the heat in pretty well but it doesn't stop the cold getting in. Perhaps a goretex bivvy bag would be an idea.

Also - and this is the main reason I won't be buying one again should this one break - the stupid flippin' zips drive me nuts!
Seriously.
They're located on the side, which makes for an interesting night if you're sleeping in a hammock, and they constantly snag the liner material when moving the zipper.
I know this doesn't sound like much but if you're desperately trying to get up for a pee and they keep getting stuck it becomes a major issue

I've developed this exit system which goes something like this:
Hold the top of the bag in my teeth then use one hand to pull the lining out of the way, while the other hand operates the zip.
After 15 minutes of muffled cursing the zip is far enough down so I can slide out of the top of the bag.
Move myself up the hammock until I can reach the tree I'm tied to with both hands.
Grab the tree and pull myself toward it while furiously kicking the bag away from me.
At this point I typically fall flailing from my hammock.
Scoop the bag up from the floor and place it back into hammock.
Decide not to get back into the hammock to avoid going through the whole thing in reverse.
Hobble away to sleep by the fire - in pain but releaved that the whole blessed ordeal is over.

I genuinely would never buy one again purely because of this zip problem.

 

[ehedwr]

Snugpaks can be frustrating with the material catching zip too. That's life I guess.
The best sleeping I ever had was the British Army bag with the big chunky centre zip, but then that bag filled my rucksack and weighed a good bit too.

Can't have it all.

 

[-Switch-]

Snugpaks can be frustrating with the material catching zip too. That's life I guess.
The best sleeping I ever had was the British Army bag with the big chunky centre zip, but then that bag filled my rucksack and weighed a good bit too.

Can't have it all.

Yeah, I used one of those '58 military bags too. It was very warm, to the point where I never used a roll mat with it, and I never had any zip-related issues with it either.

But, like you said, it was absolutely massive when packed away, and weighed at least twice as much as my Nanok.

 

[Allie]

Oops I forgot to thank everyone
Thanks all - it's definitely given me a lot to think about with regards to not only the rating but the zip location etc.. Particularly if I want to sleep in a hammock.

 

[sandbender]

Possibly more than you wanted to spend, however these bags are tough, very lightweight, will keep you warm and are available in a small size.

As an added weight saving bonus, these bags are rain proof! you wouldn't have to carry the additional weight of a bivi bag.

http://www.crux.uk.com/en/crux_sleepingbags_torpedo_500.php

The site also features some thoughts on making the correct choice of bag, based on how and where you plan to use it.

http://www.crux.uk.com/en/crux_sleepingbags_choosing.php

Just a thought