Sleeping Bags

[Phil P]

Greetings Earthlings

6'4" and 20St.

I'd be grateful if anyone out there can recommend a reasonable quality sleeping bag that will comfortably fit my ample size as I'm more "Mears" than "Grylls" (not saying that Mears is a bit chubby, but Grylls is a skinny little bull****er)

I currently use an over quilt during the summer but I need a winter bag that actually fits.

I'll appreciate any replies or suggestions..................including losing weight and chopping my legs off at the ankle.

Phil.

 

[Hibrion]

Snugpak with the expansion panel?

 

[mick91]

I use sleep pods BUT they're only 3 season. Depends if you sleep got or cold weather you can get away with them in winter. Bouncing bomb is an option, and supposedly the Andes 4 season bags are fairly roomy but I haven't tried that. I have similar trouble to you. If you're a tree dweller then peapodding with a bigger bag is an option or a good quality over and under blanket

 

[widu13]

Snugpak Softie Elite 4/5 will fit your body shape. http://www.survivalaids.com/snugpak-softie-elite-4

 

[fluffkitten]

Snugpak Softie Elite 4/5 will fit your body shape. http://www.survivalaids.com/snugpak-softie-elite-4

Or if you don't mind the colours the Chrysalis is the same shape and filling as the Elite and expand the in same convenient way but are cheaper. Main difference is colour but the Elite has an extra liner for boots while the chrysalis has a dinky led light in the hood.

 

[Alan 13~7]

Greetings Earthlings

6'4" and 20St.

I'd be grateful if anyone out there can recommend a reasonable quality sleeping bag that will comfortably fit my ample size as I'm more "Mears" than "Grylls" (not saying that Mears is a bit chubby, but Grylls is a skinny little bull****er)

I currently use an over quilt during the summer but I need a winter bag that actually fits.

I'll appreciate any replies or suggestions..................including losing weight and chopping my legs off at the ankle.

Phil.

A simple suggestion might be to zip 2 together to make one double size bag...

 

[Graywolf]

You say you currently use a 3 season top quilt , you could get a 4 season top quilt and a winter rated mat such as this combo .
http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/category-56/XB106.html
http://www.downsleepingbag.co.uk/sl...rlite-7-LW-Sleeping-Mat-X32205285.html#SID=61
combined with a silk liner and a Bivi bag should do the job

 

[widu13]

You say you currently use a 3 season top quilt , you could get a 4 season top quilt and a winter rated mat such as this combo .
http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/category-56/XB106.html
http://www.downsleepingbag.co.uk/sl...rlite-7-LW-Sleeping-Mat-X32205285.html#SID=61
combined with a silk liner and a Bivi bag should do the job

130cm wide won't be enough bud. I've just had a quilt made and it's 160cm which is a comfortable fit with my 47/48" chest.

Or if you don't mind the colours the Chrysalis is the same shape and filling as the Elite and expand the in same convenient way but are cheaper. Main difference is colour but the Elite has an extra liner for boots while the chrysalis has a dinky led light in the hood.

Agreed, leary red one about a tenner cheaper.

 

[Tonyuk]

Large size 95 pat bag or the new defense 4 should fit no problems.

Tonyuk

 

[Mesquite]

Snugpak Softie Elite 4/5 will fit your body shape. http://www.survivalaids.com/snugpak-softie-elite-4

I'm a similar large build use an elite 4 but I use an expanda panel with it and have loads of room to move about in.

Only problem for me is I sleep cold and find the snugpak ratings somewhat optimistic so sometimes need extra insulation in the form of a swedish army rescue duvet

 

[Andy BB]

Tall/wide Wiggys bag - either the Superlight, or for when temps get below -20C, the Ultima Thule. Will be plenty big enough, and warm too!

 

[brambles]

I'm 6'5'' with 48-50'' chest and my Carinthia Defence 4 200 is a great fit.

 

[Big Highlander]

Snugpac Antarctica re with an expanda panel, but beware if you buy the extra long bag, u can't fit the bag and expanda panel into the same stuff/ compression sack that's supplied with it, am currently looking at an ortilieb 50ltr + compression drysack to acomodate mine as I have an extra long bag and expanda.... Hope this helps.
The Antarctica re IS the best bag out there at the mo

 

[Big Highlander]

Snugpac Antarctica re with an expanda panel, but beware if you buy the extra long bag, u can't fit the bag and expanda panel into the same stuff/ compression sack that's supplied with it, am currently looking at an ortilieb 50ltr + compression drysack to acomodate mine as I have an extra long bag and expanda.... Hope this helps.
The Antarctica re IS the best bag out there at the mo

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Here is my two snugpac Antarctica re sleeping bags with expanda panels, it is extra long and DOES compress down in a Brittish army artic compression sack with the expanda panel attached, I know this because I do this with me own, you will get into this bag and I've attached a pic of me in it on me garden furniture to show how big this is, am 6ft 3 and about 18st ish, you can't go wrong with this bag, comfort -20 and survival -50.
And for weight to warmth this IS your best bet if you want an extreme bag and are gonna use it otherwise use the corinthia and layer up, but if u do layer up you add the weight thing again, it's been mentioned that snugpac ratings are exadurated, well I'll never test this bag to its extreme, but you still have the option to add a liner and a bivvi bag over it to which you'd more than likely be carting with you anyway? Hope this helps ����

Ps. Don't go on about the camel toe on the bag lol I never heard the end of it lol

 

[IC_Rafe]

If it's EN rated, a bivy (or tent, or whatever you have which blocks wind, is already calculated in the rating (and so is thermal underwear and a wool/fleece hat).

Weight for warmth the best option is a 950 cuin down sleeping bag. They are expensive though .
The bag above is just much too heavy imo. Good for car camping, but too bulky to carry. 3kg for a -20C bag. A quick search for a down bag has the weight at 1,7 kg for a -21 degree bag filled with 850 cuin down.


I really dislike snugpak's rating system though: for example, for the antartica described above, you do indeed get -20C comfort, -50 extreme, and the description on the site says the following:
Extreme
Experienced users who are used to Extreme Conditions.

Extreme in any actual rating, means that you'll survive if you sleep in it for 4 hours, but will likely be frostbitten. Doesn't matter if you're used to extreme conditions, your body needs the warmth or it'll break down, no matter how experienced you are .


To the OP, if he'd still be needing the advice. I'm personally looking at Cumulus sleeping bags. They are customisable by Cumulus themselves if you contact them and if it's not a "i need it NOW' thing .

Edit: I'm not saying they are bad bags btw, just that they are too heavy. I have 2 carinthia bags (the Tropen and the Defence 4), and they are good, but heavy. Weight for warmth, a good down bag will always be better than a good synthetic bag, and longer lasting. Unless you routinely get into situations where you get your gear soaked. But then you have other issues, and a wet synthetic bag is terrible to sleep in too. Not warm at all. Know that from experience xD.

 

[Dave]

Tall/wide Wiggys bag - either the Superlight, or for when temps get below -20C, the Ultima Thule. Will be plenty big enough, and warm too!

Second Wiggys. http://www.wiggys.com/sleeping-bags/hunter-ultra-light-rectangular-sleeping-bag/

 

[Big Highlander]

I do stand corrected on the weight to warmth ratio, but I failed to mention I was on about synthetic bags only, down bags are really good, infact they are the best till they get wet as correctly stated, synthetic bags are easy dried compared to down bags when your on the go, down bags are worse than synthetic when wet, but it's not the bag that keeps you warm, it's your own body that heats the bag up, the bag mearly try's to contain that heat, so in theory you can have a warm wet synthetic bag as opposed to a cold wet down.
Every bag has an extreme whether it be -1 or -20, and you'll still have the same issues at -10 with a -1 bag. I do remember sleeping in a hedgerow in Northern Ireland and having a 58 pattern bag and it got absolutely soaking wet in a night of driving rain, the bag was useless, I had to turn the bag upside down to try and keep warm whilst on my roll mat under me poncho, when synthetic came on the scene it changed how we did things

 

[IC_Rafe]

From my experience, if it's wet, it's pretty much useless, down as well as synthetic. The water just occupies all the airspaces which insulate you and it'll largely be the same. The theory is like the discussion of wool vs fleece. I've been wet in both, and i was just miserable in both. The wool wasn't any warmer than the fleece when wet. Same happened with the synthetic sleeping bag. It was just useless.

Down has come a long way too though. The hydrophobic down, coupled with a light water resistant shell, can stand up to a lot. When there's rain in the air though, you don't sleep in it outside of a tent or bivy, but then i think you wouldn't do that with a synthetic bag either. I don't have any experience with hydrophobic down in a sleeping bag, but in my puffy jacket, it seems to do the job well. Aslong as i don't go in a moderate rain, i'm good (it's not a treated jacket, so just a highly breathable non waterproof shell, and down in the baffles).

Just don't get your sleep system wet, and it should be ok (i use a drybag for my sleeping bag, inside of a big drybag for the sleeping bag and the rest of my gear which i want to keep dry).

 

[ammo]

I would consider some quality wool blankets. Wiggys do seem to get great reviews, though I've never personally handled one.
I find a good wool blanket, inside a light sleeping bag a great winter option.

 

[sunndog]

Just to throw another name out there. the Coleman 'big basin' bag is huuuuge, at 6 foot i can sit up and move around inside it. Pretty warm and cheap too