Snugpak Elite 2 advice needed

[yomperalex]

Hi folks

I recently took delivery of a Snugpak Elite 2, and on Saturday just gone, I finally got to test it out. Apparently it is comfort 2C extreme -3C

My set up was bag with a silk liner, on a foam mat, all inside an army bivi bag. Wearing a merino top and hat.

According to the local met station (approx 10 miles away) the min temp that night was 34F or 1.1C, and that felt about right.

While I wasn't really uncomfortable, I was a touch on the chilly side, enough to interrupt my sleep. I think I could easily add 5C to the ratings for it to be more accurate.

Now, I would like to have a one bag fits all seasons set up, and I feel confident that the Elite 2 will perform fine for late spring to early autumn.

Question is, what can I do to soup up the whole thing so that the bag will do in winter - I am thinking real comfort down to -5C, not extreme down to -5C.

My thoughts so far:

• Get a fleece liner;
• Get a self inflating mat.

Will either of these have the desired effect, or will I have to bite the bullet and get a 2nd bag for winter (which I don't really want to do)?

TIA for any advice.

Alex

 

[bigroomboy]

It all depends on what they mean by the ratings, I would say your experience is a testament to snugpak being honest. If you take the comfort as being the comfort limit which for a 2 season bag would be about right then you did well.

You are going to struggle to make a 2 season bag 4 season but there are options to test depending on how big you are. If you are on the larger size you may need to get the expander panel to make more room but you could buy the snugpak sleeka jacket and wear it around camp and to bed if you dont let it get wet. but you need the room in the bag for it to loft, same for legs if they are cold.

Hot water bottle, i use a nalgene bottle in an alpkit pile crush bag thing. Boil water before bed and then put it between your legs this will keep the whole body warmer.

Find another 2 season bag (wife/gf who only summer camps?) and put one inside the other. Bill mason says he only ever bough light down bags, the colder it got the more bags he would take allowing more flexibility.

or buy the elite 4 which is a lot of bag for the money.

hope that helps buddy

 

[PDA1]

A seconf foam mat will make a big difference. If you do get a Thermarest type self inflating mat, take the old one as well. CCF mats are worth about 10 deg f for each 1/4 inch of thickness or, say, 5 deg c per 1/2 cm, as a rough rule of thumb.

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

have a look at the sea to summit thermolite reactor liner. gets good reviews. I have the elite 4. Money well spent

 

[para106]

Fleece liner will work. Even better would be a Tesco Microlite down bag. Packs smaller than my Fleece liner & is very good for the money. I agree with the multiple bags & a self inflating mat system for in the UK. I'm after a decent down bag for our EBC trek next year - hopefully PHD will do me a favour in their Autumn sale in a couple of days!!!

 

[Elen Sentier]

A seconf foam mat will make a big difference. If you do get a Thermarest type self inflating mat, take the old one as well. CCF mats are worth about 10 deg f for each 1/4 inch of thickness or, say, 5 deg c per 1/2 cm, as a rough rule of thumb.

That's really helpful. I had similar probs as my 4 season bag is HUGE - good but huge - and can't afford down. It's all OK unless I want to walk and wildcamp, leave the car behind, then what to carry becomes important. Self-inflating mats seem a good idea on the size angle thought I understand not so hot on the weight - is that right?

 

[Elen Sentier]

Fleece liner will work. Even better would be a Tesco Microlite down bag. Packs smaller than my Fleece liner & is very good for the money. I agree with the multiple bags & a self inflating mat system for in the UK. I'm after a decent down bag for our EBC trek next year - hopefully PHD will do me a favour in their Autumn sale in a couple of days!!!

LOL after me in the PHD queue. The Tesco bag really works? Will go look ...

 

[para106]

LOL after me in the PHD queue. The Tesco bag really works? Will go look ...

Yep the Tesco Microlite Mummy bag is a very good buy - cheaper than a Rab silk liner too!!! Keep your eyes peeled as they fly off the shelves when in stock. The fill is actually Polyester & down but I've used them as a liner in -10 with a 3 season Vango bag & been fine. An excellent Summer bag too.

 

[blacktimberwolf]

A good fleece liner will add another season to your bag ( at least 5°C )............Have another look at your foam mat too 'cause some are better than others.

 

[Johnnyboy1971]

You could also try one of the MPI space blankets under the whole thing. Folded in half with silver side facing up and down could also help too.

 

[The Lord Poncho]

I'm always a fan of a second sleeping bag to achieve a modular type set up- very flexible, and the extra air trapped between the layers makes it even warmer, with only a little extra weight penalty. As long as one of the bags is a little bigger than the other, then you won't compress the loft and will be all right. Brand new snugpak jungle bags for £29.99 here:

http://www.strikeforcesupplies.co.uk/index.php?method=stock&id=20258&from=95

Which would be a good option to go with yours (and that is an excellent shop too).

If you are going lightweight, then i tend to use my own elite 2 all year round, i just sleep inside it in my british issue softie jacket, and in the really cold, the softie trousers too. If I'm going to be carrying them, it seems to me to make the use of their warmth at night rather than have them doing nothing in my rucksack. There are those that claim sleeping with clothes on actually makes you colder, but i certainly never find that to be the case.

 

[Shewie]

I have a cheap one season down liner bag which I sometimes use to boost a main bag, not sure if they're still available but I got one of these. Packs down tiny and weighs just under 400g.

My own preference is to have separate bags for winter and spring/summer, switching to the warmer bag around October time.

 

[PDA1]

@Elen Sentier - Thermarest Prolite regular (62" long) is 1" thick and weighs 1 lb. Packs down to 41/2 x 11" . Costs $100 here. A 1/2" CCF pad aslo weighs about 1 lb but packs quite a bit bigger. However, they only cost me $8 each at Walmart, so on a dollar per degree protection, the CCF scores well. CCF cannot be punctured and lose all of its insulation and comfort properties also, which scores with me on a safety/reliability basis. I have also found that a space blanket deployed underneath makes a significant difference, and is cost effective as part of one's sleep system. people persistantly underestimate the requirement for under insulation. Even more important with a down bag as they compress even more than synthetics.

 

[copper_head]

have a look at the sea to summit thermolite reactor liner. gets good reviews. I have the elite 4. Money well spent

+1 on the Sea to Summit reactors, really are as good as they say plus it packs down to nothing.

 

[yomperalex]

Thanks for all the advice.

Think I'll try the second bag - give me a spare bag for summer too.

and I think I'll pimp up my sleeping mat.

Cheers all

Alex