Totally get you on the reviews, but I've always taken reviews off websites with a pinch of salt. I used to work for a very well known paint manufacturer their marketing department used to go and review their own products.
Totally get you on the reviews, but I've always taken reviews off websites with a pinch of salt. I used to work for a very well known paint manufacturer their marketing department used to go and review their own products.
In my opinion Down bags are the only way to go. I cannot understand why people skimp on their sleep system then don't go out. I have never had a problem with a damp bag. 12 days canoeing in torrential rain bag got damp still performed gone. A wet bag is miserable whatever material it's made of.
I have several Rab down bags and a big Agnes. Plus a couple of others floating around I use for the hounds. My bags get a lot of use. 200 plus nights a year on average.
Now can anyone else see how this is such a difficult thing to buy?
So in your experience, down doesn't immediately collapse when it gets damp or wet? That's interesting.
We are failing as a 'bushcrafting' forum. Nobody has suggested using fur yet.
I have woken up in two inches of water in January. My own stupid fault. Rushed putting up my tentipi in the dark. Little bit of the floor was extended outside. The down pour ran off the side of the tipi and straight in I awoke when I finally felt wet inside the sleeping bag. After rearranging the tent. Moping up the water and sorting my bag I prepared for a very long weekend in the woods. It wasn't the greatest night but I wasn't too cold. Hanging the bag up under the parachute next morning to air still just above freezing and raining it pretty much dried out for that night. 5 years ago. Bag still going well.
Same bag used in Finland 18 months ago. Canoeing for 8'nights. Used a hooped bivvy. It got very damp with condensation every night. Still kept me warm at 0 - -2C. Had to hang up in the morning by the fire to dry out each day. Slept in same bag in a big lean to during that last big storm trees falling next to it rain occasionally blowing in for 3 nights. Toasty warm.
Will be be using the bag again Friday to Sunday.
Safe to say I got my money's worth.
sounds like a bit of a workhorse, what bag is this?
Mountain hardware lamina bags are very good for synthetic
for down Rab are fantastic, alpkit seem to be very well thought of too
Just to confuse the issue even further. Quilts are another option for ya, they work well for me on the ground but are esp good for hammocking
Ukhammocks make some great top quilts at very reasonable prices
Now can anyone else see how this is such a difficult thing to buy?
Mountain hardwares hotbed range seem to have squarer wider foot boxes.
http://www.mountainhardwear.com/hotb...or=300#start=6
Given all of that I think you have to pick on the basis of price and features and make the best of what you get. I wanted a bit more room and a few other features and went with a Snugpak Tactical 3. When I compare it to a Rab Ascent 700 then Snugpak claim a extreme of -12 and a comfort of -7 and although their web site says it packs to 23X20cm I think this is an error and should say 43X20 with a weight of 1700g. Rab say their Ascent 700 has a "Rab sleep limit" of -12 and an EN comfort of -2 and extreme of -27 and it packs to 24X42cm with a weight of 1290g, though it is a smaller bag and twice the price but Snugpak are known for overstating their comfort temperatures by around 5 degrees which is where we play swings and roundabouts again. How do you pick? I've no idea, you just have to splash your cash and make the best of what you get.