Wiggys military sleeping bag questions.

[Nomadliam]

Has anyone got or used the wiggys military bag? I love the centre zip idea & think it would be great, especially for a hammock etc.

Not sure if its overkill for the UK or not? I'm conscious of space & weight but its only 3.3lbs so its fairly light.

Any advice \ feedback would be appreciated.

 

[IC_Rafe]

I don't see where you get the 3,3lb from. From your link it says 4 or 3,7 lb. That for a -5C bag seems terrible weight to warmth ratio. For that weight and price you can easily get a -15C bag. (Carinthia Defense 4 weighs 2kg on home scales with stuff sack, and has a -15C EN rating. Compare that to the wiggys military -style- sleeping bag which has no EN rating, and you have a bag which might be good, but worse than others in its pricerange and weightrange.)

 

[bradleybuckman]

I can't remember the exact one that I have, but I believe it's the Super Light and I've used it a handful of times. I also have the overbag that can be combined with it to take it down to temperatures that I'll likely never see. Living in Kentucky, I've never needed to combine the overbag, but I've used the regular bag by itself in temperatures that dropped to around 11 degrees Fahrenheit at night, and I was plenty warm. That said, they are heavy and very bulky bags that will take up the entire inside of your internal framed pack, if you can even fit them inside it at all. I guess they could be strapped to the outside of an external framed pack, but would still be rather bulky and provide challenges moving through thick vegetation. I can see them being fine and the weight and bulk not being an issue if pulled in on a sled, or car or cabin camping. I've never gotten the bag wet or myself soaked to test the reality of the elaborate claims the owner makes about the insulation.

I don't have any experience with the military bags, but If you're going to be doing future artic camping or not having to pack it far and space and weight are not an issue at the time, then the bags I have would be fine. If you're backpacking, and you mentioned weight and space being an issue, then there are far better choices that are much lighter than 3.3 lbs for a 25 degree rating, much more compact than the Wiggys, and still affordable. I've used a Mountain Hardwear Phantom 32 for years for most of my winter camping, and it's been fine for even colder temperatures than it's rated for. It compresses very small and weighs 1.6 lbs.http://www.mountainhardwear.com/mens-phantom-32-regular-OU8486.html

 

[Dingo]

Have you ever seen an old issue dos bag? it might save you a few quid

 

[homesicksteve]

Wiggy's bags are the best, but not lightweight.

I think the Military is a new addition - only 4 lb.(or 3.7)

I have a Hunter Ultra Light (hood) - 5.25lb is not light but it is the nuts.
There's people on YouTube with Wiggy bags, sleeping in puddles, no bivi bag, and waking up warm & dry !

 

[Nomadliam]

Sorry for the late reply. Been away.

It seems that if I was on a a long trip a wiggys could be a good investment,

I haven't seen the dos bags no? Been looking at carinthias too, they seem good. The idea of a second hand sleeping bag from doesn't seem too attractive to me or I'd go for the British army artic bag.

 

[tiger stacker]

Sorry for the late reply. Been away.

It seems that if I was on a a long trip a wiggys could be a good investment,

I haven't seen the dos bags no? Been looking at carinthias too, they seem good. The idea of a second hand sleeping bag from doesn't seem too attractive to me or I'd go for the British army artic bag.

Doss bags do get laundered, cqms do put them in for dhobi post exercise. I know this, as the turn around time post tour to next exercise, meant 73 bags had to be fit for use prior to kit check.

 

[IC_Rafe]

Secondhand sleeping bags usually are not a good idea, unless you know how they were stored. A bag which has been compressed on a pallet for 10 years, will have a lot less loft than one which has been stored in a loose sack. The carinthia is good, but still a bit heavy. If i had the choice (read: money) i'd go for a good down bag .

 

[homesicksteve]

Doh.......

 

[Dave]

Ive got a couple of wiggys bags, they're very good, but not superhuman. If youre in the arctic, youre still gonna have to get the frost out same as a down bag.
Definitely the most comfortable bags ive owned, but thats because i prefer the rectangular shape to the mummy bags.

I think he provides them to pilots, in the usaf, so theyre permanantly compressed under the pilots seat without any loss to the loft, because of the material and design.

 

[Old Bones]

I'm not even going to go near the whole Wiggy's thing (opinions get heated), but for high quality but not too pricey down bags, Alpkit https://www.alpkit.com/sleeping-bags is worth a look. I've had my eye on the Skyhigh 900 for a while (£170 for that spec is very good), but they have some deals on lighter and heavier bags as well at the moment (to clear). The Arctic Dream 1200 is £225, which is great for a bag which sleeps at minus 33! (And yes, its a little OTT for the UK!). I also hear very good things about the Mountain Hardware range.