If you still want a sleeping bag, Mean & Green are selling pattern 58 sleeping bags which have a good rep and are down filled as far as I know.
Winter sleep system...
- Thread starter Barney Rubble
- Start date
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Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (21st July - 2nd August) available until March 31st, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.
Barney if your after one of them Snugpak travel blankets, there's a seller on ebay selling them : http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/191921505...49&var=490993034469&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT be quick, there selling fast
I was looking into a layering system for winter camping, but decided against buying some sort of top blanket, i was worried it would slide about on top of my down quilt or sleeping bag through the night. I'm just gonna wear extra warm clothing, when the temps drop
Thanks for the link Big_G, I've been meaning to get one for a while.
No probs, mate
See? Who needs a 'like' button
I have two warm bags and find both a PITA in the hammock unless I unzip them. Even then I get too hot in the summer, looking forward to this option. Was half tempted to get two and put Velcro strips on the edges for the colder months, but the bulk put me off.
OK , so going with the title of this thread, and not meaning to hijack it but...
Is there a sleep system , suitable for the worse of the British winter (-15 c° max) but involves no mummy style sleeping bags?
These Czech army rolls , are they good? How can they be improved?
And are the fishing sleeping bags (envelope style) not good?
(They seem cheaper on evilbay)
For a ground dweller that prefers bivvying and doesn't like having the legs " mummified " what options are there?
...
Thanks in advance...
Is there a sleep system , suitable for the worse of the British winter (-15 c° max) but involves no mummy style sleeping bags?
These Czech army rolls , are they good? How can they be improved?
And are the fishing sleeping bags (envelope style) not good?
(They seem cheaper on evilbay)
For a ground dweller that prefers bivvying and doesn't like having the legs " mummified " what options are there?
...
Thanks in advance...
I think so yes. However it depends on how much wonga you're prepared to lay down! Some people use a combination of underblanket and top quilt when hammocking and I know of some folk who use their top quilt when ground dwelling. Indeed UKHammocks.co.uk manufacture a 4 season top quilt that has been designed for use by ground dwellers a will handle the British winter, but they're made to order and cost approx £180. They seem to weigh very little too so there are very clear advantages here.
The more affordable option is to use blankets. A good quality military surplus wool blanket will set you back about £30 and will probably last you a lifetime. Ok they're fairly bulky and weigh a bit but they're versatile and if you're ground dwelling and sleeping under a tarp then you don't necessarily need to take the bivvy bag, simply roll yourself up in a wool blanket. If you know it's going to be reallly really cold then you can take two. Check out Dave Canterbury's videos on youtube, he's done some interesting videos where he shows how to use wool blankets in the winter.
Personally, as you'll see by this thread, I'm opting to boost the performance of my 2/3 season bag by incorporating the snugpak jungle blanket. Worth noting though that, when camping down in Kent, I've yet to encounter temperatures lower than -6 over the last 3 winters so I think this will be sufficient. But if I've any doubts or suspect it'll be colder then I'll be bringing the wool blanket along!
Nice, thanks Barney Rubble!
I'll check out those DC videos too...
I like the idea of using wool and old fashioned materials , rather than synthetic and modern designs .
Plenty of wool blankets to choose from...
Time for some research.
Thank you
Something like this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/British-A...th-Compression-Sack-Medium-Size-/112113186601
Utterly reliable, cheap and I bet less annoying than trying to keep a blanket in place inside your sleeping bag.
Utterly reliable, cheap and I bet less annoying than trying to keep a blanket in place inside your sleeping bag.
You would freeze in one of the czech bedrolls as they are in any real minus temps. You could try them out with putting a good quality winter down quilt inside however, then you would have a sort-of rectangular down sleeping bag. I wouldn't recommend it for -15 though.
Tonyuk
Re the Czech bags...yes they are good, and for the price, fabulous. I use one in the summer when canoeing, no problem (no extra clothing needed) and yes they can be easily be made even warmer for autumn/winter by either secreting between the layers a reflective blanket, or buying (about a fiver) another spare blanket and buttoning that in. If bulk is not a priority, very effective and cheap, all in a water resistant/damp proof bivi bag and with an easily removed liner for washing...well, it can all be washed.........
I've no experience of -15c camping as an adult ( as a yoof, yes).................
I have just ordered a British Army M90 thing from Military Mart.....I don't know how good that will be yet?
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Not really, back in the day when the 58' bag was on issue (cheap feather filled, not down) there was an arctic bag that was synthetic, bigger and much warmer. Then the newer 90' bags came out and the arctic bag seemed to disappear. I've been issued 90' bags with 'arctic' on the label but they were no different to others.
I would avoid the old 58' bags, they leaked feathers like a sieve and once they got wet they were impossible to dry in the field (and gained a ton in weight).
Tonyuk
Yep this. I turn and move in my sleep so I find two bags, or a blanket or liner in the bag, to be a complete faff. I'd rather two bags for our two seasons (mild and cold as f).
Only problem I have is mine didn't come with a stuff sack and it's bleedin' massive.
Thanks all for your thoughts on this, much appreciated. Evidently it seems to be a case of horses for courses! Some folks like to layer up and others like to just have one warm bag. At the end of the day it's about whatever works for the individual and whatever enables them to get out and enjoy the great outdoors.
Too right!
The Army M90 bag I earlier referred (and Highbinder and Squidders) to has just arrived from Military Mart, and although obviously I've yet to use it, it looks a really nice quality piece. It looks if it'll be very warm too.....
Not light...not terribly compact (the excellent quality compression sack does a blinder!) but warm. And yet again, cheap!
Happy canoeing bunny
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Too right!
The Army M90 bag I earlier referred (and Highbinder and Squidders) to has just arrived from Military Mart, and although obviously I've yet to use it, it looks a really nice quality piece. It looks if it'll be very warm too.....
Not light...not terribly compact (the excellent quality compression sack does a blinder!) but warm. And yet again, cheap!
Yeah and bomb proof. I'm going to be using it for some primitive camping this winter hopefully and I'm going to have no qualms setting it up without a bivvy bag, without a ground sheet, beside the fire. Couldn't say the same for a £200+ down bag.
I'd suggest against using anything without some kind of ground insulation. The ground leeches more heat away from you than the air, and this could get you in trouble since the sleeping bag's insulation does almost nothing where it's compressed (like if you're lying on it, on the cold ground). Why wouldn't you use a down bag the same way btw? Just keep the bag dry, and it'll work well too. People do it while hiking for months in a row.
Too right!
The Army M90 bag I earlier referred (and Highbinder and Squidders) to has just arrived from Military Mart, and although obviously I've yet to use it, it looks a really nice quality piece. It looks if it'll be very warm too.....
Not light...not terribly compact (the excellent quality compression sack does a blinder!) but warm. And yet again, cheap!
Is your M90 the dutch ECW bag at £69 or the Danish one at £20 as both are listed as M90?
Sorry I did not mean sleeping pad, rather, ground sheet. Poorly worded. I should have said without bivy or cover.
forestwalker
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Not all winters are equal. I'm currently thinking about ditching my old Carinthia Survival One for Alpkits maxed Arctic bag. Down rather than synthetic, and a lower rating. I use that on top of a synmat 7, or closed cell foam and reindeer hide, with a poly-cotton bivy on the outside in snow shelters. But then I end up sleeping in -30 C or so every winter.
Sorry, missed this....
No as per my message, it's the "British Army cold weather M90 bag" as detailed by MilitaryMart, for £20. A bit like the Czech system for a tenner....it may not be the best or whatever, but for the price it's unbelievable, (and it arrived in almost new condition)especially if bulk/weight are not priorities; it may not be the first choice if backpacking. But then I didn't buy it for that?
The Czech thing I used this summer and was really comfortable....in neither situation do I like to wear more than a tee and pants..............
