Winter sleeping bag alternatives

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Lefteris

Member
May 22, 2012
27
0
Finland
I have known people adapt old household eider downs into sleeping bags and if I can find one in good order I will be doing it myself.

Yes Silverclaws, this would be indeed creative and most precious than any other bag bought from the market. For me though, this is not an option, as I have neither the required household stuff nor the patience to do it on my own.
 

Lefteris

Member
May 22, 2012
27
0
Finland
I guess you're still searching for the best option. How about this Carinthia bag? I know it's 200 grams heavier, but the price, including shipping costs to Finland, is below 200 Euros.

http://www.bergzeit.de/carinthia-ladakh-900-schlafsack.html

Yes Greek1983, I am still searching. I am not in a hurry as it will not be as cold before the end of October to need the -10 bag. So I am taking my time having also my eyes open for offers. I will also visit some physical shops to see "live" some candidates!
I am enjoying the process very much including the talk in this thread.

The Carinthia bag you suggest looks very much into my specs!!

Thank you!
 
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ex-member BareThrills

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Dec 5, 2011
4,461
3
United Kingdom
I have known people adapt old household eider downs into sleeping bags and if I can find one in good order I will be doing it myself.

:jacked:

how small would a double eiderdown pack? im assuming you need the old thiner type bedspread variety? im looking for ideas to chuck in my jerven bag and something with a small pack size would be good. to be honest it neednt be converted, i could use it as a duvet as i have the king size jerven
 

Teepee

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jan 15, 2010
4,115
5
Northamptonshire
:jacked:

how small would a double eiderdown pack? im assuming you need the old thiner type bedspread variety? im looking for ideas to chuck in my jerven bag and something with a small pack size would be good. to be honest it neednt be converted, i could use it as a duvet as i have the king size jerven

The packed size comes down mostly to the quality of the filling. The cotton cover tends to be very thin and doesn't add a lot to the volume. The highest fillpower down will be more highly processed and have fewer feathers-it'll be far more compressible.

Feathers are the killer for pack size.
 

Andy B

Forager
Apr 25, 2004
164
1
Belfast
Hallo all,

I am looking for a sleeping bag to allow me to sleep comfortable down to -10C.
I am interested only in down sleeping bags (not synthetics), as I would like the bag to be less than 1.5kg and quite compact to fit my backpack.
I am a man, 95kilos, 186cm and quite broad shouldered; so I won’t fit comfortable in short (less than 210cm) or narrow (less than 75cm wide) bags.
Ideally, I would like to spend not more than 200 pounds (including posting cost – I live in Finland)

After searching around the net, I found some alternatives, which I list below.
Any comments or suggestion you may have, especially from personal experience with these bags (or any other bag that would fit my specs) are very welcome.

Many thanks!

---------------------------------------------

Alpkit, Skyehigh 100
http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16322&category_id=286

Vango, Viper 1000
http://www.vango.co.uk/mountain/viper-1000.html

Northface, Superlight
http://www.outdoorkit.co.uk/product...opzilla&utm_medium=ppc&utm_campaign=shopzilla

Nanok, Performance Down -10
http://www.expeditionhardware.co.uk/Nanok Sleeping Bags/Nanok Performance Down -10 Sleeping Bag

Marmot, Sawtooth
http://marmot.com/products/sawtooth?p=117,173
http://www.trekkinn.com/outdoor-mountain/marmot-sawtooth--10-/24659/p

Marmot, Pinnacle
http://marmot.com/products/pinnacle?p=117,173,140,167&ft=140-167
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...ki-uk-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738

Robens, Lite 900
http://www.robens.de/en/Products/SleepingBags/Lite/Lite900.aspx
http://www.amazon.co.uk/ROBENS-SLEEPING-SEASON-CAMPING-EQUIPMENT/dp/B007KZLEGC

Nanok and Mamot are great bags.
 

Lefteris

Member
May 22, 2012
27
0
Finland
So, after much searching, I concluded and just bought the North Face Blue Kazoo sleeping bag (the long version).

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004OS6EJK/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&smid=A2B3EIWQ02T1PB
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpPmLd8y7PQ
http://backcountryskiingcanada.com/...d=The North Face Blue Kazoo Down Sleeping Bag

Temperature: -9 (men), -4 (women), -29 (extreme)
Weight: ~1.2Kg
Fill power: 650+ fill power down
Price: 179.99GBP

I am excited and can't wait to receive it and use it in the "war field"!!!
:dancer:

Thank you all for your advice - I have learned a lot through this "talk"!
 
Sep 26, 2011
7
0
UK
Hi ,
How do you like your new bag? How do you find the width of the bag?
I posted a similar thread without looking down the page to find this one. ( oops )
Would be keen to hear your opinion, as my requirements seen the same?
 

Lefteris

Member
May 22, 2012
27
0
Finland
merc350,
yes I have read in other threads that all Alpkit Pipedream bags are great value for manoey. Only it is too narrow for my size (I have a chest perimeter of ~115cm).
 
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Lefteris

Member
May 22, 2012
27
0
Finland
Hi all, hi Northern Light.
Sorry for not posting already my experience with it, but I only tried the North Face Blue Kazoo (long version) outdoors just yesterday.

So, this is my experience:
A.
the bag is very lofty, fluffy, soft (silky texture inside and outside) and comfortable (size wise).
It looked soooo cozy that I could not resist to try it as a top quilt the first night in my flat (!) after I received it.
So I turned off the heating (so the temp went down to +13C degrees) and slept using it as a blanket.
In the night I woke up hot and sweaty, even though I was not "into" the bag, just "under" it. The bag is too warm for this temperature (of course!).
B.
Yesterday, finally I got the chance to try it outdoors for one night! My sleeping shelter was a DD Travel Hammock with a self inflating mat under me and a 3x3 DD tarp on top. I was wearing only a woolen thin base-layer and woolen socks. It was super windy and +5C degrees. I used the bag only as a top quilt (I did not "enter" and closed the bag). This setup kept me SUPER warm all night long. Even my feet (which is my coldest part when sleeping) were very warm. I am confident that this bag will keep me warm and comfortable at least in the range -5 to +5. But keep in mind that in general I sleep warm.

Size wise, it feels wide enough and comfortable to me (height 6"1' or 186cm, weight 95kgr, chest perimeter 115cm). When I am in it, its length and width allow enough space to avoid me stretching the bag and reducing the fluffiness of the down. So for people that do not have an issue with sleeping bags, this model should be very comfortable (I am writing this because I know some people are "sleeping bag claustrophobic" - but for this people I guess no bag is suitable).
What I like best is the texture both inside and outside, which is so soft and silky.
This is the first down sleeping bag I have tried, but I have seen "live" quite many others before I proceeded to this purchase. I must say I am impressed by the overall quality.

If I need to write a minus (trying to be objective), I'd say its compression bag is not the best (it has 3 straps and not 4; the material is waterproof but not sealed - it looses air very easily), but still it serves the purpose.

Overall, I highly recommend it and give 5stars.
:)
 
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Lefteris

Member
May 22, 2012
27
0
Finland
Sorry for the metric mix Imagedude. When it comes to height, I am used to cm, but I see in this forum that in UK they use feet/inches; this is why I posted my height in this metric. Otherwise I would give 186cm.
 

Lefteris

Member
May 22, 2012
27
0
Finland
Hi all,
just to give you some feedback following my recent experience in real conditions with my new North Face Blue Kazoo bag.

Finally, I got to try it in the woods when the temperature dropped down to -10C (up here where I live, we already had the first snow).
So, I slept in my DD hammock and under a 3x3 DD tarp. Under me I had a self-inflating mat, not extremely thick, but it worked very well for me.
I was wearing a merino wool baselayer (top and bottom), plus a fleece on top, plus woolen socks and down slippers. I got INTO the bag (I did not use it just as a top quilt). I slept warm. At some point I even felt I was wearing too much on top and it would be better without the fleece. But for my legs the bag was just right for this cold temperature. The only cold points were at the sides of my shoulders/arms which were pressing against the hammock and removing the loft of the bag (and the mat was not wide enough to reach there). But it was not too bad. I slept very well and without any intermediate wake ups (I slept at 23:00 and when I opened my eyes it was 06:30).

For me -10 in this bag was no prob, although I think that I cannot go much colder without significantly crossing my comfort limit, unless if I use a warmer (and wider) mat.
But in general, I sleep warm, so for others the comfort limit with this bag may be a bit warmer (the bag is rated -2 comfort, -9 limit, -27 extreme).

Overall, I am very happy, even impressed, with this bag.
:)
 

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