Author Topic: your thoughts on this bag  (Read 3270 times)


Danneaux

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Re: your thoughts on this bag
« Reply #1 on: March 27, 2012, 07:01:14 pm »
Oh, boy, jags...sleeping bags! One of my favorite topics!  ;D

Looking at the price and specs, I believe I would pass, but that is speaking from my perspective, where I would need something a good bit warmer, and based on what they're asking in return for what they offer. No, I don't think it is worth buying.

Without going into great detail...

In general, a more versatile bag (and warmer, too) will have a hood included to keep one's noggin warm at night (a lot of heat gets lost through the head).

While there are good garments and sleeping bags insulated with duck down (I have a vest and jacket filled with the stuff, which are favorites), generally, a person will get more loft (fluffiness, thicker fill for the weight/space) with down. This can get a bit sketchy, 'cos there's a lot of overlap between "good" duck down and "bad" goose down, and it also depends on the size and quality of the plumules and how many feathers are in the mix (this one claims an 80down/20feather mix).

Despite the manufacturer claims of this being a "three-season" bag, I would consider it suitable for warmer weather/summer, and suggest bringing along a cap for your head on cooler nights.

If you're thinking of this for your May trip 'round Ireland and the weather is reasonable, I think you'd be fine temperature-wise. However, it looks like a poor value from my perspective on this side of the pond. Converting pounds to US dollars, it looks overpriced for the weight, construction and content (139.99 GBP = 223.492 USD). Down bags also need to be kept dry to stay fluffy/warm, so count on keeping it in a plastic sack inside its own stuff sack, or inside a larger dry bag or waterproof pannier if foul weather is a threat. Some really good synthetic-fill bags can be had for this price, and at comparable weight. A wet synthetic bag can be wrung out and will still retain some loft to keep you warm if it gets soaked.

Here's a couple tips when looking for a sleeping bag:
1) Look for the "EN" ratings included on bags for some means of comparing how warm they are. It at least means a sample of the bag has been lab-tested to get some idea how warm it might be for men and for women. The tests have some problems, and after getting submitted samples approved, I've found production examples vary widely. Still, the test numbers are better than nothing and a lot better than things used to be.

2) If you're 6-feet/182cm tall or under, a sleeping bag designed for women can work really well for a man. I deliberately chose this route myself, and couldn't be more pleased. Many women's bags include extra insulation where I also get cold -- head and feet -- and are a bit tighter, meaning I don't have as much "dead air" to heat up. If you want to read a review I wrote on my orange/silver women's-long model, see: http://www.buzzillions.com/reviews/women-rei-halo-10-sleeping-bag-long-reviews Mine ended up both lighter and warmer than the equivalent men's bag, 'cos the insulation was in the right places and it was cut tighter. I also sorted through a lot to hand-pick a really good example.

Hope this helps!

All the best,

Dan.
« Last Edit: March 27, 2012, 07:28:49 pm by Danneaux »

bobs

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Re: your thoughts on this bag
« Reply #2 on: March 27, 2012, 07:40:20 pm »
Hi Jags,

it all depends on what you want to use it for. For the same money there are better bags from Alpkit.

Bob
« Last Edit: March 27, 2012, 07:42:21 pm by bobs »

JimK

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Re: your thoughts on this bag
« Reply #3 on: March 27, 2012, 07:54:19 pm »
Here's what I just bought for summer use:

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___42559

jags

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Re: your thoughts on this bag
« Reply #4 on: March 27, 2012, 08:20:16 pm »
lads thanks for the quick replys great help one and all..
bob i have the alpkit pipedream 400 great summer bag but totally useless when it got really cold ,
i had it for a winter trip in the mourn mountaind in december really cold spell  i nearly died with the cold  ::) its going to have to do me again in may for my irish tour but it should be good enough in the merry month of may..
i really want to get a bag that i can be assured its going to keep me toasty when the weather is freezing, i also looked at the Cumulus 500 down bag but at £185 it will have to wait until i'm flush again.
Dan would it be worth looking at the american bags and maybe buying one from america..
jim.k that bag looks great to me ,
ok i'm 5.6ins 12.5 stone (bit overweight) :-[
so going on that would that mountain hardware bag be the one to buy.
thanks again lads.

triaesthete

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Re: your thoughts on this bag
« Reply #5 on: March 27, 2012, 08:50:23 pm »
Hi Jags
If you already have a lightish bag, why not get another that is a little warmer eg alpkit skyehigh 800 for around £135 (they do a short one too).

When it's really cold use one inside the other.

You then have a choice of three bags for the price of two and can better juggle the weight/ comfort/ weather forecast balance.

Happy shopping
Ian

jags

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Re: your thoughts on this bag
« Reply #6 on: March 27, 2012, 09:06:02 pm »
Thanks Ian yeah i did think of buying a cheap bag and using one inside the other but it means more weight more bulk  >:(

Danneaux

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Re: your thoughts on this bag
« Reply #7 on: March 27, 2012, 09:35:02 pm »
jags,

Ian's idea is a great one and works very well for my friends who use it. However, I'm a bit like you in that I have to (try and) keep the weight and bulk down. I really need a winter bag for the colder sections of my travels, but a summer bag can also be too hot in the warmer parts. The solution for me was a lightweight (1.36kg) winter bag (-17), unzipped and used as a quilt when it is hot. Sometimes, I've even propped-up the sides using the sidewall of my inner tent and a handlebar bag so it could vent. Not the most elegant solution, but workable across the widest possible temperature range. Sometimes I have to take a second pad for camping on snow, ice, and icy exposed rocks. Don't forget your pad as a factor in making a bag warm. Many of the newer, lighter pads are about half air, and can be cold in cold weather. If you rummage through the reviews for this one, you'll find my thoughts on page 7 of the reviews and a photo showing why it had to go back: http://www.rei.com/product/778146/rei-lite-core-15-self-inflating-pad#tabs

A nice compromise is a bag liner, which adds a little warmth when needed, and minimizes extra weight and bulk. The liner can be used alone when it is hot, and combined with the bag when cold, much as Ian suggests.

I've tried every one on the market, but the best one I've found for my needs is the Cocoon *Expedition* liner made of rip-stop silk. It can be a bit hard to find, but well worth the search. Unlike other liners, it comes in three sizes to fit a specific bag/user, and has a hood with elastic drawstring that you can fasten lile a collar as well or leave open. It weighs almost nothing (~130g) and packs down to about half the size of a soft-drink can. It is easy to slither into and out of at night, and the stuff sack is captive, making it easy to find the top of the neck opening at night. Washes out under a water bottle stream and dries in a flash. Tick-proof and bedbug-proof also, so I use it in motel.

For nights when it is stifling, I use the liner alone atop my pad inside my tent rigged as a bug tent (mesh inner only no fly). The hooded liner also has the benefit of keeping head grunge, playa dirt, chain grease, sweat, and old sunscreen off my nice down bag. Worth it for that feature alone.

See: http://www.basegear.com/cocoon-expedition-mummyliner.html The price varies wildly, so it pays to shop around if you wish to pursue one at a good price.

There's also fleece liners that work well for some people. See: http://www.rei.com/search?query=sleeping+bag+liner

Best,

Dan.
« Last Edit: March 27, 2012, 09:49:46 pm by Danneaux »