Author Topic: Are Alpkit sleeping bags any good?  (Read 5992 times)

Man wae a dug

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Are Alpkit sleeping bags any good?
« on: 19:10:55, 06/10/19 »
I've been looking into sleeping bags and was wondering if anyone has any experience with Alpkit bags and if they are any good? 


I'm currently looking at the Pipedream 400. RRP £220,  90/10 goose down hydrophobic, sleep limit rated to -10 (EN values) -6 (by Alpkit), 865g, 750g fill power and 190 internal length. 
I reckon -6 will be more than enough for Scotland (I sleep warm). 
It seems to be a reasonable balance of 1, weight. 2, pack size. 3, cost. It's fair to say I'd have liked to spend less if I could, I'd have liked to get bag and mat for around £250 but accept I'll need to spend a bit more to keep weight/size down as I want to keep the weight less than 1Kg. I was also thinking on pairing it with one of the Alpkit mats (Aero 180 or Cloud base).  


Only concern I have is that it's a tapered mummy, I rumble around a lot.....an awful lot when I sleep so even the biggest bags will be restrictive for me. Quilts don't meet the weight restrictions so they are a no no. I daresay I'll get used to using a bag mind you.


Does anyone use this bag and have any comments on it?


As ever, thanks for any advice you can offer me.
Does anyone have a better option for me that they could point  me to (I am researching, not wanting folks to do it for me but it's always good to have differing perspectives to draw on).
Is this bag too warm/cold for 3 season camping in Scotland?


I was also looking at the Thermarest Questar (I like the idea of the straps) but felt the weight was a bit much for the warmth provided.
Be ye man or bairn or wumman
Be ye gaun or be ye comin
For Scotlands pride no Scotlands shame
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Owen

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Re: Are Alpkit sleeping bags any good?
« Reply #1 on: 19:50:12, 06/10/19 »
If it's a mummy shaped bag try it out in the shop before you buy. Those mummy bags can be awfully narrow, a bit like having your legs tied together.


Minus 6 C would be about right for winter in Scotland, too warm for summer.

taxino8

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Re: Are Alpkit sleeping bags any good?
« Reply #2 on: 20:08:57, 06/10/19 »
I have a Skyhigh 500.
It’s my first mummy type bag and I was a bit concerned if it would suit me as I’m a side sleeper and move about a lot but it’s been fine.
The quality is good, not problems with the zip or anything but I’ve only used it in the late Spring and Summer in the Lakes, highest I’ve slept I think was Angle Tarn Gill and it was too warm to be honest but it was a hot day and night.
I use it with a Klymit Static V sleeping mat, link below.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00BLIGW2U/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Not very helpful to you really except to say the quality of Alpkit bags seems good.

Man wae a dug

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Re: Are Alpkit sleeping bags any good?
« Reply #3 on: 21:01:41, 06/10/19 »
Thanks. 

I might have a closer look at the SkyeHigh 500. It's rated at -4 and I'd maybe have to think about the long which would knock 1 or 2 degrees off it (that may be better as I wont be using it for winter) but it would take me above the 1Kg mark.




Is a bag below 1Kg and suitable for someone 6' - 6'1" at around £250 achievable? That's the question. :-\
Be ye man or bairn or wumman
Be ye gaun or be ye comin
For Scotlands pride no Scotlands shame
Gether yer litter and tak it hame!

Owen

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Re: Are Alpkit sleeping bags any good?
« Reply #4 on: 21:43:56, 06/10/19 »
I use a very old Rab premier 300 no longer made for when it's hot + 10,C weights 700g

A Rab Ascent 300 most of the time, got this to replace the old bag but didn't get rid of the old one. Good to around 0C not mummy shaped so plenty of room as I'm a fidgety sleeper. Weights 820g


A Rab Ascent 500 for when it's freezing. Weights 1020g


The Ascent 300 was around £200 if I remember it correctly.

Patrick1

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Re: Are Alpkit sleeping bags any good?
« Reply #5 on: 11:05:49, 07/10/19 »
My 6ft tall wife's been using a regular length Skyehigh 700 all this year. That comes in just above the 1kg mark, but she's a cold sleeper and has found it excellent, used in Scotland and Scandinavia from March through to now. I think its a good value bag. My only comment would be that the stuff sack it came with was much too big - she got a new smaller one and it compresses very reasonably - not quite as small as my similarly rated Sea to Summit bag, but that would be expected as its 650fp not 750fp down. Small enough to fit transversely at the bottom of her 48l Osprey Eja rucksack, though.

Man wae a dug

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Re: Are Alpkit sleeping bags any good?
« Reply #6 on: 16:18:11, 07/10/19 »
The Rab Ascent 500 might well be a better choice, it is heavier but a 200g (or thereabouts) trade off in weight for a bit more room might be a worthwhile trade off. Can get it around £50 cheaper too, which could open the door for a better spec  mat; might even offset the weight increase a bit as well.  :)

Good to know that the internal length of the regular Skyehigh is suitable for a 6 footer, puts my mind at ease on that score.  O0  I'll check out the Sea To Summit ones too.  

Thanks folks.
Be ye man or bairn or wumman
Be ye gaun or be ye comin
For Scotlands pride no Scotlands shame
Gether yer litter and tak it hame!

humansnail

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Re: Are Alpkit sleeping bags any good?
« Reply #7 on: 19:41:22, 07/10/19 »

The Rab ascent 500 is definitely very roomy. I used to use it spring, summer and autumn and it worked great. It is over kill for the summer, so I got a light mummy bag and when I went camping in winter for the first time last year, I doubled them up and due to the ample space in the ascent 500, the mummy bag slipped inside no problem. I think it's a pretty good all rounder for the price. O0




alan de enfield

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Re: Are Alpkit sleeping bags any good?
« Reply #8 on: 08:19:02, 08/10/19 »
Maybe consider the OEX from Go Outdoors.

It is a tapered bag BUT not a severe taper - I am a 6-foot, fourteen and a half stone, restless 'side-sleeper' and even in a bed at home can wake up in a panic if I get 'wrapped' up in a sheet. It has never yet happened with my OEX.
It is sort of 1/2 way between a Mummy and a square bag.

Rated at -3*C (I'm a warm sleeper) it seems to me to be OK - particularly if you use a quality 'warm' mattress (most of your body heat is lost to the ground so the mattress is an important element of the 'sleep system')

Combine it with an Exped Down Mat and you have the 'perfect 3-season' system (possibly push it to 4-seasons in an emergency)
The Exped Down mat is rated to -24*C and gives great insulation from the ground.

OEX sleeping bag £129 and 800 grams
Exped Down mat £140 880 grams (size 7M)

Sleep 'system' cost £270
Sleep 'system' weight 1.68kgs

https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/15903110/oex-helios-ev-hydrodown-300-sleeping-bag-15903110/?

https://www.alloutdoor.co.uk/activities/snow-ice/exped-downmat-pump-camping-mat-.htm

bipolarbob

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Re: Are Alpkit sleeping bags any good?
« Reply #9 on: 10:44:37, 08/10/19 »
ive just spent the weekend at Red Tarn around Langdale sleeping in this:

https://www.alpkit.com/products/alpinedream-800 [nofollow]

fantastic.  kept me warm all night..and its quite roomy to be honest.  but im 5ft 9 and 13 stone average build.


Patrick1

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Re: Are Alpkit sleeping bags any good?
« Reply #10 on: 11:26:55, 08/10/19 »
Maybe consider the OEX from Go Outdoors.
....
Rated at -3*C (I'm a warm sleeper) it seems to me to be OK - particularly if you use a quality 'warm' mattress (most of your body heat is lost to the ground so the mattress is an important element of the 'sleep system')
.....
OEX sleeping bag £129 and 800 grams
Exped Down mat £140 880 grams (size 7M)
https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/15903110/oex-helios-ev-hydrodown-300-sleeping-bag-15903110/?
I'm not sure the numbers add up for the OEX bag, I have to say. A bag which is comfortable to -3 with only 600fp down in will need more down than that - the name seems to suggest just 300g of down, which would fit with the overall weight. If £130 is your price bracket, I'd go for a good synthetic bag (say, one of the Mountain Hardware Lamina range) rather than a poor down one.

alan de enfield

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Re: Are Alpkit sleeping bags any good?
« Reply #11 on: 17:07:15, 08/10/19 »
The 300g is 300g per square metre (not the weight of the filling).

I remember buying a Merino wool shirt/fleece that was advertised as "400g" - ideal I thought, when it arrived I weighed it and it weighed almost 600g.

I made the same mistake that you did and hadn't read the details, having now carefully read the details it was clear that it was the 'material weight' that was 400g per square metre.




Woolpower Ullfrotte Original Full Zip Jacket - 400g - Green
£110.00


Brand: Woolpower Ullfrotte Original
Weight: 528 g       
The Woolpower Ullfrotte Original Full Zip Jacket - 400g can be worn directly next to the skin as a base-layer, or as a mid-layer garment. In very cold conditions it can be worn over the top of a ………………...

Owen

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Re: Are Alpkit sleeping bags any good?
« Reply #12 on: 17:31:14, 08/10/19 »
The Rab Ascent 500 might well be a better choice,





Are you sure you want a bag that warm if you're only using it spring to autumn? I use mine just for winter camping trips. For use in mid summer I think you'll find it way to hot. The 300 would be a better bag for spring onwards, I'm still using mine this time of year, only switch to the 500 when it gets frosty.

Man wae a dug

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Re: Are Alpkit sleeping bags any good?
« Reply #13 on: 19:24:33, 08/10/19 »
Alen - Had a wee look at the OEX, it looked as if it would have done me ok but the reviews don't sell it for me; thanks for the advice though.  :)

Patrick - I don't have a price as such (within reason), just wanted to find a good balance between weight/size and cost; hydrophibic down seems the best choice. Trying to keep the whole sleep system as near to 1Kg as I can, between 1 - 1.5 seems achievable without breaking the bank if I go for a down bag. :) 

Humansnail & Bob - Appreciate the info on the respective bags.  O0

Owen - It would certainly help knock a couple of hundred grams off. I did have a good look at the 300 but I was thinking that a +1c limit might not be warm enough (even though I do sleep warm).  Bearing in mind I'll be using it in Scotland do you reckon that would be a better choice?   I was planning on packing a merino top and long john type things for sleeping (if required) or a makeshift pillow (if not) anyway. :-\   


Again, thanks for the advice, it's much appreciated.
Be ye man or bairn or wumman
Be ye gaun or be ye comin
For Scotlands pride no Scotlands shame
Gether yer litter and tak it hame!

Owen

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Re: Are Alpkit sleeping bags any good?
« Reply #14 on: 19:44:03, 08/10/19 »
I live in Scotland so that's where most of my walking/backpacking is done. Overnight temperatures at the moment are around the +5C mark, so a +1C bag is just about right. As you say you can always wear something in the sleeping bag if your feeling chilly.

 

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