Author Topic: Down sleeping bag advice please?  (Read 7623 times)

Steve922

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Down sleeping bag advice please?
« on: 23:11:29, 23/05/18 »
     In preparing for my multi-day hiking adventure, I'm looking for a new sleeping bag. My old one is very good but its heavy at just over 2kg and being synthetic (Hollowfibre) its rather bulky. Weight is important to me, I'm trying to get under 10kg including food.
    I've been looking at the 1050g Rab 500 http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/rab-ascent-500-sleeping-bag-p292426 but after reading various reviews I'm not sure if it will be warm enough for me so perhaps the 1250g Rab 700 http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/rab-ascent-700-sleeping-bag-p292434 currently running at £153 with all the discounts, might be a better choice?
    This is a major purchase for me, because I'm a tightwad who doesn't really mind spending the money but am quite obsessed with value.
    I'd be much appreciative of any input; good, bad or alternative. Its main use will be WHW somewhere mid-September/early-October after a fair bit of shorter British-summer hiking.
   What does the panel think?

alan de enfield

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Re: Down sleeping bag advice please?
« Reply #1 on: 23:37:50, 23/05/18 »



     In preparing for my multi-day hiking adventure, I'm looking for a new sleeping bag. My old one is very good but its heavy at just over 2kg and being synthetic (Hollowfibre) its rather bulky. Weight is important to me, I'm trying to get under 10kg including food.
    I've been looking at the 1050g Rab 500 http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/rab-ascent-500-sleeping-bag-p292426 but after reading various reviews I'm not sure if it will be warm enough for me so perhaps the 1250g Rab 700 http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/rab-ascent-700-sleeping-bag-p292434 currently running at £153 with all the discounts, might be a better choice?
    This is a major purchase for me, because I'm a tightwad who doesn't really mind spending the money but am quite obsessed with value.
    I'd be much appreciative of any input; good, bad or alternative. Its main use will be WHW somewhere mid-September/early-October after a fair bit of shorter British-summer hiking.
   What does the panel think?


Have you considered this :


http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/oex-helios-ev-hydrodown-300-sleeping-bag-p397795


Only 750g and compresses down to almost nothing. Comfortably warm in -3 degrees and 'extreme' of -19 degrees.
Very happy with mine.


Bought after reading 100s of reviews on various bags, this one had the best reviews and they turned out to be true.


With the current special price offer its just about £100 at Go Outdoors
« Last Edit: 23:46:06, 23/05/18 by alan de enfield »

Owen

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Re: Down sleeping bag advice please?
« Reply #2 on: 10:26:11, 24/05/18 »
I have a Ran Ascent 300 and a 500. The 500 is very warm I only use it when it's freezing or lower, far too hot for typical summer nights out in Scotland. The 300 is better for 3 seasons use. Expensive but you have to pay for quality. The 500 is 1050g the 300 is 812g.

Steve922

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Re: Down sleeping bag advice please?
« Reply #3 on: 10:38:26, 24/05/18 »
>>>Have you considered this : http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/oex-helios-ev-hydrodown-300-sleeping-bag-p397795

This looks really interesting Alan, thanks.  No, I hadn't considered this one. It looks great value and I love both the weight and price!  But I'm really bothered if it will be warm enough for me.
   Any other views on this one (the OEX 300 from GO)  ?

Steve922

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Re: Down sleeping bag advice please?
« Reply #4 on: 10:41:35, 24/05/18 »
I never considered the Rab Ascent 300 either Owen. I've seen a review or two (I've read a lot!) on the Ascent 500 saying they were cold and I think this has coloured my vision.
   After these replies, I'm thinking the 700 might be overkill and the 500 adequate, maybe a 300 would be good enough? I'm really attracted partly by the price but mainly by the lower weight.
   So many choices to make!  :-)

gunwharfman

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Re: Down sleeping bag advice please?
« Reply #5 on: 11:42:24, 24/05/18 »
I use a Cumulus (Poland) Down sleeping quilt which I imported from Slovenia. Took about 5 days and cost about £200. I believe it works at its best when married to a proper mattress, in my case a Thermarest NeoAir, with a fitted sheet, also from Thermarest. On warm nights its great, I just use it like my home quilt, when hot I just throw it off me. In the colder months keeping warm requires a bit of a knack, either to have 2 or 3, 12"elasticated ties, secured to little loops to pull the sides together and under me, or to wear long johns, possibly socks and an upper body warm jacket. I tend to use the second option most. I use a compression stuff sack, covered with another waterproof stuffsack and my quilt stuffs down to a really small size. Its also rather light in weight. I have never let it get wet, I have read, that once wet, down products become pretty useless until they dry out again. I've had my product for over three years now, still looks as good as new and only one or two feathers have ever poked through. I was it each year, can take a week to dry but the wait is worth it. From my experience I think I would always buy a down product (but not a down jacket) because of its light weight and compressibility mainly and it keeps me warm as well.

Having looked through various models recently if I bought again I believe I would go for the 'Enlightened Equipment Revelation 20', looks good but importing it from the USA?

Sloth

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Re: Down sleeping bag advice please?
« Reply #6 on: 19:18:24, 24/05/18 »
I've got the Rab Ascent 500 Steve and found it a great bag. I've been out down to freezing in it and been toastie but I do sleep hot. In the summer I unzip it and use it like a quilt. I also like it because it is quite a loose mummy fit and has quite a big foot area, something I like. Cant remember what I payed but dont forget to price match with GO Outdoors.


NeilC

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Re: Down sleeping bag advice please?
« Reply #7 on: 09:59:01, 25/05/18 »
For me, something like the 700 would be too hot for the majority of the year. I use a cheap light bag for the summer and only really use the Cumulus bag after Sept. I can't have one bag for the whole year.

fernman

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Re: Down sleeping bag advice please?
« Reply #8 on: 10:44:27, 25/05/18 »
I can't have one bag for the whole year.

I can!
I could only afford one bag and it had to be the warmest. Mine is rated as -3 comfort, -10 limit and -28 extreme.
Baselayers and socks are worn when it's cold, maybe more if it's really cold.
Then minus the socks, minus the bottoms and minus the top progressively according to the temperature.
When it's warm weather I have 60cm unzipped at the foot and maybe more the top, and if it's really hot I don't zip it up at all.

KimE

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Re: Down sleeping bag advice please?
« Reply #9 on: 08:11:27, 26/05/18 »
A bag with a T-lim of +1c should be enough for you, you can you a wool underwear set for sleeping clothes with backup purpose as extra layer in cold weather.

alan de enfield

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Re: Down sleeping bag advice please?
« Reply #10 on: 09:02:56, 06/09/18 »

   Any other views on this one (the OEX 300 from GO)  ?



A great bag - large enough to move about in (its not just a sausage skin) and plenty warm enough for Autumn - even too warm at times , I have sometimes had to use it as a 'quilt' rather than a bag.
I have not used it in 'minus double figures' but would imagine it will keep you alive but not overly warm.

Steve922

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Re: Down sleeping bag advice please?
« Reply #11 on: 23:33:26, 06/09/18 »
I think we should be really careful when we give advice about bags being 'warn enough for xxx' .  Different people need different amounts of insulation. It was me who started this thread and after the advice given here, I bought the OEX 300 and tested it for a couple of night in the garden. The nights were in a balmy (i.e. warmish) June week and I froze. I then tried the Rab 500 and was fairly cold for two nights. On to the Rab 700 and I had two comfortable nights. IIRC, the temperature on all those nights were around 9 to 13 degrees C, maybe a bit warmer. Typical temperatures for a warm June. I wore no clothes (comfortable and having some in reserve.)
     So, from practical tests, for me, I need a bag like the Rab 700 on all but the really warm summer nights. In the colder months, I'm hoping various amounts of clothing will boost me enough to sleep ok. I'm happy to accept that for others, the Rab 700 might be too warm if they have experience that demonstrated so.  But we should be careful about saying that a certain weight of bag SHOULD be ok for them - they need to try them out.
   BTW, I think all three bags were really good - if they are warm enough) Well, made, equipped with storage bags and stuff sacks, nice size and roomy (I.m 5'10" and 15 stone.) and would recommend all three.

alan de enfield

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Re: Down sleeping bag advice please?
« Reply #12 on: 08:06:13, 07/09/18 »

Very valid points, but maybe a couple more to consider :


1) If you look at the sleeping bag ratings, and common specifications to achieve those ratings they all work on the occupant being fully clothed to give additional layers of 'trapped warm air'.


2) If someone asks you a question - do you just ignore it, or refuse to answer, or, do you reply using the best of your knowledge and say "I have found ………" ?


What did you expect folks to say, and, as you already are aware that different people require different 'ratings' what sort of responses were you expecting ?

jimbob

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Re: Down sleeping bag advice please?
« Reply #13 on: 09:28:54, 07/09/18 »
1) If you look at the sleeping bag ratings, and common specifications to achieve those ratings they all work on the occupant being fully clothed to give additional layers of 'trapped warm air'.

The rating rules mention wearing a set of long underwear not fully clothed as you state.

I didn't read the OPs comments as a criticism but rather as his personal findings which in reality, just as your own findings, have to be applied to every individuals requirements for warmth and comfort. Without knowing exactly how an individual sleeps in their bags the wole issue is extremly subjective , except in terms of official ratings, price and weight.
Now what about those Pumkino bags we're being spammed about?.

Too little, too late, too bad......

Steve922

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Re: Down sleeping bag advice please?
« Reply #14 on: 11:01:20, 07/09/18 »
Indeed, no criticism intended , just trying to suggest that sleeping bag needs are one of the things that may vary greatly between different people. There are some others I can think of too, like water and emergency food needs, backpack weight tolerances, etc.
   On the sleeping bag front, I'm thinking that I need the 700 where my grandson needs a 300. This is from practical experience, so I'd be wary of advising someone else what be sufficient for them. A difficult question to answer, really except in a general (vague?) way.

 

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