Author Topic: Choosing the right Sleeping bag.  (Read 962 times)

Neil H

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Choosing the right Sleeping bag.
« on: 08:09:07, 03/03/19 »
I fly a paraglider and intend to start landing out in the mountains. This means I'll be landing and sleeping high and I need to buy a suitable sleeping bag. Weight is a big issue so it has to be down but I do  have allergies so from what I understand I need a tight woven fabric on the bag. I've a lightweight single skin tent and there could be snow and rain so I need the sleeping bag to be as water resistant as possible.
I've been looking at the used Rab down bags on eBay. I've never really planned to sleep out in a cold environment like this before so buying a sleeping bag for this is new to me and I've done as much research as I can but ultimately it seems to come down to choosing the correct Comfort Temperature rating. I sleep hot, always have and can sleep in my clothes if needs must and these times that I'm up high will only be the occasional night, I'll not be up there for weeks at a time so I need to buy something as light as possible but warm enough should I find myself at 4000m in the snow.


Any advise is welcome, anything I've not mentioned that you would consider or something I've mentioned but failed to grasp properly? What brands to look for or avoid and what temperature to aim for, dose a -5 mean it's good to sleep down to -5 or is there some interpretation to be done?

Owen

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Re: Choosing the right Sleeping bag.
« Reply #1 on: 08:20:24, 03/03/19 »
4000m? That's the top of the highest Alps, or are you looking at the Andies or Himalayas?

richardh1905

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Re: Choosing the right Sleeping bag.
« Reply #2 on: 08:40:09, 03/03/19 »
You'll also need a decent insulated mat.
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fernman

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Re: Choosing the right Sleeping bag.
« Reply #3 on: 08:59:52, 03/03/19 »
Sleeping bag ratings explained:

 https://www.webtogs.com/en-UK/blog/sleeping-bag-temperature-explained/   

Comfort: the temperature at which a standard adult woman can expect to sleep comfortably in a relaxed position. This rating is based on a standard woman, as a standard women has a lower tolerance to the cold than a standard man.

Comfort Limit: the temperature at which a standard man can sleep for eight hours in a curled position without waking. This rating is the lower threshold for an undisturbed night’s sleep.

Extreme: the minimum temperature at which a standard woman can remain for six hours without risk of death from hypothermia. At this temperature sleep will be severely disturbed, and frostbite is possible.

During the EN test, the ‘thermal dummy’ is dressed in two-piece clothing with specific thermal insulation, [i.e. a warm base layer top and trousers], and in knee-high socks with a specific thermal insulation. 

Neil H

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Re: Choosing the right Sleeping bag.
« Reply #4 on: 09:04:57, 03/03/19 »
Yes, the Himalayas. When I think of the worst case scenario it's something like 3500m - 4000m in India. These are the extremes I want to be prepared for, if only for a few nights. So you're taking off low down where it's often hot then flying into the high mountains and at the end of the day landing, sleeping back there for the night and taking off again in the morning.


I have a good mat.


I didn't realize the test was done with warm base layer on. So you've found the Comfort Limit is pretty accurate?

Owen

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Re: Choosing the right Sleeping bag.
« Reply #5 on: 09:50:29, 03/03/19 »
Yes, the Himalayas. When I think of the worst case scenario it's something like 3500m - 4000m in India. These are the extremes I want to be prepared for, if only for a few nights.


Interesting, sounds like fun. I take it you have a good budget, good quality kit isn't cheap. Makes to look at are PHD - the best and most expensive, Mountain Equipment and Rab. These are British firms (although I think their stuff is made in China) I don't really know about kit from other countries. One thing to be careful of is the cut of some sleeping bags, for their very lightest range they tend to make the bags really narrow. Unless you're built thinner than an anorexic racing snake you might find them too tight. You might feel a bit of a prat but try them in the shop before you buy.     

fernman

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Re: Choosing the right Sleeping bag.
« Reply #6 on: 09:57:22, 03/03/19 »
So you've found the Comfort Limit is pretty accurate?

Take it as a guide rather than de facto. You'll also find some makers are a bit coy about showing all of the figures in their advertising.

Maggot

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Re: Choosing the right Sleeping bag.
« Reply #7 on: 09:57:36, 03/03/19 »
Well, the one thing I thing you haven't grasped is that you should not be planning a multiple night trip to fly a paraglider in the Himalayas if you don't know how sleeping bags are rated!


If you are an experienced enough paraglider pilot to take on multiple overnights in the Himalayas, using a very lightweight single skin tent, but you haven't got a clue about sleeping bags, you will probably just die  ;D


Surely you have been doing multiple night flights in the Lakes, Snowdonia, the Cairngorms and the Alps?  Why not use the one you have been using on your multiple night training flights in the winter?

NeilC

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Re: Choosing the right Sleeping bag.
« Reply #8 on: 13:45:59, 03/03/19 »
Depending on the exchange rate, Cumulus EU do some great bags for the money.




Neil H

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Re: Choosing the right Sleeping bag.
« Reply #9 on: 19:06:37, 03/03/19 »
Mountain Equipment and Rab I know but not PHD or Cumulus EU, I'll have a look. Budget is what it costs I guess, good down kit is never cheap.  


I didn't think about the fit width wise, maybe a trip down the shop is order.

 

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