Evening all, 40th next week and being pestered for what gift I want. Only thing I can think is upgrading my bivvy set up. Already have a decent 1 man tent and Hunka bag which I use with a 15yr old thermarest with heavy vango sleeping bag.
Thinking get Alpkit Numo mat, Snugpak stratosphere bivvy bag but struggling with sleeping bag choices. Think budget about £150, want lighter and more compact than what I have, which is 1300gm I think, but not very compressible. No preference down vs synthetic, think 2 season will do – I sleep warm and have decent liner to augment rating. Will be mainly for bikepacking but potentially hiking too.
Suggestions? Any improvement on bivvy bag/ mat welcome too.
Cheers,
Niall

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Keep the Hunka, get either a NeoAir or a Klymit, and then shop around for a cheap-ish down bag. I wouldn’t get a hooped bivi if you’ve got a decent tent already as you’ll want to use the tent more than the hooped bivi.

Is £150 the combined budget or the bag budget? If the latter, look at Cumulus/Criterion. Their stuff is great, my bag is 700g and good to -7 comfort.

Cheers Alasdair. Think neo-air worth the cost difference over the alpkit mat? Never had alpkit mat wasn’t sure – had looked at the thermarest and like it, packs tiny.

Budget will probably be for bag only as gift and treat self to new mat. Never had down bag before but worry about it getting wet, though current bag usually travels in a dry bag anyway so suppose just overthinking it.
Edit – just looked Criterion Quantum 350 looks nice size/ weight/ rating. Great, just need stretch budget and find in stock 🙂

Any experience Pipedream 400? See says due ship next week, going message them see when in stock. Fits temp and weight criteria, cheaper than the criterion and like idea of bit of DWR appease my damp concerns

Neo Air is superior in every way to the AlpKit air mat – If your bag is specifically for Bivy duties I’d make sure your down bag is hydrophobic – the cheapest I’ve seen are Rab – but they’re around £200 – otherwise go for a Mountain Hardwear synthetic or maybe a Marmot ..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PHD-Designs-Minim-300-Down-Sleeping-Bag-/252473735690?hash=item3ac89b7a0a:g:aToAAOSw0fhXlPDf

Cheers all, eBay bag looks good but not sure i would fulfil athletic fit criteria 🙂

I’m not sure as I’d want a pre-sweated sleeping bag.

That crossed my mind too Cougar

These folk seem to have stock. Never heard of the company before though but I suppose buying with a CC should be safe enough.

http://www.downsleepingbag.co.uk/sleeping-bags/Criterion-Quantum-350-Sleeping-Bag-CQ350.html#SID=16

Though if OP is a warm sleeper the Quantam 350 might be a bit too much bag for warm nights. The site rates it as a 3 season bag.

The Criterion Ultralight 350 uses lower rated down. So it’s £95 cheaper but 70g heavier and rated to -3 instead of -6. A good buy in the budget is tight.

Or the Quantam 200 is £45 cheaper. 100g lighter and good to zero.

I used a numo for the Tour Divide as it was the best price/weight ratio and as it hasn’t got insulation I coukd just blow into it rather than faff with a pump sack. It was very comfy and lasted the distance but it is very shiny and easy to slide off if the ground is less than flat. Bit of a pita on a tyvek floor sheet in a shiny sleeping bag to try and stay in one place! Not the end of the world but a thermarest neo air has a more matte finish. I had a Klymit mat (one of the silly light skeleton ones) and found it really uncomfortable.

johnnystorm – Member

I used a numo for the Tour Divide as it was the best price/weight ratio and as it hasn’t got insulation I coukd just blow into it rather than faff with a pump sack. It was very comfy and lasted the distance but it is very shiny and easy to slide off if the ground is less than flat. Bit of a pita on a tyvek floor sheet in a shiny sleeping bag to try and stay in one place! Not the end of the world but a thermarest neo air has a more matte finish. I had a Klymit mat (one of the silly light skeleton ones) and found it really uncomfortable. I’ve seen people recommend dabs of silicone on slippery surfaces – anyone tried it?

An alternative to the Numo is the Multimat Superlight Air
Lighter, perhaps slightly more vulnerable, but just as cheap and not tapered.

agree with the Numo comments above. I’d also keep the Hunka and invest in a good sleeping bag. PHD have two sales a year when the do some fantastic bargains. I got a minimus for £160 last year and it’s great. http://www.phdesigns.co.uk/minimus-down-sleeping-bag

I’ve had a Pipedream 600 for about 8 years. It’s done somewhere between 50-100 UK nights and has been fine. It has occasionally got damp and once it froze round my face, but I make sure I air it when I get home and it is still working well.

Cheers again all, will keep looking at the suggestions, am drawn to the pipedream for cost/ weight balance. Probably not only sleeping bag for bivy so not restricted to synthetic – have decided keep my terra nova solar minor as not much heavier than most hooped bivy bags and keep the hunka – may upgrade to larger one for bit more room. I have always hankered after a down bag for some unknown reason so may be worth a treat.

Cheers,
Niall