I fancy getting a sleeping bag for some bivvying. Ride out and then bivvy.
I've got a cheapo summer sleeping bag, but unless the temperatures are real 'summer' temperatures its on the cool side.
The real down bags seem to be more expensive. What are the advantages of these? (I presume better weight to warmth ratio?)
Any recommendations for a 3-4 season bag, preferably sub £100?
The Tesco down bag gets semi-decent reviews.
this is a good over view.
http://www.alpkit.com/spotlight/choosing-a-down-sleeping-bag
I have a alpkit bag for colder use and a vango extralite 100 for summer use. the vango is a bit cool for bad weather use but adding a silk liner (ebay special) and sleeping in a primaloft gilet/ hat and socks mean that it's good for summer use. these 2 bags the liner and the clothes will see me through the entire year of southern weather.
I use a £40 800g snugpak jungle bag. And then add a goose down jacket and head buff.
On colder nights I throw a disposable pocket warmer down the end. And sleep fully clothed.
It's a combo that worked Well on the way to ssec where we had cold/ windy nights.
If anyone does an Xl down bag that is a similar weight without being a crazy price; I'm interested.
I got a 800gm Vango down bag recently, seemed to be a good compromise between light weight and warmth, £90 RRP.
Didn't seem to be much else as light/warm - down bags seemed to get warmer but no lighter.
Down scores on warmth to weight, but loses points on uselessness if you get it wet, which is more likely bivvying than mild camping. You just need to be more careful with down, use a proper waterproof stuff sac on the move etc. Alpkit's lightweight bags kick butt on value for money versus performance. Rab or ME if you're spending a bit more, maybe MHW or Marmot as well, but the first two are British brands. PHD or Western Mountaineering for money no object performance.
Didn't seem to be much else as light/warm - down bags seemed to get warmer but no lighter.
They do get warmer tbh, but it's diminishing returns. I used a Western Mountaineering bag last winter and it was ridiculously warm for its weight thanks to very light materials, optimal construction and ridiculously good down, it was also very, very expensive.
I've a alpkit down bag and cheap decathlon synthetic. I've only ever used the down in a tent though as the thought of getting my expensive down bag wet which could easily happen in a bivi bag dose not appeal. I carry a waistcoat, long warm sock and a hat if it's forecast to be colder.
Just one sock? 
Right:
I have 2 bags:
Mountain Equipment Dreamcatcher 750 - -3°C,-10°C,-29°C 1.55kg £200(ish)
Really warm and packs pretty small, goes on handlebars no problems. Slept in freezing conditions and been toasty warm.
Mountain Equipment Xero 250 +8, +4, -10, 600g £160(ish)
Again really warm, used it 2 weekends ago on WRT and had to ditch layers as it was too hot. Packs up tiny.
Both are great bags but in hindsight I should have just bought one
Alpkit PipeDream 400.
And yes Down does get wet but so does synthetic.
I have two old Macpac down sleeping bags, which have built in waterproof covers (I think they are Pertex or something). This is brilliant, because a)the down doesn't get wet, and b)you don't need a separate bivvy bag. The summer one weighs 500g, the winter one I think 800g. It means you can go bivvying with pretty much a normal camelbak in summer. Taped seams and everything. You can sleep in the rain and be fine.
I'd totally recommend them except for two things:
1)They don't make them any more
2)They were eye wateringly expensive (RRP of £250 for the big one, although I got it for £150 I think, the smaller one was RRP £150, although a nice man in a shop in New Zealand sold it to me for a lot less).
Someone posted up something similar on here once, made by some US brand, also expensive, but at least possible to get hold of, but I don't know what it was.
edit: looking briefly, Crux make quite warm fully waterproof bags - but they are even more expensive (£400 ouch!)
http://www.crux.uk.com/en/sleeping-bags.php?range=3&product=17
cynic-al - Member
Just one sock?
Yep, a very long sock.
And yes Down does get wet but so does synthetic.
Yeah, but the point is that synthetics maintain a significantly higher level of insulation when it happens whereas down simply collapses into porridge. I know this because I've been in an Andean river along with my sleeping bag.
Yeah, but the point is that synthetics maintain a significantly higher level of insulation when it happens
And my point is: If it's wet I ain't gonna sleep in it either way. I've slept in wet bag before and it's grim. Warm and wet or cold and wet.
Synthetics will dry faster though.
second vote for the mountain equipment xero range.
very well thought out and constructed.
have tried cheaper down bags and just found them to be clingy, inefficient and short lived.
Thanks guys, I'm going to check out the recommendations. Can't justify much more than 100 quid for how often it will get used - so it looks like Snugpak or Vango.
Does it matter if down gets wet? Does it take longer to dry or does it shorten its lifespan?
both
Down loses all it's thermal properties when wet
Crap sleeping bag + hat, gloves, buff = (prob) not dead when you wake up.
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