[Closed] Lightweight sleeping bags...

Tesco Ultralight for Summer use. £35 down bag. Good if you'll only use it occassionally

Try Blacks - £80 IIRC

If you want down, you can't really beat the Alpkit bags for price.

I have an old Rab Summit 300 Alpine which is pretty light, but I guess now costs about 50% over your budget, and Rab quality seems to have gone downhill. Good bag though. Having said that, If it were to die, I would be replacing it with a Pipedream.

Another thumbs up for Alpkit. Price v quality they're probably best.

I have a Mountain Equipment Dewline which weighs 700gms and is rated at -7 degrees, but it cost £160 10 years ago.

Maybe ask the same question on outdoorsmagic.com or do a search, it's probably a very regular question, like "what tyres" on here.

When we read the temp ratings on the alpkit stuff, how close are they in real world? I have a synth bag that was good for 0 comfort and -9 extreme, but having used it fairly little I can bearly cope in 5 these days, and thats with clothes!

And does anyone else find that bags where they put more insulation on the top, if you roll over you can freeze in the night before you realise and wake up? its a pain!

It's a complete minefield Coffeeking as you're probably aware.

One thing that I sometimes do if I'm backpacking with the superlight bag is to take my small lightweight down duvet jacket. It kind of defeats the object of trying to go lightweight and is not always necessary, but it's much more versitile than just having a bigger heavier bag. much more useful for cooking and sitting around the campsite/tent etc. You can then wear it in the sleeping bag or not. I've used this system on bivis high in the alps and camping at places like red tarn on Helvellyn in mid winter.

BTW coffeeking, if you've stored your synthetic bag packed in it's carry bag for long periods, the unsulating material may not be lofting as much anymore, so the bag isn't as warm. But there are so many factors that affect you being warm (or not) in a sleeping bag, most of which have nothing to do with the bag.

Nana - yup it is often stored in its sack but I usually take it out a week before, put it through a cool tumble-dry (30 degrees) to fluff it up a bit but it still seems really thin. Its a wynnster bag and I never used to struggle with temp (have in my time done -5 under just a tarp and a cheap synth bag), these days I sleep on a thermarest and even in my tent next to my rather warm missus I found I was chilled down whichever side was not toward the floor. Was considering a nice bag to keep me toasty now I live in Scotland and winter camping is more of an option!

The insulation on the bottom is usually thinner because it has to loft in order to insulate. If you're lying on it it can't expand. That's what your sleeping mat is for.

I use a similar approach to nana. I carry a spare fleece (usually want a dry warm top anyway) and if I'm too cold then I put it on. Some people just use a duvet jacket and a pair of 'bivvy' trousers (basically just well insulated trousers. Works better in a bivvy bag than a tent IME.

hs - its definitely actually thinner to start with, 2 layers on top and 1 on the the bottom - thats the construction of it, not just the squish under a fat bum! 🙂

Ugghh it is a minefield.

The coldest I've used my Pipedream 400 was at the Real Ale Wobble a couple of years ago, snow/frost on the ground in the morning, me inside bag in boxers and a t-shirt v.toasty, possibly too warm.

Used it the other night on top of the Long Mynd inside a goretex bivvy bag and I was warm but not overly so, think a tent is quite a lot warmer.

If I had the money, I'd consider a Duvet jacket and 1/2 down bag called pied d'elephant. OMM do some seriously light bags including a pied d'elephant bag, but expensive kit.

[url= http://www.needlesports.com/acatalog/KIMMlitebags.html ]OMM bags at needlesports[/url]

If near New Mills, then the Magic Mountain Shop is a Mountain Equipment seconds/ samples etc place. Can get some great bargains there, esp on weekend sales. Or the RAB factory shop in Alfreton.

Going to join the throng and say alpkit.

I good down or insulated jacket will add a season or so, as would a bivvi bag or liner.

For the money nothing comes close.

However I found this at Go Outdoors:

[url= http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/sleeping/mummy-shape-down-bags/lifeventure_downlight-900-sleeping-bag/COREDBAB65060 ]Lifeventure down bag clicky[/url]

[img] [/img]

Mind you it has no zip, cheap though

It depends what you mean by lightweight, the alpkit ones aren't that lightweight when you start comparing them to something like the mountain equipment xero range.

Snugpak are worth a look if you'd prefer synthetic. Some of the smallest synthetic bags I've seen (without compromise on the temp rating)

PHD is pretty good

i picked up one of these half price in the local blacks.

http://www.blacks.co.uk/camping/sleeping-bags-and-liners/product/095675.html

although i am taking it back as its too hot for what i need. nb i needed a synthetic bag so down was out.

cheers

monty - that one does have a zip?

2-way zip with baffle and draw-cord top entry with shoulder baffle

Love my snugpac softee for temperate work and have a Nanuk -10 which covers everything else. Softee is good and small for going in the pannier.

I've got a snugpac softee, used in everything apart from deepest winter, very nice it is too. No idea how much they cost now though, as I [strike]borrowed[/strike]/stole it from my dad about 13 years ago.

coffeeking you are right, thus making it a good deal me thinks, thank you

that cats meow is a bit weighty

B.A.Nana - Member

If I had the money, I'd consider a Duvet jacket and 1/2 down bag called pied d'elephant. OMM do some seriously light bags including a pied d'elephant bag, but expensive kit.

OMM bags at needlesports

Alpkit released a version of this a while ago. Not sure if they still do? Were pretty light and was tempted but they had run out when I was buying so got a Rab top bag.

edit

blurb at bottom of page but none for sale?

http://www.alpkit.com/pipedream/