Sleeping Bag Recommendation…

As it’s DofE bronze season here we’ve just bought a Vango Nitestar 250, which seems fine (and is on the DofE recommended kit list). We’ve also got a Lifesystems cotton liner. Not tested either in anger yet. She’s got some sort of practice day expend in a couple of weeks then an overnight one at the end of April and the actual one in Jun - not sure if this is normal or the school just being cautious.

I think anything more packable/warmer is likely to be spendy.

Warm / light / cheap, pick any two.

I have a down bag.  I hate down, if offends my vegetarian sensibilities, but it's toasty warm (so long as you don't get it wet) and packs down to nothing.

Alpkit has got a sale on currently. 

Failing that remember they get a worthwhile discount at blacks/millets/go outdoors and tiso with their DofE card. 

With a lot of experience if working with kids using tents, their campcraft is rarely brilliant and a concept like not having your bag touching the inner pressed up again the fly rarely survives first contact with sharing a tent with their friends. Synthetic tends to fair better in their hands. 

Was about to say that... Down is great if you know you are going to be dry, synthetic much better if you are going to get damp/wet.

I have an Alpkit down bag (Pipedream?) that I love, but I only use it when it is not shitting with rain. 

How tall are they?

https://sportandleisure.com/products/mountain-hardwear-unisex-lamina-15f-9c-sleeping-bag-dark-compass?variant=44437454979329&country=GB&currency=GBP&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw7dm-BhCoARIsALFk4v-mM34UUt31hOvYffiyqMDdsGED-0vsodydPdTeo3AJoZ07fXkBG9saAiKREALw_wcB

Or shorter, lighter, less warmth.

https://sportandleisure.com/products/mountain-hardwear-unisex-lamina-30f-1c-long-sleeping-bag-bleu-horizon-left?currency=GBP&variant=44437338652929&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&stkn=7ec433c77e4d&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw7dm-BhCoARIsALFk4v8j1H6hFnDdhGR4dW3uyur3wqVUtkfBP2W6ZEpqHS9FDMRsTsi8fVUaAtUREALw_wcB

Ah,  I was going to suggest a MH Lamina bag of whatever temperature rating seems appropriate too.

They're great bags, especially at that price. I'll be in my 10 year old Lamina 20 tomorrow and Tuesday night in Wales.

A decent liner can add a decent amount of warmth without adding much weight 

I have an Alpkit Pipedream down bag I bought many years ago. Use it all the time in the van. Super warm and light.

PHD Design sale on. A O.C bag 555g from £386.

https://www.phdesigns.co.uk/minim-300-down-sleeping-bag-sale-1035

Go on, buy the best. Why spend thousands on the bike and skimp on the bag.

I'd be more confident in putting a synthetic bag through the washing machine and not killing it as DoE kit will probably need to go in the wash after each trip 

Hmm - synthetic bag seems sensible then. Thanks for all the suggestions so far. Those Mountain Hardwear ones don’t seem to be in stock in the right size/warmth combo…

From kids doing Ten Tors and D of E the EN13537 standard is what they look for.

For that I would look at the OEX Fathom 400. It is very small pack size, and is light but still good down to -8. Unlikely to need more than that on Silver or Gold. I have a Lamina, it is very large in comparison to the OEX 400. 

£60 member price at Go Outdoors before D of E discount. Blooming bargain.

That OEX seems to get very mixed reviews. 

Whatever you get, don't forget to factor in a half-decent sleeping mat or your sprog will freeze regardless of how warm the bag is. Which might explain some of those OEX bag review variations. Also, humidity plays a big part in insulation effectiveness. Damp air, as in UK/Scottish winter, transmits heat more efficiently, so a bag that's fantastic in -20˚C at 6.000m in the Andes where it's cold and dry, can have you shivering in Scotland at -5˚C. 

I haven't used that Fathom bag, but the MHW Lamina is pretty much the gold standard for synthetic sleeping bags when it comes to warmth to weight. PrimaLoft used to do an - expensive - down/synthetic mix fill, which was also good, but no longer really available, The Deuter bags with the elasticated fabrics are also worth a look ime. Or Alpkit, who seem to have a lot of sales on atm. 

The thing with down, is that in sleeping bag form, unless you're really careless - spill things on it / fail to use a waterproof stuff-sac and get absolutely soaked / fall in a river (don't ask how I know etc) - its fragility is often overstated. Only you know how careless your offspring really is, but I wouldn't write it off.

Two cold nights at 700m and 400m. Woke this morning to thick ice on the inside of the inner tent and my mug of water frozen solid. 10 year old Lamina 20 bag with a Sea to Summit liner and a torso length cut-off of CCF Ridgerest. Slept well (with earplugs on the first night due to high winds).

Bought one of those Laminas - the -1 version. Hope it’s warm enough. Also bought an inflatable mat thingy from Alpkit. Hopefully he’ll be warm and comfortable the week after next. Thanks all. 👍

So the MHW Lumina arrived. It appears to be well made but extremely difficult to get it into the stuff sack despite putting the head end in first. Literally takes 2-3 mins of prodding down bit by bit with quite some effort. Once in, the compression straps hold it, but the draw string closure is no way going to do up. A bit rubbish really as a bigger bag is clearly necessary. 

I usually stuff my bags foot end first. I figure that lets air escape more easily? Neither of my Laminas struggle to fit into their stuffsacks though. 

What length are your bags? I’m wondering if they use the same size stuff sack for all bag sizes hence the difficulty. I bought a size “long”.

Good point. Mine are the standard length.