 Hey, I am looking for a lightweight sleeping bag, which will be mostly used for one or two night trips. It'll be a while before I can justify to the other half why I need another sleeping bag so this one has to do me for pretty much all year (in Scotland, including summit camps), or I dont camp when its not suitable. Any suggestions? Am thinking down to save on wieght and space. Was thinking maybe somehting not too warm, and get a down gillet to go with it for the colder nights (can justify this to the mrs  ). but open to suggestions. Looked at alpkit, rab, montbell, PhD (oohhh so nice), just not sure what would be suitable temperature wise. I am male, and sleep hotter than most. Guess I am looking for a temperature rating that would be suitable as well as specific recommendations.
|
 |
It's a bit dodgy recommending which bag will suit which person, but it sounds like one rated to 0C or just below might be about right. Something like the PHD Minim 400. But be aware that some bags, inc. the Minim, are a bit close fitting and so wearing quite voluminous clothes inside them is not that effective. Both the clothing and the down in the bag get compressed, reducing their efficiency.
The PHD Combi bag gets around this cos its more roomy -- in fact it's designed so you can wear a summer bag inside it to create something for all seasons. And it's still a very good bag in its own right, and weighs under 800g, from memory.
Or one of the lighter Alpkit Pipedream bags, for much less money.
|
|
Ha! Just checked out the combi, what a great idea, and yet as with all the best ideas - so obvious! A truly great idea, trouble is, to the mrs holding the purse strings its the old why do you need two bags argument. I just cant get myself off the PHD website, that design your own sleeping bag widget is too addictive! Maybe I should get lightweight one now, and look at getting combi to extend it for winter net year or something.... decisions decisions, back to dyo bag for now. Anyone got a bag with no zip??? What do you do when it gets too hot????
|
|
 The OMM ones look nice, they have 3 models, top zip, top down light & designed to be worn with a Gilet, for the race. OMM Bags
|
|
 pasty_muncher, did you know that phd have a Summer sale? If you're looking at their lighter bags, last August they did the - MINIM 300 - Min Temp rating of 0C for £109
MINIMUS - £89 (reduced from £164). Oh and Down gillets too - Minimus Vests on sale for £59 (reduced from £95) Only a month away so might be worth waiting for.
|
|
I wish I could have seen my face when I just read that!! My office mates must be wondering what I am looking at on my computer screen!!! Thanks for the info MoS, very interesting indeed, Thanks! 
|
|
Down bags are comfortable over a much wider temperature range than synthetic ones. They don't get as clammy. But if you do get too hot then just stick your arms out. Or get PHD to fit a zip if it really worries you.
|
|
 PHD Minimus 400.
Best down products available.
|
|
I've never had a zip. As Guy says, stick your arms out if it gets hot.
|
|
 Likewise, 30 years of down bags without zips (the last 7 or 8 with PHD ones) - just choose whether to do up the hood, leave your head out, or leave your arms out as necessary. PHD bags are cut quite narrow for weight saving and thermal efficiency, but more so around the legs. I've had no problem wearing more clothes, such as a Minimus Down Vest or Jacket, inside one to extend its use. I suppose it depends a bit on your chest size.... (I'm about 40")
|
|
 You could try the Cumulus Ultralight 200 I have just used one on the Saunders mountain marathon and found it pretty good, packs up very small and doesn't weigh much either
|
|
Alpkit Pipedream 400, sound manufacture, good zip for venting when hot, 874g with stuff bag, £110, next day delivery - just the ticket!
|
|
 minim ultra vest is genius
|
|
It seams like PHD are the most popular on here then, I will prob go that route, maybe DYO lighweight style, just cant decide on half zip or no zip, still I ahve a little while to decide, heres hoping for the sale although that wont be DYO. That vest does look nice, and weights almost nothing, still wish they would do it in drishell (but then guess thats not what this bit of kit is about). Thanks for all the opinions. Any advice on temperatures experience on scottish summits????
|
|
 Any advice on temperatures experience on scottish summits????
-20c to +20c.
|
|
I guess I asked for that! -20c, really?? I guess I wont be staying out if I know its going to be exceptionally cold, but I really dont have handle on what sorts of temps to expect on average through the winter. Anyone got some experience?? Its interesting, I thought this sort of data would be available on the web (it prob is I just cant find it), average rainfall, average temperatures, min temp, max temp etc month by month. Average rainfall could be handy when planning trips in advance, pick a month when you are statistically likely to get less rain etc. I remember getting this osrt of info in the back of geography text books at school!
|
|
Average figures for Scotland are extremely unreliable. Statistically May used to be about the best month, and probably still is if you took all the data from the last 30 years, but it was never something you could rely on and is even less so now with our increasingly volatile weather patterns. I've had quite good luck with late September and early October in recent years, but I suspect is has been just luck.
|
|
|
|
|
Acording to the Met office, the annual mean temp at the summit of Ben Nevis, is -0.3c.
|
|
Thanks, guys, I find MWIS a little pesimistic, but then guess thats understanable. Some good info on that albawest site, thanks Michael, but there must be somewhere where you can get more info than this, such as last years averages, last 5 years averages, max and min figures etc. Oh well. Dont want to turn this into a weather thread. Anyone do a lot of one and two nighters in Scotland year round, if so whats you sleeping bag choice????
|
|
