Gear

So... yes or no?

I'm going backpacking in UK, probably in Feb and to Europe in summer. Want something light, but warm.  Currently have a Vango summit 3000 (synth) which is rated to about -6C comfort, -23 extreme but is bulky and weighs a lot, about 1.7kg. It's also too long for me which is annoying when you're trying to cut down on weight and bulk.

Should I get a new sleeping bag, and if so, should I 'go down'. I've read conflicting thoughts on the matter, with some saying synth is better for damp conditions, and others (including AlpKit.co.uk) asking 'who gets their sleeping bag wet anyway?" Which, to be fair, is a very good point - I dont think I've ever got my bag badly wet and I've been camping since I was a kid.

& can anyone recommend a good bag with the above in mind? 

thanks

Down is the way to go with both pack size and weight saving.

Go for it !

I'm 45.  I've been using down bags since I was 13.  One serious damp episode in that time, over 20 years ago, and that taught me a few smarts about avoiding it happening again.

So, a down bag and a modicum of care.

Pete.

like the others i'd say 'down' - though i'd caveat that by saying for gods sake use a liner in your sleeping bag so that it doesn't get damp/filthy.

 however, in order to reccomend a particular bag we'd need much more information about your trip(s): where are you going and what are you sleeping in?

 the issue, it appears to me, is that you may well be asking one bag to do two very different things - if you're going backpacking in the highlands of scotland or the lake district in February then you may as well be in the Arctic, and if you're going camping in southern europe in July you may actually want to sleep stark naked in the open!   

wow thanks for the answers, that settles it then.

rewrite:

Yes I'm planning to use a liner. The specs I gave for the Vango bag are roughly what I want out of the down bag, except I want the bag to be lighter, more packable and either a regular or short length. I am pretty short, about 5'5 and I'm considering getting one of the AlpKit bags which come in a short length (5'6 max) - cutting it a bit fine though I admit. 

 As for the trip to Europe I haven't decided exactly where I'm going, but I want to hike/trek somewhere with a snowline. Come to think of it, it wil be Spring when I go to Europe, not summer. About April. That's why having a warm bag isn't too much of a problem. I figure with a liner, venting, sleeping clothes and mat I can adjust the temp quite well. Oh, and I'm sleeping in a ME Dragonfly tent.

What do you think? 

rewrite wrote (see)

like the others i'd say 'down' - though i'd caveat that by saying for gods sake use a liner in your sleeping bag so that it doesn't get damp/filthy.

   

Down is not really a problem like others said. I used to use a single skin tent in summer over here in really wet summers without issued. I did use a fusion from Marmot which was primaloft on the outside and down inside. I since then used a fully down quilt (690g in XL size from Golite, 3 season down to -7C, good for up to 6'6"). That gets used in single skin tents, tarp/bivvy combo in all weathers from about March to October. Never had any issue despite experiencing heavy condensation events in the single skin shelter. The quilt had waterproof fabric to the foot box and around the head to cope with the feet touching a wet tent wall and your breath condensing on the head area. Never been an issue though for me.

You can get some hybrid bags with primaloft filled areas around the feet and chest. A bit overkill for tent sleeping. Also waterproof and seam sealed outer fabrics which are really overkill for UK camping in a tent IMHO. Alpkit bag will be good for you I reckon. YOu can always spend more and get some really light bags but do you really need that??

> or wear a thin set of long johns and top.

and a slik balaclava: face oils are probably the worst contaminant you're likely to get in a bag, assuming you're wearing basic underwear and don't have 'accidents'...

snowdevils wrote (see)

p.s. on the matter of storing / packing, how should you treat a down bag? Is it ok to keep it in a compressed waterproof / air tight bag when carrying it, or is there an issue with moisture retention? ta

If possible, I always try to air my bag before packing up in the morning, even if it's just fluffing it up a bit and leaving the tent door open while I'm outside doing other stuff.  If I can throw it over the tent for 20 minutes or so, even better.

Even on days when this isn't possible - i.e. it's pi**sing down and you just want to pack up ASAP and get going - a down bag doesn't seem to suffer when you unpack from its drybag that evening.  I haven't tested this theory to destruction with a long multi-day trip in constant wet conditions, I hasten to add, but it is fine for a few nights.

For storage at home, keep the bag uncompressed in a big cotton / mesh sack in a dry place - most manufacturers will supply just such a sack with the sleeping bag.     

Others have said it... so this is just an echo...

Down... with a liner... and don't get it wet.

> haha, I don't envisage any 'accidents' though I do hate unzipping the tent when it's cold just to use the toilet.

Pee bottle.  You know it makes sense.

Oh, and I meant 'silk balaclava', not a slik one...