Help - sleeping bag rating - Gear

Pizzytinzel

30/04/2012 at 18:01

I'm lookign around for a new sleeping bag to go wild camping on Dartmoor, mostly mid-late spring and Summer, into Autumn (for now anyway). I use a 2 man double skin tent with my GF.

Just wondering, could I get away with a "summer" bag? I'm 6ft and about 15 stone in weight, like to sleep cold.

Average min temp at Princetown is 6 degrees C in May and October, rising to 11 degrees C in July/August. 95% of my camping will be done between these two seasons I reckon, with the odd session in April/November. For now, at least.

Could I actually go with something like the ME Starlight Micro, rated at 10 degrees C comfort limit, and use clothes/sleeping bag liner if needs be? Sticking to synthetic for now due to cost (I have donated my Alpkit SH600 to the GF!)

Bedouin

30/04/2012 at 18:45

Out of interest what happens when the temps NOT average? what happens if you end up going during a cold snap?

My thinking on this sort of thing is to plan for the downside as the upside will always take care of itself.

Pizzytinzel

30/04/2012 at 20:47

I guess it depends really. how cold the cold snap is, but i guess what i'm getting at is the temperature inside the tent ought to be a few degrees warmer than the outside temp. or do the EN ratings take this into account?

Being someone who likes to be cool when i sleep, i'd also rather put clothes on or use a liner if it gets cold rather than open the sleeping bag up every time i'm too hot. hope that makes sense? Anyone camp on dartmoor during the summer? What bag do you use?

rob dixon 3

30/04/2012 at 21:21

I've bivied on the Moor in May in a good frost - guessing about -3c. Nice when the sun came up! I have a Minim 300 for spring - autumn, good for zero, but I'm a cold sleeper and reckon I would have been cold then. And yes - I camp or more usually, bivi on the moor quite a bit. Love it! Just watch out for the pixies - being pixie-led came seriously damage your health...

Pizzytinzel

30/04/2012 at 21:36

Hehe. fair enough. i should probably stop being a cheapskate and get a light down bag rated to 0 degrees comfort. 'spensive though.

Alexander Nail

01/05/2012 at 12:17

I have camped extensively on Dartmoor throughout the seasons. In the autumn and spring it can get suprisingly cold. Personally, if you can only have one bag, I would suggest a 0 degree rated bag as a minimum.

Alex

Mac12

02/05/2012 at 01:45

Have you felt how thin those 10 degree bags are? I've got a similar one and it's barely warm enough for summer use. It's thinner and colder than the quilt on my bed at home.

terry cleverley

13/05/2012 at 12:51

you must also remember if your not correctly insulated from the ground your sleeping on your bag rating can be worthless as youl still wake up cold in the night.

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