RAB Ascent 700

Anyone used it?

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Gagfax
18/10/2010 at 16:18
Hello just ordered the Rab ascent 700 down bag and i was wondering if anyone had used it and had an opinion. I know its not as light or compressable as the dearer bags.
Ed Hirst
21/02/2011 at 19:23
Dear Gagfax,

Sorry for the late reply, but I am currently considering buying this bag for a trip to Annapurna base camp, and later in the year to take it up some nearer hills in the winter. I was wondering how you've found it, and what you've used it for, I can't decide between this and the Marmot Sawtooth!
Thanks
AnthonyR
21/02/2011 at 20:01

The Alpkit PD800 is lighter, uses higher quality down, is warmer and cheaper.

It is unfortunately however out of stock.

The RAB is a good bag though and the brand name holds its value well 2nd hand.

AnthonyR
21/02/2011 at 20:07

Rockrun have the RAB Atlas Explorer 700 on offer from £175 to £100 which uses 700g of the same 650 fill down.

 For £100 it's a fantastic bag and nearly half the price of the ascent.

Russell Speight 2
22/02/2011 at 11:07
Tags on the Atlas Explorer 700 say it's actually 560 fill down. The label on the bag also says the liner is pertex microlight in addition to the outer. Not sure about that, the light blue bits in the hood defo are pertex, but the rest may be polyester as rock n run say.

Nice bag all the same, though ( got mine yesterday from R+R ).
AnthonyR
22/02/2011 at 17:06
Interesting cheers Russell, I wonder if it's 650US but 560EU.
Russell Speight 2
22/02/2011 at 17:30
560 EU/610 US according to the tag.
sam09
22/02/2011 at 17:34

Yeah I think that RAB have now switched to quoting US figures on thier down products. I am tempted to get one of these. I've got a Rab Summit alpine 500 which is a great bag but a little restricted for someone my size. On Ebay you can get the Macpac escapade 500 or 700 for £72 which is a very similar bag to the rab atlas explorer semi rectangle with 80/20 600 duck down.

Russell Speight 2
22/02/2011 at 18:22
a little restricted for someone my size

Height or width?
sam09
22/02/2011 at 20:27
height at 6ft it fits just about ok. the width around the waist just a little restrictive as it tapers down quite sharply .  I am a waist 34.  I am a chest 42 which again is a snug fit but I knew this when I bought it as I wanted a lightweight bag and yes I could loose a few pounds and am working on it. Why are you asking are you thinking of getting one ? The new alpines may be sized slightly differantly.
Gagfax
22/02/2011 at 21:45
Sorry cancelled my order and bought a pipedream 400 to concentrate on 3 season camping instead.
Russell Speight 2
22/02/2011 at 22:36
sam09 i thought you where looking at the Atlas Explorer, at first, and the sizing of your bag sounds the same as the Explorer - but I presume it is in fact,the Ascent you are thinking of buying.
sam09
23/02/2011 at 12:04
Yes sorryI meant that the Explorer would be more roomy in both length and width than my alpine summit 500 and possibly about the same in terms of warmth just a bit heavier though. I'm very tempted with the explorer but don't think the missus would be impressed if I bought another bag at the moment. Would be interested to hear how it performs if you manage to get out and use it before the weather warms up too much.
Russell Speight 2
24/02/2011 at 17:10
Not sure if I'll get to use it properly until April, but I'll post back my thoughts anyway.
Claire Edwards
28/02/2011 at 00:04
The ascent 700 is a stunning bag! I've tested it versus marmot and it wins hands down! The lofting is superb and the super soft pertex is like the ritz. Marmot though very good came up very short on length and a feel of more travel lodge! Ascent 700 all the way. Go outdoors priced it at £162! Bargain!
Anni Ahma
10/08/2011 at 21:11
It was interesting to read your views and comments of Rab Ascent 700. I'm considering buying one (well, 700 W) but i cannot really decide. The other option would be Haglöfs Q 3S Down and the differences seem rather small. I would be thankful to hear any more experiences and comparisons!

My hiking trips most often take place in conditions where the night temperatures can be a few degrees below zero, so a comfort temperature of some minus degrees is a certain precondition...
Edited: 10/08/2011 at 21:19
Kay Alston
04/09/2011 at 20:58

Hi

I bought the Rab Ascent 700 last sept/oct 2010 because I thought that a down sleeping bag would be warmer than the other one I had. I slept, or tried to, in temperatures no less than -3c and was freezing cold in this Rab Ascent 700 Bag. I wore thermals AND had a thermal sleeping bag liner as wel as others clothes eventuallyl, and also a sleeping mat. My partner, who does not feel the cold so much, said he would try it the next night, as he thought I was being a bit over dramatic. Well he, who does not feel the cold so much was very cold as well, and had all the thermal clothes and liners!

I would not recommend this sleeping bag to anyone, and when I contacted the company, they said that it depended how fit I was, how many calories I had consumed that day etc, etc, blah blah..I then bought a Mountain designs sleeping bag(in New Zealand where we were at the time), with lower spec, and it works MUCH better..no thermals, liners, etc. 

Make your own mind up, but Rab saying that it is suitable for extreme temps of -31 as far as I am concerned is a joke!

Martin Carpenter
04/09/2011 at 21:12

Well (as is easily evidinced by sundry posts) the amount of insulation that people need to sleep comfortably simply does vary wildly.

The temperatures they give are EN ratings so a fairly standardised test rather than made up so - absent a faulty bag of course -  should be reasonably reliable.

Incidentally -31 is the limit at which it'll keep you alive. You don't normally want to go near that. -12 is the comfort rating, ie when you're meant to manage to sleep OK and I think thats the limit (could be the middle of the range) so getting cold @-3 certainly isn't impossible if a cold sleeper.

Edited: 04/09/2011 at 21:14
Paul Bradbury
12/12/2011 at 01:47
I have an ascent 700 and I rate it very highly! Used it last winter down to minus ten and stayed snug and warm all night.
I recently used it a couple weeks ago when it was hovering around freezing and didn't bother with the hood and had the zip open about half way to vent it!
Excellent bag in my opinion.
Chloe Kilgus
17/05/2012 at 02:52

hey just wondering if these comments about degrees are in celcius or farenheit? thanks

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