Sleeping Bags

I'm at the moment looking to replace my sleeping bag and am wondering about which bagto buy, the choice is overwhelming there are even now multifuel sleeping bags!!
I quite like the look of Snukpaks Travel Pak 1200 Bag has any one any recomendations for a good reasonably lighweight three season sleeping bag?
Answers on a post card to the usualy competion address

Depends whether you want down or the other stuff!

I swear by all Rab bags myself - reliable, uncomplicated, light and good value.

You pays your money, and you gets your higher quality down.

Check out some price/weight comparisions in a catalogue such as F&T's technical appendix.

Not sure on that one migh consider down but my preferance is for a synthetic bag!

<personal bias> I would avoid the snugpac bag. I used to have a snugpac softie 12 and it was great for approx 3 weeks, after which the fill collapsed and it became utter crap, not fit for the cat to sleep on.

Of course, they may have improved the insulation's lifespan by now (this was 8 or 9 years ago), but it was enough to put me off them for good.

If you must use synthetic, the new ME bags look quite nice, but unless you do a load of bivying in the rain, then I'd go for a down bag every time. Once you've got used to the size and weight of a good down bag you'll find it hard to go back to synthetic! Don't be seduced by the fact that a synthetic is half the cost, down will last at least 5 times as long. (And substantially more than that if you have a snugpac synthetic :-))

I agree with sofa man's recommendation for RAB bags, but would add that you should also have a look at the Mountain Equipment ones - especially the top-end ones with stretchy inners, if your buget will go that far!

Okay how much should I be looking at paying then for a reasonable three season Down sleeping Bag? and it shouldn't matter about the bivvying in the rain beacuse the least I always carry is a double hooped GORETEX bivy bag so in theory the sleeping bag should stay dry am I right in thinking this?

What isn't your natural fur coat enough? Have a look at the artificially filled bags from Mountain Equipment. If you're in the North West there's a factory shop in Glossop, Magic Mountain, that sells seconds and ex-test bags at cheapo prices - often around half price. RAB are launching an artificial bag later this year as well.

Snugpak stuff is okay in my experience, but I've not used the Travel Pack bag. I tend to go for down, but it's pricier and, of course, you need to take more care of it and make an effort to keep it dry. Marmot's bags also worth a look, especially if you can find one end of line.

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OutdoorsMagic Editor | jon@outdoorsmagic.com 

Right then Down it is I suppose oh yea while I thin of it ta for me piccy Jon and are vau de Bags any good

I second Jon's recomendation of Magic Mountain in Glossop. My mate got an ME Glacier 1000 (4/5 season down bag, splash-resistant outer) for £110, was £240, and I got a dewline (2/3-season ultra-light marathon bag) for £90, was £160. Bargains galore. Worth phoning up beforehand though to check their stock, as sometimes all they have in is lime green tracksters (they also do RonHill gear).

I would say that if you're paying full price for a 2/3 season down bag, you should be able to get something good for about £150-£200. However, they're the sort of thing that you can often find cheap if ou're prepared to hang on and keep an eye open.

Look for the highest "fill power" down you can get, and also bear in mind that a splash resitant outer will prevent tea/porridge-instigated disasters.

If its reasonably priced down you want try rock & run in Ambleside they do ME down bags my last one cost £85 they are on line www.rockrun.com As to Vau de bags i've got an astra 65 (two) and it has to be the most comfortable bag I have ever had for backpacking. But it is a little heavy for some peoples taste at 5lb 6ozs

Soory to be a pain but what weight is that in new money (a rough guide will be okay!!)

5 lb 6 oz !!!! Bloody hell man you must have legs of steel to carry that!

(about 2.5KG David)

My dewline is 640g (~1.25lb I think) for a -5 rated bag (and it really is warm down to at least -1 or so)

The case for down bags rests...

sorry I must be confused not unusual at my age! I thought you meant Vau de rucksacks.

No not ruksacks any way have decided to see what qoutes I can get from Outdoor garage.com for a Rab atlas 750 Bag, or Mountain equipments Glacier 750 Bag or their Synthetic cloud walker 2 which has a comfort rating of -7, the other two are between -7 & -12 I think

Brian - Ahh, now I understand :-)

David - good choice , although you may find them both a little on the warm side (depends what you're using them for of course!).

I've used the Glacier 750 in scotland in the winter, it's (IMO) a good 4-season bag. A friend has the rab atlas 600 and rates it well for 3-season stuff, so I'd expect you'll find the 750 another good buy for full-on 4 season use. If you're not going to be out in the winter, though, you might want to look at a 600 or 650 bag, it might not sound like much of a weight difference but every little helps when you've got to carry the thing! (and of course they're usually cheaper).

Still on the subject of this does any one know of outlets where I can find any of the Bags that I have already mentioned or indeed any others from the same manufacturers at a discounted price? Bearing in mind that I am a student etc :-)
Ta David

Jon do you have the contact details and possibly some directions of how to get to this wonderful place?

Jon might or might not, but just in case he doesn't...

Magic Mountain
Mill Gates ind. est.
Glossop.

01457 854424

If coming in from Manc. on A57, turn R at traffic lights onto victoria street (road to buxton), then 1st Left into Mill Gates.

They have a branch in Halifax too I believe, but I've never been there

Anybody know of a similar place for Rab gear ?

Thanks for the address, if anyone else knows of any other "factory outlet" type stores for Rab or Mountain Equipment then please let me know
Ta David

Staying on the down idea who are the major manufacturers I should be looking apart from the obvious 2 Rab and Mountain equipment? I have heard that TNF do sleeping bags but that are very expensive if this true (oh yea any advice on what to look for when buying a down bag would also be welcome!) ta
David

www.thenorthface.com

There are probably three aspects to a down sleeping bag, they being:

down
sleeping
bag

Errm. The more you pay, the better down you will get e.g. goose rather
than duck, higher percentage of down to feathers. This will reduce both
the weight and packed size of the bag.

e.g. if you look at Rab's 3 season bags, they use 85% duck down in
Atlas range, 90% goose down in Ladakh and 96% Polish white
goose down in Summit and Elite. The top bags are about 30% lighter (but
40% more expensive.

BTW, a good synthetic 3 season bag is probably half the price of a down
bag. It is still not as good value as these bags only last typically 3 years
good use, rather than 10 for a down bag.

Then you want to look at construction, e.g. do you actually fit (without
lots of air inside which'll circulate and reduce insulation - bags with
interior elastic help a great deal). Do you suffer from cramped feet (or other
cold spots - some bags have more down around chest area for instance)?
Does it fit snuggly around neck baffle + hood?

Typically bags use box or v (baffle?) wall construction, ie. interior dividers
are used to connect inner and outer fabrics, rather than being sewn straight
through (which'd give cold spots along the seams).

Another factor for sleeping comfort is inner and outer materials.

Finally, your bag will last a lot longer if you look after it. You must not store a
down bag in its stuff sack. You should wash it as little as possible - there
is a trade off between not washing and dirty reducing the loft, however, so
I always try to use a liner when weight is not an issue. You can get the thing
professionally cleaned when dirt becomes a problem (in my case every
3-5 years).

HTH.