lightweight sleeping bag advice

[denalidave]

Hi all,
I need a new sleeping bag and I was wondering if any of you have advice? I would be using it spring/summer possibly autumn in the uk.It needs to be around 1 kg, defo less than 1.5 kg. I only want to spend around £30-40. I have looked online for hours but I am still unsure. I need it to pack quite small too as its for backpacking etc.

Any advice is much appreciated

Cheers

Dave

[cuppa joe]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-7-18C-karrimor-Lite-1100-sleeping-bag-light-weight-lightweight-1-1kg-silver-/150804984936?pt=UK_SportingGoods_SleepingBags_SM&hash=item231cad7468
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Proffessional-Storm-Shield-Camping-Sleeping-Bag-Compact-Storage-Bag-FB10-/261012291612?pt=UK_SportingGoods_SleepingBags_SM&hash=item3cc58b801c
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mountain-Equipment-Firewalker-sleeping-bag-/110869467871?pt=UK_SportingGoods_SleepingBags_SM&hash=item19d055d2df

[cuppa joe]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Highlander-Challenger-Lite-150-2-3-Season-Military-Sleeping-Bag-Olive-/200736604888?pt=UK_SportingGoods_SleepingBags_SM&hash=item2ebcd582d8

[Martin]

See if you can find the Tesco down bags. They are two season bags but light as a feather (no pun intended) and within your price range. Argos used to do one too so I bought two but they don't do them anymore.

I currently use a Rab Neutrino 400 which ticks all of your boxes except the price.

http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/reviews/sleeping/down-bags/rab-neutrino-400/review/37303.html

Sadly, with sleeping bags, you can any two of low price, low weight and high warmth. You can't get all three.

Martin

[bigzee]

Am I right in thinking that down bags tick boxes where weight, packed volume an thermal efficiency are concerned, but have a tendancy to get ruined when wet? Living in Blighty -this factor has always prevented me from getting one, but have things moved on since and are they now water-repellent?

[jus_young]

Some down bags may be manufactured with a water repellant coating within the material but generally its up to the user to sort this one out.

[FishyFolk]

The problem is normally solved by keeping the bag dry when moving, and sleeping under cover. The forst can be done by putting it in a simple thing like a plastic bin liner, but there are some nice water prrof pack bags to be had these days. Also use a bivvi bag our purchase an outher shell for it + an inner liner. That way you wont have to clean the thing. Anyway, I have never had a problem with wet sleeping bags. And my scottish friend who lives here (North Norway) is complaining about the rain here....

[Martin]

It's true that down products, not just sleeping bags, lose their insulation properties when they get wet but as FishyFolk says you should just avoid getting them wet. The Rab comes with its own drybag which would allow you to hold the whole thing under water without it getting wet. I've used mine in my hammock and in my tent and I haven't got it wet yet.

A bit of water from the condensation on the inside of a tent isn't going to harm it by the way.

Martin

[jus_young]

Used mine in the tent and hammock and would prefer down bags to synthetic any day. Have had the down bag feeling damp just before climbing into it but this does not affect it at all and this soon disappears after a few minutes snugling up inside it. When I think of just how much I have spent on various bags over the years it makes me cringe. Could have paid for the Rab a good few times over - hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Live and learn

[denalidave]

Used mine in the tent and hammock and would prefer down bags to synthetic any day. Have had the down bag feeling damp just before climbing into it but this does not affect it at all and this soon disappears after a few minutes snugling up inside it. When I think of just how much I have spent on various bags over the years it makes me cringe. Could have paid for the Rab a good few times over - hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Live and learn

Appreciate all the advice and suggestion of the RAB bag but the simple fact is I cant afford one! My budget is £30 to £50 at a push. Keeping in mind I will be in a tent, with clothes on inside the bag, in spring/summer/autumn I thought I might get away with a bag of around this price? I am considering these, any further advice?....

http://www.aktive8.com/Camping/Sleeping-Bags/2-Season-Sleeping-Bags/Highlander-Challenger-Lite-150-2-3-Season-Military-Sleeping-Bag-Olive/0007947p.aspx



http://www.roofrackshop.co.uk/Camping-and-Outdoor/Sleeping-Bags-and-Beds/Sleeping-Bags-3-Season/Highlander-Softshell-Pac-Tec-150-Sleeping-Bag-3-4-Season-Red-Grey/0007961p.aspx



http://www.aktive8.com/camping/sleeping-bags/3-season-sleeping-bags/coleman-latitude-x830-3-season-sleeping-bag/00012075p.aspx





http://www.outdooraction.co.uk/sleeping-bags-backpacking/vango/vango-ultralite-300-sleeping-bag-pd-2842.php

[cuppa joe]

I dont know what build you are but it pays to keep an eye on the bag measurements...the coleman in your link is 5cm less around the shoulders and although not much its a lot when you need it and a tight fit can give you lofting issues which will effect the bags heat retaining properties.

[cuppa joe]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vango-Venom-150-Sleeping-Bag-Goose-Down-RRP-85-00-/190661210198?pt=UK_SportingGoods_SleepingBags_SM&hash=item2c644b3056

[garethw]

Hi there
I've got one of these and its been pretty good..
http://www.surplusandoutdoors.com/shop/camping-equipment/sleeping-bags/new-military-style-highlander-666758.html
Cheers
Gareth

[bigzee]

I dont know what build you are but it pays to keep an eye on the bag measurements...the coleman in your link is 5cm less around the shoulders and although not much its a lot when you need it and a tight fit can give you lofting issues which will effect the bags heat retaining properties.
I second that! - I made that mistake once and bought a nice compact bag that only came up to my shoulder blades!

[denalidave]

Thanks everyone.
I got one of these in the end, seemed like a good price-
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HIGHLANDER-SOFTSHELL-2-MILITARY-STYLE-SLEEPING-BAG-NEW-/370502303338

I will be reporting back soon on how it performed and saying how you are all right and I should have saved up!!!

[ADz]

How did you get on with your bag bud, was it warm/comfy enough?

[denalidave]

How did you get on with your bag bud, was it warm/comfy enough?


Hi,
I wild camped on Dartmoor shortly after my last post above and everything was great. As suggested I carried and used clean and dry thermals to sleep in and I was too hot! The temp at night was well above freezing though. I reckon I would be ok down to about -2 or -3 with this bag and thermals, maybe even a bit lower at a push. I will be heading out again in early spring, no winter camping for me.....

Thanks for asking ADz_1983

Cheers

Dave



Dave

[ADz]

Ah thats good, glad it worked out.

I too was recently looking into trying to find a light, compact and cheap sleeping bag that was warm and grabbed a Tesco Micro-Lite although I think I'll just be using this in Summer or as a spare for somebody else. I was also tempted to try a Gelert X-treme or Vango Venom among others I had seen and read about.

I looked at the expensive ones at same time and seemed to keep going back to the Mountain Equipment range, particularly the Xero as they have some awesome reviews and seemed to fit perfect into my needs (except price ofcourse). I really liked the sound of a down bag and talked myself into putting an offer in on a Xero 350 on ebay that was new but without stuff sack. I managed to gnab it for £175 (RRP £280) so really looking forward to trying it out in Winter or like yourself Spring and hoping its going to be an investment that lasts years as long as I look after it.