sleep systems

[roberts]

What sort of sleep system do you use .
Having had many sleeping bags over the years at the moment am just left with two old die hard favorite's which is a buffalo bag and a German army bag with arms
In a really cold winter I have put my German bag inside my buffalo and slept in my under crackers popped my arms through the zipped holes in the buffalo to brew up in the snowey mornings .. My wife has a nonok which packs really small and is really warm down to well below freezing but I just carnt seem to bring myself round to buying and using one as I just love the fact I can just kick my crappy one across the camp and spill my beer of food down it and not care .
So what sort of bags sf o you use

[Silverback]

Buffalo 4S extreme with arm holes and a 58 patt arctic doss bag in XL :). For traveling light I have an Aztec extreme 4 S bag, a Snugpak Kestrel/Softie 6 and am about to buy another hollofibre Snugpak bag for this winter to replace the 58 bag

[Johnnyboy1971]

At the moment I have the USMSS two bag and bivvybag system, suits me fine.
Also in the armory is
Brit arctic bag
Nanok 0
Nanok -25
Snugpak Elite 3
RAB Accent 900.
Under quilt and top quilt for hammocking.

[jacko1066]

I use a very small and light tesco 2 season down bag in summer months.

The rest of the time I use a Ukhammocks down top quilt which I have had over stuffed, its an amazing bit of kit!!

I would like an Elite 3 like Johnnyboy above!! Great bags!!

[beermaker]

A four season mummy sleeping bag, a thermarest-style sleeping mat and a tarp. Hoping santa brings me a hammock this christmas though :)

[Sar-ian]

warmer months, asda sleeping pod + wool blanket + foil backed windscreen cover, cooler months ( was using a Czech bedroll ) army arctic fibre bag + wool blanket + foil backed windscreen cover + fleecy bag liner, and if all that fails in the car with heater on full LOL...

[BJ]

Musuc bag light or Gelert pod, and if in a hammock a snugpack underquilt as well.

[roberts]

Its good to see some cheap bags popping up for the summer I have a jungle bag that cost 20 pound new for summer but it has to be quite hot for it so it does not get used much lol . the wife's bag has down next to the skin and hollow fiber on the outside its very warm eg under crackers at minus 5

[FishyFolk]

Summer:
An synthetic fibre arctic bag from Isbjørn called Jan Mayen. Comfort temp: -22 Extreme temp: -40 - Lars Monsen used it when he crossed northern Canada from coast to coast. It's a beast that weighs 3 kilos and uncompressed it fills my 60 liter Bergan! with very little room to spare. I have a Jerven survival/wind/bivy bag that I put the Jan Mayen in if I want to sleep inder the stars. Winters are often wet here, hence the choice of a synthetic bag...well, that and the price.

In the summer, I just grab something off the shelf, the current one I use cost 20£. But it's a 3 season bag....you need that even in summer up here...

[cuppa joe]

Carinthia defence 4 as cold weather bag, Snugpak softie3 , Mountain equipment firewalker 1 both synthetic 1kg bags for summer walking and a Vango venom 300 which is a 3 season down bag and weighs 850 grams and packs down smaller than the softie 3 for on the cycle where room is at a premium and I bought all these bags for just over £50 in total off fleabay all new except the ME firewalker which was used but is in mint condition.

[roberts]

You have a good eye for a bargin
Carinthia defence 4 as cold weather bag, Snugpak softie3 , Mountain equipment firewalker 1 both synthetic 1kg bags for summer walking and a Vango venom 300 which is a 3 season down bag and weighs 850 grams and packs down smaller than the softie 3 for on the cycle where room is at a premium and I bought all these bags for just over £50 in total off fleabay all new except the ME firewalker which was used but is in mint condition.

[cuppa joe]

You have a good eye for a bargin
I have indeed ..the Carinthia cost me £15 ...and £15 for the Venom 300 a £5 for and the snugpak softie 3.

[Old Guard]

warmer months, asda sleeping pod + wool blanket + foil backed windscreen cover, cooler months ( was using a Czech bedroll ) army arctic fibre bag + wool blanket + foil backed windscreen cover + fleecy bag liner, and if all that fails in the car with heater on full LOL...

ha ha love plan 'B'

On a serious note, my concern is sometimes is being too hot in a 'bag' ... regulating your tempreture seems to be an 'art form' ... I use a cheapo tesco bag, or ex-army 58 pat' bag and sometimes just a blanket !

[JonnyP]

I have been using just an American army poncho liner recently, but I also use Buffalo, Snugpak and a nice PHD down bag http://www.phdesigns.co.uk/product_info.php?cat=60&products_id=118 Due to the beer, I am getting a bit too big for it, so I think I am gonna have to sell it :0(

Buffalo n German army together is a lot of bulk, but I bet it keeps you warm. I used to have one of them rubberised German bags, but found it too sweaty even with the vent open..

[roberts]

I think good old blankets often get left out on these chats but I remember I had two thick wool blankets years ago and was always warm
I take the rubber part of so its just the quilt part which rolls up quite well to be honest

[Silverback]

took a blanket to the first northern soul meet this January ended up putting it over a ridge line just above my hammock to keep the wind out...toasty warm though

[roberts]

How about using a blanket to line the inside of a basha setup to trap air in the basha I've stayed in benders that have been lined with old blankets and they seem to work well

[Silverback]

interestingly enough at a recent meet i tried a buffalo 4s outer bag with no UQ or mat and didnt get a cold back - could it be that fibre pile is less susceptible to flattening of the loft ?

[FishyFolk]

interestingly enough at a recent meet i tried a buffalo 4s outer bag with no UQ or mat and didnt get a cold back - could it be that fibre pile is less susceptible to flattening of the loft ?


Yes, this is why a modern synthetic fibre sleeping bag still have some insulation. The fibres are hollow and contain a lot of hair, just like f.ex reindeer hides which is a fantastic insulation against the ground. TYo bad they are heavy, sheds hair and smells :-)

AIR NOT HAIR!!!!

[Johnnyboy1971]

interestingly enough at a recent meet i tried a buffalo 4s outer bag with no UQ or mat and didnt get a cold back - could it be that fibre pile is less susceptible to flattening of the loft ?

Could it be that it was warm enough not to notice.
Just done five nights in my hammock without UQ, Mat or sleepingbag. I did use a large microfiber towel though to cover my torso.

[Silverback]

No Johnny I did think about that so laid direct on the hammock without UQ or bag and it was definately noticeably cooler and quite nippy as the wind stripped the heat away

[OakAshandThorn]

I have a -6.6 C (20 F) LL Bean bag lined with flannel, but haven't used it much because it's so massive - I replaced it with a SnugPak Sleeper Lite (mummy). And for summer, all I usually need is my surplus 80-20 wool blanket. I may end up turning the LL Bean bag into an underquilt...

[MikeWilkinson]

Currently use a Highlander Challenger 2/3 season bag, and a Poncho liner as a UQ. Also have a 3/4 Alpkit ground mat for when I go to ground or as additional insulation in the Hammock.

Just invested in a EWCS 4 part modualr system to test over winter, should be here on Thursday - anyone else tried these? I know all three parts together are heavy but I'd be using the green bag for 3 seasons and just the black bag for winter, so expect the weight to be around 2kg (including the Bivi) which I can live with.

[Tigger004]

Holiday inn or pemier lodge

[Tigger004]

Only joking, I use a carinthia defence 4 and a roll mat, but wear warm clothes - Softie trousers and feet heater socks and tee shirt ( the clothes make getting up in the morning more pleasant )

[Silverback]

Invested in a snugpak sleeper extreme recently, not only is it long enough and wide enough for me but on both its recent outings in the current temps we have now its had me sweating in it whilst just in shorts and t shirt - its a little bulky but considerably smaller than the issue arctic bags and as its a synthetic bag its less affected by being wet......all in all worth the £50 price tag