New Sleeping Bag
- Thread starter Udders
- Start date
Please tell me that's not how big it is on the bike lol
the website says the Rab 1100 packs down to 45 x 26 cm which isn't too bad (measuring with a ruler on my desk
)
The Neutrino 400 according to the website is good for -1
my current sleeping bag, a Vango Nitestar Alpha 300 Quad is rated at -2
however even at +5 im awake all night freezing!
its definitely a July/August only bag.
my thinking is if they are gonna lie about the comfort rating, i am better off buying a bag rated at something im never going to camp in
at least id be warm.... hate being cold
the website says the Rab 1100 packs down to 45 x 26 cm which isn't too bad (measuring with a ruler on my desk
)The Neutrino 400 according to the website is good for -1
my current sleeping bag, a Vango Nitestar Alpha 300 Quad is rated at -2
however even at +5 im awake all night freezing!
its definitely a July/August only bag.
my thinking is if they are gonna lie about the comfort rating, i am better off buying a bag rated at something im never going to camp in
at least id be warm.... hate being cold
I am just looking at the Snugpak options. Tactical 4 Elite or Softie Elite 4 are the two I am humming and harring about, I am erring towards the Softie. -10 should see me comfortable, my Coleman is -5 comfort but this April on the bank of Ullswater I was freezing and it was not even frosty. I use a space blanket to help prevent loss down through the sleeping mat, it takes up no space and weighs an ounce at most. If you are careful about folding it and not trapping air in the folds it lasts years and still folds up tight, but never like it came out of the packet! I also use a fleece liner if it is really cold, I didn't take it with me in April because it wasn't forecast to be less than about 5C, it wasn't but my old Coleman doesn't work as well as it used to. It has to be 18 years old now and the zip is perfect and it hasn't suffered any damage. Maybe I am just not as able to deal with the cold as I used to be.
My five pence worth
hand made IN Britain…seems top quality
alpkit.com
hand made IN Britain…seems top quality
Pipedream 600 Ultralight down sleeping bag
An ultralight, 4-season down sleeping bag with a -12˚C limit weighing 1085g filled with DownTek™ hydrophobic down. Outstanding warmth-to-weight ratio and highly compressible.
alpkit.com
What sleeping mat are you using? Having the right one can make a massive difference to warmth retention. You’re probably losing most of your heat back down into the ground.
Also, this is going to sound funny, but what do you wear at night? I use thermal long sleeved tops and leggings if it’s not too cold or down trousers and tops if it’s below freezing.
I use a good mat, R5.5 the Coleman sleeping bag doesn't feel warm around me anymore, maybe it just needs a wash and fluff up? I know I am more susceptible to the cold than I used to be though - this summer I wore a sweater of some sort every day and didn't wear shorts once. I was not warm this year at all.
Sleeping wise, nothing, I take my clothes off so that I have something to put on when getting out of the sleeping bag - always have. I made the mistake on exercise with the Marines in a cape bivvi of wearing my kit to bed... the following morning I was frozen because of not having anything to put on when I got out of my bag. Running around to generate some energy was the only way.
I’d look at getting a warmer sleeping bag and definitely some thermal clothing to wear at night. I don’t think a wash and fluff up is going to make much difference to your bag.
These are the thermals I use purely for sleeping in.
www.mountainwarehouse.com
www.mountainwarehouse.com
Not expensive but make a huge difference. 
You’d probably get away with your sleeping bag with something like these base layers.
These are the thermals I use purely for sleeping in.
Talus Mens Thermal Top | Mountain Warehouse GB
www.mountainwarehouse.com
Talus Mens Base Layer Pants | Mountain Warehouse GB
www.mountainwarehouse.com
You’d probably get away with your sleeping bag with something like these base layers.
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What sleeping mat would you recommend udders?I’d look at getting a warmer sleeping bag and definitely some thermal clothing to wear at night. I don’t think a wash and fluff up is going to make much difference to your bag.
These are the thermals I use purely for sleeping in.
Talus Mens Thermal Top | Mountain Warehouse GB
Not expensive but make a huge difference.Talus Mens Base Layer Pants | Mountain Warehouse GB
cheers
I’m still using among other bags my Point five Orion aka two feather. Bought in 1976 for my 16th birthday.
Have you thought of something like this https://www.nordiclife.co.uk/products/cocoon-over-bag-sleeping-bag gives you three options, both together or one ort other.
I'd sooner sleep in my clothes and have a warm, good nights sleep then deal with the day better, it's easier getting warm when up and about than waking up cold.
I'd sooner sleep in my clothes and have a warm, good nights sleep then deal with the day better, it's easier getting warm when up and about than waking up cold.
Well, I have 5! 
Not in any particular order though.
1. Exped MegaMat 10. Ultra warm, mega comfy, expensive and BIG pack size. Perfect for car camping. ( ok on a bike but doesn’t fold down so it’s full width ) R value = 8.1!
2. Exped Downmat 9LXW. Ultra warm, mega comfy, not massively expensive, good pack size. R value = 7.8 ( discontinued ) There are mats very similar to this now.
3. Thermarest Neo Air XTherm. Ultra warm, comfy, blooming expensive, fantastic pack size. Very light. R value = 7.3. I also have the chair conversion for this mat.
4. Thermarest Neo Air XLite. ( original one ) Warm, ok comfort wise but a thin mat, blooming noisy ( crinkly ), extremely small pack size, super light. R value 4.5
5. Amok Fjol XL Winterlight. Medium pack size ( made for the Amok Draumr hammock ), very warm, not cheap, 940g. R value 5.
My “ go to “ mat is the Exped Downmat 9LXW. I use that one the most. Closely followed by the Thermarest Neo Air X Therm. It’s lighter than the Exped 9 and I like having the chair conversion for it. Stops getting backache when set up and saves carrying a proper chair too.
Non of them are particularly cheap but I like being warm, having good quality reliable kit and something warm ( down filled ) and comfy. I hate being cold at night.
Hope that helps!
Not in any particular order though.1. Exped MegaMat 10. Ultra warm, mega comfy, expensive and BIG pack size. Perfect for car camping. ( ok on a bike but doesn’t fold down so it’s full width ) R value = 8.1!
2. Exped Downmat 9LXW. Ultra warm, mega comfy, not massively expensive, good pack size. R value = 7.8 ( discontinued ) There are mats very similar to this now.
3. Thermarest Neo Air XTherm. Ultra warm, comfy, blooming expensive, fantastic pack size. Very light. R value = 7.3. I also have the chair conversion for this mat.
4. Thermarest Neo Air XLite. ( original one ) Warm, ok comfort wise but a thin mat, blooming noisy ( crinkly ), extremely small pack size, super light. R value 4.5
5. Amok Fjol XL Winterlight. Medium pack size ( made for the Amok Draumr hammock ), very warm, not cheap, 940g. R value 5.
My “ go to “ mat is the Exped Downmat 9LXW. I use that one the most. Closely followed by the Thermarest Neo Air X Therm. It’s lighter than the Exped 9 and I like having the chair conversion for it. Stops getting backache when set up and saves carrying a proper chair too.
Non of them are particularly cheap but I like being warm, having good quality reliable kit and something warm ( down filled ) and comfy. I hate being cold at night.
Hope that helps!
With camping gear don't go cheap.
Decent gear is more expensive but if your a long way from home and ANY of your equipment lets you down its very miserable
and in actual fact dangerous, not getting any sleep and riding on unfamiliar roads is a recipe for disaster.
Your better off too warm than cold, you can always unzip and throw a leg out.
Down bags or hollow fibre work well, as said the mats too
get a mat with a decent R rating (4+) this will help your bag do its job, and try and avoid slippery mats as they move around in the night and you wake up cold on the floor!
Another tip, take earplugs
the amount of campsites next to busy railways, roads or fast flowing rivers is unreal
Decent gear is more expensive but if your a long way from home and ANY of your equipment lets you down its very miserable
and in actual fact dangerous, not getting any sleep and riding on unfamiliar roads is a recipe for disaster.
Your better off too warm than cold, you can always unzip and throw a leg out.
Down bags or hollow fibre work well, as said the mats too
get a mat with a decent R rating (4+) this will help your bag do its job, and try and avoid slippery mats as they move around in the night and you wake up cold on the floor!
Another tip, take earplugs
the amount of campsites next to busy railways, roads or fast flowing rivers is unreal
Mate thats really helpful, still using a 25yr old thermarest, time i upgraded!Well, I have 5!
1. Exped MegaMat 10. Ultra warm, mega comfy, expensive and BIG pack size. Perfect for car camping. ( ok on a bike but doesn’t fold down so it’s full width ) R value = 8.1!
2. Exped Downmat 9LXW. Ultra warm, mega comfy, not massively expensive, good pack size. R value = 7.8 ( discontinued ) There are mats very similar to this now.
3. Thermarest Neo Air XTherm. Ultra warm, comfy, blooming expensive, fantastic pack size. Very light. R value = 7.3. I also have the chair conversion for this mat.
4. Thermarest Neo Air XLite. ( original one ) Warm, ok comfort wise but a thin mat, blooming noisy ( crinkly ), extremely small pack size, super light. R value 4.5
5. Amok Fjol XL Winterlight. Medium pack size ( made for the Amok Draumr hammock ), very warm, not cheap, 940g. R value 5.
My “ go to “ mat is the Exped Downmat 9LXW. I use that one the most. Closely followed by the Thermarest Neo Air X Therm. It’s lighter than the Exped 9 and I like having the chair conversion for it. Stops getting backache when set up and saves carrying a proper chair too.
Non of them are particularly cheap but I like being warm, having good quality reliable kit and something warm ( down filled ) and comfy. I hate being cold at night.
Hope that helps!
thanks udders
I’ve got an exped down filled sleeping mat and my only criticism is that it’s too bulky. I’ve got a couple of old thermarest self inflating (ha!) mats that are less than half the size of the exped and if I take both I get more insulation.
As for sleeping bags, never forget that the temperature rating is the absolute minimum, not the comfortable minimum but a decent liner will give it a significant boost because you’ll trap any warm air generated by your body.
As for sleeping bags, never forget that the temperature rating is the absolute minimum, not the comfortable minimum but a decent liner will give it a significant boost because you’ll trap any warm air generated by your body.
Add 10c to their claims if you just want to go to bed in yer pants and T-shirt.
I recall Christmas 2010 camping in the Peak District in -12 conditions in a sleeping "system" rated to 40 below.
The cold literally penetrated straight through & chilled me to the bone.
I don't think it helped that I'd spent the evening in the tent and went to bed cold.
I don' feel the cold normally, have no central heating, and hate being in places with it on.
But the way these tent manufacturers make their claims of minus this and minus that will have them on a manslaughter charge one of these days .... most likely in America of course!
I use a Macpac bag rated down to -30 and I still use a fleece liner in it when it’s cold. Admittedly there’s more meat on a butchers pencil than on my bones but I like to think I can cope with it being cold.
In the hills in winter I usually have a down jacket and a down sleeping bag, the jacket is great in e.g. a bothy, if it's really cold at night to sleep I can wear it inside the bag but it's got to be pretty cold for that. That way I can carry a lighter bag and the combination is more flexible
And in winter a down filled exped mat, bulky but warm, in summer a very light weight one made by thermarest
And in winter a down filled exped mat, bulky but warm, in summer a very light weight one made by thermarest
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