Sleeping Bags

[seanosullivan]

Hi,
Looking to replace my old 3-season synthetic sleeping bag, doesn\'t pack very small. My robens tent packs smaller!

Anyone got any recommendations? Looking for a bag thats rated 3 season and that packs small. Anyone using a down bag? Are they a good idea taking into account the wet nature of our pastime?

Thoughts Comments and recommendations welcome.

Thanks

Post edited by: seanosullivan, at: 2012/06/03 10:06Post edited by: seanosullivan, at: 2012/06/03 10:07

[tee]

Hi Sean
having used a very good but bulky synthetic bag for years, I\'m a convert to down bags. The downsides usually leveled against them are cost and performance in the wet; personally I think the advantages far outweigh the downsides. You can pickup decent bags on sale (mine cost me about USD100 each in 2004 and 2005) and if you pack them carefully, they won\'t get wet.

I use a layering system so I can mix and match to suit expected conditions
It consists of two warm weather bags
http://www.trailspace.com/gear/golite/feather-lite-bag/
http://www.kibuba.eu/index.php?pID=156& ... 38&pgID=46
a bivvy bag
http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?tar ... ory_id=253
and a silk liner.
Add in some decent base-layer garments and woolly hat and you\'re pretty much covered. The advantage of this sort of setup is, even if you bring all layers, it\'s pretty easy to pack them in a boat.

For what it\'s worth, my suggestion would be to start with a reasonable warm-weather bag and a bivvy bag and see how you get on.

Gerry

[seanosullivan]

Thanks for the reply Gerry. The layering system might be worth a look as I am leaning towards the down bag. After 160+ views I can\'t believe your the only one who had a view or recommendation on this. I was hoping to get an idea of what kind of bags people use for our lovely climate, especially temp rating wise.

[Chancer]

Hi, Just bought a Deuter Trail Lite Down bag in Great Outdoors - two season rated to 0 degrees C. Used with a Goretex Bivvy bag and a Prolite ProThermarest sleeping mat it will handle anything the Irish conditions will throw at you. I am a bit claustrophobic in the Mummy shaped bags so the Deuter bag is square shaped with a separate zipper in the footbox to allow feet even more room to roam if necessary. It can open out flat and be used as a down duvet if necessary. It packs really small. You can use it with another synthetic two season bag opened out for a really comfy bed. They both will pack really small as does the mat. The Deuter bag is 125 euro less 10% ICU discount. The cost of a three season bag is double this in Great Outdoors and packs much larger and I doubt the value of the extra cost and size in Irish conditions. I was considering the expensive down bag and the Exped Down sleeping mat and was talked out of it by the very helpful staff in Great Outdoors who saved me enough to buy the very small, freestanding and light Hubba Tent.

[CeeGee]

I use a (15 year old) North Face 4 season down bag which is fabulous but needs to be kept dry. It was nearly £300 AT THE TIME but is still good as new.

That said, I just bought* by daughter a Northface Lynx for £100 which is 3-season but packs nearly as small (into an 8 litre stuff sack / dry bag) and was just as comfy (she says) as mine. Right choice IMO - I will do the same when (if) I ever replace mine.

The reason I bought it for her was the same as the OP - her cheaper previous sleeping bag was just too bulky to go in the hatch.

Steve

*Bought online at: The North Face © Official Online Store. Best price and delivered in 48 hours.Post edited by: ceegee, at: 2012/06/30 18:03

[geo]

Everyone will have a personal preference on bags, but sea kayaking being a water sport it may be worth considering worse case scenario. Having spent a night in a wet synthetic bag more than once I was able to sleep very comfortably. Presently I use a Mountain equipment Lamina (I think), with a silk sheet bag. It packs very small and is fine in Irish conditions and works in the wet. I bought it for adventure racing. I also have a down, and yes I like the comfort, etc. but for multi day trips in crap weather when everything thing can be dampish for a few days then I definately think the synthetic bags are the way to go. I have also used more bulky Vangos and Snug Pac synthetics which were excellent. The only time I am tempted to take a down bag is in cold winter conditions, when the weather on shore may be a bit dryer.

In chosing a bag one of teh best criteria to think about is \'when I am totally wet can I take off all my wet clothes, climb into a sleeping bag feel warm and be able to sleep\'. Whichever bag, gives you this option is the one for you.

The other think to remember is that a bag is not for life, they do lose loft and insulation, depending on age, storage, use, cleaning, etc. Hence a very good bag if used extensively will have to be replaced in time, so purchase for the conditions that you utilise it in most and forget the extremes, as these may seldom be encountered and hence may be a waste of money.

As some of the previous respondants have alluded to, a layered system with utilising 2 x bags rated to 0 degrees C may be worth considering and will be cheaper. Respondants have also mentioned about keeping the bag dry while packing, the problem I find is not the packing but the dampness that accumulates over a number of days or a week of operating in miserable conditions in a tent. No matter how careful the packing and storage, if you cannot air off the bag in a wet week it gets damp and may even be wet depending on conditions.

This has probably only added to the confusion.

Geo

[tadhgbarry]

Thanks guys - if nobody has any objections, this thread is another TnadT article sorted. Anyone else care to chip in? The layering system is certainly interesting. My two cents; I use synthetic. As much as I like the down bags, they just collapse down and stick to your skin when wet providing little insulation. I gave up trying to stay dry in a kayak long ago, nowadays I just try to stay warm. I know some of the gents who went to Greenland a few years back slept in their paddling thermals in order to dry them out overnight (and so as not to have the pleasure of stepping into the frozen gear in the morning). It would be interesting to know if they used synthetic or down in those conditions. Tadhg

[johnbrophy]

At least we have it easier than this...

\"The trouble is sweat and breath. I never knew before how much of the body\'s waste comes out through the pores of the skin. On the most bitter days, when we had to camp before we had done a four-hour march in order to nurse back our frozen feet, it seemed that we must be sweating. And all this sweat, instead of passing away through the porous wool of our clothing and gradually drying off us, froze and accumulated. It passed just away from our flesh and then became ice: we shook plenty of snow and ice down from inside our trousers every time we changed our foot-gear, and we could have shaken it from our vests and from between our vests and shirts, but of course we could not strip to this extent. But when we got into our sleeping-bags, if we were fortunate, we became warm enough during the night to thaw this ice: part remained in our clothes, part passed into the skins of our sleeping-bags, and soon both were sheets of armour-plate.\" Apsley Cherry-Garrard - The Worst Journey in the World.

John

[knotman2]

As a novice kayaker-camper many years ago I still remember a gem of information from Mary Butler. Unpack your sleeping bag just before you get into it as the sea air is always damp! Do not leave it laid out in your tent.
I also pack it away after breakfast (time to air) if returning to the same camp that night. I usually bring it with me in the kayak anyway, as you never know when you may not get back to the campsite or when someone may need emergency warmth. It is a worthy piece of first-aid/emergency equipment.

As indeed is a hot-water bottle!!!! Doesn\'t take up much space, will air/dry out a damp bag, warm cold parts, is a morale booster, a head rest, a floatation device and also great for warming cold feet.

An old Irish saying goes : If you want to warm your feet put on a hat. This is very true. Always have a hat handy beside the bag. Worth half a season anyway.

I\'ve heard of some guys/gals who bring blow-up dolls for psychological heat in the sleeping bag!!! Highly recommended seemingly as they do not take up much space deflated, know when to shut-up and never talk afterwards. Anybody care to contribute on this one ???????????????

John I also found this discussion on sleeping bags for kayaking which should answer nearly everything. Could you read it and summarise it for me please :laugh: I just don\'t have the time.http://www.roguepaddler.com/sleepbag.htm Thanks.

Sennen