What is the best sleeping bag?

[Flutterby]

Hello
I hope I am doing this right because I have never posted a thread on here before.
I need some advice about sleeping bags. The one I have is big and fluffy but it takes up almost all the space in my sleeping bag. Dad has said he will buy me a new one and will pay up to £60 but I would rather pay less, because I want him to buy me a stove before I do my gold expedition next spring.
Can anyone help with advice?

[Digby]

I'm not sure about current prices or brands so I don't know if £60 is a reasonable price to pay. You should choose one that is as light as possible and packs down resonably small. The best sleeping bags save weight by tapering down to a mummy shape at the foot (where extra space would just hold cold air to freeze your feet).

Avoid down sleeping bags which are uneccessarily expensive for what you need - and underperform when they get wet.

If you are doing expeditions in the UK I would advise you to go for a three season bag and take extra dry clothes to wear inside during the winter. That way, you will also have a spare clothes that you can wear under waterproofs in an emergency, and you won't swelter on a warm summer night.

Washability is an issue if you will be using it frequently. Even the most technical bags now will stand up to a machine wash but make a point of checking the wash instructions before you buy.

Good luck with the Gold, and remember that it's the training, not the expediton that counts! ;)

Best regards

Dick

[Marmot]

If you're going in spring i dont think a 3 season would neccessary, cause fingers crossed you'd hav some nice weather, is likey to be mild (global warming and all that, ok so atlantic currents and all, but shhh!)

Back the technical details; if you get a lower season sleeping bag, the use of a sleeping bag liner will increase the seaonage of your sleeping bag by another season, no need to buy a silk one (mega expense) the cotton ones will surfice.
Again couldnt give u prices but might be worth seeing if the combined price of a lower grade sleeping bag and liner might be less then a more extreme bag.

[Flutterby]

I'm getting the idea about weight now. What should a reasonable 3 season sleeoing bag weigh?

What makes aere good?

[Marmot]

as heavy as you are willing to carry! about 2000g
and makes -well according to a friend of mine who works for outdoor design they're all made in hong-kong by pretty much the same company so which ever company sells it for the cheapest!

[Hillwalker]

I have a small collection of sleeping bags for different situations, and I mix and match them.

1. A polartec liner
2. A two seasons down bag made by ME and only about £39 (I think, but memory not good any more!)
3. A high pile fleece bag with a pertex outer (Like Buffalo).
4. A high altitude 5 season Rab down bag!

I only ever use item 4 in extreme cold abroad obviously, but the other three I use at different times of the year in UK. For the usual British Spring to Autumn weather I am really happy withthe polarfleece inside my light down bag, and the combination is small enough for backpacking In winter I put both, or just one of them inside the pile and pertex bag, much too bulky for backpacking, but nice and snug in a campsite base camp.

Its a bit like the traditional 'layering system', works really well for me.

[Superslogger]

I had an old pertec covered Buffalo sleeping bag with fibre-pile lining. Even with the removable second inner layer I never had a good nights sleep other than in summer weather. So out it went. It's now in use as an emergency bag for a search and rescue team, fro which I should think it is ideal.

[Flutterby]

Thanks for your help guys - keep it coming, I think I feel a trip to an outdoors store soon, before the Summer dissapears!

[Geddi]

My families' collection of sleeping bags consists of 2 identical 4 season ajunkiak bags, a 3 season Black's bag and a 2 season Black's bag. With a silk liner any combo can be reached for nearly any situation.

[Superslogger]

Yes, I have a house full of sleeping bags, but I can never find the right one for the conditions right now. The same thing applies all year round...

[Raging Sheep]

Has anybody here used a Mountain Equipement Firewalker 3 Plus?

[Geddi]

No, but have always been very pleased with ME equipment in the past.