Suggestions about sleeping bags
Original post
Hey everyone,
Having some trouble making up my mind on a few sleeping bags.
Ill start with what we (partner and me) intend to use them in what conditions.
We have a mac pac Olympus tent, with exped down mat, we will be completing some of the Great walks and classic trails, we intend to do some light alpine walks and overnights and hopefully progressing to some more serious alpine trails in the future (year or 2)
The bags i have been looking at in question are:
Pathfinder (kathmandu) 710g 5°c/0°c/-16°c
Columbus (kathmandu) 950g 3°c/-2°c/-20°c
Exped lite 500 (Bivouac) 920g -2°c
Latitude 500 XP (Mac Pac) 1100g 0°c/-6°c/-23°c
The price difference between them aren't alot and on sale roughly the same.
We will also be using them in other months not just winter ( i know we need 2 realistically for this) but i dont see why we cant just open them up as a blanket for the hotter months.
Any help on these or experience with any of them would be great.
Suggestions on roughly the same price range would be awesome
off sale 400-500ish On sale 200-300
20 comments
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Page: 12
exped lites are great bag, but be aware they are a narrow bag, if you like space to spread out in a bag it might not be for you
The single most overlooked aspect of sleeping bags is fit.
It is absolutely essential that when you are in it that the down is still able to loft. Any compression of the fill over your shoulders, hips or feet will completely defeat the bag - no matter how much you paid for it.
The only way to find out if a bag fits properly is to actually try and sleep in it. Bodies are all different shapes and we all have different patterns of posture and movement throughout the night. What is fine for one person will almost certainly fail for another.
I'm a side-sleeper who moves about a lot in the night; personally I find the Montbell Spiral Huggers work for me best - mainly because the spiral baffle design and diagonal bias cut creates enough stretch to almost eliminate compression despite my nocturnal gymnastics.
Another option for you - the Domex Copland.
http://www.equipoutdoors.co.nz/contents/en-us/p2528_Domex_Copland_Standard_Sleeping_Bag.html
I find mummy bags too constricting and this is one of the few 4 season options with a semi-rectangular cut. The water resistant shell is also a plus. They also have no side block baffle - you can distribute the down top or bottom of the bag depending on season.
1 deleted post from
waynowski
Wayno, I find my exped lite 500 quite roomy internally. And it nearly fills my military surplus bivvy bag entirely. Said bivvy bag was designed to fit some fairly large men, sleeping in full combat gear.
And if anyone is looking at exped bags, and doesnt want a mummy bag, look at the comfort range. Bigger, rectangular. And unzip all the way round so are way more versatile venting wise.
I'd second that @size12. I'm also a big fan of the exped sleeping bags. I've got a exped comfort 600 and found it to be quite roomy. I think the loft is 800 or so goose down and I've found it warm enough all year round (in huts). It's a tapered rectangular shape with a box foot and has zips all the way round, so can be opened out when it gets too hot.
One thing I wish I had done when I bought my current bag was buy the next model up which had the same heat rating but a water repellant finish. It was an extra $100 though
Both of the bags in question are no longer for sale.
Water repellent does not mean you can sleep in the rain but a little bit of mist or condensation isnt going to ruin your night.
I would agree with Geeves. My winter-weight bag (Exped Woodpecker) is not water resistant and gets wet in a bivy bag or if the tent has a lot of condensation. If you have the choice, opt for some form of water repellent fabric.
Exped lite range doesnt have water repellent down, but has a fairly water repellent dwr finish on the shell fabric. Mine shrugs off condensation pretty well. But if condensation is trapped against it and put under pressure by another layer (eg bivvy bag) if theres enough condensation a bit will seep through.
Still have to be careful with it and minimise condensation as normal etc.
I read somewhere that taking a disposable nappy along and placing it in between the sleeping bag and the bivvy bag at the foot of the bag can help absorb condensation. I guess if the bag is slightly downhill, this would help. Not sure what one is meant to do with the now heavy nappy though!
Hey all,
Thanks for all your input and experiences.
I have just got back from Bivouac and we are sold on the exped lite 900.
Now just to wait for there sale :D
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| Forum | Gear talk |
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| Started by | Ka'ga |
| On | 15 July 2015 |
| Replies | 19 |
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