UKC

Hello

I'm looking for some advice because I want to shell out for a dicent sleep bag (have been suriving in rubish old ones and silk liners!).

Does anyone have advice on sleeping bags for someone who does Scottish winter, Lakes/Whales trips and hopes to go to the alps? I occasionally bivy too!

It's just I'm drawn to wanting a down sleeping bag and I immediately think of Rab and an Endurance one. I've looked at Alpkit but I'm worried the wet resistance isn't enough. Then again should I just go for synthetic if I'm bivying occassionally?

thanks for any advice!

In reply to Ardernhb: If you want wet resistance nothing beats a crux torpedo, eVent and waterproof zip though they are a little heavier and cost quite a bit. Mountain hard wear Phantom 15 is light but pretty expensive and not water resistant. Rab quantum endurance series are as you know water resistant but are heavier than equivalent mountain hard wear one.

I would honestly not bother with a synthetic one unless the only thing you were doing was bivying in wet climate with it.

In reply to Ardernhb:

They're expensive, but I firmly believe in PHD kit:
http://www.phdesigns.co.uk/sleepingbags.php?cat=26

Especially the Minim 400 with a Drishell outer (and inner if you feel the need - ask and they'll oblige for a little extra). See http://www.phdesigns.co.uk/techfab.php; this is a water resistant material which really helps in damp conditions (not seam sealed though), and when used with a bivi bag I've stayed dry on all my bivis, including snow graves in a blizzard.

I also use a Marmot Wave when weight isn't an issue. Nice synthetic bag, pretty much bomb proof but a touch too heavy for humping up big hills. Managed to get it cheap in Rock Bottom, Betwys

In reply to Ardernhb: I use a Mountain Equipment classic dragon 750 down bag which is fine, but a bit on the bulky side. Two great bags for Scottish winter are Marmot Helium and Rab Q600. Not cheap, but about the best warmth for weight you'll get.

Sorry, can't comment on PHD or Alpkit

In reply to Ardernhb:

Sorry I misled you in my last post. That should read PHD minimus not minimi.

In reply to Jamie Hageman:

Sorry - can't agree there (spot the gear nerd...

Marmot: 950g, -9 comfort
Rab: 1100g, -15 comfort
PHD: 890g, -15 comfort
ok, so that's the Hispar 500, but I'm comparing like for like here. Also look at the Hispar 400: 770g, -9. PHD Use 900 fillpower down, not the measly 800 most manufaturers use (or even the 700 the cheapy people use).

As I said, I'm a gear nerd (If I was a good climber I'd liken myself to Andy Kirkpatrick...). Please notice I didn't compare on price, and there's a *very* good reason for this!
I plan on buying myself a Hispar 1000 for greater ranges trips, but will have to save up, as -46 at under 1.5kg costs a bloomin' fortune!

In reply to Andy Mott: Wow! Just had a look at the PHD website - the Hispar range is incedible warmth for weight! Have you used one? I'm sold. Thanks!

In reply to Jamie Hageman:

For some reason my first post didn't register. But yes they are brilliant bags. I've used my minimus down to zero several times and always felt warm as toast. It is very lieght and compresses into a very small roll - ideal for back packing. Excellent quality and they will make them to order for you if you ring them - great for tall people.

In reply to Jamie Hageman:

Lol, you're welcome. I haven't used the Hispar, but have a Minim 600 with drishell inner and outer, and had a Minimus which I later sold as I never really used it. I also had the Minimus jacket (also sold), and use the Zeta belay jacket and the bivi bag. Every piece of their gear has been absolutely top notch, and that's why I'll be buying a Hispar. I never bother looking anywhere else for insulation these days.

Not wishing to empty your bank, but have you seen the Hispar jacket?

In reply to Ardernhb: Ive got an Alpkit Alpine Dream (700 I think, not got it here to check). Ive slept comfortably with no clothes down to -9C on The Ben. For the price its really superb. Its been used now for almost 4 years (a couple of 3-week trips, 5 or 6 1-week trips and lots of weekends) and still going strong.
It is not at all water resistant in any way. I have used it to bivvy in the alps and the UK 5-10 times, with a Rab bivvy bag (the cheap (£30-40) pertex one that is now made from something else, name escapes me). In a couple of light showers it has been fine (ie the bivvy bag kept the water out), and at cold temperatures at over 3000m with a high wind it has also been fine (seemingly warmer than my mates who had the same bivvy bags but other down bags, not sure what type). However, on one memorable occasion at 3300m on the Weismeis we got stormed on all night (rain, snow, sleet), and it was a total disaster - we were totally soaked and freezing (limitations of pertex bivvy bag).
Having said that, since the water all got through the pertex and then pooled inside the bivvy bag, I really doubt any water resistant sleeping bag could have kept it out anyway - you would have needed a sheet of plastic. I think unless youre not using any bivvy bag at all, having a water resistant sleeping bag is probably a bit pointless. The only benefit I can see would be you wouldnt need a bivvy bag with it in a light shower...but then you might stuggle to properly cover your face?
As an end-note the Alpkit one did dry out ok in the end by the way, although there is one small patch of it which I think has never been quite the same.