UKC

Reading about the Sea to Summit Micro* bag I was quite intrigued by its drawstring base (see links below for details). It seems like a really good solution to making a very insulated bag more flexible for use in warmer conditions. I'm generally a pretty warm sleeper and hate overheating but would like to be able to use a single bag for a wide range of temperatures. I like the idea of being able to open up the base to a varying extent and also being able to completely unzip the bag and use it as a duvet in the warmest conditions.

However, at £360, the MCIII is a bit pricey. Does anyone know of any similar solutions from any other companies at a more wallet-friendly price point?

Any other opinions on the Micro bags?
Should I just keep it simple and get a Rab with a full-length zip for more conventional venting?
Any other good tips on sleeping bags? I've been getting by with a very old, very cheap and very worn out synthetic and I'm after a flexible, 3-ish-season down bag. Minimal packed size and weight is obviously desirable but it doesn't have to be super-lightweight, I'd rather have something that's going to be durable than the absolute lightest.

*http://gearjunkie.com/sea-to-summit-sleeping-bags
http://www.seatosummit.com/sleepingbags/micro.php

In reply to Luke90:

Hi Luke

A lot of zip sleeping bags can be zipped open from the bottom as well as the top, so this should provide the same job as the drawstring I think?

Down has a much bigger temperature comfort range than synthetic, so you will get increased flexibility when you upgrade anyway.

I have a Mountain Equipment Dreamcatcher 500 and have found it to be very versatile (I get claustrophobic a bit and it has stretchy leg panels, otherwise I would get a mummy bag). It can be a bit warm in the height of summer, so I tend to sleep with the bag zipped largely open, but alternatively I have slept out camping in deep snow and been warm enough with clothing on as well(barely I should add), which definately puts it into the 3 and maybee a bit season for myself. My wife has a Mountain Equipment Helium 400, which pretty much does the same job as well as mine, but is smaller and lighter due to being a mummy.

A word of caution on compression. Don't go mad, the more you compress the bag (especially down) the more you snap the fibres/feathers and reduce its warming ability.

Good luck shopping.

Craig.

In reply to Luke90:

it sounds like a bunch of crap.

On his web site Ray Jardine has a load of stuff about duvets that might be worth reading, but it boils down to if you're hot unzip the thing, no shit sherlock.

The idea of one thing that does everything is pretty flawed, it's just a waste of weight and space. Of course you could use a 'sleep system' of two bags, one inside the other, or possibly a star trek style space blanket that keeps you 'just right' all the time no matter what the ambient temperature, or ideally a heated bag that adjusts to different temperatures but doesn't mean you have bulk or weight issues. Perhaps some form of condensing heat exchanger that you connect to your piss bottle that circulates piss round your bag while you sleep.

In reply to Pritchard:
Yeah, although serious sleeping bags don't seem to come with zips longer than 3/4 length which cuts down the options a bit. Good point though and it's certainly something I do with my current bag.

I didn't know that and it certainly helps make my decision easier.

Thanks for your advice.

In reply to winhill:
Well some of it does, certainly. The overuse of the word nano seems a bit unnecessary but the drawstring opening seems like a logical method of venting to me.

True, but a 3/4 zip with the toebox still toebox-shaped isn't going to open out as conveniently as an open-end with a full-length zip.

I'm not looking for a magical solution that does "everything", just seeing whether anybody has any suggestions for options which cover as wide a range of temperatures as possible. If nothing else the Micro bags are pretty small and light so I wouldn't really be sacrificing weight and pack size very significantly.

In reply to Luke90: I've got a thin snugpak [Merlin?] for summer/autumn, fits inside/on top of more full-on down bag if v cold. Not small when both are together, but works for me.
If I could justify shelling out cash, i'd go for a down one with a full zip, stick my feet out the end & arms out the top.

PhD any good? have heard they're expensive, but very good & 'bespoke'

In reply to thin bob:
Thanks for the input.

PhD certainly do have a stonking reputation. Having said that, I'm now swinging very much towards the other end of the price spectrum and considering an Alpkit Skyehigh 600. It's not the lightest, smallest or fanciest but since I've never owned a down bag before it seems like it would be foolish to spend loads of money and potentially find that I've gone for a completely unsuitable fill weight and am too hot or too cold.

Any thoughts on the Alpkit option anyone? I've always been impressed by their other kit. Are the skyehigh bags as good a budget starter option as they seem?