UKC

Heading to chamonix in late September to try and do some ice couloirs however would also like to bivi while I'm out there to save money on huts and for the experience of doing so.

I have the old Rab Summut 250 down bag but I think this may be a little nippy so I'll need another bag. However this is where I'm undecided, I want to use it in the alps in winter (I don't mind wearing all my clothes for a night, probably not the darkest time around dec/jan but more feb, march, october months) as well as UK autumn, spring and winter.

I've narrowed it down to the ME Xero 550 and Lightline SL. The lightline has a higher rating by around 4/5 degrees (100g of extra down) with a drilite shell while the Xero is super light. What are peoples thoughts on this? As the Lightline seems ideal but it is heavier and I'd be rather warm during spring and autmun nights in the UK.

In reply to joe.91: You've pretty-much summed it up yourself. I had to make the exact same decision a couple of months ago, with the same end-use in mind, and it took me a while (and I had a bit of inside knowledge as well).

Consider what you will use the bag for over the next ten to fifteen years, as the bag will last that long. If it's mostly stuff where you will carry it, then get the Xero. If it's mostly stuff where you'll use a car, then get the Lightline. I went for the Xero and it's not quite as sexy as the Lightline, which is a serious rolls-royce sleeping bag, but it is impressively warm, light and comfortable. Essentially, though, either would be completely fine for Alpine bivvies.

In reply to joe.91:.


Most huts will not have a hut-keeper at the end of September. You can use the parts that are permanently open. Most huts will have blankets and some will have a wood stove with fuel. There will be an 'honesty-box' for hut-fees. If you're hard-up, just leave 'a donation' !A sheet sleeping-bag will keep the bugs at bay !

In reply to joe.91:

I had been happily using an original Rab Summit 300 bag for this when weight counts and more recently the PHD Minimus. I was surprised how comfortably warm we were bivvying last summer in the PHD bag which weighs less than 470 grams, yet felt as warm or warmer than the Rab 300 which weighed around 7-800 grams. I thought Rab's comfort ratings were very conservative but PHD's seem even more so - well impressed!

See https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=275765459190675&set=a.275755015... and https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=283226971777857&set=a.275755015...