UKC

I'm looking to upgrade my Rab Quantum 600 sleeping bag to something with less warmth and weight, and a bit more moisture protection. Does anyone here have experiences with the water-resistant down and how it handles moisture compared to Pertex Endurance style outer shells? I am currently looking at the new Rab Neutrino Endurance, which features both Pertex Endurance and hydrophobic down, although alternative options featuring only one or the other are more affordable. I will be using the bag for 3+ season tent camping and 2-season tarp camping and alpine open bivies.

I am also open to other suggestions!

Thanks

In reply to timmeehhhh:

Mountain Hardware do a range of waterproof bags. I have a Spectre and Ghost, the Ghost will be too warm/big for you, but the Spectre might fit the bill.

In reply to timmeehhhh:

Cotswolds' Rock Bottom shop were selling a a Mammut bag for £199 with a shell outer. I've had mine under a tarp at 5 deg C and was fine: suspect it'll go cooler without any problems.

In reply to timmeehhhh:

I've sometimes wondered about a vapour barrier and and a bivi bag/sleeping bag cover as a way of stopping down from getting damp.

In reply to timmeehhhh:

The main risk is being slightly clammy, it seems.

http://www.phdesigns.co.uk/vapour-barrier-liners-vbl

You could ask PHD about how good my suggestion is I guess...think I might do now I've thought of it.

In reply to timmeehhhh:
Thanks for the tips,

My experience with bivy bags (Alpkit Hunka) is that they compress the down (especially in my summer bag) and are very prone to condensation... So to avoid having to use one in all but prolonged rain, and at the same time save some weight in my pack, I was thinking of the water resistant down bags that some brands make these days. Go Outdoors made a nice video on this, and I get the impression that it is what I'm looking for, as opposed to a fully waterproof outer shell (which would probably be too clammy for summer tent camping). The aim is not to use it in prolonged rain during open bivies, but more to be able to pack a slightly damp bag away during an alpine start, without having to worry about the performance being ruined (I have seen this happen to a mate once). I carry a 100 gram non-breathable survivalbag in my first aid kit, which could then probably suffice as a bivybag during an unexpected rain spell.

In reply to timmeehhhh:

Can't say I've ever had condensation in my alpkit bivi bag, are you breathing into it or sweating loads? if the latter a lighter bag might stop that problem and if the former ... stop!

I'd be weary of using water resistant down instead of a bivi bag, most people I've spoke to seemed to think that it basically ended up getting wet and collapsing like regular down but dried out quicker, which is great but not really a reliable solution for a night in the mountains when you might need the insulation to keep you safe. I watched the gooutdoors vid and the bloke prodding the down into the water seemed to come to the same conclusion. The test at the end with the jackets seemed abit suspect to me, I basically get the same effect when using my old belay jacket vs my new one (both synthetic) because the water proof coating on the old one has worn off.

In reply to timmeehhhh:

Is this the sort of thing you want?

youtube.com/watch?v=sWfB0laaP28&

In reply to gammarus:

The prospect of using my sleeping bag as a raft for the descent is very enticing!