UKC

(not sure if this should be in "gear" but guessing that the folk here might be more knowlegeable...)

The kids are getting to the age when they're going on cub camps etc. (as well as the usual sleepovers), clearly they don't need some technical bag which is good down to -50, neither do I want to get something which is going to fall apart after one use. Also is it worth getting kids' bags at all or go straight to adult (not sure if that would be snug enough to keep them warm)? Suggestions welcome!

I got my first adult one aged 5.  It lasted me about 25 years (though relegated to a spare after about 10).  So yes, I'd go with an adult one, it'll last them well.

Definitely go synthetic, they always end up getting wet on camps when some muppet leaves the door open etc.

The mid-priced 3-4 season ones like Vango (indeed, my second one was a Vango; I'm a big fan of them as an "old style" decent-quality mid-range brand*) are the way to go, I'd say.  Not the cheapo rectangular supermarket rubbish that so many parents end up getting and result in very cold kids on winter camps!

* Same with tents - their mid-priced "green" range (ally poles) are really quite good for the money - they're no Hilleberg but if a kid asks me what to get I'd always say them.

Small kids sometimes get lost down the bottom of a full size bag so shorten them by tying a shoe lace around the bottom third...

Don't forget to get them decent mats. I'd wild camped for years but not recently until last Spring. Either ground temperatures have dropped or I've got soft in old age but my trusty old mat definitely wasn't up to the job.

I used to love going right down inside when it was cold!

Totally agree a mat makes a huge difference.  We didn't have them when I was a kid but then they were pretty new back then.  A kid won't care much for it being a bit softer but will care if they're cold.

I'd probably also note that decent polystyrene ones do provide good insulation, it doesn't have to be a Thermarest, there's a reasonable chance they'll forget to blow a Thermarest up.

We had some cheapo kid's sized ones for a few years but unless it was warm weather they always needed backing up with blankets or adult bags under/over. Fine for car camping but useless if you're carrying the gear any distance.

Our girls (10 and 12) now use light adult down bags. Yes they are too long, but not so it matters. We don't generally camp as a family when it's cold. The excess weight is fine since the bags are so light, and to date we've only done kid-sized backpacking weekends, so the stuff isn't being carried over multiple Munros or whatever. I'm in the lucky position of having lots of decent sleeping bags though - if I had to buy them especially for the kids then I would think twice about adult prices.

For smaller children it could be worth investing a bit (but considerably less) in something more appropriately sized. I've not seen many decent child-sized bags. Deuter would be worth looking at.

Great, thanks all - Vango look to have some good options, will likely go with them

Funnily enough, I've just spent the weekend camping with the Cubs at a trampoline park! Range of bags kids were in was vast!

My kids started out with Mountain Warehouse Apex Mini - will take them up to about age 8, depending on height. Not the warmest, but you can balance that with warmer PJs. Eldest now in a Vango Stratos 250 women's version, fished out of a bargain bin.

If you go for an adult bag, you can always tie the end off a bit to stop them slipping down into it and reduce the amount of bag they need to warm up.

Bear in mind that there's a good chance they'll get mucky/drinks spilled on them, so definitely go synthetic. Dread to think how much popcorn went home in them yesterday.

At the moment, a good starting point would be to look in Millets/Blacks sale at the Eurohike Adventurer bags as a budget option or Vango Sennan 250/Berghaus Transition 200 bags if you're going to use them a lot.

WRT Cub camp - worth considering getting them an over-sized stuff sack, so they can pack them themselves. I've got sore wrists from packing multiple sleeping bags on yesterday morning

Get the softest/thickest foam mat you can - ideally store it unrolled, so it won't spend all it's time trying to roll back up again. Kids are not heavy, so these should be fine.

Had the Cubs turn up at the weekend with an air bed and a load of self-inflating mats, no idea how to use them and they're not heavy enough to deflate/pack them. Leaders have enough to do without packing these up. Plus one pop and they're gone.

I would let them use yours and buy yourself a new one - that's what I did

Its worth having a quick lesson to stuff them properly as they can struggle to get it all in:

1. Ideally sit on a seat, both feet on the floor
2. Stuff a few handfuls into the bag
3. place the bag between the feet holding the top with one hand
4. grab and stuff downward towards the floor with the other, holding the bag stable with the feet.
5. Once competent at this try again in a kneeling position, bag between knees (useful when in a tent).

When they get to scout age, and assuming your scout group does expeditions/ DofE (they'll be there faster than you think), you need to consider a waterproof outer for the bag.

I tel my scouts not to use inflatable mats - when they're sleeping in bivouacs / survival shelters inflatable mats don't mix with twigs and thorns. Plus inflatables offer no packability advantages if they're cheap, and are far more expensive if they do.

To the OP - I always tell my scouts to go with Vango - decent enough to last / work well without being expensive. Snugpak would be the other sleeping bag brand I'd recommend for similar reasons.  Kids bags - useful for saving bulk/weight if you need to do that for carrying reasons, otherwise probably not worth the expense. We have secondhand Deuter kids bags for our two, but they're younger than yours and we'll get the use out of them.

Depends on height of the kids, but there aren't any cubs who are tall enough to need an adult bag that I've met. You might find sleeping bags aimed at kids are cheaper too (if you can find them other than 1 season indoors sleepover ones).

Not sure about how it works these days and how it varies between groups but the cubs my kids were in were quite adventurous, however... in Winter conditions they slept either indoors in a scout hut or semi-indoors like wooden-hut dorms at a scout campsite. As a result they were able to use 2/3 season sleeping bags all year.

It depends a bit on the group... so best people to ask would be the cubs leaders

Indeed - I didn't send the kit list out (I'm fairly new to this group), but will make sure it's amended next time.

Problem is that they're often turning up with kit the parents have bought for family camping and I know there are several keen families in the pack.

I still have an old foam mat kicking around the garage, but it's been rolled up for so long, it may never unroll again :-D

We got our daughter a decathlon bag 

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/_/R-p-335216?mc=8655395

Which seemed a really good compromise of warmth weight, size and price.  Variable length works well too.

Cheers,

Stu

I always tell my scouts to go with Vango 

We've found that Vango quality seems to have gone down since their buyout in 2014. Decathlon & Go Outdoors are popular with our scouts these days..........