Sleeping bag recommendations

[Nick5a1]

Hi all,

I need to buy a sleeping bag for NZ in January (gets down to 0 degrees). I'm going to be using it in a 3 season tent (Exped Auriga). I'm a 27y.o 178cm tall male. Something that doesn't take up too much space when rolled up would be ideal too. Can anyone recommend a sleeping bag or brand to look at?

Thanks,
Nick

[John Sheridan]

Many people here seem to like this bag.

http://www.paddypallin.com.au/equipment ... g-bag.html

Hope this helps.

[JohnM]

A couple of quick questions:

How much are you prepared to spend?

How important is weight and stuffed size to you?

What else are you going to use the bag for?

The reason I ask is that if you have a decent budget, you can get all 3 (warmth, lightweight, small compressed size) but bags that pull that off are relatively expensive.

Personally I think Western Mountaineering currently make the best bags for the $$ when it comes to warmth for a given weight/compressed size. I'm happy to pay that premium, but you may not be.

The WM Summerlite linked above is a great bag. It's rated to zero and I had it down to -2 a little while ago (in a 4-season tent with Exped Synmat underneath me) and it kept me warm, no problem.

So it'd probably be fine for NZ (although terrible weather can occur there with zero notice, and if that happened you'd be wishing for something warmer) and if the rest of your hiking is 3-season stuff, it'd probably be a great bag for you.

BUT, if you want a bag to also get you through a winter in the Australian Alps or Tassie, or if you're a cold sleeper, then you'd want to go to something even warmer.

A good bag will last you 10 years + so IMO, it pays to buy once and buy well.

General tip: avoid Kathmandu like the plague.

[under10kg]

If you want to go light I was looking at ZPacks 900 Fill Power Down Sleeping Bags. Super light and 900 fill down.
If I wanted to go to a lighter bag I think I would go for this bag.

[Mountain Rocket]

^ The ZPacks bags are so (incredibly) light mostly because they scrimp on a hood. For me that crosses them off :/
If you are cold (read NZ) a hood will/can make a big difference.

[SteveJ]

I have a WM Summerlite and it serves me well on the far south coast of NSW year round (down to -1 or-2) I have added 4 velcro tabs to the top of the bag that I use to attach my Fairydown jacket (with matching velcro tabs) to the top of my sleeping bag as a booster for sub zero (have used it to -3 in comfort) . You can getone for $300 on line so they are pretty good value - warm light and small.

Steve

[ignavus davus]

Have look at the macpac range, with 50% off until Christmas (I think) they are good value for great quality bags. I recently (and somewhat reluctantly, but need to drop pack weight to save my knees) purchased a lightweight macpac bag (express 400; a bit over $300) and love it. I have always disliked mummy bags because of some very restrictive bags I tried years ago, but this bag gives me room to move (I'm a restless sleeper) and is too warm for almost all of my walking. In winter I'll be able to wear a jacket and trousers to increase the warmth. Weight is 776g on my scales, which is light. Don't know how small it packs as I only loosely pack bags in my pack the stuff other things on top. I am 170cm with wide shoulders. I've tried a WM bag but found it too restrictive, as I think most of a stockier build would, although the megalite looks like it has more room and they do look like good bags.

Dave.

[JohnM]

I have a WM Summerlite and it serves me well on the far south coast of NSW year round (down to -1 or-2) I have added 4 velcro tabs to the top of the bag that I use to attach my Fairydown jacket (with matching velcro tabs) to the top of my sleeping bag as a booster for sub zero (have used it to -3 in comfort) . You can getone for $300 on line so they are pretty good value - warm light and small.

Steve

$360 from Paddy Pallin these days, no postage to pay. Pretty good local pricing IMO.

[blacksheep]

Have look at the macpac range, with 50% off until Christmas (I think) they are good value for great quality bags. I recently (and somewhat reluctantly, but need to drop pack weight to save my knees) purchased a lightweight macpac bag (express 400; a bit over $300) and love it. I have always disliked mummy bags because of some very restrictive bags I tried years ago, but this bag gives me room to move (I'm a restless sleeper) and is too warm for almost all of my walking. In winter I'll be able to wear a jacket and trousers to increase the warmth. Weight is 776g on my scales, which is light. Don't know how small it packs as I only loosely pack bags in my pack the stuff other things on top. I am 170cm with wide shoulders. I've tried a WM bag but found it too restrictive, as I think most of a stockier build would, although the megalite looks like it has more room and they do look like good bags.

Dave.

What he said.

I just ask that you compare...these are a great bag, the sale pricing is nuts but i simply wanted to get more people using them..compare features

[oyster_07]

I agree on the Western Mountaineering (WM) recommendation. I find them to be top value in terms of both warmth-for-dollar and also warmth-for-weight.

Depending on how warm you sleep, look at either the Summerlite or Ultralite, maybe even the Highlite if you sleep warm or use a warm liner.

[Mountain Rocket]

I have a WM Summerlite and it serves me well on the far south coast of NSW year round (down to -1 or-2) [...]

Hey Steve, (sorry for the OT everyone else) where about on the South Coast are you? I grew up in Bega (or there abouts)!

As far as WM bags go (and to be more on topic), I have not read a bad thing about them.
They look like a perfect 3 season bag to me (the Summerlite), but perhaps lacking on their own for frosty NZ. Food for thought?

[Ent]

Hi

Being taller than average I tend to go for the WM bags. The Megalite is a great bag and rapidly becoming my favourite for weight to warmth trade-off. I like the idea with WM that you can get a range of lengths in a style and more styles than you can poke a stick at. I find One Planet and WM bags as good indication of weight to performance and if another brand looks rather warm for its weight this generally indicates something might not be on the level.

Anyway, with three WM bags I am a fan of the brand. If I was shorter then One Planet ones are worth a look. As for some of the brands available on line they area a mixed lot. Many happy people paying rather a small amount of money but then again more than a few unhappy users.

Cheers Brett

[John Sheridan]

I just bought a Western Mountaineering Highlite Sleeping Bag, LONG, the long version has a little bit more room on the hips and chest, and of course length 6,6.

My gear is coming together, got my Pack Bag,cookset,stove, and now my sleeping bag, all I need is a tent now and I will make that with some thermal blankets a small mossie net, should be like 600 grams for the tarp tent

I hope the Highlite has enough room I have read it's snug for some people, I am not that huge, so I hope it's OK. and for 485 grams you can't go wrong with the weight at least

Cheers.

[icemancometh]

^ The ZPacks bags are so (incredibly) light mostly because they scrimp on a hood. For me that crosses them off :/
If you are cold (read NZ) a hood will/can make a big difference.

So it's a hoodless bag/quilt, it's still the way to go except maybe in extreme cold which 0C hardly is. That's barely cold.

If you look at the history of elephant's foot bags and half bags and quilt users who can push their gear into colder conditions, and the fact you'd carry a jacket, and warm hat of some sort I wouldn't bother buying a hooded version esp because in Australia you'll probably never use the hood.

And yes the Z pack bags do look interesting. That or the Nunatak quilts would be my pick for a new UL setup

[John Sheridan]

I just got my Wm Hilight and I am loving it, It's so soft and bouny I can't stop hugging it, it even works as a sleeping bag as well

Cheers.

[wayno]

exped
lite 500, having said that mines always been too warm in summer in summer down south in nz, i've also got an ultralite 300 i'm about to start using.
I"d try and avoid too narrow a narrow mummy shape for a summer bag. it's not likely to be cold enough for you to need one...
theres a list of dealers for aus and nz on their site

http://www.exped.com/exped/web/exped_ho ... enframeset

i decided i liked exped for warmer conditions, their warmer weather down bags still use high loft down so pack down small and are light.

[John Sheridan]

Whats wrong with a Zpacks sleeping bag because it has no hood, why can't you just put a down beany on and wool balaclava over the top of that if you need it, or am i saying stoooped things !!!!!!

Cheers.

[wayno]

Whats wrong with a Zpacks sleeping bag because it has no hood, why can't you just put a down beany on and wool balaclava over the top of that if you need it, or am i saying stoooped things !!!!!!

Cheers.

hoods are easier, no trouble finding htem in the middle of the night if you get cold.... they dont add that much to teh wieght of a bag... plus they are warmer, sealing more heat in from the neck as well

[rogo]

i was in Paddys yesterday in Perth and overheard the sales lady say that Western Mountaineering is no longer exporting to Australia. They had assorted gear on special to quit the stock. Maybe a good time to see what the local shop has in WM.