Kids Sleeping Bags

[Lizzy]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations for kids sleeping bags? I am after bags for a 4 & 6 year old... I am thinking down to about 0 degrees. Most I've found seem to be very heavy considering their smaller size...
Cheers
Liz

[Drifting]

They are heavy!

I bought my daughter a mountain designs Traveller- it was supposed to be good down to something below 0- NO WAY- she froze sleeping INSIDE a heated house on a pad.

I resorted to buying her a bag from the US- A North Face Blue Ridge- advertised to -7, and I reckon probably good to around 0 to -2 if the kid is wearing just poly undergarments in bed. It weighs around 1kg, which is terrible, but my daughter does love it.

IMHO avoid down. We hike with "dry nights" pants, but I still worry about leaking. With down, a wet sleeping bag could be dangerous.

[Lizzy]

Thanks Drifting. Not too worried about down- the 4 year old has never (touch wood) wet the bed since out of nappies (just over 2) and the 6 year old hasn't in a few years.... so if its lighter and not tooo $$$$ I would consider it. Will check out the Blue Ridge though.

[Drifting]

With stuff from the US, some of it can't be imported into Oz- it helps if you have a friend who can forward stuff to you.

Let us know what you find!

Boots have been a hassle too- we get ours from http://www.llbean.com, they are waterproof (Goretex) and very serviceable, but I've been less than 100% happy with the last set, and apparently Mountain Designs is selling kids boots now, so I might try some of those. The cost works out to be the same.

[Son of a Beach]

My wife bought 2 Kathmandu "Pipsqueaks" for our kids. They synthetic, and heavy for their size. I don't know what they're rated to, but I wouldn't trust them below 0°C. They're fine for our youngest who still sleeps in a polar-fleece sleepsuit anyhow, so the combination is quite warm. For the older child, we'd need to be careful to make sure she slept in thermals and polar fleece if using these bags on a cold night.

However, our kids are only very young, and we don't plan to take them camping on mountain tops, or in colder weather for a couple of years yet, so I think they're fine for now.

[Lizzy]

I don't plan on anything too dramatic yet either- though we will do camping in NSW in winter so will get immediate use. I am really looking at future use and figure if I get something decent now that we can make use of then in a few years time we might be able to manage some easier multi-day walks. I figure that a kids bag may last up till about 10 years of age or so- so that would be about 6 years and 4 years of use for my boys (+ hand-me-down if still in ok condition). No point getting a heavy bag now and wanting a lighter one in 2or 3 years time.
Have looked at these and they look llike they fit the criteria. Any experience? Only prob is theyy don't post to Aus....

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_deta ... 8553023698

[Ent]

Maybe just wondering out allow but would some women bags in down from a discount place be an idea? Some are 5'6" and even a few shorter and that should match all but the tallest ten year old with the ability to flog them off to other smaller statue people. Way to big for six year olds but the weight might actually be lighter and given it is a mass produced product the prices might be cheaper than a dedicated kids version. My understanding is synthetics are not so much heavy as more bulky so depends on the pack mule's carrying capacity.

Cheers Brett

[Drifting]

Actually Brett's got a good point there. My wife has a Mountain Hardwear Lamina 20 woman's bag, and it is absolutely to die for. I offered her a Mont down alternative, and she rejected it in favour of the Lamina. It's just over a kilo, fits a 5'6" person, and can be purchased from the US for about 1/2 of the price you get them for here.

[geoffmallo]

Our kids 4 & 6 use the Kathmandu pipsqueek. We've used then in winter NSW and Tassie successfully. They aren't very warm but with se fleece on they work alright. They don't pack very well into their stuff sacks.

We need another now for number 3 so I think I'll look at something lighter like a womans bag from the US.

[Area54]

I ended up buying adult bags to match our existing down bags. Reason being that we could join the bags together if the cold became an issue and huddle together. End up with more bag options to choose from as well for the adults.

[Hingrock]

Have looked at these and they look llike they fit the criteria. Any experience? Only prob is theyy don't post to Aus....

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_deta ... 8553023698

Our daughter has used the small version of this bag since she was about 2 (now 3.5). She absolutely loves it.
In early spring and late autumn she normally sleeps between the two adults in the tent and is usually trying to get out of the bag to cool down, even on the cold nights. Will probably be giving it a really good go in the snow this winter.
I'm pretty happy with the quality of the bag. We also use a lot of their other kids clothing as well. Everything stands up exceptionally well to the rigours of young children.

Flick me a PM if you want to know more.

Damo

[Lizzy]

Thanks Damo -sounds good- will have to see if a friend is still in Canada to get them for me- apparently they don't post these overseas...

[takitatahachi]

Down - is warmer the less you wear so if you get a lightweight bag for the kids they wont be warmer by adding clothes. Try it out yourself.
Synthetic - heavier but you can increase its warmth with clothes so buying a lighter cooler bag means it would be more versatile. Then bulk up with thermals and a beanie. Also Sea to Summit have a thermal reactor sleeping bag liner (liners are always a good idea as washing bags is expensive) but this increases the warmth of the bag by 8C on the box but I think 5C is more accurate.
Also what you sleep on can make a really big difference - all sleeping mats have ratings. One of the best is the Exped Down Mat - you can put it on the ice and sleep in a sleeping bag no tent required its that warm. So maybe your bags might be alright with a better mat and a insulating liner.