fragrant sleeping bags

simon barefoot said:
For that money you could have had the cast of the advent calendar to warm your cockles
Click to expand...

He needs half a dozen of them to cover the massive heart-shaped revolving bed in the Swan's aft stateroom! When he's not whisked off to a luxury hotel by the production company's helicopter after a hard day's filming, that is :)

(If he'd really bought half a dozen at that price he'd have spent about twice the value of his car, so it seems unlikely :) )

(I know what Dylan's car is worth because I drive the exact same thing :D)

Pete
 
I confess to selling sleeping bags of various types mainly for mountaineering use but I have used them extensively over the years in all kinds of situations, here's my advice without getting too much into brand names

The secrets to a non smelly bag are simple :

1. use a liner and change it regularly
2. avoid spilling anything on it
3. avoid overheating which leads to exessive sweating
4. wear pj's or similar sleeping apparel
5. dont wear dirty clothes
6. ALWAYS turn the bag inside out after use and allow it to thoroughly air before re-rolling or storing for the day
7. never put it away damp
8. store it somewhere dry and well ventilated
9. launder it according to the instructions whenever practical

Down bags are best for lightweight and compressability but are awful if they get wet and take an age to dry, they are expensive and need specialist care to clean. These are still the first choice for expeditions in regular sub zero conditions but not ideal for boats where damp is a real and ever present factor.

Poly filled bags are heavier for the same warmth but much cheaper and can be machine washed and good quality ones will remain warm even if damp

Avoid cotton covered bags - they are cold and difficult to dry and will rot, usually only budget bags are made of this. Cotton liners are okay and easy to care for but silk is vastly nicer to sleep in.

Mummy bags are warmer than square bags as there's no large air pockets and take less space to store and weigh less. Wear them rather than fight to turn over in them like a bed and you'll find they are brilliant.

Things to look for when selecting a bag:

Good quality breathable water and wind resistant coverings with rip stop weave such as Pertex to protect the filling and reduce drafts & moisure penetrating while letting the bag breathe body moisture out

High quality high lofting fillings: 700+ goose down ( if you really must have down) or hollow man made fibers such as Primaloft which is 95% as good as down and has none of the potential allergy issues of down.

Quality zips with baffles to prevent cold spots along the zip. Zip pullers that glow in the dark are helpful.

Choose based on comfort temperature rating and your own preferences for warmth, most people sleep better when slightly cooler rather than overly hot so dont over specify, its easy to add a layer of clothing if you feel extra chilly.

Any bag, no matter how good, doesnt insulate much below you because the filling gets compressed by your body weight. If you are not on a mattress or cushion then a Thermarest or similar ground insulating layer is vital.

Many people can't sleep adequately without a pillow, bags dont include them so take or make something for your head to rest on too.
 
very good indeed

winsbury said:
I confess to selling sleeping bags of various types mainly for mountaineering use but I have used them extensively over the years in all kinds of situations, here's my advice without getting too much into brand names

The secrets to a non smelly bag are simple :

1. use a liner and change it regularly
2. avoid spilling anything on it
3. avoid overheating which leads to exessive sweating
4. wear pj's or similar sleeping apparel
5. dont wear dirty clothes
6. ALWAYS turn the bag inside out after use and allow it to thoroughly air before re-rolling or storing for the day
7. never put it away damp
8. store it somewhere dry and well ventilated
9. launder it according to the instructions whenever practical

Down bags are best for lightweight and compressability but are awful if they get wet and take an age to dry, they are expensive and need specialist care to clean. These are still the first choice for expeditions in regular sub zero conditions but not ideal for boats where damp is a real and ever present factor.

Poly filled bags are heavier for the same warmth but much cheaper and can be machine washed and good quality ones will remain warm even if damp

Avoid cotton covered bags - they are cold and difficult to dry and will rot, usually only budget bags are made of this. Cotton liners are okay and easy to care for but silk is vastly nicer to sleep in.

Mummy bags are warmer than square bags as there's no large air pockets and take less space to store and weigh less. Wear them rather than fight to turn over in them like a bed and you'll find they are brilliant.

Things to look for when selecting a bag:

Good quality breathable water and wind resistant coverings with rip stop weave such as Pertex to protect the filling and reduce drafts & moisure penetrating while letting the bag breathe body moisture out

High quality high lofting fillings: 700+ goose down ( if you really must have down) or hollow man made fibers such as Primaloft which is 95% as good as down and has none of the potential allergy issues of down.

Quality zips with baffles to prevent cold spots along the zip. Zip pullers that glow in the dark are helpful.

Choose based on comfort temperature rating and your own preferences for warmth, most people sleep better when slightly cooler rather than overly hot so dont over specify, its easy to add a layer of clothing if you feel extra chilly.

Any bag, no matter how good, doesnt insulate much below you because the filling gets compressed by your body weight. If you are not on a mattress or cushion then a Thermarest or similar ground insulating layer is vital.

Many people can't sleep adequately without a pillow, bags dont include them so take or make something for your head to rest on too.
Click to expand...



narrowing down here nicely

no mummy bag for me - can't hack it

no liner for me - soon become hideously disorganised in a fight to the death with my legs

I looked up primaloft filling

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_s...kw=primaloft+sleeping+bag&_arr=1&LH_AvailTo=3

which immediatly seems to lift the price to around £100

is there a good filling - easily washable - that is a few price points down the scale?

for instance could you point me to an argos bag that ticks the boxes

I am willing to go with two thinner ones that will actually survive the washing machine

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Browse/ID72/33015247/c_1/1|category_root|Sports+and+leisure|33006346/c_2/2|33006346|Camping+and+caravanning|33007546/c_3/3|cat_33007546|Sleeping+bags|33015247.htm?cmpid=GG05X&_$ja=kw:argos+sleeping+bag|cgn:Sleep+Bags+Generic|cgid:2067322245|tsid:13537|cn:Manual||Search||Brand+Generics||Sports+Clothing+and+Outdoor|cid:66623925|lid:12070388226|mt:Broad|nw:search|crid:20739717045



Dylan
 
Agree I could not use a mummy bag.... I need space.

I've tried liners .....ugh.


I have a couple of king sized 13.5 ToG bags. No room for me once one of those is stuffed down the quarter berth
( funny too because they dont zip all the way to the top)

Bought a 500 GSM bag from Argos, THIS ONE, I think, a couple of years ago. (made in China!)
Too warm in summer so still have to use one of the old cheapies we bought years ago from Gammages but I don't think it will
be warm enough for current conditions ! ... No intention of finding out either!
 
Dylan

Just buy one of these:

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/starlight-iv-p152177

It may not be the shape you like and may cost a bit more than you wanted to spend but:

* I've used it on my completely uninsulated boat all through last winter down to -10 with good clothing and around zero with just underpants and shirt and been snug.

* I don't know if they claim it is waterproof but certainly water from condensation, leaky windows just runs off the outside.

* I am too lazy to use the liner that Santa bought last year but so, (as the other person said), make a point of airing the bag well after use.

* I have machine washed it many times, admittedly with no spin cycle, with no ill effects.

* Synthetic not down so does dry in hours rather than weeks.

* Never noticed that it smelt.

Put it this way, it is so good that I am going to buy another one in January, (hoping for a few quid off in the sales), even though I'm poor and don't need a second one. It will be worth it to know I have a another when the first eventually wears out.
 
I too find the "mummy" bags too constricting. I have a big square basic polycotton bag for summer, indoors, or other people's boats (duvet on my own boat). But it's not warm enough for winter conditions, for which I have one of these. It's essentially a mummy bag, but the middle of it is made of stretchy elastic so you can move (hence the "sleepwalker" name). It also has extra space at the feet rather than binding them together.

I've used it in a snow-covered tent, and woke up with ice on the outside of the bag. This is a good sign as it shows very little heat was leaking out to melt it. I was wearing just a T-shirt inside the bag and was perfectly comfortable.

I rarely use it these days, but I'm glad I have it.

Cost me £79 in 2006.

Pete
 
prv said:
He needs half a dozen of them to cover the massive heart-shaped revolving bed in the Swan's aft stateroom! When he's not whisked off to a luxury hotel by the production company's helicopter after a hard day's filming, that is :)

(If he'd really bought half a dozen at that price he'd have spent about twice the value of his car, so it seems unlikely :) )

(I know what Dylan's car is worth because I drive the exact same thing :D)

Pete
Click to expand...

You guys is well loaded, that's twice the value of mine!!
 
I think it's pretty obvious what you need is a Musuc http://vimeo.com/38166909 :):)

20111123163902.jpg
 
Glayva said:
I have used the same sleeping bag for the last 6 years.
Click to expand...

Me to. Mine gets used daily on the boat (I'm sat on it now as it happens), has also been on many damp UK camping trips, and snow holing in both Nevis and Chamonix. It's a well used sleeping bag. Mountain Equipment. I can't remember what I paid for it, but I suspect it was about the £200 mark.

Given its service life, I think I got a bit of a bargain there.

Edit:

It's never been washed, but smells... well, not offensive.
 
I'm sure someone mentioned it already, but +1 for a decent closed cell foam Karrimat or Thermarest - they make a huge difference to retained heat when the temperature falls, and can 'upgrade' a cheap sleeping bag by a 'season'.

I use a lightweight 2 season Vango bag which I've owned for years and cost about £70. Admittedly, I've not done -5 degs on the boat, but in October I used that, a Karrimat and a cheap single duvet to good effect.
 
prv said:
I've used it in a snow-covered tent, and woke up with ice on the outside of the bag. This is a good sign as it shows very little heat was leaking out to melt it.

Pete
Click to expand...

I can beat that - I've slept in a tent in Antarctica, camped on a glacier. Admittedly only once, as a training exercise, but I've done it! With a modern sleeping bag, with a self-inflating mattress and insulating mat on a ground-sheet lying on the ice, the main problem was staying cool enough to sleep (I don't like being too hot at night)! An interesting point is that one of the main reasons for the insulation beneath the sleeping bag is to prevent the ice melting. The inside of the tent (a double-walled pyramid tent - an old design, but still the best for Antarctica) was a shirt-sleeve environment once the entrance was closed. I don't think the sleeping bag was anything very special, but we were required to use sheet sleeping bags to avoid the need for washing the main bag.
 
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