SLEEPING BAGS

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Mark McLauchlin on March 29, 2010 at 7:50pm

Hi Karen,

First of all, if you place is looking like a camping store then we are good friends :)

Ok if you really want to go small and light, you need to be looking at Down bags as opposed to synthetic. A synthetic bag will never be as light or compact as a down fill bag, anyone will tell you.

There are quite a few to look at and think about. For starters I no longer use a bag and have moved to a quilt, yes a quilt. THey are just as warm, if not more so than a traditional bag, they are a lot lighter and compact too. Check out www.golite.com as a starter, there are many out there. I have the ultra 20, which weighs 540g.

If you decide a bag is the way to do I would be looking at either the western mountaineering range of bags, sold at Paddy Pallin, they are rated as one of the best, but will cost you a heap.

I have a mountain designs, travelite down fill bag which does the job too, still quite small and light, weight is about 1200g, so you can see the difference in weight.

You could also try an MYOG quilt, which I have done, from www.thru-hiker.com if you are able to sew this is a great way to get into a quilt.

So my preferences in the order;

golite quilt
thru-hiker quilt
Western Mountaineering
MD Travelite 500

If you want any more info etc drop me a note

Cheers
Mark

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Karen Dowling on March 29, 2010 at 8:10pm

Thanks Mark,
Ha ha, my husbands says to me our spare room looks like a ranger store, bad hey, I cant help myself I always find something better and lighter....so Quilt hey, I have seen them, I just worry about the warmth of that, doesn't the cold air get in or under it, I know when I put my arm outside the sleeping bag I freeze. I think I will stick with bag for now although the weight side might sway me, I will have to go look. Down is where I was going to head this time too..Okay off to the city for some bag testing...thanks a lot for your help. I will go to those sites as well.
Good on you
Cheers
Karen

Mark McLauchlin said:

Hi Karen,

First of all, if you place is looking like a camping store then we are good friends :)

Ok if you really want to go small and light, you need to be looking at Down bags as opposed to synthetic. A synthetic bag will never be as light or compact as a down fill bag, anyone will tell you.

There are quite a few to look at and think about. For starters I no longer use a bag and have moved to a quilt, yes a quilt. THey are just as warm, if not more so than a traditional bag, they are a lot lighter and compact too. Check out www.golite.com as a starter, there are many out there. I have the ultra 20, which weighs 540g.

If you decide a bag is the way to do I would be looking at either the western mountaineering range of bags, sold at Paddy Pallin, they are rated as one of the best, but will cost you a heap.

I have a mountain designs, travelite down fill bag which does the job too, still quite small and light, weight is about 1200g, so you can see the difference in weight.

You could also try an MYOG quilt, which I have done, from www.thru-hiker.com if you are able to sew this is a great way to get into a quilt.

So my preferences in the order;

golite quilt
thru-hiker quilt
Western Mountaineering
MD Travelite 500

If you want any more info etc drop me a note

Cheers
Mark

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mark McLauchlin on March 29, 2010 at 8:41pm

No problems, if you are set on a bag then definately check out Western Mountaineering,

If you want to look at a quilt happy to meet you in town to check out mine.

As for cold, well I havent experienced it, they have a strap setup that goes under your mat so it keeps it all nice and tight.

Cheers
Mark

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Karen Dowling on March 30, 2010 at 7:47am

Hi Mark, when you say you havent experienced the cold yet, does that mean you havent been out there when its been cold? I have read a lot about Quilts, good and bad.. I can see by the photo's what they look like, its the fact your not all enclosed worries me. You know what I think I will stick with Sleeping bag and definitely give Western mountineering a look for sure. I hope to get into the city again after easter. Hey, I was just going over your gear "list" very impressive, will surely study that a bit more and see where I can cut back. I carried for the Cape to Cape including a tent about 18kilo's that's a weeks food also and water some days would bring me to 20K's. Tough going on the poor feet thats for sure.
your a great help
so thanks


Mark McLauchlin said:

No problems, if you are set on a bag then definately check out Western Mountaineering,

If you want to look at a quilt happy to meet you in town to check out mine.

As for cold, well I havent experienced it, they have a strap setup that goes under your mat so it keeps it all nice and tight.

Cheers
Mark

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mark McLauchlin on March 30, 2010 at 8:04am

Hi Karen,

When I say that I havent experienced the cold, I mean that I havent been cold in a quilt. But each person is different, the fitter you are the warmer your body can say i.e produces heat more easily. If you eat later in the evening this also helps, your body is expending energy digesting food and this creates heat. You motabalism also plays a part, lots to consider.

Have a think about when you are in a sleeping bag, you have a layer of insulation (down or synthetic) below you, the part you are lying on. That part almost does nothing for you as it is compressed, warmth in a bag is created when there is loft, it creates a cavity/layer between yourself and the bag, its this layer that gives the warmth, also warmth is created within the fibres themself. So when you decrease the loft to nothing by lying on the bag...guess what, no or a reduced amount of warmth.

The above reason, coupled with a reduction in weight and a compact size is why I choose to use a quilt. But each to his own, you do what you are comfortable with.

I would definately look at the WM bags at Paddy Pallin.

My list, well thats taken me about 3 years to get to that weight, I can hit the trail now with under 6 kg for one night, when I walked for 3 nights early in the year it was 6.4 kg which is about as heavy as I would want to go.

The difference is weight is in the big 3, sleeping, shelter and your pack, if you can master getting them nice and low thats a good place to be.

Cheers
Mark

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Karen Dowling on March 30, 2010 at 8:15am

Okay, now I also have a therm a rest neoAir so what do you put over that, when your using a quilt, cause thats crappy to lie on? My pack is a Dueter 60+10. Tent is something I dont always take 2 man weights about 1.6, sleeping bag or quilt ??? you got me thinking , can I look at Quilts anywhere here or do you have to send away. I would be interested in checking them out now.
Karen

Mark McLauchlin said:

Hi Karen,

When I say that I havent experienced the cold, I mean that I havent been cold in a quilt. But each person is different, the fitter you are the warmer your body can say i.e produces heat more easily. If you eat later in the evening this also helps, your body is expending energy digesting food and this creates heat. You motabalism also plays a part, lots to consider.

Have a think about when you are in a sleeping bag, you have a layer of insulation (down or synthetic) below you, the part you are lying on. That part almost does nothing for you as it is compressed, warmth in a bag is created when there is loft, it creates a cavity/layer between yourself and the bag, its this layer that gives the warmth, also warmth is created within the fibres themself. So when you decrease the loft to nothing by lying on the bag...guess what, no or a reduced amount of warmth.

The above reason, coupled with a reduction in weight and a compact size is why I choose to use a quilt. But each to his own, you do what you are comfortable with.

I would definately look at the WM bags at Paddy Pallin.

My list, well thats taken me about 3 years to get to that weight, I can hit the trail now with under 6 kg for one night, when I walked for 3 nights early in the year it was 6.4 kg which is about as heavy as I would want to go.

The difference is weight is in the big 3, sleeping, shelter and your pack, if you can master getting them nice and low thats a good place to be.

Cheers
Mark

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Karen Dowling on March 30, 2010 at 8:22am

Hey Mark, that pillow you got from the US I want to order one I have seen the site and they do Paypal what was the postage? It doesnt tell me, the pillow was about $31US.
Ta

Mark McLauchlin said:

Hi Karen,

First of all, if you place is looking like a camping store then we are good friends :)

Ok if you really want to go small and light, you need to be looking at Down bags as opposed to synthetic. A synthetic bag will never be as light or compact as a down fill bag, anyone will tell you.

There are quite a few to look at and think about. For starters I no longer use a bag and have moved to a quilt, yes a quilt. THey are just as warm, if not more so than a traditional bag, they are a lot lighter and compact too. Check out www.golite.com as a starter, there are many out there. I have the ultra 20, which weighs 540g.

If you decide a bag is the way to do I would be looking at either the western mountaineering range of bags, sold at Paddy Pallin, they are rated as one of the best, but will cost you a heap.

I have a mountain designs, travelite down fill bag which does the job too, still quite small and light, weight is about 1200g, so you can see the difference in weight.

You could also try an MYOG quilt, which I have done, from www.thru-hiker.com if you are able to sew this is a great way to get into a quilt.

So my preferences in the order;

golite quilt
thru-hiker quilt
Western Mountaineering
MD Travelite 500

If you want any more info etc drop me a note

Cheers
Mark

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mark McLauchlin on March 30, 2010 at 8:27am

Hi, I use a NeoAir too and sleep directly on that, I don't have any issues with that at all, works quite well really.

That pack must weight at least 2.5 - 3 kg itself right? mine is 279g.

Quilts, well I doubt there is anywhere in Perth you will be able to look at them, just picture a sleeping bag opened up all the way with the exception of a small portion at the bottom which is where your foot/feet go.

Best place to go if you want to get one and try it would be to buy from the US directly, cheaper, just google golite quilt, there are lots of cottage manufacturers out there, so can also get them custom made to suit you and its no more expensive, or try it yourself, I did.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Karen Dowling on March 30, 2010 at 8:38am

Okay I think I am sold on the quilt I have read a lot more about the Golite ultra 20 quilt now where can I get one??
Karen

Mark McLauchlin said:

No problems, if you are set on a bag then definately check out Western Mountaineering,

If you want to look at a quilt happy to meet you in town to check out mine.

As for cold, well I havent experienced it, they have a strap setup that goes under your mat so it keeps it all nice and tight.

Cheers
Mark

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mark McLauchlin on March 30, 2010 at 8:52am

Hi,

My Kooka Bay came from a friend on the east coast who ordered a couple, so postage was only a few dollars.

I suspect it will not be much as they fit into a normal envelope, email them, they should be able to give you a figure.

It is a nice pillow.

Cheers

Karen Dowling said:

Hey Mark, that pillow you got from the US I want to order one I have seen the site and they do Paypal what was the postage? It doesnt tell me, the pillow was about $31US.
Ta

Mark McLauchlin said:

Hi Karen,

First of all, if you place is looking like a camping store then we are good friends :)

Ok if you really want to go small and light, you need to be looking at Down bags as opposed to synthetic. A synthetic bag will never be as light or compact as a down fill bag, anyone will tell you.

There are quite a few to look at and think about. For starters I no longer use a bag and have moved to a quilt, yes a quilt. THey are just as warm, if not more so than a traditional bag, they are a lot lighter and compact too. Check out www.golite.com as a starter, there are many out there. I have the ultra 20, which weighs 540g.

If you decide a bag is the way to do I would be looking at either the western mountaineering range of bags, sold at Paddy Pallin, they are rated as one of the best, but will cost you a heap.

I have a mountain designs, travelite down fill bag which does the job too, still quite small and light, weight is about 1200g, so you can see the difference in weight.

You could also try an MYOG quilt, which I have done, from www.thru-hiker.com if you are able to sew this is a great way to get into a quilt.

So my preferences in the order;

golite quilt
thru-hiker quilt
Western Mountaineering
MD Travelite 500

If you want any more info etc drop me a note

Cheers
Mark

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mark McLauchlin on March 30, 2010 at 8:55am

Did you want to come and take a look at mine?

Karen Dowling said:

Okay I think I am sold on the quilt I have read a lot more about the Golite ultra 20 quilt now where can I get one??
Karen

Mark McLauchlin said:

No problems, if you are set on a bag then definately check out Western Mountaineering,

If you want to look at a quilt happy to meet you in town to check out mine.

As for cold, well I havent experienced it, they have a strap setup that goes under your mat so it keeps it all nice and tight.

Cheers
Mark

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Karen Dowling on March 30, 2010 at 9:09am

I have to go to up to Perth to see my daughter in law probably this Thursday where abouts do you live I dont want to put you out, I could drop by just to see it and the pillow if thats okay. You let me know Mark or we can leave till after Easter up to you.

Mark McLauchlin said:

Did you want to come and take a look at mine?

Karen Dowling said:

Okay I think I am sold on the quilt I have read a lot more about the Golite ultra 20 quilt now where can I get one??
Karen

Mark McLauchlin said:

No problems, if you are set on a bag then definately check out Western Mountaineering,

If you want to look at a quilt happy to meet you in town to check out mine.

As for cold, well I havent experienced it, they have a strap setup that goes under your mat so it keeps it all nice and tight.

Cheers
Mark

• ▶ Reply

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