touring sleeping bag advice please

[Legolas]

hmmm, maybe it should be in gear, but will put it here and let mods do as they see fit!

Mr Legs is off on his first trip for many years! Our sleeping bags are veeerrrrrrry old, so I thought I'd get him a good one for birthday.

He will prolly only go bc in oz and prolly no more than a three night trip at a time.

Today I looked at

Marmot Helium
mont
exped
warm and light
mountain design ultra

He is a warm bodied sleeper, so I am thinking something to

-7deg...ish
700loft...ish
550g down...ish?

waterproofing question...for tent or hut touring how proof should it be? I understand that really waterproof can then be really stinky and mouldy if it does get wet...and weighs more.

weight will matter.

sleep mat apparently makes a diff?

I would really appreciate any feedback or experiences you've had.

He has a 40litre pack and is a bit worried that it is just not quiiiiite big enough.

cheers

legs

[Caboose]

go as light as you can go and as much loft as possible, unless you are camping outside i wouldn't worry about the water proofness of sleeping bag = heavier and less compactible

mine is MEC Merlin -10 (easier to unzip/take layers off than put layers on in the middle of the night)

40L Backpack won't cut it in a pack - min 60L

Xped 7 down mat seems to be the foshizzle in mats atm

[Legolas]

Thanks cab

what's a foshizzle? So much BC terminology for a little legs to learn ;)

[Caboose]

foshizzle is a downtown bronx term

has nothing to do with back country at all

just shows how much american imperial culture has had an effect on my mind

<small> it means good </small>

[John Deere]

Legs, if you are looking at sleeping bags in oz, also take a look at One Planet....they do an 800 loft bag thats rated to -10 or so. Trek and Travel and Snowgums do those.

Also look at Mountain Hardware Phantom 15, rated to -9, I use it, very light, Trek n Travel or Paddy pallin for those! (they sometimes have 20% off members sales...a good time to buy!)

A sleeping bag of this type should weigh less than a kg, the ones I suggested do!

I agree with Cabbage, 60l pack minimum and Exped Downmat 7 are very good...I use one of these too!

For waterproofness in a sleeping bag, if you go for it it adds alot of weight, I chose not to get a water proof one (just resistant) and I religiously carry it in a water proof stuff sack and have a decent tent.

If your bag gets wet, you need a new tent, not a new bag!

[Taxman]

Ditto for the Mountain Hardware Phantom 15 and a Downmat 7.

[Officer Schmenz]

my exped downmat 7 arrived! its tres chic and compfy!!!!

and im about to purchase a marmot helium sleeping bag. warm and light! :D

[Legolas]

thanks heaps guys.

I did look at the one planets today, and actually, they were the cheapest!

som,eone recommended thermarest prolite mat. I didn't see the exped, but wasn't looking hard at mats at that point, until I realised that a good mat can be of benefit with the sleep bag.

learning every day.

cab...foshizzle...I was being fatsheetshush. tongue.gif

[Caboose]

i have the thermarest prolite 4

does the job, but the exped down mats are warmer and plusher

i think the weight is about the same???

[Caboose]

Originally posted by Legolas:
cab...foshizzle...I was being fatsheetshush. tongue.gif yeah i saw the wink, but i thought you were old and didn't understand .... graemlins/cold.gif :eek: graemlins/outtahere.gif

[John Deere]

Downmat 7 = slightly heavier than Prolite 4, but, 7cm of cushy goodness with down insulation, compared to 4cm and synthetic!

[skijacski]

Still all sounds very uncomfortable!

Rubhipsandshoulders-gettingolder!

[Caboose]

meh i never really sleep properly outside my own bed, so .... meh

[Officer Schmenz]

i have an olde guidelite 3 3/4 so ner tongue.gif

but i could get the downmat 7 for 11 bucks ontop of an order i had from moontrail (for my tent) so i didnt think twice!

and the lil bit heavier it is i make up for with my lightweight carbon fiber probe! snazzzzzzy

[Podlettte]

gear nerds the lot of you! tongue.gif

Do you think Icebreaker could make the thumb loops a bit narrower for little hands?

[Legolas]

Originally posted by Caboose:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Legolas:
cab...foshizzle...I was being fatsheetshush. tongue.gif yeah i saw the wink, but i thought you were old and didn't understand .... graemlins/cold.gif :eek: graemlins/outtahere.gif </font>[/QUOTE]you'd better ****en run kid!!!

[Podlettte]

:eek: Cabbyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy's in trouble!

[Caboose]

what is grandma going to catch me with her walking cane ;) .... tongue.gif


&lt;small&gt; just jokes Legs ...... graemlins/cold.gif &lt;/small&gt; graemlins/outtahere.gif

[ 08.08.2008, 08:33 AM: Message edited by: Caboose ]

[SA]

An alternative to Downmat 7 is the Synmat 7 with the in-built pump. Takes about a minute to inflate and doesn't require lung power.

Marginally less warm than the D7 but a bit lighter.

[Legolas]

Originally posted by Caboose:
what is grandma going to catch me with her walking cane ;) .... tongue.gif


&lt;small&gt; just jokes Legs ...... graemlins/cold.gif &lt;/small&gt; graemlins/outtahere.gif cue Marge Simpson voice

@@@%-{

"Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm"

[Officer Schmenz]

Originally posted by SA:
An alternative to Downmat 7 is the Synmat 7 with the in-built pump. Takes about a minute to inflate and doesn't require lung power.

Marginally less warm than the D7 but a bit lighter. D7 has pump too

[SA]

Built-in? I thought the D7 pump is the bag.

[Officer Schmenz]

ohhhhhhhhh ur pump isnt in the bag?

:sad:

[Podlettte]

not in the bag, the bag is the pump AFAIK

[John Deere]

The Synmat has some funky pump set up IN THE MATTRESS, dont need a bag to pump it.

[SA]

That's so, you just press on the marked pump section of the mattress to inflate it. Takes about a minute.

[Legolas]

Originally posted by Podlettte:
not in the bag, the bag is the pump AFAIK yup...got one for Mr.

[Podlettte]

Have you made your bag choice? What did you get? :D

[Legolas]

monte

[John Deere]

Do you mean Mont??? The aussie company?

They make good gear!

[Legolas]

yar, Mont sorry. Yes, Aussie company.

The guy in...er ...umm...the shop (can't remember which). Seemed to know a bit and was very helpful.

I think Mr Legs went and got the exped 7 as recommended as well.

Thanks for advice.

[John Deere]

If it was in Sydney and it was Mont it would have to be Alpsport wouldn't it, at Ryde......or maybe Mountain Equipment??? I think they do Mont, and they at Chatty and Kent St.

You will be happy with the Exped too, they are super comfy for hiking! Almost too comfy!

[Officer Schmenz]

yea mountain eq does mont. got my ski pants from kent st.

monte is the french outlet! didnt you know ;)

[Legolas]

mountain equipment. Kent st.

He said the mat was the comfiest he's ever slept on... but his bones just don't handle it like they used to.

He's had a ball. Well and truly hooked again.

[John Deere]

Excellent...another BC convert :D

[Podlettte]

now, when is your time on snow Legs????

[Legolas]

sigh...maybe I'll save up credits and join you in Canada on Main Streets couch...

[fly123]

Personally, I am very disappointed with the Exped downmat 7. Having now two occasions where the mat has deflated during the night has left me wondering if the purchase was correct. Is there something I am doing wrong or maybe just a dud..?? I also find the bag/pump very slow and a pain!!

[John Deere]

I have given up on the bag pump and just blow it up now!

And yes one of mine deflates now too :(

When they work they are super sweet, but I would never go BC without a foamy as back up!!