Author Topic: Wide sleeping bags  (Read 7190 times)

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Wide sleeping bags
« on: 24 February, 2018, 12:25:32 pm »
I find it very difficult to find a sleeping bag into which I can comfortably insert my shoulders. Most seem to advertise an 80cm width, which is not much good at all. My dear wife measured ne around the shoulders just now and I am 155cm. Given that I am not two-dimensional, 80cm simply isn't enough.

Does the panel know of one which is also light enough for a backpacking trip?

I am also considering something like this as an alternative, given that the trip in question is going to be during the second half of June.

https://www.alpkit.com/products/cloud-cover-2017
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: Wide sleeping bags
« Reply #1 on: 24 February, 2018, 01:03:37 pm »
I'm not exactly small & am usually comfortable in my Marmot bags,  these are American, so built for the larger person perhaps   ;)


A quick google shows that Snugpak make sleeping bags intended for fully clothed soldiers, which should offer plenty of internal volume. Mostly synthetic fill though, so heavier & bulkier than down.


Who is your current bag by ?  It may be possible to get a zip in expansion panel from the manufacturer. 


Quilts are an interesting idea when combined with a warm mat,  but Alpkit are usually sold out & PHD are eyewateringly expensive.



Not fast & rarely furious

tweeting occasional in(s)anities as andrewxclark

Re: Wide sleeping bags
« Reply #2 on: 24 February, 2018, 01:18:48 pm »
Depending on your budget, and intended frequency of use, you could get your own custom bag from a respected U.K. manufacturer.

https://www.phdesigns.co.uk/design-your-own-sleeping-bag?osCsid=m6imkjb79hvufsg0qjpj0rt9d3

Their kit is very good.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Re: Wide sleeping bags
« Reply #3 on: 24 February, 2018, 02:43:40 pm »
I am also considering something like this as an alternative, given that the trip in question is going to be during the second half of June.

https://www.alpkit.com/products/cloud-cover-2017
I changed from using a bag to a quilt about a decade ago and it's without doubt the best camping kit decision I've ever made.
I put an Exped mat inside a sheet sleeping bag liner which gives a nice surface to sleep on (Also quietens the Exped) and usually have the quilt on top, mine also has options to make a foot box or use as a bag. It's always been warm enough for me, I'm a bit of a fair weather camper, though I've still woken warm on a few frosty mornings.  I sleep as well as I do at home.  There's a fair bit more choice now than then, I had mine sent from the US, it was expensive unless compared to the several sleeping bags that preceded it. I have no knowledge of any other brands, but if I needed another it wouldn't be hard to make comparisons.
  http://www.jacksrbetter.com/shop/the-mt-rogers-large-quilt/

Re: Wide sleeping bags
« Reply #4 on: 24 February, 2018, 02:51:15 pm »
Outwell Contour XL, 105cm wide 👍

Never backpacked, so can’t comment on that aspect

A

Re: Wide sleeping bags
« Reply #5 on: 24 February, 2018, 03:16:01 pm »
The Alpkit quilt you linked to is shown as withdrawn,   but their site has a current model (looks the same  in fact) https://www.alpkit.com/products/cloud-cover


Alpkit Cloud Cover quilt ... First look.   


Backpacking Light have some as well


http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/category-56.html
Not fast & rarely furious

tweeting occasional in(s)anities as andrewxclark

Re: Wide sleeping bags
« Reply #6 on: 24 February, 2018, 05:45:06 pm »
I have an under quilt and box foot over quilt which I use with my hammock. I will measure them and get back to you.

Re: Wide sleeping bags
« Reply #7 on: 24 February, 2018, 06:05:04 pm »
Ok, the over quilt has a box foot and is then an open quilt. It is tapered and 1 metre at the shoulder.
It weighs in at 550g
Used with a down mat with a liner over it, it will give a cosy summer sleep system.
Wow, you would be more than welcome to borrow it for our trip.
You will find it on www.warbonnetoutdoors.

Re: Wide sleeping bags
« Reply #8 on: 24 February, 2018, 07:42:14 pm »
I'll second the PHD recommendation and add one of my own: Cumulus quilts. Not everyone gets on with a quilt but if you do you won't feel as constricted. I've the 150 quilt which I use in summer on its own and as a wrapper to a PHD summer bag for winter usage. My wife has a Cumulus 350 quilt (an Xmas pressie ;D ) which is fine for most UK winter temps. Add 230g to each of those figures to get the overall weight. Compared to a sleeping bag you are about 80g lighter for an equivalent rating - quilts aren't covered by EN13537.

Cumulus aren't (yet*) sold directly in the UK, their sleeping bags are sold under the Criterion marque. This means that you have to order from a European store, I bought ours from here https://www.outdoorline.sk/en/. Bizarrely, because of the Criterion deal you can't order the standard quilts directly from Cumulus themselves but you can specify and order custom quilts from them. The standard sizing is good for someone up to average size - I'm 5'11" with a 42" chest and I am probably the upper limit for the standard sizing.

* I'd heard a rumour that the quilts were now being imported to the UK, turns out it was true - https://backcountry.scot/product-category/packs-shelters-and-sleeping-bags/cumulus/ - you'd still need to go direct to get a custom one though.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Wide sleeping bags
« Reply #9 on: 24 February, 2018, 07:59:14 pm »
What would be good would be a variation on the late, lamented Mountain Equipment Dreamcatcher, to give you a bit more elbow room instead of, or in addition to, the extra leg-flailing space.

Re: Wide sleeping bags
« Reply #10 on: 24 February, 2018, 08:10:55 pm »
I have a snugpak softie chrysalis autumn which I have had a few years, it is rated comfort at -5c to 10c, it has what they describe as a jumbo baffle which you can unzip the main zip & zip up the baffle to increase the size, label says chest 165cm plus baffle. The pack size is ok at 19cm x 21cm & weighs 1500g, so might be a bit heavy for what you want. I have never been cold with this bag, I am a very plus sized lady & I have never felt constricted in this bag, quick google suggests they don't make this anymore, but the spec of the expansion 3 is similar

edited to add rough measurement across bag at shoulders is 90cm

Re: Wide sleeping bags
« Reply #11 on: 24 February, 2018, 09:28:06 pm »
We have a mountain warehouse xxl bag (somewhere), which is probably a bit bulky for backpacking, but we also have some zip in inserts to increase it's size - they could possibly used with other bags, that are smaller and lighter.

The Alpkit quilt that I've seen was very light but very narrow.
Quote from: Kim
^ This woman knows what she's talking about.

Re: Wide sleeping bags
« Reply #12 on: 24 February, 2018, 09:49:10 pm »
Investigation reveals that snugpac do bag expanders, which may be helpful with a bag you already own, if they have compatible length YKK zips.

Mountain Warehouse still do the Summit 300 XL bag which may be a cheap, if a little bulky, solution. Sadly they don't have any record of the bag expanders on their site.
Quote from: Kim
^ This woman knows what she's talking about.

Re: Wide sleeping bags
« Reply #13 on: 24 February, 2018, 10:14:28 pm »
I have a Snugpak Softie 9 iirc with an extender.  It is a winter weight bag.  I also have a  Snugpak Chrysalis, model unknown until I venture into the loft, which has the adjustable baffle that rachet t talks of.  This is big enough for me without an extender and is a summer weight bag.

Snugpak are excellent bags imo.

Re: Wide sleeping bags
« Reply #14 on: 25 February, 2018, 10:12:06 am »
If shoulders are the issue, perhaps go for a half bag and then wear a down jacket / fleece on the top half.

https://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/equipment-c3/sleeping-bags-c21/sleeping-bags-c88/mountain-raid-pa-1-0-1-2-sleeping-bag-p4901

Re: Wide sleeping bags
« Reply #15 on: 25 February, 2018, 10:30:38 am »
A half bag. Which used to be referred to as a pied d'elephant in the many climbing adventure books I read when young. Are they still called that?

I remember reading books where the climbers going off to climb the Eiger Nordwand or the like would carefully detail that they packed a pied d elephant and a down jacket to save weight.

Thinking back to when I did hillwalking in Scotland, the equipment in those days was primitive. My mum even made a fleece jacket. You could not buy such a thing in the shops.

Re: Wide sleeping bags
« Reply #16 on: 25 February, 2018, 03:07:06 pm »
When were you hillwalking in Scotland? Patagonia introduced pile (polyester fleece) jackets in 1975, and they credit the concept to North Atlantic fishermen. And yes, you can still buy a half bag, but they translated the name to English for all those Americans who don't do foreign talk.

http://www.patagonia.com/product/hybrid-sleeping-bag-short/889833681200.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=shopping&utm_campaign=shopping&CAWELAID=120226140000268993&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=sopping%20ad&utm_campaign=Shopping%20-%20Equipment&gclid=Cj0KCQiA2snUBRDfARIsAIGfpqGy2tT-5D7AW5jSQoK3eDyWU7C_F3E4MDnhoe9MpkYUb7BkHPf1akYaAq3vEALw_wcB

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Wide sleeping bags
« Reply #17 on: 25 February, 2018, 03:14:26 pm »

I've found the Tundra sleeping bags to be wide and roomy. The Alpkit bags are basically designed for tiny skinny people. If you aren't a stick insect you're likely to find it tight.

If you want something cheaper, Snugpak bags are quite roomy (many are designed for squaddies). but their performance is not great and I don't trust their temp ratings.

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Wide sleeping bags
« Reply #18 on: 25 February, 2018, 05:52:17 pm »
When were you hillwalking in Scotland? Patagonia introduced pile (polyester fleece) jackets in 1975, and they credit the concept to North Atlantic fishermen.

1980s.  My younger brother was the one the jacket was made for.
Sorry to sound aggressive, but I doubt Patagonia had a shop in Glasgow in those days!
Seriously - people went hillwalking in nylon storm coats down to their knees, breeches and wooly sweaters.
Headgear would be an orange wooly balaclava, and hands had felted Dachstein mitts with nylon overmitts.

Re: Wide sleeping bags
« Reply #19 on: 25 February, 2018, 05:54:58 pm »
Patagonia introduced pile (polyester fleece) jackets in 1975, and they credit the concept to North Atlantic fishermen.
I was given a fleece for Christmas 1982, it was still enough of a novelty that it's benefits needed explaining.

Re: Wide sleeping bags
« Reply #20 on: 25 February, 2018, 06:04:01 pm »
My brother was the enthusiastic hillwalker. We knew that fleeces existed. In those days probably more used by the SAS etc.
My mother bought a length of fleece fabric from Remnant Kings and she cut out a pattern to make the jacket.
My mother was no tailor, so as I recall the jacket was made in a front half and a back half. But with no separate arms!
The front must have been cut up the middle and a zip put in.

My brother used the jacket for years and we still talk about it.


Re: Wide sleeping bags
« Reply #21 on: 25 February, 2018, 08:38:26 pm »
In 1982 anyone wearing a fleece/pile jacket in the US was pretty sure to be a climber.  No one else would wear anything that ugly. Dachstein mitts are still around, I’ve got a pair. My shells are a bit more high tech than nylon, though.

Re: Wide sleeping bags
« Reply #22 on: 25 February, 2018, 08:53:15 pm »
What would be good would be a variation on the late, lamented Mountain Equipment Dreamcatcher, to give you a bit more elbow room instead of, or in addition to, the extra leg-flailing space.

I bought one of these on your recommendation ages ago and it's fantastic... Was about to recommend it to baggers :(

(I too use a quilt in summer, can't remember what type but it's fab compared to a normal bag)

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Wide sleeping bags
« Reply #23 on: 25 February, 2018, 09:09:50 pm »
In the late 80s, cycling magazines in the UK were full of fleece jackets as the latest wonder material. In 1996, I was backpacking in NZ (both sorts of backpacking), and the superiority or not of fleece over wool was a controversial topic. I can well believe that in the early 80s it was not possible to buy it in a shop – and ten years later, most people wouldn't have dreamed of wearing it. It's a long journey from invention to specialist use to general wear!
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: Wide sleeping bags
« Reply #24 on: 25 February, 2018, 10:19:23 pm »
Forgive me..... But I thought this was about wide sleeping bags....