Sleeping bags for bike packing adventure

[Doo]

Hi Forum Folk,

Am planning a bike packing adventure in October and don't have a sleeping bag. Does anyone have any suggestions on the type of bag I should invest in (make and model). I would like a bag that'll keep me warm, is light weight, packs to a small size and is cheap! Does such a bag exist?

Cheers, Doo 

[mrcharly-YHT]

The old truism (light, cheap, warm, pick two) applies here.

If you don't have a sleeping bag already, does that mean you haven't camped before?  If so, I suggest you borrow some stuff and do some weekend trips. What one person regards as a 'warm' bag, another will think is less use than a paper bag.

[Butterfly]

Where are you going? If you are in this country get one that is rated for at least 4 seasons if you are going in October - it could be 15 degrees or -5 overnight, so if you have the warmest, you can always open the zip to cool down. Take wool long underwear by way of pyjamas and wear a woolly hat and socks, that will help with a thinner bag. 

How cheap do you want? I bought 2 of mine 2nd hand from ebay (not cheap, but less than had they been new. I think it is worth paying double the money to have a good, warm night's sleep - waking up cold is nasty. I feel the cold and camp in January, though.

If you get a thinner bag, you can use a silk liner to make it warmer and also keep it clean.

For bike packing, a down bag is useful, because the warmth : pack size : weight ratio is best. Try and test some out in a (decent) shop, and check the packed size as well as the open size. Some bags are designed for caravan use and are HUGE, and pack huge, without the corresponding warmth. 

[jogler]

I doubt that you will get a light bag which is warm in October,cheaply.
Take note of Buttefly's comments.She is very experienced wrt camping year round.
A silk sleeping bag liner is a popular accessory.

Bikepacking...have you considered a bivvy bag?

http://www.alpkit.com/hunka

[Doo]

Hi all and thanks for responses,

I have a bivvy bag already, a good old army gore tex jobby. I have camped before but with a very old (and cumbersome) and tatty bag. I'm wanting something lighter (cos got to carry it on a bike) to use on a weekend in Wales in October. I have a silk sleeping bag liner and plan to take that as it packs up neatly and is light.

Have seen cheap ultralight bags (around £20) weighing 600-700g but these are 1 season. 3 season bags weighing around 1.2kg at around £50 - am thinking this is the way to go. Don't know how much weight to 'allow' on the sleeping bag front.

Cheers, Doo 

[mrcharly-YHT]

With cycling, imho, its not so much weight that is the issue, but bulk. One synthetic sleeping bag can easily take up most of apannier

[Kim]

Indeed.  Down is certainly the way to go.  It'll still take up most of a pannier, but it'll be more like 60% than 90%, and will be much, much warmer.

I tend towards the Butterfly end of the spectrum when it comes to levels of insulation required for a decent night's sleep, though.  You may be able to get away with less than a 3 season bag.

Choice of mat can make a fair difference to warmth and pack size, too.  Not to mention comfort...

[Jon P]

A 3-season bag would be fine, it won't be that extreme in October, 4-seaons bags are for -10!  You probably even won't have a frost.  I tend to use a modular system with a 2-season bag and a down gilet, with optional bivvy bag, but a others have said down is far, far better than synthetic in all respects, and the 1.2kg is what my 2-season down bag weighs - it depends on whether you're a "warm sleeper", I once posted about a Buffalo bag that I had always been cold in, somebody else popped in how excellent they'd always found theirs.  In October you'll have to spend a lot of time not cycling so a tent would be better, unless you can just trust to finding a shelter somewhere, eg a barn, and take a bivvy bag.

[Julian]

Only you know how hot you sleep.

When we went to the States in September 08, Charlotte & I bought almost-identical 2/3-season bags (in fact I think mine was slightly more lightweight of the two.)  I was toasty warm and taking layers off; she was waking up so cold she couldn't get back to sleep.  I've used mine for almost every camping trip since, including for the Rutland camping weekend when it was seeeeeriously cold one night, and had no problems - I suspect that if Charlotte uses hers in anything other than midsummer, she'll end up with hypothermia!

A silk liner and a warm hat make all the difference if it's a bit chilly too.

[Manotea]

Not a sleeping bag but I'm working up to buying a  *new* exped downmat UL. Not cheap but knocks 300gm off a standard medium model, and comes with a schnuzzle pump bag. I've never felt warm / comfortable on lesser mats so a  birthday pressie to me, perhaps.

[MercuryKev]

Not a sleeping bag but I'm working up to buying a  *new* exped downmat UL. Not cheap but knocks 300gm off a standard medium model, and comes with a schnuzzle pump bag. I've never felt warm / comfortable on lesser mats so a  birthday pressie to me, perhaps.

I took delivery of one yesterday and it is pretty impressive.  The pump bag makes light work of filling the mat and the weight/pack size are about half of my standard downmat.

This place has them cheaper than elsewhere (£109) - http://www.equipyourtrip.com/exped-downmat-ul-7-sleeping-mat.html  If you factor in the free pump bag which costs £25 you're getting the downmat for the price of a synmat (at least that's what i tell myself). 

[clarion]

I'm not bothered by hats except in winter, but I've found that a t-shirt to keep my shoulders a bit warmer has a disproportionate improvement in comfort.

[mrcharly-YHT]

it depends on whether you're a "warm sleeper", I once posted about a Buffalo bag that I had always been cold in, somebody else popped in how excellent they'd always found theirs. 

That was probably me and you are absolutely right, it depends on how warm a sleeper you are. I've slept out on the ground when it was -5, in a summer buffalo bag. mind you, that was 10 years ago - I doubt my joints would cope with that now.

Your comment about shelter is also spot on. A tent retains an amazing amount of heat, more than just a bivvi bag.

I reckon the OP needs to do a few test trips, even sleeping out in a garden would do (if they have access to such a thing).

[Wowbagger]

I have two sleeping bags - a massive Stormlight job which is lovely to sleep in and beautifully warm in all conditions, but so bulky it needs its own dedicated large pannier. I also have a Vango Venom 300 down bag which was rated 3 - 4 season and which has been a disappointment. When I was on tour a month or so ago I invested in a cheap fleece blanket which is wonderful. The Vango and the blanket take up half the space of the Stormlite and keep me almost as warm, and of course I can mix and mach the layers depending on how hot the night is.

[peliroja]

We're about to invest in some new down sleeping bags, 3 season from REI (we're currently in the US and they have a sale on) as our Alpkit bags are in the process of kicking the bucket. The down has moved about so much there are many empty panels, and the zip on mine has bust. They've done us proud - with very regular use - since 2008 so we're not too concerned. We picked up a couple of fleece blankets in Argentina for the very cold nights. These, along with our silk liners, have kept us warm enough on our big tour so far.

[mark]

If you're shopping for sleeping bags in the US and aren't worried about price, look at Western Mountaineering down sleeping bags. No, I don't think REI carries them, but they are beautifully made and very comfy.

[BrianI]

An interesting thread.

Currently I've an ex army 4 season sleeping bag, and a "Highlander" 3 season mummy sleeping bag.  Both are rather bulky even in their stuff sacks! 

[Chris N]

I use a PHD Minim 300 down bag when lightweight camping.  Combined with a bivvy bag, silk liner (good for keeping the sleeping bag clean too), down vest and merino base layers it's good down to around 0ºC, for me at least.  No zip, lightweight materials and good quality down means it only weighs 600g and packs down easily into a 5 litre dry bag.  Not cheap at £180 and they only seem to sell them in their special offers sales but it's a lovely piece of kit.

For less lightweight stuff, or if I need a zip, I've got an 2 season Alpkit down bag (SkyeHigh 400, sadly not made any more) that is also very good, but could do with a wash.  I can combine the two if it's really cold - the PHD fits inside the Alpkit, though it's a bit snug.