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Winter sleeping bag

Winter sleeping bag


Postby tenohfive » Fri Oct 25, 2013 8:03 pm

I'm looking to get a sleeping bag that'll do for wild camping during a Scottish winter. Probably/hopefully not for the middle of a blizzard but certainly sub-zero temps. I do tend to feel the cold so I'm trying to go as warm as I can without paying a fortune or being overloaded - ideally £150 budget, though I'd stretch to £200 for the right bag. And weight of somewhere between 1000-1500g upper limit. Size isn't an issue - in fact a smaller/snugger fit is probably a bonus.

Now once upon a time everyone would chorus, 'Pipedream 600/800 - next,' at this point, but obviously that's not on the cards now or any time soon. So the first place I started looking was Mountain Equipment, having heard the Titan series referred to on here.

The one that springs out is the Titan 650. Comfort of -2, comfort limit of -8 and extreme of -26. 1295g with 650g of 625 fill down:
http://www.mountain-equipment.co.uk/the_gear/down_sleeping_bags/titans/titan_650---550/
I've found it on sale for £153 which seems pretty reasonable - most places are closer to £190.

Any ideas if it'll be warm enough? And anything else I should consider?
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Re: Winter sleeping bag

Postby nathan79 » Fri Oct 25, 2013 10:18 pm

tenohfive wrote:I'm looking to get a sleeping bag that'll do for wild camping during a Scottish winter. Probably/hopefully not for the middle of a blizzard but certainly sub-zero temps. I do tend to feel the cold so I'm trying to go as warm as I can without paying a fortune or being overloaded - ideally £150 budget, though I'd stretch to £200 for the right bag. And weight of somewhere between 1000-1500g upper limit. Size isn't an issue - in fact a smaller/snugger fit is probably a bonus.

Now once upon a time everyone would chorus, 'Pipedream 600/800 - next,' at this point, but obviously that's not on the cards now or any time soon. So the first place I started looking was Mountain Equipment, having heard the Titan series referred to on here.

The one that springs out is the Titan 650. Comfort of -2, comfort limit of -8 and extreme of -26. 1295g with 650g of 625 fill down:
http://www.mountain-equipment.co.uk/the_gear/down_sleeping_bags/titans/titan_650---550/
I've found it on sale for £153 which seems pretty reasonable - most places are closer to £190.

Any ideas if it'll be warm enough? And anything else I should consider?


I've got a Titan 650. Got it for about the same price. Money well spent. It got it's first test on a high camp up Bynack More around this time last year. I woke up to a frosty wonderland with all my water frozen and I was actually too hot! I'd highly recommend it.

I did look at a few other bags. The Rab Ascent 500 is similarly specced and can be had for a decent price
http://www.towerridge.co.uk/index.php?m ... 757ffa2176
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Re: Winter sleeping bag

Postby tenohfive » Fri Oct 25, 2013 10:41 pm

That's a very good point, although on spec's it looks like the Ascent 700 is slightly closer - same weight, roughly the same weight of fill. And price wise I could get them for the same amount - my local GO has stock and with a price match +10% I could get one tomorrow for £162. That's pretty tempting.

Only real difference I can see between the Titan 650 and Ascent 700 is that the Ascent has duck down (as opposed to goose down) and reviews refer to it's slightly wider fit - if anything a slight turn off, as I'm quite comfortable with a snug mummy style bag. And on comfort limits etc the Rab seems to nudge slightly ahead.

That's complicated things a bit. Am I right in thinking that duck down is supposed to be a bit warmer than goose down?
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Re: Winter sleeping bag

Postby Meatball » Sat Oct 26, 2013 6:17 am

I feel the cold when I sleep....
I have a titan and a silk liner and have been well looked after down to -6.
good luck with whatever you get.
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Re: Winter sleeping bag

Postby Caberfeidh » Sat Oct 26, 2013 8:41 am

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Re: Winter sleeping bag

Postby nathan79 » Sat Oct 26, 2013 11:25 am

I thought about the Buffalo stuff before I bought the titan but the 4S outer isn't much cheaper than I got my titan for and I'd have wanted the inner too so it wouldn't ended up costing more, been far heavier and I don't want to even imagine how bulky it would have been.
From my experience with Buffalo though they must be great pieces of kit if weight and bulk aren't an issue.


Titan 650 or Ascent 700 both good choices I'd say. I also have a light down summer bag by Rab that's great and warmer than it's rating suggests so I'll give their bags the thumbs up for quality too. you say you feel teh cold so I'd say go for the Rab.
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Re: Winter sleeping bag

Postby spiderwebb » Sat Oct 26, 2013 12:23 pm

I have the Titan 650, two in fact got them on offer from the Outdoor Shop in Milton Keynes !

Can vouch for wamth, used in Glencoe last winter, had thermals on too but was snug as a bug.

Quick search revealed this
http://www.e-outdoor.co.uk/440390/products/mountain_equipment_titan_650_down_sleeping_bag.aspx

theoutdoorshop.com has a lot of autumn offers on right now, but didnt see the ME650 on there.
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Re: Winter sleeping bag

Postby tenohfive » Sat Oct 26, 2013 1:50 pm

Not keen on the look of that Buffalo bag - it seems a bit more close fitting on the head than I'd like. I prefer to have that adjustable. May try it in the flesh next time I'm in Cotswolds for future reference though.

I ended up going for the Rab Ascent 700 having seen it in the flesh - it really does loft well. I suspect I'd be happy with either the Titan or the Ascent but I've got a bit of Rab stuff and it's all been top quality, and despite the fact it's just going to go in the airing cupboard for the next month I couldn't resist getting it there and then rather than waiting.

I found a place online selling it for £168 after a bit of digging and got Go Outdoors to price match +10%, so paid £151. Very happy at that price - I'm sure it'll be cheaper in the spring, but right now that's well below the average price.

That being said, for anyone interested in the ME Titan 650 Nevissport have it cheaper than that link above - they're doing it for £153 delivered:
http://www.nevisport.com/pr/5630/titan-650-sleeping-bag

Thanks for the help everyone.
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