Walkhighlands

Hi guys
I'm wondering if there are any recommendations for 4 season lightweight sleeping bags from Ali express ? Over all I'm planning to purchase lightweight gear for hiking etc ,just been reading about the lanshan pro 1 ,so I was wondering about sleeping bags , any one tried ?

Bastonjock wrote:Hi guys
I'm wondering if there are any recommendations for 4 season lightweight sleeping bags from Ali express ? Over all I'm planning to purchase lightweight gear for hiking etc ,just been reading about the lanshan pro 1 ,so I was wondering about sleeping bags , any one tried ?

Regarding sleeping bags etc depends on where you stand on the ethics

https://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/ethical-down-i395

I personally would avoid Ali Express for down bags, no idea of their ethics on animal welfare.

Alpkit might be a better option, not nearly as cheap but they do good solid mid range sleeping bags. The Pipedream 600 for example is rated down to -10°c, so it would deal with all but the very coldest of winter nights.

I'll take a look at allkit , love your videos BTW

I've seen at first hand the treatment of livestock at the hands of Chinese ,thank you for reminding my concience

Personally, I don't use AliExpress because I'm concerned about 2 things:

1. Ethics - not just animal welfare, but also how they treat their staff and, given that the designs are usually knock-offs of more expensive items, intellectual property rights.
2. Standards Compliance - remember that outdoor equipment has a safety function, and is therefore tested and certified against a standard, that's why it usually has a CE mark on it. I'm not convinced that websites like this are always diligent in complying with standards. There have been documented cases of Chinese imports being actively dangerous.

If you want a down sleeping bag, then Alpkit or Rab both have good reputations. For synthetic (cheaper but heavier) perhaps try snugpak or vango

Bastonjock wrote:I'll take a look at allkit , love your videos BTW

I've seen at first hand the treatment of livestock at the hands of Chinese ,thank you for reminding my concience

Cheers mate and good luck with the sleeping bag.

Just a note to say that the sleeping mat is also important. I've found that I can manage with a lower warmth bag on a good mat whereas a heavier bag with low insulating mat works a lot less well as there's too much heat loss into the ground.

rockhopper wrote:Just a note to say that the sleeping mat is also important. I've found that I can manage with a lower warmth bag on a good mat whereas a heavier bag with low insulating mat works a lot less well as there's too much heat loss into the ground.

My experience is that it makes a mega difference. This is what we were taught in Scouts 60 years ago: insulation below is the most important. for this reason I have for winter camping the most insulating mat I could get (Exped Synmat) and it sees me through heavy frosts fine, with a 3 season bag.

Insulation from the ground is vital. I get flexibility from sleeping bags by using a Rab Ascent 700 which is good on its own just about all of the time, but have a silk liner sleeping bag for any time I think it will be really cold. That plus a baselayer comfortable enough to sleep in covers all but the most exceptional of conditions.

Ethics aside, AEGIS Max is one of the more recommended AliExpress down brands.

WRT Alpkit, I've got the pupedream 400 and can't stress enough how important a good sleeping mat is. I found the bag cold as soon as it dropped below 10C. Was a bit concerned, but decided to try a new mat. In the same bag and new mat I'm now roasting at 5C.

The pipedream 600 would probably be worth looking at. Just know that the bags are a bit short. I'm 5'8" and my feet touch the bottom of the regular.

If you've got the money and want something higher quality, maybe look at the Cumulus bags. Specifically the Panyam 450 or 600.

Thank you for all your well informed replys , I am also looking into mats etc , I've had a bit of experience with the self inflating ones and will rule those out
I've done a fair bit of motorcycle camping where weight was not a concern ,but the thought of hiking with 3k tents and 3k sleeping bags is a no no
About 40years ago I tried to scramble to the top of a ridge in glencoe carrying everything including the kitchen sink , so light weight gear it is
I'm not in a rush to buy the equipment so I'll keep looking , I've been thoroughly enjoying my walk along the berwickshire coast and very much looking forward to doing more , I managed 40k yesterday after I missed the bus at Cockburn'spath ,23,k on the trail and 17k by road on the return
I'm increasing my knowledge every day , I might even tackle a small mountain in a few days

I've ended up buying a rab 900 ascent sleeping bag ,a Chinese tent , duter rucksack and Altberg boots

IMHO good choices, I have the same Rab and Altbergs as I need wide sleeping bags and boots, both have served me well for the reasonably short time I have owned them.

Think about your sleep system as a whole. I've been using the Vango Ultralite Pro 300 with a Sea to Summit Reactor Extreme liner and the Therm-a-rest NeoAir Xlite sleeping mat. It's a great set up. Back in December I slept 7hrs in blizzard conditions at -4 and toasted my nuts off it was so warm in the bag. The bag, liner and mat weigh in at 2.1kg which isn't bad at all. 👍