I'm walking and camping the TMB this summer and I'm looking at keeping my base weight as low as possible.
I have managed to reduce weight on most of my 'big 3' (Rucksack, tent, sleeping bag/mat) but I'm struggling to find a 2/3 season sleeping bag under 700g and under £100. Is there such a thing or am I living in cloud cuckoo land?
I picked up a bargain on Ebay. The problem is that you need to kiss an awful lot of toads before finding your Prince Charming. There are some good buys to be had amongst the other stuff though.
You may have noticed that no one (or virtually no one) uses "seasons" anymore because it's hopelessly vague. I have a couple of tiny synthetic bags, probably about 600 grams, bought from Tesco, a decade or so ago and cost a tenner each. They're not super warm but I've been fine in them in UK summer conditions - mummy shaped so pulling the hood up and tightening the opening works to make them feel warmer. If it's not that cold where you are going something like that might work - Aldi has sold similar in recent years.
You won't find many down bags for under a 100 quid, but Decathlon might have something. Not sure how cheap the cheapest Alpkit ones are these days, but worth looking there - but this years £100 is three years ago's £75 and you didn't see many down bags that cheap back then.
It's the old inconsistent triad of sleeping bags again I'm afraid. Cheap, light, warm - pick two.
My decathlon down bag was 100 pounds about 5 years ago. It was billed as 3 season and has been really good. Not sure of the weight but it's the lightest proper sleeping bag I own and packs down smallish
> My decathlon down bag was 100 pounds about 5 years ago.
It would be interesting to see how much the same model is now - but I bet pushing 150!
I would assume it was the linked one below. I've got the same bag and it's brilliant, certainly the best value for money bag available at the time and I would still say it probably is even given the increased price.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/trekking-sleeping-bag-mt900-0degc-down/_/R-p-...
I have an "Ice Flame" quilt from Aliexpress. The "516" model has 360g of down, with a total weight of about 615g, and I've found its suggested temperature range of down to +5c fairly accurate. Its available for about £100 (once you add VAT). I know quilts are a bit "marmite", but its the only way I'm aware of of meeting all your criteria.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32996568233.html
> It's the old inconsistent triad of sleeping bags again I'm afraid. Cheap, light, warm - pick two.
Hmmm I've never heard that before, it appears to be most apt.
I wasn't particularly aiming for down, but I guess that's the only way of matching the warmth levels with the weight. I guess that answers your comment above.
Looks great, but I'm looking for something lighter. Back to Toby's comment of choosing 2 from 3 options.
My mate has gone down the quilt route, but he says he needs a silk liner to make it work.
I'll certainly take a look at AliExpress, cheers
Beware of the ethical values of buying from Ali express and the like. Live plucking still goes on and I doubt this corner of the market use ethically sourced traceable down.
As long as you have a Rab Ultrasphere 4.5 underneath, a mere blanket should be sufficient.
https://www.ukhillwalking.com/forums/gear/no_one_is_talking_about_the_new_rab_...
> Beware of the ethical values of buying from Ali express and the like. Live plucking still goes on and I doubt this corner of the market use ethically sourced traceable down.
That's a very good point - thank you
Check out Snugpak range
It's definitely not that one, because I remember looking at that, it was about 20 pounds less. Nearest one I can find to it is this
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/trekking-sleeping-bag-mt900-5degc-down/_/R-p-...
I think that one is fairly new in the range, it might actually be as close to what the OP is looking after as it's possible to get
> Looks great, but I'm looking for something lighter. Back to Toby's comment of choosing 2 from 3 options.
Decathlon do a lighter weight one.
700g, 10°C comfort rating, £109.99
It might be touch and go warmth wise depending on where you camp and when you are going.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/trekking-sleeping-bag-mt900-10degc-down/_/R-p...
In reply to Divya_jegdish:
Is this an AI generated reply? Sure reads like one.
> Decathlon do a lighter weight one.
> 700g, 10°C comfort rating, £109.99
> It might be touch and go warmth wise depending on where you camp and when you are going.
10°C is 3 season? It's the start of spring and going to be 0° tonight in downtown Bavaria.
> 10°C is 3 season? It's the start of spring and going to be 0° tonight in downtown Bavaria.
I know that's where you live, but otherwise rather random!
Like I said in my first post, that's why no serious sleeping bags get classified by seasons anymore. Whose seasons? Even if you say UK - winter in say Braemar is going to need a very different sleeping bag from winter in Devon.
The original post wasn't looking to go camping in Bavaria in the start of Spring.
They were looking for a 2/3 season bag to do the Tour du Mont Blanc in Summer hence the link I posted with the caveat it might be touch and go on the warmth.
Tony - I noticed on SportPursuit they are currently flogging off a load of Mountain Hardware kit including their sleeping bags, some of which were around your budget (maybe just a bit over 100) being synthetic, and not hugely heavier than you are looking for. For people who want synthetic bags the MH Lamina range seem well regarded. Maybe worth a look.
https://www.sportsshoes.com/product/rab391/rab-alpine-pro-200-lightweight-s...
Just over your budget but seems a bargain.
If you have transport, it might be worth a trip to the Rab factory shop at Alfreton. I got a bargain Rab Alpine, but I'm going back a few years so I don't know what is stocked there these days.
Thanks Toby,
I have just found this on SP and it really looks like it ticks my boxes. 700g, +2° temp rating and only £70!!! Can someone please tell me to just do it!
https://www.sportpursuit.com/catalog/product/view/id/3564152
I didn't see a weight - did you have to Google for it? Or maybe I just missed it. But TNF makes perfectly good stuff, and it's half price at SP so I reckon you're not going to go far wrong. I don't mind synthetic bags for summer general camping use as you can just chuck it in the washing machine when needed. More of a pain with down, particularly I've you don't have a drier like me.
> I didn't see a weight - did you have to Google for it?
https://www.thenorthface.co.uk/shop/en/tnf-gb/lynx-eco-sleeping-bag-52e3?va...
It looks like a no-brainer.
Edit: The SP sale only has the 'long' version. Still only 840g though.
I'm away up North in a couple of weeks, I'll take a look. Thanks
> I'm walking and camping the TMB this summer and I'm looking at keeping my base weight as low as possible.
How cold is it expected to be? A 3 season bag would take to down to about -2C traditionally.
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