UKH

Has anyone experience of making their own sleeping bags? I'm looking for patterns for a mummy style bag, ideally something I can adapt to make a half length bag.

On the subject of half length bags, there are various designs out there for keeping these from riding down and I want opinions on which is best...

- braces
- un-insulated vest
- elastic shock cord at the top of the bag
- other?

Robert

In reply to Roberttaylor:
Have you seen that alpkit are currently making these?
Edit, here's the link
https://www.alpkit.com/products/point-5

In reply to Roberttaylor:

there's a good overall guide here- http://bushwalkingnsw.org.au/clubsites/FAQ/DIY_RNCSB.htm

as far as preventing the half bag riding down, I think elastic's your best bet.

For half length bags, the Alpkit option is £70. I've done previous research on the internet for making a full bag and, all in, the purchase of the down filling, outer and inner material, thread, elastic, zip and getting access to to the tools to actually make the bag would probably work out much more expensive than actually just buying the half bag from Alpkit.

That said, once you've cut your teeth making the first half bag, you'd have the skills and some left overs to try a full bag, which is probably when the real DIY money saving comes in.

FYI - it doesn't seem that easy to find 100% goose down stuffing on the internet unless ordering from the US. Also, if I was making a half bag, I'd just buy an OK quality synthetic bag, cut it in half, re-stuff it with goose down and sew it up - bish bash bosh - bob's your uncle!

In reply to Roberttaylor:

Cheers guys!

Given that I can't find a pattern online, I guess my best bet is to do as you suggest...get a cheap old synthetic, take it to bits to learn how it works then remake it in nice materials and down...rinse and repeat till I get it right.

In reply to Roberttaylor:

So glad that Alpkit are still calling it a pied d'elephant.

I haven't heard this word since about... oooohhhh.... 1982? So reassuring that they haven't dreamt up a new unnecessary title

In reply to Roberttaylor:
I'd advertise on here in teh wanted section, for a knackared down sleeping bag. If its not too knackered you can wash it, chop at the waist and just add a draw cord.

If its too far gone you can unstictch for the pattern, and probably sort through the down and salvage quiet alot. In fact I've a half knackered Rab summit 300.....

I had a sleeping bag ruined by the cleaners, there was enough down remaining to fill a couple of pillows. However unless very careful your room will look like an explosion in a mattress factory.

In reply to Babika:


PhD have been doing them for a while now.

In reply to Roberttaylor:

I get cold just looking at half length bags

In reply to ogreville:

Regarding costs, this is exactly what I've found. The only reason to make your own gear today is for the satisfaction of doing so, not to save money.

In reply to planetmarshall:

Maybe.
But they're calling them half bags in the advertising

In reply to Roberttaylor:

This website is worth a look, lots of people who take making gear very seriously!
https://backpackinglight.com/forums/forum/gear/make-your-own-gear/

In reply to Roberttaylor:

See the page index on the left hand side:

http://www.rayjardine.com/ray-way/Quilt-Kit/index.htm?g_page=1

In reply to Roberttaylor:

The construction of most synthetic bags is very different to down. Rather than compartments stuffed with down, they have continuous wadding insulation, stitched to the shell in places to stop it moving about.

In reply to gethin_allen: Were I only after one sleeping bag, or one half bag, I would agree with you. But there are some things I want to try regarding design that I don't think have been done before and I want to start walking (basic bag, half bag) before I run (odd experimental bags).

Robert