Sleeping systems - bags, pads, matts, liners

I'm on a Facebook outdoors group thing and the consensus was that it wasn't worth the £40. Not a very good rating, quite thin, dubious quality down, etc. Basically for 900g and £40 you can easily do better, even with synthetic bags

Thanks for that bud, apparently they are rated to 8 comfort. 3 transition and -10 risk. What would you recommend that's comparable in rating and packsize? Snugpac I guess? Cheers!

I can't recommend anything personally unfortunately! I've got a crap Mountain Warehouse synthetic bag and an expensive Rab down bag that's rated to -10 or so. I know the Sungpak ones are very well-spoken of though.

A few thoughts on spending 6 of the last 12 months in a pair of sleeping bags in the back of a van...

Taking the lightweight bags was generally fine but for long term use an oversize bag with a full zip would likely have been more comfortable. Had plenty of nights with great sleep but a fair few struggling between being too warm and too cold despite having 2 bags to swap between/double up. I could probably solve this with a quilt too and am quite keen to try this out if I can find a suitable mat and a sewing machine to knock up a cheap DIY version while the weather here is pretty good.

After 11 months both bags have a pretty potent aroma despite always using a liner, washing that fairly regularly and trying to air the bags out in the sun whenever possible. Would definitely go synthetic next time in the future, mainly for ethical reasons but also for the convenience of throwing them in the wash every now and again.

potent aroma

Bottle it & flog it?

I'm pretty sure the sale of chemical weapons isn't permitted on my visa...

Freezer! Prob colder than your average household freezer.
Wash it in whatever, dry, then freeze foe a few days, preferably below -18c
Gets rid of most of the stink out of tech gear

Makes your frozen fish fingers taste like arse though.

;)

Freezer's not big enough and I can't see why it'd need to go in after it's been washed really. All other gear that had been stashed in the same bags went through the wash today and has dried out nice and fresh.

Anyone have a cheap inflatable sleeping mat recommendation? I'm a side sleeper, don't want to spend a hundred quid (or sleep on the floor).

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/forclaz-air-inflatable-camping-sleeping-mat-red-50cm-id_8298497.html?_cclid=v3_5681bfe4-de1c-5d5f-8489-9e04e950776a&gclid=CjwKCAiA8bnUBRA-EiwAc0hZk5jrx0DmsgldqcpcjzfucGv5wFlE20YCoQSo2vTIScBt-uCzjZtK1RoCzGAQAvD_BwE

I have this and apart from the valve which is a bit crap it works great and packs down to about the size of a coke can.

Are you a back or side sleeper? I worry that ones with vertical compartments like that will leave me with shoulder and hip on the floor

Don't worry they won't. I like my Exped Airmat 5 but will most definitely definitely upgrade to a thermarest Neo Xlite since everybody seems to like those

thermarest Neo Xlite

@phildas ^this I have one, also a side sleeper

thermarest Neo Xlite

This OR the Prolite (red/orange one) which some people find more comfortable and is slightly cheaper.

bought my xlite second hand and have slept at least two hundred nights on it, still going great

So spenny though

Buy my thermarest prolite if you want something cheaper.

The Neo Xlite is fantastic though, much warmer too.

I'm still looking for a cheap full-length one.

I'll post an advert tomorrow for my prolite and link it here

What did you go for in the end and are you happy with it?

I'm looking for something similiar but for a 6/12 month trip.
Anyone have experience of the Mountain Warehouse Down sleeping bag? £68 seems like a very good price though like hp93, I'm nervous of the source of the down filling. I have a Summit 250 which has been well used but fancy something that packs smaller and is lighter...

How much? What length is it?

Neo air xlite is worth the cash.

how much you looking for?

Oi, fuck off

I haven't bought anything yet or been on any camping trips :(