Sleeping systems - bags, pads, matts, liners

I've been struggling to get to grips with sleeping bags and the variables to consider in choosing one. As with most camping gear there is a trade-off with weight, cost, size, warmth etc. I thought such a thread would be a good addition. There are some tidbits on the subject in various threads but nothing substantial

What brands are good?
Synthetic or down?
What are they main considerations?
What are the special considerations for bike touring? (packed size for instance)
How should they be cared so that they last as long as possible?

I'm looking for a relatively cheap (£80 - £140 maybe) bag for two season use, preferably down, that packs down really small. I'd use it from early Spring to late Autumn so it'd need to be able to deal with the odd chilly night.

Any advice or information would be most useful.

Down is warmer per weight and packs down smaller although if it gets wet it is a mare to dry.

I have a sugpack and its fantastic, alpkit are good value for money.

Worth a read.
http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/sleeping-bag-guide

snugpack.

had a really nice box construction RAB down bag but it was overkill for what i needed it for.

Snugpak what though? Their website is a bitch to navigate.

one with the reflective metallic lining and the right kind of season rating for you
i have a softie micro. as it's got a baffle that expands it a bit as i like to sleep legs akimbo. packs down small weighs 800g.
maybe go and fondle some in a shop.

I went for a light, thin, mountain-style, synth-technical-layered bag that cost a bloody fortune and never got a good nights kip.
I now own an ex-issue british army sleeping bag (down) it was about £35, is spacious around the knees and comfy as. trouble is its big and bulky, but i would rather compromise on other things than sleep.
Also, got a good self-inflating mattress (can't remember make off hand) and is worth its weight in gold, definitely recommend getting one with any bag.

one planet or vango

I bought mine from Kathmandu in Oz. It's a down bag. Can't recall the mode name. It's a summer/autumn bag so not uber warm but light.

You should lie down in a few bags (no I'm not fucking joking) to get a feel for them.

Things like if you fit in them or not (you lanky/wide bastards esp.)
What side is the zip on. Does it have a hood and does it cover you up nicely?
How warm is it? How heavy is it? Anyway, like shoes and stuff I always recommend testing them out in the shop (before you inevitably go and spend your money online).

PHD!

Snugpak what though? Their website is a bitch to navigate.

This one.
http://www.outdoorgb.com/p/snugpak_elite_3_sleeping_bag/

I've heard good things about PHD, are they really that good?

wrong forum /...... SLEEPING BAGS ????? .......htfu !!!

gtfo

PHD if you have money alpkit pipe dream if you don't. I've got the pipe dream 400 nice bag for the money £120, it say max size 6'1" but I'm a smige shorter than 6'2" and found I was ok, but I don't mind being confined a little so would not notice. I also bought a silk liner off of ebay to protect the the bag from multi day scank. I also bought a dry bag for it to keep it... dry.

Cumulus do a bag slightly more expensive that the pipe dream (£20-30ish) but it has vertical baffles at the top.

Store uncompressed in a large cotton bag, keep dry and it should last for years.

Momentum will be along in a bit I bet, he loves light weight talk.

Those snug packs are well heavy, but good if you don't think you'll beable to keep your kit dry.

I've been looking at this one:

info

This website is excellent for all sorts of out door info good link about down here
http://www.psychovertical.com/?downfacts

Tommy, do you favour down on the whole?

I slept in a £14 bag from Millets for a couple of months bike touring last summer. It was perfect and I loved it. However it was a one season bag for the summer so you wouldn't really expect it to be that expensive or warm, pretty much a sheet folded in half with a zip.

I also hadn't put in nearly as much consideration as you, I thought a sleeping was a sleeping bag, some were thick and some were thin and I chose accordingly.

These guys are good: http://www.macpac.co.nz/ well thought-out designs and good materials. I've got a three-season down bag from them that I've had for about twelve years and is still sweet, kept me toasty in west wales last march

I've got a north face blue kazoo down bag and i fucking love it. If my girlfriend's away I tend to sleep in that, that's how good it is

got it from ebay ( i know, a bit so so but it was perfectly fine. one night in it and all is forgotten ). here's one the ends in 4 days

• 1 on the silk liner.
  
  

Most of my camping is done fro a kayak which is why I went for a synthetic bag. Have seen too many people with wet down bags. Weight isn't too big a deal in a sea kayak.

I have an old 2 season mountain equipment (10 yrs) wich I use for backpacking, light, small and durable.

I haven't ever found such a good sleeping bag as my own.

Its a german military one that has arms and a hood, with a zip around the front so you can popper it up into a kind of big coat.
amazingly warm
doesn't ever smell no matter how many drunken party's or anything.
I advise something military

+2 on the silk liner.

If you get too hot you can just use the liner by itself.