Good 1-2 season sleeping bag?

[oxford_guy]

We're going on a cycle tour of the Czech Republic late-Aug/early-Sep and probably need to get some lighter weight sleeping bags, or Alpkit down ones are 3-4 season and seriously warm! Blacks are doing a sale on at the moment, they have a 1-2 season down bag with an 8-30 degree comfort zone for £70 (down from £140!) or a 1 season hollow fibre one with a 10-32 degree comfort rating for £40 (down from £60). Both look like they pack pretty small and weigh 800g and 750g, respectively. I remember it being pretty warm the last time we went to the Czech Republic in late August (not camping, though), and imagine it would be similar, do reckon either of these would do? Or does anyone have any other recommendations?

Down tends to have a greater comfort range I'm my experience, and usually squishes down smaller, but is obviously more expensive...

We both have liners, which can be used for a little extra warmth, if it's cold, or on their own, if really hot. My wife tends to feel the cold more than me, though!

Anyway, any tips would be welcome - we've only ever camped in the UK so far, so have usually erred on the side of warmth, but I think we'll roast in our Alpkit bags!

 

[iLB]

Got links for those blacks bags?

 

[oxford_guy]

The down bag is on sale here, says it's 2-3 season, but the guy in the shop said it's more like 1-2, and I think I would agree, as it's much thinner than my down 3-4 season bag:
http://www.blacks.co.uk/equipment/62005212-blacks-cosmos-200-sleeping-bag-mid-blue-0.html

Here's the one season hollow-fill one:
http://www.blacks.co.uk/equipment/62003516-blacks-aerolite-700-sleeping-bag-yellow.html

In the end I bought the down one, think it'll be more versatile, and it's a great price for a down bag. BTW it also comes with a big net storage bag, so that the down doesn't get too permanently compressed when not in use. If it's *really* hot, I'll just sleep in my silk liner.

 

[iLB]

Good call, I want one now.

 

[snorri]

Sleeping bag choice is a bit of a lottery IMV............
Temperatures in spring and autumn can be higher than summer, some of us feel the cold or heat more than others. How warm you feel can depend on your physical fitness at the time.
By the time you have had a sleeping bag long enough to know if it is good bad or indifferent and are able to recommend or condemn it, that model has gone off the market.
I've come round to thinking that what you place between sleeping bag and the ground has more effect on body warmth than the bag itself.
Not sure why I wrote all that, but at least it got it off my chest.

 

[oxford_guy]

Sleeping bag choice is a bit of a lottery IMV............
Temperatures in spring and autumn can be higher than summer, some of us feel the cold or heat more than others. How warm you feel can depend on your physical fitness at the time.
By the time you have had a sleeping bag long enough to know if it is good bad or indifferent and are able to recommend or condemn it, that model has gone off the market.
I've come round to thinking that what you place between sleeping bag and the ground has more effect on body warmth than the bag itself.
Not sure why I wrote all that, but at least it got it off my chest.

Well I have a Thermarest Prolite Plus, which I've been very happy with for sleeping on top off - comfy and warm when it's needed. I also use a half-size proper goose feather and down pillow, which I got from a local farm shop(!) for ultimate sleeping comfort - two of these (mine and my wife's) compress down pretty small and fit into a small Alpkit drybag, which I put on top of the rear rack. My wife has even made small pillow cases to fit them! Takes up a little bit of extra space, but we sleep so much better with them than any "camping" pillow (or fleece in a T-shirt) solution that we've tried, which makes us enjoy the riding days more.

 

[snorri]

Well I have a Thermarest Prolite Plus,

My final paragraph was prompted following my conversion from a bedroll consisting of a few mm of foam to an Exped Synmat UL 7 S. I have managed a couple of tours since, with the same sleeping bag but without ever waking up cold in the morning.

 

[andym]

Decathlon. Their S15 ultralight bag is rated as 15 degrees - and in my experience their ratings are reliable. With a liner you'd be good down to 10 degrees. With thermals down to 5?

IME it's as comfortable as a PHD Minimus - although bulkier and twice the weight (but a fraction of the price).

 

[Mr Bunbury]

The Snugpak Travelpak Lite is an excellent summer bag, which packs down tiny and weighs 850g, which makes it small enough that you can chuck it in your bag on the off-chance that you'll need it. It's well made and well thought out, with features like a neck baffle and a mosquito net for your face. It costs about £35 and I've had two over the past 5 years: when I lost the first, I bought exactly the same bag again.

 

[AnneW]

Thanks guys, I was just looking into buying 2 sleeping bags and mats and you've given me the answers without me even asking the question

 

[simonplatt]

i,ve got a loft full of bags, but i found that a cheap mini mummy bag (from tesco i think) and 2 emergency blankets with a plastic lilo does what i want.
if its hot the lilo and bag are ok,
feel the damp from the ground? put 1 emergency blanket between lilo and sleeping bag.
feel cold? put other e b on top of bag.
all cheap and very lightweight. and would almost go in a pocket.

 

[sparkyman]

Do you need to get winter sleeping bags or can I just double up the ones I have? rated + or - 5

Sparkyman

 

[oxford_guy]

Do you need to get winter sleeping bags or can I just double up the ones I have? rated + or - 5

Sparkyman

I've got a 3-4 Alpkit sleeping bag for winter and now have the 1-2 season one for summer. Never thought about doubling up two summer bags for winter, but I think it would be awkward and bulky and probably not as warm as a single winter sleeping bag

 

[Milo]

You can just double up and it's surprisingly effective you will however find it a problem if you wriggle about much in your sleep.

 

[sparkyman]

You can just double up and it's surprisingly effective you will however find it a problem if you wriggle about much in your sleep.

Cool thats good news as the Bags get pricey. How about if I use a Mummy and a Normal shaped Sleeping bag, should be able to wiggle a little.

Sparkyman