Down sleeping bag

[Ethiaa]

I'm looking for a recommendation for a 4/5 season down bag which is going to be used in 0 to -15C. While I can randomly pick something from Rab or ME with an appropriate ISO rating (after taking 5 degrees off for my need to be actually warm and not in transition), I wondered if anyone had actually used one in these conditions? People seem to buy them and review them after using them in a cool house and being too warm. Not very helpful. I know how everyone on the board likes a bit of late season high altitude hiking...

[mrblackbat]

I can't remember exactly which one it was, but I have an AlpKit bag which was light and warm enough when cycling and doing a combination of bunk house and tent sleeping in Wales. Probably didn't drop below freezing at night. https://www.alpkit.com/sleeping-bags

[Ethiaa]

Yeah, I looked at those. I wasn't blown away with the price points to be honest - they are stacking up directly against ME gear which I'd trust with my life. I'm leaning towards a Rab Ascent 900 at the moment. I've found one at £200 which is a bit of a bargain.

[Gibbon]

I ran it past a mate of mine who does a lot of that sort of thing, he said:

Never used one below about -5. Vango were always the make i went for but times have changed.
Down is best unless there is a risk of getting it wet.
Also, bag liners add an extra season to any bag.
Something good underneath you is just as important as the bag.

So, that’s as much as I can contribute.

[Ethiaa]

I've got a Vango synthetic which has been OK but I don't think their F10 down bags are really competitive. I've obviously got a liner and a decent winter pad (ME Aerostat Down 7.0 in case anyone cares).

I don't really understand the water worries with down these days - all the decent bags use hydrophobic treated down with water resistant outers and the stuff sacks are dry bags. Unless you are sleeping directly in a large puddle I don't see how you could wet one out. It's not like you get your bag out and THEN put up your tent/bivvy. Condensation in a single skin is never that bad and nobody would be silly enough to get an inner first tent would they. Would they? (I know some people don't bother with a tent/bivvy. On snow. Outliers excluded from data).

If anything, the ethical concerns with using down would be more of an issue for me.

PS I've bought the Rab. Good ethical supply chain

[mrblackbat]

My bag is the pipedream 400 (before they did the hydrophobic stuff). Was out in it at the weekend and was warm enough on Saturday night during the frost; and our tent is a big spacious thing so colder than it's be with just a small one.

I think the hydrophobic trend has come with more people camping on snow for things like backcountry skiing etc. Hike out to a high mountain, camp, hike to the top, camp, ski down etc.

[Gibbon]

I think the hydrophobic trend has come with more people camping on snow for things like backcountry skiing etc. Hike out to a high mountain, camp, hike to the top, camp, ski down etc.

The guy whose brain I picked does exactly that, albeit snowboarding rather than skiing.

[Ethiaa]

(I know some people don't bother with a tent/bivvy. On snow. Outliers excluded from data).