Ozbow

what's your opinion? i'm doing some thinking about sleeping gear for alpine hunting in NZ for tahr and chamois. i have a down bag at the moment plus a thermarest and bivy bag. for a winter tahr hunt i guess i'd need a good tent too. i'm in the market for another bag with a better minimum temperature rating. what brands?

Hi Clinton,
Personally my sleeping bag is goose down with a minus 5 rating, with a silk liner and is off the Mummy style, the sleeping bag is over 25 years old, and still as warm as when i first brought it, and it weighs only 1:5 kgs. The tent I use is called a Bergen, designed for the Norwegian Army, this to is 25 years old, and is now showing it's age, but hell it's a great tent, could sleep 2 people, but fantastic for 1 person. This tent has an inner & outer skins, and also weighs only 1kg. The trouble with down sleeping bags is once they get wet they are very uncomfortable, where as the Gortex synthetic sleeping bag if it gets wet you can squeeze them out, get into the bag and with your Body Heat,they do dry out. The thing I have against them are they tend to be Bulky, and they don't squeeze tight like a down bag does. Using a Therarest mattress is great, go full length, You may consider taking with you a aluminium space blanket as well. As for what brands I suggest you try Mountain Design, Paddy Palin, or wait untill you get to N/Z and see what they have to offer. Just remember Clinton you only get what you pay for, the cheapest or the dearest is not always the go, I personally always go for middle ground if you know what I mean. Hope this helps you. Cheers Roadie

Clint. I use a Macpac Lattitude 700. -4 to -10 rating. It has a water proof outer and comes in at 1.4kg. Ive used it down to zero temps with a 3 season mat. Was very warm in it with only a thermal top on. Would be warmer again with a true 4 season mat like I now use.

where is the best place to buy one of these?

I want the Macpac that you can fit your thermorest into the slot. Crocreek has one and says it pretty damn good...

Macpac Australia seems to have good prices at the moment.
http://www.macpac.com.au/

Thx Matt. Does yours have the slot for the mat to fit into?

Nah mine dosnt.

gundy wrote:where is the best place to buy one of these?

I want the Macpac that you can fit your thermorest into the slot. Crocreek has one and says it pretty damn good...

What happens when you want to roll onto your side?

Jindy, this slot is on the underside of the bag, so I guess instead of the whole lot (bag & body) rolling, you simply roll in the bag...

What I was getting at is that the hood would cover your face and leave your ear out in the open. Traditionally a bag was made to cover all but your face and it would roll with you, these new designs with the mat integral to the bag stop the bag going with you.

Yeah, I have never used one but people who have them say they are brilliant...