Lite Sleeping Bags

Sleeping bags can be heavy and bulky.  The models below are less than one kilo and are ideally suited to thru-hiking or lightweight cycle travelling.

See also sleeping pads and pillows.

You may see a range of temperatures for a bag.  The general approach seems to be as follows:

• Comfort Temp: Rating based on a ‘standard’ adult woman having a comfortable night’s sleep.
• Lower Limit Temp: Based on the lowest temperature at which a ‘standard’ adult man is deemed to be able to have a comfortable night’s sleep.
• Extreme Temp:   A survival only rating for a ‘standard’ adult woman. This is an extreme survival rating only and it is not advisable to rely on this rating for general use.

Additional thermal clothing should be worn if being exposed to temperatures in this range.

There are a number of things to consider when looking for a lightweight sleeping bag.  There are many articles around on the down vs synthetic debate.  I’ll leave these for you to find.

Temperature range

The conundrum for choosing a sleeping back is the target temperature range.  If money is no object then you can have a range of bags for different seasons.  If you want one bag to cover year round needs then get the lightest bag you can and choose a zip round model so that in warmer weather you can use it as a blanket.  I use an inexpensive 10 deg c bag which is very compact and weighs 700g for most requirements around where I live.

Waterproofing

If you are looking at wet weather a waterproof outer cover may be an advantage.  These may add cost but may stop a wet foot when you reach out and touch the tent condensation during the night.

Space

To make a bag lighter most ultralight bags use a mummy style and can be very restrictive. For additional comfort, you may be better off in a wider and therefore heavier bag.

For a cold-weather bag I was deciding between the Macpac Latitude 500 XP (1.1 Kg) or Mont Nadgee (1.2 Kg), and Western Mountaineering Sycamore (my dream bag but very expensive in Australia) but ended up getting a Mountain Hardwear Spirit SL long bag s for $180 at Mountain Designs surplus store at DFO, Hendra in Brisbane.  These are mummy-style bags but the larger size has a bit more wriggle room.  With 800 loft down and a waterproof shell and weighing 2 lb 4 ounces (just over 1 kg) I think this was a pretty good deal.

My review of the Mountain Hardwear Spirit SL is based on my first experience with the bag when I used it on the Overland Track at Easter.  On that trip we had snow one night but was above zero for most of the trip.  I had the extra long bag and maybe could have got away with the shorter unit.  I thought it had great bang for buck and it packed pretty small.  More importantly I figured with a Kathmandu silk liner which promises to add another 5 degrees I think the bag will cover anything Australia can dish up.