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Anybody used these?
Seem very cheap for the given temperature ratings, all be it a bit on the heavy side.
Cheap/light/warm.
What do you want? Because you're not getting all three.
My winter weight sleeping bag is a snugpak. It’s massive and heavy and very very warm.
IIRC they make the Army bags.
If there's some which look surprisingly light in comparison to their price then check the dimensions. I bought one once that would have been great for someone about 5' ish but at 6'2 I had a couple of cold nights out with my upper body well clear of the hooded area.
Made a great dog bed when I got back though!
My Snugpack winter bag is still going after 25 years. Heavy compared to modern bags and not as warm as it was but still in good nick. Have you also looked at Alpkit for good value warmth?
I have a snugpak, great bit of kit. Kept me warm in a concrete building in -4 At Easter with nothing but a T shirt on inside it and it's only a 3 season.
Been using them for ages, a softie merlin and a kestrel I think in extra long size bought about 2002. They are a bit heavy compared to some of the newer stuff but these two have refused to give up and are still very useable. Durable and well made, mine are the military versions. Only use them 3 seasons though (a short 3 seasons at that).
I found them optimistic on their given temp ratings compared to other bags
They're cheap, warm, heavy and robust. Good bags if weight and small pack size are not important to you. Thousands of squadies can tell you how good they are... And lots of people car camping.
Been using mine for years,it's quite bulky compared to modern stuff but that's the only negative.
Amazing kit . Very good VFM. Heavy and can stand up to lots of abuse. British made too. Work well in wet/damp/dirty conditions without too much loss of insulation. Very warm as realistically season rated.
I've had 2 for the last 10 years or so - summer and autumn for mix n match - never had a problem with them
Loved mine. One issue for me was the foot area is reinforced (understand so you can keep your boots on). However I found it made my feet hot and sweaty. Apart from that a great bag.
Good bags & well made but as above, the newer ones are definitely optimistic on their comfort rating (unless you are already prone to running warm!).
Had a snugpack for many years. Great car camping bag. Wouldn't use it backpacking or on bike trips as the stuff size was so much bigger than an equivalent down bag.
I destroyed mine on one very very drunken surf trip by climbing out the wrong end.
Been using a Softie Elite for work now for a couple of years, used it in some pretty shitty conditions in shell-scrapes under basha, good bit of kit kept me warm, and when needed just sacled up with a liner.
If it matters to you, they're one of the few bits of outdoor kit still manufactured in the UK - the factory's in Silsden, West Yorkshire. As others have said already, the kit's not overly sophisticated or feathery light, but it's functional and effective.
If you want synthetic and light, the Mountain Hardwear Lamina and HyperLamina bag in particular are a good balance of warmth, weight and price.
Had one (a Softie Kilo) do me proud for years, still perfectly serviceable.
Bought a Mountain Hardwear Lamina (or possibly Hyperlamina) recently. Just be aware their stated weights are waaaay out, by about 15% when I checked. Still a good balance of warmth weight and price, just not as good as they look on paper...
I've had my Merlin for well over 20 years now, great bit of kit, packs away quite small in it's compression sack. Don't know what the latest stuff is like though.
I've used various snugpak sleeping bags all over the world from the artic to the desert they can be on the heavy side but they're tough and reliable.