... ) and it's just a bit too complicated to ask for that sort of favour. If the list of goodies is very long, I may just need to bite the bullet and plan a "visit". No need to tell them the real reason 
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I'm 170cm tall and was thinking of going for the medium size as it says on cumulus site that it does up 185 cm ,can I ask what size you went for and why.
Hi Sue WM have this seemingly vague system for ratings, but to sell them in the EU they had to submit them for EN testing (somehow the UK sellers miss this) check any Authorised seller in the rest of Europe and they will have the 'Comfort'-i.e womens, 'Limit' -i.e. mens and 'Extreme'. Just checked Bergfreunde.de they have all three ratings which from my bit of research are accurate and are EN ratings. The Swedish one I mentioned but can't just now see had them too.
@edh
Thanks Bob... that's very useful.
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but for what its worth, I am a relatively warm sleeper (and warm hiker - across glaciers in shorts etc) but get very cold when sitting around in camp or awake at night. For that reason, I combine ul down trousers and jacket with hood with 20f quilt for colder nights (and getting warm into bed and out in the mornings). The down jacket also provides the hood (along with a beanie). Like others here, I use a 20f zpacks quilt with a zip underneath. I zip it up to just above my hips when cold which stops any draft (as a frequently turning side sleeper). I dont recall ever zipping the quilt all the way up so I still get the quilt spaciousness around my chest and arms when cold and the quilt becomes a blanket when not cold. Hot or "too hot" doesn't come into the equation for me in Europe (as a child of the tropics, hot = 40C - 50C, warm = between 30C and 40C, mild/spring temps = 20C to 30C....).
It's fascinating to hear how different we all are . Sounds like you are at the opposite end from me but the layering of clothes and mats sounds useful.I'm probably not repesentative here
For mats, I "progressed" from womans TAR all the way to uninsulated mats and use the saved weight to layer up (softfoam-reflective layer underneath and foam mat on top in wintery conditions) which IMO is more weight-warmth effective than any of the insulations inside mats (with the exception of down mats but thats a different weight league).
)) ) and I believe once you've had one, yr more susceptible.
Hi Sue,
I'm a cold sleeper, always have been, and feel the cold generally too, despite having worked outdoors all year round, all my life*, so I don't think it's just about acclimatisation, we are all a bit different, and females generally feel the cold more.
Some of my male hiking fiends are just beginning to feel the chill themselves as they age, after years of wondering why i was such a chilly mortal.
But for sure, being tired and hungry doesn't help with tolerance... Of anything.
I'm almost the opposite to yourself in terms of sleep system, in that I use a sleeping bag atm mostly Alpkit pipedream 400, but 4/5 times, I use it opened as my lower back prefers a recovery pose type arrangement for my legs, so can't be doing with them tied together.
And I barely ever use the hood.. I'm just too much of a fidget, at night.
I think the pipedream is losing her loft, after extended use though.
Plus an insulated neoair.
After this slightly soggy and cold Scottish trip that's just finishing, I'm considering a quilt, with occasional zip up the back option for the odd cold night (high Pyrenees etc)
Probably cumulus, as I hear they will customise, width ways, fill power, and colour
Just now I've been wearing down trousers - great tent lounge wear, baselayer, and down jacket, under the bag, and that's been warm enough.
But I'd not want to carry down trews for an extended summer trip, merino legging would be more versatile for chilly mornings that soon warm up.
And I prefer to use my down jacket for pillow making.
I'm going to make a pretty, top sheet only for my mat.
Secured with elastic at the corners.
Which I can then fold in half lengthways to use as a wrap around walking skirt / towel / picnic cloth.
I've got something similar right now, but the fabric is thicker than it needs to be, and isn't full length of mat, for sleeping on.
Will be following all this, and looking into quilts properly when home, but word on street (and hill) seems to be Cumulus are good all round, bang for buck, and EU based..
However much good that will do us ongoing, I don't know .
*although I did experience a hypothermia incident when younger (fish-farming
Thanks for the useful input.
Not sure where you've been but weather at ours has been pretty bad the past week or so - today is much better so hope you have a good finish to your trip.
I've not tried sleeping in down trousers or jacket but might give it a go with my jacket to see how it feels. Although I've never had a hypothermia incident, I am very careful. My sleeping thermals are packed with my bag so I can't get them wet by wearing them during the day. Doubling up clothes for sleeping would certainly be more efficient weight wise. I carry an Exped pillow so no problem there.
I've also considered making a simple top sheet but it's still on my "to do" list.
Finally, I don't see why cold sleeping should be looked down on... it just is. It's like being short... there's nothing I can do about it. Although it does mean that I can buy a shorter sleeping bag
Just as being tall - shouldn't be looked down upon neither - unless yr standing on a step ladder
I am a one, for sleeping in my day clothes, if I'm cold - which I know is v poor practice, and I'll nearly always regret it, if I do.
But it seems counterintuitive to take everything off, to change if yr already chilled.
Having something relatively clean, and comfy, and warm to change into, is proper lovely.
Plus, sleeping nekkid, is all very well, until you have to get up for the (almost inevitable) nighttime wee.
I'm extraordinarily glad to be a woman, in so very many ways, but being able to roll over and deploy the waste-water pipe, into the porch, is one of the few undoubtedly enviable aspects of manhood..
Had nice bits of weather in between the downpours.. Three clear days on Knoydart, wearing shorts even
I seem to be fortunate that if I avail myself of the facilities before I go to sleep, I don't normally need to get up in the night. But when trekking, I also tend to be up and away early so perhaps for some of you, that's considered the middle of the night...
My short legs need more time to take me as far as you.
I must confess I am one for lying abed on my holibobs.
(Thus giving the shorter legged amongst, a fair headstart)
Maybe someone has already done a study, but a shorter stride, must surely mean that one's shoes wear out more quickly, over a given distance...
Perhaps there should be a sliding scale of VAT incurred , to compensate, rather than the size 3 cutoff point, as stands.
Would make things fairer.
But then, us taller folk, need to buy longer socks, to meet our trousers, so perhaps it all evens out in the end
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