Using two down bags

liamarchie

Ultralighter
Any consensus on whether it would be more effective to use a costco down throw on the outside of my down bag, or internally?

Im just going to sew some simple bungee chord on the foot end to draw it tighter, and a loose chord across the top.
 

WilliamC

Thru Hiker
Any consensus on whether it would be more effective to use a costco down throw on the outside of my down bag, or internally?

Im just going to sew some simple bungee chord on the foot end to draw it tighter, and a loose chord across the top.
Unless your bag is (overly?) roomy and so big enough to allow the throw to loft fully, I'd imagine you'd want the throw on the outside as you could arrange it in a way that didn't restrict the bags loft.
 

liamarchie

Ultralighter
The throw doesnt really have much loft to it at all really, its quite a limp and flat looking thing. Think you're thinking its probably correct though. plus would mitigate any condensation splash, and move the dew point to out of my bag
 

Bob-W

Trail Blazer
@cathyjc & @ZenTrekker I should have said "limit" rather than "comfort". IME that formula does get you in the ballpark, generally +/-2C, of the EN13537 limit rating of a bag.

My wife is fine with her standard Cumulus 350 at -6C so by that score she's definitely a warm sleeper. That's got 6.5cm of loft so -5.3C by the formula vs -4C that Cumulus quote.
 

Balagan

Thru Hiker
The throw doesnt really have much loft to it at all really, its quite a limp and flat looking thing. Think you're thinking its probably correct though. plus would mitigate any condensation splash, and move the dew point to out of my bag
With the Costco throw, you really want to seam rip all of the vertical or horizontal seams as that really helps give the down a lot more room to loft than the small squares. A fair bit of down is trapped under those seams too.
 

lentenrose

Ultralighter
hi diddi----- i know this is an old thread but with winter coming did you manage to solve your problem?----i thought i remembered phd making zip in inserts to expand bags ----might be an option
 

ZenTrekker

Section Hiker
How did this work out mate?
Not as well as I had envisaged. Used the combination down to around -2˚C. I was never cold but neither was I as toasty as I thought I would be. I didn't wear my Montane Primaloft hat, just a thin beanie, so that didn't help. I also suspect that my sleeping mat (only rated to 0˚C), wasn't good enough. Finally the sleep mat moved a couple of times and I woke with my shoulder on the cold groundsheet.

I've since purchased a warmer mat and I'm going to supplement it with a full length ISO Mat (90grams/R Value=2). Just waiting for some cold weather now!
Grand Canyon Aluminium mat.jpg
 

Franky

Section Hiker
Alpkit sell a Cloud Cover 750 down quilt. £99. Kam Snaps. 2 cinch cords. Longitudinal and continuous baffles so can push all the down up over body core.
I’ve used this inside a Pipedream 200 which is spacious. So fills up the cold spaces Toasty. A warmer cheaper fix for local overnighters and cooler times with a slight weight penalty.. 1.075kg
No probs it rest of kit is lightweight
Compressed well in Pack
 

oreocereus

Thru Hiker
Not as well as I had envisaged. Used the combination down to around -2˚C. I was never cold but neither was I as toasty as I thought I would be. I didn't wear my Montane Primaloft hat, just a thin beanie, so that didn't help. I also suspect that my sleeping mat (only rated to 0˚C), wasn't good enough. Finally the sleep mat moved a couple of times and I woke with my shoulder on the cold groundsheet.

I've since purchased a warmer mat and I'm going to supplement it with a full length ISO Mat (90grams/R Value=2). Just waiting for some cold weather now!
View attachment 19045
Where did you get that Mat? Interesting as a winter booster option
 

Diddi

Thru Hiker
hi diddi----- i know this is an old thread but with winter coming did you manage to solve your problem?----i thought i remembered phd making zip in inserts to expand bags ----might be an option
I did @lentenrose, I sold a nearly 10 old alpkit pd bag on the fleabay for £150 :D and put that towards a mountain equipment -9 down bag from sports pursuit.... just the job :thumbsup:...
And still have 1 for my summer use...
 

Taz38

Thru Hiker
I also found "layering" didnt work well for me, sold the bags and bought a ME downbag (-5comfort) which is quite toasty. Too warm in summer mind.
 

HillBelly

Section Hiker
Where did you get that Mat? Interesting as a winter booster option
I have one of the single ones - it was one of my early purchases in the wild camping game, and still comes with me now on my winter trips as extra insurance under the sleeping mat. So a good buy in my book!
 

HillBelly

Section Hiker
@Taz38 @Diddi Seems like three of us now have ditched the layering approach in favour of the temptation of luxurious warmth from a Mountain Equipment bag. I wont get to use mine until Feb, and expect/demand good things of it :) So I now have my three - a summer top bag, a three season Rab alpine bag, and a winter comfort bag.
 
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Taz38

Thru Hiker
Another thing I found annoying was faffing about with various layers (in a small tent with a tired/grumpy dog).
 

Whiteburn

Thru Hiker
@Taz38 @Diddi ……. So I now have my three - a summer top bag, a three season Rab alpine bag, and a winter comfort bag.
I'll stick with the lightest weight approach also: Cumulus 250 quilt (500g) for summer, Cumulus Panyam 600 (1kg) for winter & a PD400 (750g) for the in-between bits.
The only time I'd probably consider layering would be for a winter wonderland trip & then I'd probably just add a MYO Apex quilt to the Panyam 600………& everything would hopefully be on a pulk.
 

cathyjc

Thru Hiker
@Taz38 @Diddi Seems like three of us now have ditched the layering approach in favour of the temptation of luxurious warmth from a Mountain Equipment bag. I wont get to use mine until Feb, and expect/demand good things of it :) So I now have my three - a summer top bag, a three season Rab alpine bag, and a winter comfort bag.

Another here who just takes whichever bag suits the conditions. A Cumulus 450 (+ a bit extra down) for 3 season - bookended by a Western Mountaineering Summerlite for the few occasions it won't fall below 12C, and a super toasty WM Antelope for when the temp will be below 0C. An expensive collection but acquired over quite a number of years.

I've never tried quilts - just don't think i'd get on with it and layering just isn't weigh efficient (I have enough trouble carrying what I take without adding any extra).
 

Enzo

Thru Hiker
I do use the two bag option, though OBS it's lighter to have specific bags.
Mainly my -4 quilt in my apex 67 wpb overbag.
I did just make a 225g summer/liner bag, might work well with my apex overbag for wet shoulder season stuff.
 

Bob-W

Trail Blazer
I do get the "extra faff" comment about layering, it's definitely not as easy as a specific bag or quilt for that season and there's always what the Americans call the "shoulder" seasons where it's too cold for one on its own but too warm for both together :rolleyeses: For me I'll still be fine with my Cumulus 150 even now since the nights aren't particularly cold yet.

@cathyjc - Not everyone gets on with quilts, no problem with that, I got my Cumulus 150 partly to try, partly to layer for winter but I knew that if I didn't get on with it then I could sell it on reasonably easily so the commitment wasn't massive.
 

Bmblbzzz

Thru Hiker
I'll stick with the lightest weight approach also: Cumulus 250 quilt (500g) for summer, Cumulus Panyam 600 (1kg) for winter & a PD400 (750g) for the in-between bits.
The only time I'd probably consider layering would be for a winter wonderland trip & then I'd probably just add a MYO Apex quilt to the Panyam 600………& everything would hopefully be on a pulk.
Pulk???
 

Bob-W

Trail Blazer
A pulk is a sledge https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulk often used in winter races as it's preferable to having the weight on your back which will make you break through the snow surface more often. The racers usually have a harness of some sort with poles rather than rope linking that to the pulk - so that it doesn't run into the back of them when going downhill:)
 
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