I’m struggling to find a sleeping bag and I’m not sure what weight I should be looking for. My budget is under £100, ideally under £70.
I’m going wild camping later this month in the lake District, we’ll probably hike up a mountain to get to a good spot. I have migraines and carrying a heavy backpack is my #1 trigger due to neck problems, so I’m looking to reduce the weight I carry by as much as physically possible.
We can probably expect temperatures around 5°c at night. I don’t mind a sleeping bag not designed for that low a temperature as I’ll be able to compensate with thermal layers but the closer I can get the better.
Do you guys have any recommendations, or any ballparks for weight I should be looking at? If it helps I’m 5’3, 105lbs and the heaviest I can lift is 20kg lol
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20kg for a wild camp with another person? Wtaf?! Taking the kitchen sink?
Down is obv lighter but for the budget synth is the way to go. Snugpak have a few offerings in your price range and some of the Oex bags have good reps too. Sleeping bag shouldn’t really be a big part of your weight though. What is the rest of your kit and what sort of weight brings on the headaches (and have you fit your bag properly?)
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Sorry for any confusion; I was only attempting to provide a general impression of my physical strength, not that I’m really carrying 20 kg. In actuality, I will get a migraine if I’m carrying a bag that weighs about 5 kg.
Although they won’t add significantly to the weight, sleeping bags do add up. I think that the main reason I struggled the last time was because I brought fresh food, which I will definitely avoid doing this time.
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Does a decent backpack come with a headache and weigh 5 kg? Shoulders not bear the weight, but the hip belt?
Given the weight of the synth bags and the financial constraints, 1.5 kg is probably a fair estimate for your carry weight. You can add additional items to stay warm, but don’t be the guy who has to be rescued from a mountain; instead, outfit yourself appropriately and don’t try to get by with less warmth than you require. The top-of-the-line, 1.1kg, 4C comfortable mountain equipment Lunar 2 is beyond your means. Similar price is softie ex 2 but might not be as warm. More expensive but heavier travelpak 3. And you’re taking a different companion? Do you share the workload?
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Good point about mountain rescue lol- I’ll look into the ones you recommended. Would comfort max 5c be a good ballpark then?
I will be sharing load, luckily I have a friend who’s willing to carry my tent. I’ll get a headache very quickly at 5kg without a proper backpack - with hip supportsi can avoid it for probably an hour of proper hiking but it’s still an issue.
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Based on the weather forecast, I would prefer a bag that is at least 0 degrees Celsius, if not colder (I have an owned bag that I would use at -5 degrees Celsius), since most places continuously drop below 5 degrees Celsius. Have you also arranged for mats?
To reduce the problems there, wear your backpack with the hip belts and the appropriate weight distribution. If you haven’t, see your doctor because that’s a bit strange migraine trigger.
To be honest, it seems like camping out in the woods may not be the best choice for your health, happiness, or pocketbook. Not a possibility to camp in a nearly wild area where weight carrying isn’t an issue?
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Even though it hurts me, I don’t really want to give up on wild camping because I’ve truly enjoyed it in the past. Like, I wouldn’t have much of a life if I sought to escape pain at all costs, even though it is unavoidable. Although I’m willing to pay more to make it happen, I didn’t realize sleeping bags would cost so much.
Because of how strange my headache patterns were, I’ve actually seen a neurologist after seeing multiple GPs. However, migraines are a highly peculiar ailment and aren’t usually easy to diagnose.
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Without having to hike for hours into the hills, you may go wild camping at these almost-wild locations. Not everything has to stop; rather, you may need to reevaluate and make adjustments to enable you to go, particularly if the expense of the bags is excessive.