Sleeping bags

[friendlyfireaintfriendly]

Whats the best,cheapest sleeping bag i can get that will fit in a bergen sidepouch? Im sick of taking all my stuff in side pouches and having to take a berger just to take my cadet issue 58 sleeping bag

good point it needs to go down to -5 at least

[Jagger]

Snugpak sleeping bags tend to be smaller. Be aware that the smaller the sleeping bag the less efficient it is normally than the bigger ones. When you get into training you'll be given them big bog standard ones, really warm, but big, just takes abit of aggression getting them into the bag. You should have your sleeping bag already in your bivy bag, then just stuff the whole thing into the bottom of your bergen, grab the sides and jump it down with both feet if ya have to ain't that hard. When I was in RM training I could fit everything they gave me into the bergen no prob, and they gave us ALOT of extras sometimes and if someone pulled off an exercise from the section, we got their stuff divided between us too, my training team were nice like that. Bungee cords are your friends!!

I dunno if there are any sleeping bags out there that will do the job of keeping you warm at night in UK climate and also fit into a side pouch. Might be!

[friendlyfireaintfriendly]

I need to be able to cram it into a side pocket of a bergen. We get issued the old 58 patterns in ATC. not a chance in hell of going into the side of a PLCE bergen

[Jagger]

Try ... http://www.snugpak.com/codegreen/sleepingbags.php4 to get an idea of the softie/snugpak stuff, dunno if they'll fit in the side pouches though, i've only had experience with their jackets which were very good. They're sold in alot of mil bases, well CTCRM anyway.

Why do you want to store your sleeping bag in your side pouch anyway?

During RM training we were told a specific way to load our bergens, so that if someone else needed to get something out of your bergen during the night, or whenever, that they'd know exactly where the major pieces of kit were. Keep in mind that side pouches are also detachable to form a daysack and you want to keep the items that you will use on patrol in them side pouches if you can. The side pouches are ALOT more accessible than the main bergen compartment so you want all the stuff you'll need readily to hand in there, and by putting your sleeping bag there it probably take up all the space and you'll have to root them all our from the main compartment. By all means get a smaller sleeping bag if you need it, but I'd still put it in the main compartment.

Thats just my 2cent and how I was thought to do it though, I didn't like getting beasted, well ......maybe abit.

[stew the bean]

STOP think out the box!

your current situation is as follows. You have an army issue bag, it's warm enough but its way to big.

You want: a bag that is just as warm but half the weight.

This will not happen. You just cant fit a pint into a quart pot!

HOWEVER

You can get a SYSTEM that will fullfill your "you want:" stipulation.

i.e. get a tiny snugpack sleeping back (ways nuthing but is only good down to 0), however if you combine this with a puffa snugpak (spelling?)
which you ware in your bag then you will have a system that is good down to -10. Thus exseading your intial requirment.

Not only that but that bag is no use to you when you are not in it, but if you have the above system then the jacket can be worn 24/7 = much better no?

for the ultimate guide to this kind of thing look at

"Extreme Alpinism" by Mark F Twight.

he is a climber but it may as well be war

[friendlyfireaintfriendly]

It is possible to get a sleeping bag thats smaller and still goes down to -7 dude because ive seen it done. Anyway my thing is that the bulk of cadet exercises are for two or three days. I can pack EVERYTHING i want for two days in the sidepouches but i have to take a massive clumsy bergen with me just to take my sleeping bag. This rather annoys me and i would prefer it if i could just take my small daypacks and my webbing

[Sticky Blue]

because ive seen it done.

So why not ask them? If you find out I'm sure everyone would want to know.
I have a bag that will easily fit into the pouches but is not warm. What about using that with a space blanket on the inside. As Stew said: You just cant fit a pint into a quart pot

[adj125]

Softie Antarctic 2C
A sleeping bag for extreme conditions. Weight 2550g and Packs to 50x27cm. Comfort at -20c Low -50c

Softie 3 Merlin
Fill weight (g per sq m) 1 x 90+Reflectatherm, Length (cm) 220, Chest width (cm) 165, Head width (cm) 60, Foot girth (cm) 120, Approx. weight (g) 750, Pack z=size (cm) 27 x 18, Temperature (Guide only) High 10C, Comfort 0C, Low -5C


Softie 12 Osprey
Fill Weight (g per sq m) 2 x 180, Length (cm) 220, Chest Width (cm) 165, Head Width (cm) 60, Foot Girth (cm) 120, Approx. Weight (g) 1750, Pack Size (cm) 38 x 21, Temperature (Guide Only) High 5C, Comfort -10C, Low -15C.

Softie Special Forces 3
This is the Special Forces 1&2 together which fit inside each other and with the aid of a special converter zip baffle supplied you can zip them together to form a 5 season bag. Or just use it as a 2 and 3 season bag separately.


Softie Special Forces 1
The same 2 season bag as a Merlin but with a chunky Centre zip for easy “stand to” exit and a reinforced base so you can wear your boots inside. Weight: 800grms. Comfort: 5C Extreme 0C. Pack size: 28 x 14 cm

Softie 15 Discovery
The Discovery is the 4/5 season bag for extreme cold and inhospitable places, “Yes that’s Afghanistan”. Weight: 2250grms. Comfort: -15C Extreme –20C. Pack size: 44x 26cm

Softie 10 Harrier
The Harrier sleeping bag is a lightweight 3/4 season sleeping bag. Weight: 1600grms. Comfort: –7C Extreme –12C. Pack Size: 42x23 cm

Softie 6 Kestrel
The Kestrel sleeping bag is a lightweight 2/3 season sleeping bag . Weight: 1100grms. Comfort level: -0C Extreme –5C. Pack size: 35x 14cm


Softie Special Forces 2
The same 3/4 season bag as a Harrier but with a chunky centre zip for easy “stand to” exit and a reinforced base so you can wear your boots inside. Weight: 1600grms. Comfort: –7C Extreme –12C. Pack size: 42 x 33cm

Softie 9 Hawk
Fill Weight (g per sq m) 1 x 270, Length (cm) 220, Chest width (cm) 165, Head Width (cm) 60, Foot girth (cm) 120, Approx. Weight (g) 1400, Pack Size (cm) 38 x 17, Temperature (Guide only) High 10C, Comfort -5C, Low -10C



http://www.1944airborne.com/military/index.htm

[El Prez]

but i have to take a massive clumsy bergen with me just to take my sleeping bag. This rather annoys me and i would prefer it if i could just take my small daypacks and my webbing

FFAF, I believe Estee Lauder have combined forces with Givenchy to produce a bag called, "The Man in Your Field." retailing at £399.99 it sounds just up your street; apparently it fits in a bum bag, and comes in two handy colours, brown and green, or green and brown.

[friendlyfireaintfriendly]

£400 dude...im just a cadet at the moment its a bit out of my price range. thats quite cool though ill admit

[R.G.J.]

The Kestrel Softie 6 is a decent bag....I payed $60 for mine about 4 years back and it's still in one piece. A bivvi bag will make it last even longer in the field.

[Doc]

I have a softie, especially at minus 5!

I used to leave my slug open and crammed into the top of my bergen, knew where it was when it was bedtime, and easy to put away when the need arose.
Never put it in a stuff sac! My daysac had more important things in it than sleeping bags, such as med supplies and ciggies.
I know some people who liked to put their bags into the bottom compartment of their bergens, but i tried that and when i pulled it out for some zeds the rest of the contents sunk to the bottom and it was a mare to put it back in.
Best bet is to become a medic and get a nice BV or landrover to kip in!

I found my bed side table and valance sheet somewhat trickier to pack but silvermans do excellent stuff sacs to compress them!

[Doc]

FFAF, I believe Estee Lauder have combined forces with Givenchy to produce a bag called, "The Man in Your Field." retailing at £399.99 it sounds just up your street; apparently it fits in a bum bag, and comes in two handy colours, brown and green, or green and brown.

I´ll take two, one in brown and green and one in green and brown!

[sleevles]

some advice on sleeping bags: when you pack them in you're burgen, don't keep them in their little waterproof bags, you're bergen should be wateproofed anyways, just shove it in and it should take up those little gaps in ure bergen so it'll be more comfortable. Also when you sleep in it, keep you're feet in you're bergen, that way if you get bumped, just shove it in with you're feet and you're off. just a little somthing i learned from the RGJ CTT.
does that satisfy youre legibility needs? From this day forth i will not use colloquiel shortcuts in my typing.

[Sticky Blue]

What the hell are you on? My unborn child could string words together better than that. Please edit the post to read English

sum advice on sleeping bags, wen u pack em in ure burgen, dnt keep them in their little waterproof bags, ure bergen shld be wateproof anyways, just press it in and it shld take up those little gaps in ure bergen so itll be more comfortable and also wen u sleep in it, keep ure feet in ure bergen, that way if u get buged, just shove it in with ure feet and ure off. just a little sumthin i learned from the RGJ CTT