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4 season sleeping bags from UK businesses

4 season sleeping bags from UK companies

If you like to buy British, this article is for you. Today we are looking at a range of 4 season sleeping bags from UK businesses. All of the sleeping bags featured in this article are mummy sleeping bags because most 4 season sleeping bags are mummy shaped as they tend to be warmer (and lighter) than rectangular ones.

Mummy sleeping bags aren’t for everyone though. They are very close fitting to minimise the amount of dead space, and therefore air, that your body has to heat up – it’s mainly this that makes them warmer. Also, the fact that they taper in towards the feet, means they tend to be lighter than their rectangular counterparts, simply because there is less material. The down side of this is that mummy sleeping bags can be claustrophobic to some as there isn’t much room to move once they are zipped up. If the idea of being trapped in a narrow sleeping bag causes your palms to sweat, you need to check out our article on Camping quilts available in the UK. Camping quilts provide warmth without the straight-jacket effect. Another option is to go for a modular system where you use something like a camping quilt alongside a blanket to provide the warmth you need.

Do you need 4 season sleeping bag in UK?

It really depends on the weather and where you’re planning to camp. If it’s winter and you’re wild-camping, up a mountain or just a long way from civilisation (and/or your car) then yes, it would be very sensible to have a 4 season sleeping bag in the UK. However, if you’re a fair weather camper and you camp on campsites, then a 4 season bag may not be strictly necessary.

One alternative to a 4 season sleeping bag is if you have a 3 season sleeping bag plus something like a sleeping bag liner, bivvy and/or a good blanket. A modular sleep system may also be an option. To some extent, how warm you sleep comes into play too. For example, if you are a cold sleeper then a 4 season sleeping bag for UK winter camping is a must.

It is definitely better to be too warm than too cold in winter. If you’re in freezing cold weather, it can be really dangerous to be in a tent all night without an appropriate sleeping system. In the UK, the temperature may be 10 degrees C at night sometimes, so a 4 season bag will likely be overkill. However, the temperature can also drop to -10 degrees C in harsh winters, particularly if you are up in the mountains where wind chill can really bite. Bad weather can also come in fast in the UK. Always check the Mountain Weather Information Service if you are heading out into the UK hills/mountains in winter.

Are sleeping bag temperature ratings accurate?

It depends. You might find you need to take the manufacturers’ temperature ratings with a pinch of salt. The more expensive brands tend to be more accurate, but with a cheaper sleeping bag you might find the temperature comfort rating to quite a few degrees C out. So for example, if it says the comfort rating is -2 degrees, you might find that you get cold in the bag at about 3 or 4 degrees. The reasons for this vary wildly though. Yes, the sleeping bag manufacturer could just be being over optimistic, however, factors like whether you sleep hot or cold, what you’ve eaten, what your weight and health is like, what your sleeping pad is like (is it insulated), what you wear in your sleeping bag, and what you’re sleeping in (tent or bivvy, for example) all greatly affect your warmth in the night. Only experience will tell you what works for you as it tends to be really subjective.

The 4 season sleeping bags we are comparing:

  • Alpkit Pipedream 600
  • Berghaus Elevation 600
  • Highlander Serenity 450
  • Mountain Equipment Helium 600
  • OEX Leviathan EV 900
  • Rab Ascent 900
  • Snugpak Softie® Elite 4
  • Vango Cobra 600

NOTES

  • We have only included 4 season sleeping bags from UK companies that use either ethically sourced down (RDS certified, or CODEX approved) or synthetic fillings.
  • The sleeping bags are listed alphabetically.
  • The information is taken from the manufacturers’ websites.
  • Some manufacturers give good detailed information and some are a bit hit and miss. You’ll notice this as you look at the specs below.
  • Some manufacturers give the standard ‘comfort’, ‘limit’ and ‘extreme’ ratings, whereas some others have their own rating system. Again, you’ll see this in the specs below.

4 season sleeping bags from UK companies

SLEEPING BAG

PHOTO

DOWN OR SYNTHETIC FILLING

FILL

SHAPE

WEIGHT

DIMENSIONS (Length x Chest width x Foot width)

TEMP RATING

WERE CAN I CHECK THE PRICE?

Alpkit Pipedream 600

Down

90/10 Grey goose down -
Fill power: IDFB 750
Fill weight: 600g

Mummy

Reg: 1.085kg / Long: 1.145kg

Reg: 190cm x 75cm x Not given
Long: 210cm x 75cm x Not given

Comfort -10.5°C
Limit -18.1°C
Extreme -39.1°C
Alpkit sleep limit: -12°C

Alpkit

Berghaus Elevation 600

Down

700 fill power 90/10 fill

Mummy

1.26kg

220cm x 80cm x 50cm

Comfort 1°C
Limit -7°C
Extreme -25°C

Go Outdoors, Millets, Blacks

Highlander Serenity 450

Synthetic

450gsm spiral Hollowfibre

Mummy

2kg

220cm x 80cm x 55cm

Comfort -4°C
Limit -10°C

Highlander Outdoor

Mountain Equipment Helium 600

Down

582g of 90-10 Pure Duck Down with a minimum fill power of 700

Mummy, alpine cut

1.07kg

Not given

Comfort -1°C
Limit -8°C
Extreme -26°C

Mountain Equipment

OEX Leviathan EV 900

Down

900gsm / 600 fill power hydrophobic duck down

Mummy

1.38kg approx

217cm x 75cm x not given

Comfort -9°C
Limit -16°C
Extreme -39°C

Rab Ascent 900

Down

650FP European Duck Down 900g

Mummy

1.53kg

185cm x not given x not given.
Different sizes are available, including an XL.

Comfort not given
Limit -18°C
Extreme not given

Snugpak Softie® Elite 4

Synthetic

Not given

Mummy

1.95kg

220cm x 75cm x 42cm. Max user height 190cm.
With the built-in baffle deployed:
220cm x 87.5cm x 42cm. Max user height 190cm.

Comfort -10°C
Limit -15°C

Vango Cobra 600

Down

90/10 700 fill power duck down

Mummy

1.1kg

(Internal)
205cm x 75cm x 48cm

Comfort -5°
Limit -12°
Extreme -30°
Max User Height 190cm

SUMMARY

So that’s our range of 4 season sleeping bags from UK businesses. We have provided the details offor one sleeping bag from each brand. Some of the businesses have a number of 4 season sleeping bags, so it may be worth having a check on the manufacturers’ websites.

As mentioned, a mummy-shaped 4 season sleeping bag can be quite claustrophobic, but if you’re not bothered by that then this style of sleeping bag will probably provide the warmest and lightweight option for winter camping in the UK. If you’re planning on wild-camping up in the mountains or backpacking any sort of distance, then the warmth to weight ratio is obviously a consideration.

It’s worth mentioning too, that if you’re really happy with your 3 season sleeping bag and you don’t have the budget for a 4 season bag, you can make your 3 season sleeping bag suitable for winter use (depending on the location and weather of course) with the use of a blanket or a lightweight sleeping bag liner. Check out our article on Fleece sleeping bag liners to get an idea of what’s available.

Affiliate disclosure

We generate revenue through affiliate marketing. So if you click our links to products and buy something, we may receive commissions. You won’t pay a penny more, but we’ll get a small commission from the store themselves. It’s important to note that this does not impact our articles, reviews and comparisons – we will always be honest and totally straight-up with you.

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Disclaimer

The specs in our articles have been compiled on a best effort basis from research on the manufacturers’ own websites, and on other websites selling the products. We do not guarantee the data we have given is correct and cannot be held responsible for incorrect information. Always do your own spec checks before making a purchase.