Topic

PHD Design Your Own Sleeping Bag


Forum Posting

A Membership is required to post in the forums. Login or become a member to post in the member forums!

Home Forums Campfire Editor’s Roundtable PHD Design Your Own Sleeping Bag

  • This topic is empty.
Viewing 19 posts - 1 through 19 (of 19 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #1231887
    Addie Bedford
    BPL Member

    @addiebedford

    Locale: Montana

    Companion forum thread to:

    PHD Design Your Own Sleeping Bag

    #1457616
    cameron eibl
    Member

    @cjeibl

    Locale: San Diego

    a

    #1457624
    Adam Kilpatrick
    BPL Member

    @oysters

    Locale: South Australia

    why not go to the PHD website and try it yourself then?

    #1457684
    Adrian B
    BPL Member

    @adrianb

    Locale: Auckland, New Zealand

    It's a pity that amongst all the options there isn't a hoodless bag, for use together with a hooded insulated jacket.

    #1457703
    Lynn Tramper
    Member

    @retropump

    Locale: The Antipodes of La Coruna

    >It's a pity that amongst all the options there isn't a hoodless bag, for use together with a hooded insulated jacket.

    True, it's not a completely customisable bag design, but I wonder how much extra weight does a hood add? Most of the time I don't even use my hood, but it doesn't get in the way of anything I do in my sleep…Of course, if you REALLY didn't want a hood you could always just cut it off and sew off the seam!

    They also don't seem to offer a "topbag" design where the bottom of the bag is just a single layer of fabric with no down insulation. Those are my favourite bags.

    I have a PhD Minimus pullover, and can attest to the great craftmanship of these products.

    #1457730
    David Ure
    Member

    @familyguy

    nm

    #1457780
    Adam Kilpatrick
    BPL Member

    @oysters

    Locale: South Australia

    I reckon if you asked, PHD would do you a custom without a hood. They were willing to modify sizes of bags quite out of what they normally do for me (I asked them directly…I was thinking of getting one of their standard bags in a different size, and they promised to do it for the same price. Then I had to pay my student fees, haha). Making it hoodless would be a piece of cake for them.

    Not sure about a top bag though…maybe we need to put the pressure on?

    #1458116
    Jeff Piper
    BPL Member

    @jmpiper

    Locale: San Francisco Bay Area

    How would something like this compare to a comperable Western Mountaineering bag? Seems like the expense, wait (and weight) just don't justify the bag. Any thoughts on this?

    #1458156
    Lynn Tramper
    Member

    @retropump

    Locale: The Antipodes of La Coruna

    >How would something like this compare to a comperable Western Mountaineering bag?

    If you lived in the UK/Europe, the shipping and duties may be a consideration.

    #1458160
    Ken Helwig
    BPL Member

    @kennyhel77

    Locale: Scotts Valley CA via San Jose, CA

    Own three WM bags and will never own anything else. 'Nuff said.

    #1458459
    Jason Brinkman
    BPL Member

    @jbrinkmanboi

    Locale: Idaho

    This is a great concept, and I enjoyed reading about it, but the exchange rate would have to be a LOT better before this would be worthwhile for me. And can't you already get a semi-custom bag from WM or FF?

    #1458513
    Tim Kropf
    Member

    @tkoutdoor

    Locale: Pacific Northwest

    >It's a pity that amongst all the options there isn't a hoodless bag, for use together with a hooded insulated jacket.<

    It sounds like you're describing a bag that I have already!

    I've been very happy with my brief testing of my new Golite Ultra 20. It weighs 19 oz, rated for 20 degrees F. It's a variable girth quilt without a bottom. It has a sewn footbox and a snap for around the neck, but it has no hood like a mummy bag has. The website shows a sleeping pad being inserted inside the bag over the straps to form the bottom, but I've always used it directly over a pad with the pad outside the straps. My testing has only been down to 41 degrees so far and I was toasty in minimal clothing, but I'll get some time to test it in freezing and sub-freezing still this fall. Here's a link: http://www.golite.com/Product/proddetail.aspx?p=SS7500&s=1 The bag was pretty affordable at $225 U.S. as well.

    I should be able to couple that with my Western Mountaineering Phantom 32 for some pretty low temps with a combined weight of about 2 lbs 9 oz in a couple of small packages. I'm thinking this way mainly because I already have both of them, I'm sure there's a more efficient system out there.

    #1459271
    Charles Kukla
    Member

    @charleskukla

    I have been using my PHD designed bag for several years and also have the minimus bag.

    I designed the bag as a 0F bag and use the Minimus bag as an insert to extend the range to -20F.

    The combination allows me to adjust my kit more precisely to the conditions.

    The process was a great learning experience for me because it helped me to understand how to put really light kits together to fit the conditions.

    The bag I designed is bright yellow which is really nice for early morning winter starts as the tent lights up with my headlamp and the light color allows me to use the bag as a platform to organize my gear. The stuff sack is short with a wide opening so that it fits easily into my backpack. It takes me about 50 seconds to stuff the bag and put it in the backpack.

    Other bags I know are also of high quality but in this case I get to choose those design options that are most appropriate for me.

    The quality is excellent. Lastly, the fleece products like the Taiga and the balaclava are also well designed and made.

    #1460349
    Andy Howell
    Member

    @ecotrend

    PHD produce great products. I use the standard range rather than the custom stuff. I guess there reason there is no hoodless version is that P{HD is in Britain. Mostly we need a hood!

    #1460350
    Diplomatic Mike
    Member

    @mikefaedundee

    Locale: Under a bush in Scotland

    I prefer a hoodless quilt myself Andy. I've been using a Nunatak Arc Specialist most of this year. I've e-mailed PHD to see if they will make me one to my specs.

    #1460357
    Martin Rye
    BPL Member

    @rye1966

    Locale: UK

    Mike do you use it inside a bivy bag? Lots folks do and that adds warmth and stops drafts etc. I wonder how warm quilts are in cold weather with out a hood and not used in a bivy bag. On PHD kit. I have a down jacket made by them and can not fault it. I have seen comments on poor finishing and customer service from others in the past. They are pushing the bounds a lot with 900 fill power and designs. PTC on his blog tonight said he has a lot to say about PHD kit from his snowy trip in the hills this weekend. Lets see if he comments here.

    #1460361
    John Haley
    Member

    @quoddy

    Locale: New York/Vermont Border

    From the answers I received from Peter Hutchinson to all the questions I had about modifications it sounded to me as if PHD would modify to just about whatever is wanted.

    #1460364
    Diplomatic Mike
    Member

    @mikefaedundee

    Locale: Under a bush in Scotland

    Hi Martin,
    Sometimes i use a bivvy-bag, sometimes i don't. Depends on the conditions, and wether i'm in a tent or a tarp.
    Depending on temps, i'll wear a hat or my Nunatak Skaha Plus down pullover. As someone said above, with a seperate hood/hat, you don't end up with a face full of sleeping bag hood when you turn over.
    I love the quilt and have been toasty down to about -3C this year in a tent. I think it will do me for a lot lower temps.
    I would need more insulation under a tarp, i think. That's why i e-mailed PHD. I would like a warmer quilt, made to my specs. The exchange rate has made it prohibitive to go back to Nunatak at this moment in time! :)

    #1460365
    Martin Rye
    BPL Member

    @rye1966

    Locale: UK

    Sounds a good set up Mike. I wonder if PHD will make them as a stock item? PS check your email and Andy's blog and I think it will clear up that misunderstanding.

Viewing 19 posts - 1 through 19 (of 19 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Forum Posting

A Membership is required to post in the forums. Login or become a member to post in the member forums!

Get the Newsletter

Get our free Handbook and Receive our weekly newsletter to see what's new at Backpacking Light!

Gear Research & Discovery Tools


Loading...