the bag a decision

Sat, Jun 13, 2009

I Googled, read, cogitated, read lots more, saught advice from the outdoors bloggers, cogitated even more and late last night came to a decision and ordered one online. I’ve often ranted about blogs that just blog about gear but my attitude has changed somewhat now that I’ve used those blogs quite a lot to garner opinion. In fact I garnered so much opinion from the likes of PTC, Alan, Andy, Robin, Darren, Duncan, John, Marcus, Chris Townsend and some others that, really, the name’s Garner, James Garner! Perhaps I should do a bag review to give something back to the blogoshphere.

Requirements are all level camping and bivvying, glen floor to 1200m+, May to end of October. From experience I know that the inside of the Akto gets very wet sometimes from condensation and this can cause problems with a down bag, especially if you’re out for a few nights. Bivvy bags do the same. I’ve also been used to the freedom of a Buffalo Bag, where water doesn’t matter and I didn’t want to become paranoid about rain when bivvying with a down bag. Eventually it came down to 3 bags. Cumulus, PHD and Rab. I just couldn’t justify the cost of a PHD once I’d customised it (zip, hood, etc) and the Cumulus seemed a little too much on the cramped side going by the reports and the size. I have a Rab Summit for winter. The Rab gear I have fits me perfectly, so the decision fell to the Rab Quantum 250 Endurance.

250g of down with a waterproof (almost) covering and 50 quid off from Tower Ridge Direct. It ticked all the boxes. The Summit has the Endurance covering so I know it works. It works very well in fact as I’m sometimes clumsy in the tent, spilling the 12 year old and filling the tent with a lovely peaty aroma. With the covering you can just relax and enjoy the fumes rather than panic about having a clumpy bag. Also, I don’t have to worry about brushing against the damp walls of the Akto in the night.

So that’s that. The end of a Buffalo Bagged era and the ushering in of a new downy one. I shall report from the next wild camp, or hypothermia ward! I’m sure it will be fine. My paltry contribution to the gear-o-sphere can be found in my disconnected blog-thoughts in case anyone else is journeying along the same path to downhood:

• Replacing the Buffalo Bag
• Bag quandary, Rab or Cumulus?
• PHD, should I consider them?

So thanks to all who have commented. Long live the Buffalo, sorry, that should be Down!