Sea to Summit Alpine AP II sleeping bag

[wildernesswanderer]

Last major question for now

I already have a summer bag and now looking for a winter snow bag. Paddy Pallin have these on special from the $799 down to $559 and I'm seriously thinking about getting one for that price. Any one have, use or would recommend a different bag and for what reason

Thanks all, the info from this site is amazing

[roysta]

What do you want this bag for?

[wildernesswanderer]

Alpine winter in Victoria, Tasmania and NZ

[roysta]

The bag specs suggest it would work well in those places and that's certainly a big drop in price.
1290g isn't too bad in the weight department.

[iGBH]

For that price, i've just imported a Feathered Friends Snowbunting direct from their factory in the states.

Nothing that wrong with the S2S bag, but for the same price the FF is a step ahead in materials, workmanship, weight and that fact that it can be custom made to better fit you.

[pazzar]

I have a STS Alpine II. It is definitely very warm, and light enough for a winter bag. I would suggest you go and get in the bag before you think about buying it. At 175cm, it is very snug on me, if I were any taller I wouldn't fit in it.

[wildernesswanderer]

Yes definitely going to try it before I buy one. I'm only 178cm so not much taller than you.

[Mountain Rocket]

Well one super quick reason is you can get the for $520 from here http://www.kellysbasecamp.com.au/p/5915 ... ular-.html

[north-north-west]

I've been doing a lot of snowcamping in the VicAlps this winter, using the ApII. It's very well designed, very warm, and reasonably light. Plus the red is so bright it almost glows in the dark.
For me, a sleeping bag doesn't get any better. Maybe it helps that I'm a bit of a shortarse, so the length isn't an issue. But they do a longer size as well as the regular.

[wildernesswanderer]

Yes I saw the price from kelly's but I figured shipping would make it more, but they do free ship, mmm even more tempted

[Mountain Rocket]

For that price, i've just imported a Feathered Friends Snowbunting direct from their factory in the states.

Without wanting to thread-hijack, how much did Feathered Friends charge you to ship a bag over?
Currently looking at some of their bags for my partner.

[ninjapuppet]

I've just picked up north face's 2nd warmest bag, the north face inferno -20. That's -20F by the way!
339 on sale at base gear

Got it sent via shipito and back with TNT 4 day delivery and it came at $24/kg so about $50 for the bag.

So $380 all up for a super warm bag.
Pretty heavy, but who cares if porters are carrying it.

A 1kg bag would hence be about 25-30 delivery back, assuming you bunch up other things with the package.

[iGBH]

For that price, i've just imported a Feathered Friends Snowbunting direct from their factory in the states.

Without wanting to thread-hijack, how much did Feathered Friends charge you to ship a bag over?
Currently looking at some of their bags for my partner.

Was $50 which included the bag (at 1.1kg) and a pair of down booties.

[radson]

Im late to the party on this one but kind of curious as to how FF bags could be considered superior to S2S. I have a FF Peregrine, MHW Ghost, MB Ultra hugger and also sleeping bags collected over the years from PHD, Millet and Fairydown. Yes, I do now have a 'relationship' with S2S but even prior to that my Alpine series was my go to bag for cold weather sleeping. Besides all the great storage options it comes with, i find my Alpine just 'pops' so much better than my other bags after taking out of the stuff sack.

One thing I will totally agree with is that the Alpine is snug. I am 183 cm and definitely needed the long. I used the Alpine III for 3 months last year in Pakistan and absolutely loved the bag. I totally understand that FF can be made with several shell options but I found the S2S shell repelled water while remaining breathable much more than my FF bag. And I'm comparing extended use expedition to expedition use. The only reason I would pick my FF bag now would be for a trip where I am required to lounge around base camp as it is roomier, certainly not for taking up high, when weight and compactness are more of an issue. S2S in my oh so humble opinion are world class bags and I hope not viewed as secondary just because they are not American.

[Joomy]

One thing I've noticed about the STS AP bags is their fill weight doesn't seem to correspond to their EN ratings when compared with other brands. For example the Rab Andes 800 has 800g of US800 fill and is EN rated to -21C. The Ap3 has 1000g of 850 fill and is rated to -20C. The WM Lynx has 905g of 850 fill and is rated to -23C. This seem very odd to me given they are all similarly sized and shaped. Unless the "fill" that STS is referring to includes the layer of Primaloft-ish stuff that lines the 3D Nanoshell. In which case their fill weight info is misleading.

As it is, 1610g for a -20C bag on paper is nothing special, which is I guess why people dismiss them.

[radson]

you make some good points Joomy but I guess I am enamoured with my S2S as I was so impressed in its ability to stay dry and cosy after weeks of use compared to my FF bag. Specs are great but Im concerned with performance in the environment on which it is used. My FF bag used to get soggy, my S2S does not. To be fair my FF bag is several years older and I cant recall the name of the outer fabric shell.

[Joomy]

you make some good points Joomy but I guess I am enamoured with my S2S as I was so impressed in its ability to stay dry and cosy after weeks of use compared to my FF bag. Specs are great but Im concerned with performance in the environment on which it is used. My FF bag used to get soggy, my S2S does not. To be fair my FF bag is several years older and I cant recall the name of the outer fabric shell.

Well the layer of primaloft-ish-stuff is there exactly to do what you say -- deal better with humidity build up over many days of use. Good to know it performs as advertised! What sort of temps did you use yours down to?

[wildernesswanderer]

I love mine, my APII is excellent, although I've only been down to around -3. And even then I was way warm. Down to about zero I use it as a doona more than a sleeping bag. I highly recommend them.

[radson]

I am not sure about temps Joomy. Waiting for weather windows at Camp3 on K3 (7,100 m) in storms, I am assuming I pushed the lower boundaries of the bag. At least -20 C.

[wayno]

thats pretty good at altitude. lower oxygen levels and air pressure mean your body doesnt generate as much warmth as it normally would at lower altitude, any bag that works like that at that altitude is going to be great at lower levels