FOR BIG ALPINE ROUTES A SLEEPING BAG NEEDS TO BE WARM, DURABLE, LIGHT AND FIT FOR THE JOB. WE SEE A LOT OF SLEEPING BAGS OVER THE COURSE OF OUR TRIPS, WITH ONLY ABOUT 50% BEING ON THE MONEY, THE REST ARE A MISH MASH OF ILL-INFORMED CHOICES, MISUNDERSTANDINGS & MOST COMMONLY – FEAR; MANY CLIMBERS ARE UNDERSTANDABLY PARANOID ABOUT BEING CAUGHT OUT HIGH & COLD WITH SOMETHING TOO COLD FOR THE JOB. THE PROBLEM IS, BAD SLEEPING CHOICES USUALLY MEANS ADDING BULK TO THE CLIMBERS LOAD AND CREATING ‘HOUSE KEEPING’ PROBLEMS IN THE HIGH CAMPS – BOTH THINGS THAT ARE PRIMARY FACTORS FOR TURNING AROUND. ON AN ASSITED ASCENT LIKE YOU SEE ON EVEREST POOR SLEEPING BAG CHOICES ARE NOT A BIG PROBLEM, BUT FOR ALPINE ROUTES WHERE YOUR SKILL AT SHELTERING YOURSELF IS WHAT EVERYTHING ELSE IS BASED ON, AN OPTIMAL SLEEPING BAG IS A PRIMARY MATTER.
MYTH; -30c MEANS YOU NEED A -30c RATED SLEEPING BAG. NAKED IN AN OPEN BIVY PERHAPS, BUT WITH A DOWN SUIT IN A DOUBLE WALLED TENT, RUNNING A STOVE, ON AN INSULATED MAT, CONSUMING FOOD, NEXT TO ANOTHER PERSON THE EQUATION IS VERY DIFFERENT.
WE LIKE THE RAB NEUTRINO 800 BECAUSE IT HITS THE SWEET SPOT OF INSULATION FOR WEIGHT. THERE ARE WARMER AND LIGHTER BAGS AROUND THE NEUTRINO 800 DOES ALL IT NEEDS TO DO WHEN USED SPECIFICALLY AND IS DURABLE AND FUNCTIONAL ENOUGH TO LAST. LIGHTER BAGS FOR THE WARMTH RATING (INCLUDING OTHER BAGS IN THE RAB RANGE) SACRIFICE THINGS LIKE FULL ZIPS THAT COMPROMISES USE LOWER DOWN, AND MATERIAL DURABILITY THAT COMPROMISES MOISTURE PROOFING. THE 800 GETS IT RIGHT.
1200g IS AN ASTOUNDING WEIGHT FOR A BAG LIKE THIS, AS ONLY 10 YEARS AGO THE WISDOM WAS YOU NEEDED 1800g OF BAG TO GET YOU TO -20c. THAT 20% HAS BEEN SAVED ON THE AVAILABILITY OF BETTER DOWN, ADVANCES IN CONSTRUCTION METHODS, EFFICIENCY OF DESIGN & IMPROVED SHELL FABRICS. WHAT REALLY MATTERS THOUGH IS THAT THE 800 IS CUT TO WORK UNDER EXPEDITION CONDITIONS SO ALLOWS A DOWN SUIT TO BE WORN INSIDE THAT ALMOST DOUBLES IT’S TEMPERATURE RANGE AND LETS YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OTHER INSULATION YOU ARE ALREADY CARRYING – SAVING YOU HALF A KG IN WEIGHT AND A LOT OF MESSING AROUND IN CAMPS.
WHEN NOT BEING USED THE NEUTRINO COMPRESSES SATISFYINGLY SMALL THAT WILL SURPRISE ANY CLIMBER WHO HASN’T PACKED AN EXPEDITION SLEEPING BAG RECENTLY. A REFINED SYSTEM OF BAFFLES MEANS IT RE-LOFTS AGAIN EFFICIENTLY AND THE 3/4 LENGTH ZIP MAKES IT EASY TO GET INTO – BOTH THINGS NOT ALL BAGS ACHIEVE BUT WHICH MATTER IN SMALL ALPINE CAMPS.
THE RAB NEUTRINO 800 IS A SLEEPING BAG DESIGNED TO BE USED ON EXTENDED ALPINE TRIPS, COMING CLOSE TO A ‘ONE BAG SYSTEM’ WHEN USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A DOWN SUIT UP HIGH.
