Big Agnes Zirkel SL bag and Insulated Air Core mat

Anyone who knows me will know I like to experiment. No, not in that way cheeky, I mean in the scientific sense. Ahem. Anyhoo, this particular experiment was at Ollie’s suggestion. He suggested that despite my height  I should try a Regular sized Zirkel SL sleeping bag from Big Agnes. I’m pretty much willing to try anything once, but I have to admit I was a teensy bit skeptical. I’m 6’4″ and that pretty much rules out Regular bags for me. Some companies don’t make Long sizes. Take the Alpkit Pipedream. Everyone tells me it’s a great, reasonably priced bag. It’ll always be a pipe dream for me, cos I don’t fit in the flippin thing and I can’t get a longer one. I was hoping that the old adage of everything being bigger in America was true.

The other experimental bit was that this is a top bag. I’ve never tried one and was worried it would result in me resembling a stubbly icicle come morning.  The upside was that it packed down to about a quarter of the size and weight of my current winter bag (the Zirkel weighs about 1kg)  which meant more room in my bag for grub.  That’s a win straight away. The key to top bag comfort is the mat. The Insulated Air Core is a primaloft insulated 2.5″ thick mat. Perfect for frozen ground.

The bag has a sleeve on the back to slot a mat into. In this case, I used the Big Agnes Insulated Air Core. It’s 2.5 inches and 800g of camping luxury, with Primaloft insulation. Technically it’s 3-season, but you’ve got to push things a bit.  The sleeve on the bag only goes down the top half , so plenty of room for movement is left for your legs. I tend to rummel about at night. so that was a bonus.

Once it lofted, I popped in to give it a try and a chorus of angels with rather splendid trumpets rang out. Not only could I fit into it, there was room at the bottom so the down wasn’t being squashed. This bag was a revelation. I was fitting into a Regular. Woo, and indeed, hoo.

I spent a couple of hours getting used to this so when it was time to hit the hay, I  had a chance to notice soemthing else:  it was warm. It’s rated down to -7. It was about -1 in the tent and I was kitted out in base layers. They had to come off; I stashed them in  my newly found room at the bottom of the bag. The fit to the mat was excellent and meant there were no cold spots.  I tightened the hood, noticing a very nice neck baffle in the process then I went out like a light.

Come morning, it was -5 in the tent and I was warm as toast. I had done my usual rolling around but everying was as it should be and I’d slept like a log. That’s a positive experiment result right there.

This combo is just superb for this time of year;  it’s light. packs small, is perfectly  sized, and is very warm. Recommended.

 

 

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