Sleeping Bags What do you expect

Sounds a bit dodgy to me Des. I'd take it to mean -5 celscius as that's your key indicator as to the suitability of the bag. It would be interesting to have a look at the marketing blurb on the packaging or on their brouchures.

Having had a quick look at their website, Coleman claim to use the "Comfortsmart" technology for their bags but when you look at the specs of an actual bag it says this;

Specs;

Weight (kg)
2.85kg

Comfort Rating (ºC)
-5

Dimensions (cm)
(195+30) x 80cm (rectangular shape with 3D box wall foot and hood)

Fill (gm/m²)
2 x 180 gm/m2 Coletherm


They appear to be using a direct reference to degrees celcius in their comfort rating.

Coleman Sleeping Bag link


Cheers Mick

To read more than you probably ever wanted to know about sleeping bag temperature ratings, Click here.

The information comes from the website of a large USA retailer. Maybe a question to ask Coleman in Oz is whether they use those EN ratings?

Having used a lot of different down bags in the snow and other cold climate areas I know for a fact all sleeping bag brands and designs give an unrealistic comfort temperature. I have even sent top range bags back to manufacturers to custom fill to meet my requirements because, for example, their -18'C comfort rating didn't even provide comfort to 0'C and froze my kidneys. Over the last 10 years I have learnt to consider that "comfort rating" as an "extreme rating". Even now i am using one rated to -5'C but wear double thermals and silk liner if it is forecast to less than 5'C because it just doesn't cut it.

I have also had bad experiences with manufacturers. The bag I mentioned actually had 3 near empty panels across the lower back and heaver down fill across the front but after I posted it back for repairs they claimed all panels were equally filled. They're as bad with boots when their fancy gortex membranes and liners split, freeze or are sewn through by cheap overseas factory work.

Des - there are bags and there are bags.

The Coleman bloke is either trying to fob you off or he doesn't understand bag ratings. -5 comfort in industry terms means for an 'average sleeper' (some of us sleep cold, some warm, some in between) the bag should provide a comfortable sleep for temps down to -5 degrees C in normal conditions. This is what most consumers and manufacturers accept as the meaning of the ratings.

Had a similar problem with a quality -10 down bag from Paddy Pallin many years ago which I've written about on here previously. After quite a few very bad sleeps I eventually took the bag back and they agreed to replace it. Same bag, totally different result. Warm as toast.

Appears Coleman has its own proprietary syntheic fill . Nothing wrong with that if it works. Get your money back and buy a quality brand is my advice.

Gday Des,
Its not just the sleeping bag. What sort of mattress were they lying on?

High density foam does a great job. A few years back we spent a night camped on ice in Antarctica and just had a single blue HD foam camping mat to insulate the sleeping bag and it did a great job. I slip HD foam under the swag as well.
Air mattresses or cheap self inflating mattresses seem to be the worst at leting the cold come through from below.

Yep, we are spoilt in the Tvan - high off the ground on a foam mattress - we don't feel the cold these days!

Cheers
Phil

The trick is to have an insulating mattress underneath. Thermarest and Roman self-inflating mattresses are a couple of brands that I know of.

The warmth difference between a normal air bed and an insulated self-inflating mattress is very significant. If you can't afford a self-inflating mattress, then you can buy an accident blanket (space blanket is another name); these cost around $5 and can be placed underneath you to provide increased warmth.

Des on all my sleeping bags (not Coleman) they have a 'Minimum' rating plus a 'Comfort" rating which is 5 degrees warmer, so my understanding is this bag would be comfortable at 0 degrees but could be used down to a minimum of -5 at a pinch. As mentioned this depends on individual comfort level, what is worn & even if the hood is done up properly. The other consideration is it doesn't matter how good the bag is, all the insulation under you will be compressed allowing the cold to come up from underneath. Camp stretchers & Lilo's are the worst offenders & even the inclusion of a blanket may be insuffient.
I'm a warm sleeper but for -5 camping (which is what you get in Tassie & the Vic High Country) I chose a -10 bag, sleep on a thermal mat & wear a beannie as up to 40% of body heat is lost through the head.
If the insulation in the bag is evenly distributed & barring any other manufacturer defect I'd say your mates simply bought the wrong rating bag as they misunderstood the label.
Cheers Craig..........

what price did you pay for the bags? The sleeping bag market is very much a case of "you get what you pay for". 800 loft is incredibly expensive but worth every cent (talking close to $800 - $1000) whilst a sleeping bag worth only $200 is fairly crappy.

If your bag was in the lower price range I would put it down to a learning curve and get a 700 or 800 loft from a quality brand like One Planet etc.

-5C is not a warm sleeping bag. Sounds like you need to look around the -20C bags (and get a cocoon shaped one if you feel the cold).

The "comfort" statement made by Coleman is standard across the industry. Keeps their butts covered as everyone is different.

Cheers,