Choosing a new sleeping bag is never an easy task. With so many different well known brands and models on offer, why should you consider the Rock+Run own brand range? Hopefully, within the next few minutes, this review will give you pause for thought.
In the first instance, your sleeping bag has got to be fit for purpose. Weighing in at less than 1kg and with a relatively small pack size it was a simple choice for the bike packing trips that I had planned this spring and summer. With a reasonable price tag, a reasonable temperature rating (-1°C) for spring/summer/autumn nights, and stuffed with ethically sourced Polish goose down - it ticked all my boxes.
Storage and Compression
I was suitably impressed with this bag from the outset - it packs away easily enough in its compression sack and fits superbly in my 9L bikepacking bar bag while allowing ample extra space for my sleeping mat and pillow. No wrestling needed! Once removed from its compression sack on our first night out, it lofted out nicely with just a few wafts which impressed me as it had been compressed for a good 12 hours by this point.
Comfort and Warmth
A night out in the Lake District in May can mean huge temperature variations. When we started out it was a balmy 18 degrees, but by the time we got pitched the temperature was down in single figures. Having got fairly hot having to hike my bike up to where we planned to spend the night, I was a little worried about getting too cold once we had settled down for the night. I'm not the tallest (only 5ft5) so there would be a bit of dead space at the bottom of the bag. I needn't have worried! The integral draft excluder around the neck, coupled with the drawstring around the hood meant that I was able to get really snug and not lose any warmth. The contoured mummy shape was roomy enough for me to get a comfortable night's sleep and not feel restricted in the slightest. I felt equally smug when the friend I was on the trip with said she'd felt the cold overnight - having been using a similarly rated bag and mat made by a different brand.
Materials and Value for Money
As I mentioned before, the Yangra 400 ticked all of my boxes when it came to pack size, price and materials. I wanted something that would pack away to a fairly small size - which it does as it's filled with 400g of goose down. Although this puts the price up a bit compared to any synthetic filled bags, the goose down really does make the difference in pack size/warmth ratio. The down itself is sourced from an ethical, RDS certified factory which put my mind at ease too. The 30D Nylon outer shell is also DWR coated, a feature that was fully tested when I woke the next morning to find that I had shuffled too close to the tent outer and managed to let some of the rain we'd had over night through!
Round-up
Overall, the Yangra 400 is definitely worth considering for anyone wanting a reasonably priced, well made bag for 3 season camping in the UK or summer Alpine trips. It won't break the bank, and has become my go-to bag whenever I am packing for an adventure. I'm off on a mountain marathon next, the Yangra 400 is sure to be the first thing packed in my bag!
