# Eurohike Down 500



## RedBike (29 May 2009)

Right, i'm double checking with the experts before I buy any more duff camping equipment. 

Is the Eurohike Down 500 any good?
https://www.millets.co.uk/camping/sleeping-equipment/product/095992.html

It's 4 season, down, rated to -4, 500g weight and 'only; £30 at my local Millets while the sale is on. 

Anything better? (under £60 please)


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## just jim (29 May 2009)

Not much info on it really. You'd have to buy to try.

For an extra £25 (on top of your budget) you could get one of these.


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## Crackle (29 May 2009)

Don't buy them online unless you've already seen them in the flesh. Get thee to a Cotswold or Field & Trek or Blacks or whatever is closest. Get some out, handle them, try them, examine the pack size. Each bag is cut differently and has zips and toggles in different places, examining the spec will only tell you so much. Each one will also compress differently and you can't tell that from pack size even if it's stated. A sleeping bag, I think, is a hands on purchase, honestly, trust me on this. A sleeping bag is your friend you need to start the relationship properly.


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## RedBike (29 May 2009)

just jim said:


> Not much info on it really. You'd have to buy to try.
> 
> For an extra £25 (on top of your budget) you could get one of these.



I will put in on the maybe list; but £50 more and it's nearly a 800g heavier / not really any warmer (according to the specs). 

It doesn't look that much better to me; but am I missing something here?

I will probably be buy Alpkit dry bags and their bivvy bag (assuming I don't get a tent).


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## RedBike (29 May 2009)

Crackle said:


> Don't buy them online unless you've already seen them in the flesh. Get thee to a Cotswold or Field & Trek or Blacks or whatever is closest. Get some out, handle them, try them, examine the pack size. Each bag is cut differently and has zips and toggles in different places, examining the spec will only tell you so much. Each one will also compress differently and you can't tell that from pack size even if it's stated. A sleeping bag, I think, is a hands on purchase, honestly, trust me on this. A sleeping bag is your friend you need to start the relationship properly.



I will do. They're sold at Millets which is my local camping shop.


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## just jim (29 May 2009)

Crackle has hit the nail on the head. I pointed towards Alpkit because I have one of their bags and it really does as described. 
Yep, a bit heavier and pricier but, I think it would be an astute choice. 
Unless you are getting really into ultralightweight camping a few hundred grams won't make a lot of difference with loaded touring.

I am personally quite wary of this "get the best one you can afford, there can be no other" opinion. I sort of go for the middle ground, then make up my own mind if I need to "upgrade".


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## RedBike (29 May 2009)

I already have a very warm sleeping bag. The only trouble is it weighes 2.5kg and doesn't really pack down very well. The only reason for 'upgrading' is to loose a few lbs / make packing easier. I wont need to use this sleeping bag in really cold conditions. 

Having seen the Alpkit gear in action i've got no quibbles about buying their gear. If only that bag weighed a little bit less I would of brought it straight away. 

The main thing that make the Eurohike so appealling is the 2kg weight saving over my current bag! That should be very noticeable!


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## just jim (29 May 2009)

No reviews of the bag in question yet RedBike, maybe you could give some feedback on it if you get one. It may well be a bargain in the same way the Argos Pro Action tent has been.


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## Crackle (29 May 2009)

RedBike said:


> I already have a very warm sleeping bag. The only trouble is it weighes 2.5kg and doesn't really pack down very well. The only reason for 'upgrading' is to loose a few lbs / make packing easier. I wont need to use this sleeping bag in really cold conditions.
> 
> Having seen the Alpkit gear in action i've got no quibbles about buying their gear. If only that bag weighed a little bit less I would of brought it straight away.
> 
> The main thing that make the Eurohike so appealling is the 2kg weight saving over my current bag! That should be very noticeable!



I am out of date on sleeping bags Redbike, I purchased wisely long ago and still have the bags (notice more than one) I chose. Down is not a good choice for the UK, if it gets wet you're knacked, you have to be confident it won't, if you are, OK, if not a synthetic is better. These days synthetics seem to have gotten better on pack size and weight though they still don't match down. If I had to choose a new bag for cycle touring I would choose from weight and pack size first, probably 2 or 3 season knowing I can increase it's range with a liner and clothes and a good mat but I am a warm sleeper. If you want one which will do for colder weather choose a closer fitting bag. A close fitting two season will be warmer than a loose fitting three.This matters if you move a lot during the night, if you do you will lose a lot of heat in a loose bag. These kind of things need to be considered which is why specs will only take you so far.


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## andrew_s (30 May 2009)

Your original link is a bit light on the specs. Where did you see the -4 temperature limit?

<cynic mode on>
Working on the principle that if it seems too good to be true, then there's a catch in it somewhere...
a) A bag described as a 500g down bag would normally contain 500g of down, to which the weight of the material has to be added. This would be somewhere in the 300 - 800g range depending on the materials used.
 Down comes in various qualities, the cheaper of which can contain up to 20% of small curly feathers. There's about a 3:1 ratio between the weight of cheap down and the weight of the best down required to fill a specific volume.
c) There's various values for lowest temperature that can be quoted, even if just selecting from the current "official" set of values. There's the comfort limit, the lowest temperature at which you could expect to get a good sleep without feeling cold, and the extreme limit, which is the temperature below which you'd start to worry about freezing to death.

As I see it the possibilities are
1) The bag contains 500g of fairly cheap down, weighs in at 11-1200g total, and will probably keep you comfortable down to about +5 (May-September)
2) The bag weighs 500g total. In that case it's not got much down, and the -4 temperature will be where you worry about hypothermia

I bank on (1), and it will be similar to this £50 bag from F&T

<cynic mode off>


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## RedBike (30 May 2009)

First Google link
http://www.campingforums.org.uk/forums/equipment-reviews/75-eurohike-down-500-sleeping-bag.html


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## just jim (30 May 2009)

Yes, read that. Doesn't give a lot to go on - how it lofts, how it worked out in practice for this user, zips and stitching. Basic stuff.

Swing by Millets and have a look.


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## rich p (30 May 2009)

RedBike said:


> First Google link
> http://www.campingforums.org.uk/forums/equipment-reviews/75-eurohike-down-500-sleeping-bag.html



Call me a cynic too but that 'review' read eerily like an ad to me.


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## RedBike (30 May 2009)

I swung by Millets today. I took back my sleeping mat because it deflated on me during the night. (Probably something to do with the fact it got soaked.) I tried to buy my sleeping bag and a new mattress but they didn't have either of them in stock. 

The very helpful manager rang about 6 different stores but nobody else had either in stock. Eventually she said she could order one in if I had the code from off the website. Off I went back home and got the codes for the sleeping bag and a new lighter weight mattress. 
http://www.millets.co.uk/camping/sleeping-equipment/product/092750.html

I figured it was worth having them ordered in as I could look at them before buying them this way. 

I returned to the store with the codes to be told that neither were in stock at their warehouse and both items could only be ordered in online. - Great, 

So I now have a £20 voucher for my mat and I'm about to take the gamble in that sleeping bag and continue hunting around for a lighter mat.


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## rich p (30 May 2009)

Someone said that the down bags were inadvisable in case they got wet but mine has never been wet in all my years of touring and multiple downpours. It's either in a dry tent or a waterproof bag.


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## stephenjubb (30 May 2009)

Has no one spotted the description

"A Down 500 Sleeping Bag by Eurohike which is great for *summer* camping and sleep overs."

How this can be described as a four season bag confuses me. In addition a four season bag has to cope with temperatures way lower than -4 to be classed as a four season.


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## RedBike (30 May 2009)

That might also explain how a 500gsm fill bag weighes only 500grams in total.


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## Riverman (30 May 2009)

Hi Redbike.

This is the synthetic one I got. Haven't tried it out yet but seems ok for the price. 1kg (3 season) £27.50

http://www.family-camping-supplies.co.uk/item.php?cat=68&i=130

*FEATURES*


Ridge Hood
Reflective tab
Secure internal pocket
Compression sac
*SPECIFICATION*


*SIZE* - 210 x 78 x 50cm
*PACK SIZE* - 36 x 17cm
*WEIGHT* -1000g
*SEASON* - 3 and therefore suitable for spring and autumn camping
*TEMPERATURES* - Best between +1 and +5.9 degrees C and the bags limit, if caught out, is -14.3 degrees C
*SHELL* - 240T/40D Nylon Ripstop
*LINING* - 210T/70D Nylon
*FILLING* - 175g/m sq Pro Fibre top, 175g/m sq Pro Fibre base
*COLOUR* - Green/ Pewter
Also check out the gelert airbed on there. £19.50. If you need this too it makes the postage go further.

They also have the 2 and 1 season versions for a lower price.


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## JackE (30 May 2009)

*down bag*

I would agree with Andrew totally. I would be very suspicious of a bag that claims to go "down" to -4C and costs so little. My Alpkit Pipedream 400 cost £130, weighs 780gms and genuinely goes down to -3C. A friend has a Rab Quantum 400 (950gms) which cost around £240 but is rated to -5C. It's all about the quality of the goose down and the shell material.


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## RedBike (31 May 2009)

I am slightly worried about Down. On my last trip everything got soaked. My panniers leaked in a little so most things were damp (To be fare they were submerged in a swamp!)

Then at night my tent flooded. The ground sheet was waterproof but the 'walls' wern't so I woke up in what closely resmbled a kids paddling pool. Ok, slight OTT description but you get the idea.


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## RedBike (31 May 2009)

Riverman, That bag looks ideal. I have a very warm sleeping bag already so anything that will get me through 'summer' will be fine. 

I think we have a winner!


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## RedBike (31 May 2009)

So the expected weight loss is:

Sleeping bag 2.25kg down to 1kg - loss of 1kg
Mat 1.5kg down to 440g (0.5kg) - -loss of 1kg
Tent 2.6kg down to 1.5jg ---------loss of 1kg

Thats a wopping 3kg lighter.


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## Riverman (31 May 2009)

Redbike save yourself some money and don't get that matt. Try this one.

http://www.family-camping-supplies.co.uk/item.php?cat=51&i=152

It's almost £60 cheaper than that millets one, is smaller but is a couple of grams heavier. Self-inflating.

Also you can order the two items together saving on postage.

The tent looks good, although the pack size is a little larger than I thought. However I haven't even opened it yet so haven't tried packing it in tighter.


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## RedBike (31 May 2009)

Another good call. 

I was going to get this mat.
http://www.millets.co.uk/camping/sleeping-equipment/product/095262.html

It's slightly lighter but a lot larger packed. I'm taking the trailer next time so space isn't really an issue. However, if I ever intend to use a rucksack then your 3/4 example would be much better!


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## andrew_s (31 May 2009)

RedBike said:


> I am slightly worried about Down. On my last trip everything got soaked. My panniers leaked in a little so most things were damp (To be fare they were submerged in a swamp!)
> 
> Then at night my tent flooded. The ground sheet was waterproof but the 'walls' wern't so I woke up in what closely resmbled a kids paddling pool. Ok, slight OTT description but you get the idea.



Yes, if you use a down bag you have to have a tent that you can reasonably rely on to keep the weather out. Also you should keep it in a drybag similar to one of these unless you use Ortlieb or similarly reliable panniers.


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## pinkkaz (2 Jun 2009)

We've got Alpkit self-inflating mats which are great, and cheap too! They do lots of different sizes including 3/4.


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