Australian Hiker

Colour Blue/navy
Weight 1030 grams
Size XL

Cost $520

Mont Beedleup XL Sleeping Bag

No longer in production

Rating

Rating 8.5 / 10

Value for Money 1.7

Durability 1.8

Comfort 1.8

Weight 1.6

Warmth 1.6

Mont Beedleup XL Sleeping Bag Review

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS PRODUCT IS NO LONGER IN PRODUCTION

In choosing a new sleeping bag from the hundreds currently available on the market there are a number of factors to consider. Every hiker will decide on a bag purchase based on a set of criteria that is often unique to their own needs. My choice of a new sleeping bag was based on the following criteria:

I needed to comfortably fit my 189cm frame into a bag so this meant an XL size bag
It needed to be my one and only sleeping bag so would need to keep me warm across a range of temperatures down to a minimum approximately minus 7° Celsius (20° Fahrenheit)
Most of my camping falls into the dry-damp conditions and while I might have fairly damp days, I don’t do a lot of hiking where I’m going to be saturated day after day
I have a high degree of cold tolerance
I needed a sleeping bag that was as light as possible but also packed down to a relatively small size
Price wasn’t a major factor but I did have a budget to work to given I was replacing a fair amount of gear in my attempt to go ultralight

I went into this sleeping bag purchase knowing full well that I was making a compromise. If I had the extra funds I would run a 4-bag system that would provide the luxury of choosing exactly the right bag for the conditions that I was expecting. Like most of you I don’t have an endless supply of spare funds and needed to choose one bag that I knew wouldn’t be ideal in every circumstance. It did need to allow me to be comfortable on the coldest hikes that I do which is around minus 6-7° Celsius (20° Fahrenheit).

I spent two months researching my choices and in the end I chose the Mont Beedleup XL Down Sleeping bag.

Having worked outside for most of my life I have a very high threshold for cold and usually wear little clothing to bed even on the coldest night camping. In the case of the Mont Beedleup bag which is rated as a minus 4 degree men’s comfort level (EN13537 scale), I knew this would easily keep me cosy and warm well past its rated level. I’ve had this bag for almost 12 months now and at minus 2°I’m still sleeping with minimal clothing, a partially unzipped bag and I’m not using the bag hood. So I am confident of being comfortable down to my minus 7° once I fully rug up. In fairness I also use a fairly warm sleeping pad and a silk liner to keep the bag clean so this helps with my overall warmth and minimizes heat loss through the ground.

The Beedleup comes in an XL size and at just on 189cm I really had no choice unless I wanted to jam myself into the average sleeping bag which tends to suit a person of around 185cm. I have a king size bed at home so wasn’t about to compromise on a good night’s sleep by getting a bag that was too short. This additional length also adds some weight and while I would have liked a more lightweight bag I couldn’t justify the price of the ultralight bags at the time of my purchase. Many of the ultralight bags also tend to only have a ¾ zip so are less versatile in warm conditions.

As far as water resistance goes most modern high quality down bags have a good degree of water resistance built into their construction through either the materials used or the waterproofing applied to those materials. As I don’t tend to hike in conditions where I get wet for long periods, I didn’t see the need to opt for a heavier synthetic bag which would provide a high degree of warmth when the bag was wet.

My last criteria was the need for the bag to be relatively small when packed to allow me to fit all my gear into my newer smaller backpack. While not the smallest sleeping bag on the market, the Beedleup strikes a good balance in this area and is definitely much smaller and lighter than the bag it replaced. As a one size fits all bag this is an excellent choice and one that I would be happy to recommend.

We Like

Bag weight 1030g (37oz) which is mid weight as far as XL sleeping bags go. This means that its reasonably priced for a high quality sleeping bag allowing you to spend in other areas
XL size provides ample length for taller hikers. There’s nothing worse than being jammed into an undersized sleeping bag
DWR 785+ loft down provides a high degree of warmth and for the majority of three season hiking males this bag will do everything you need it to in colder conditions
Ultralight 15 denier nylon inner and out shell, DWR treated means that this bag is robust and water resistant and will keep you warmer day after day in moist conditions
Can zip to smaller bags if you choose the correct zip opening (right or left hand zip) to form a double. More quality time with the other half although unless both bags are XL in size then there will be a slight mismatch in the zip closure
Shoulder collar that provides a barrier to heat escape. This will help to keep the user more comfortable at night
Minus 4 men’s comfort rating (men’s comfort limit EN13537). For most three season users this will be all they ever need to maintain a comfortable sleep
Foot venting zip that allows excess heat to escape from the bottom of the bag and keep the user at the desired temperature
- Contoured hood keeps down evenly distributed around your head and helps the maintain the correct heat distribution on an area of high heat loss
Toaster foot pocket for air activated heat pad. This will allow a faster heat up process on those really cold days
Full length zip that allows the bag to be turned into a quilt. This creates a greater degree of versatility and with it sleeping options
- Recessed draw cords for comfortable warmth retaining closures. Sleeping bag cords can be annoying when they are obvious as they often are on the lower quality bags
- Supplied with ultralight siliconised nylon compression sack and large storage bag with printed care instructions which means that you don’t need to purchase separate storage and compressions bags allowing for a higher spend in other areas
- Sewn with Hydrophobic Epic thread which prevents moisture from wicking inside the shell. This provides a more comfortable sleep in damp conditions
- Tapered rectangular construction. This means that the bag is not as restricting as mummy style bags and less bulky than a straight rectangular bag. The best of both worlds for those of us with big feet

We Don't Like

This sleeping bag is the best bag I have owned but when choosing a single bag for all your hiking needs there are going to be down sides.

Choosing a one-size-fits-all bag means that you are compromising. For me this bag is overkill for much of my hiking and even at minus 4° Celsius I don’t wear many clothes
XL size only so excess bag for hikers shorter than about 185 cm
Down bag. While containing a fair amount of waterproof technology if it’s going to be used in wet conditions for an extended period then a synthetic bag may be a better option