Therm-a-Rest Haven Top Bag - 1st Look

I'll start with the disclaimer this is another bit of kit courtesy of a very kind Phil and I have no vested interest in the sleeping bag other than to share my views on it. These are my intital thoughts having carried and used the sleeping bag once on an overnighter at the end of January. 

Phil had let me know in advance that he would have this bag, the Therm-a-Rest Haven would available if I wanted to have a go. He had indicated on twitter a few days before that the bag was a bit small for him. With me not being shy and an official small person, I jumped at the chance to test some gear out. Knowing this I had a quick google at the sleeping bag. I was intrigued by the concept. The bag has no zips and an elasticated hole in the back as well as a couple of straps to attach it onto a mat. It comes in a Pewter grey color and is filled will 700 goose down. The shell fabric is Nylon Ripstop with a DWR finish and it's lined with Nylon Taffeta. Looking then; that night, at the photographs it would seem that you can insert a sleeping mat into the Haven or strap it down to mat (a Neo-Air) on the website. All very interesting. 

When Phil first handed it to me in the car park at Ballantrae it was in the big storage sack that it comes with and I really didn't have a proper look at. Phil and I talked about the no zips and the straps. That it was rated down to -6C which would be plenty for that particular Saturday night in January. I run warm anyway and the old adage is true for me, you heat the sleeping bag the sleeping bag doesn't heat you. Nothing to worry about there. I also said that I reckoned there was a couple of ways to insert yourself into the bag having seen the website but maybe not if you're a 6' 2" Phil. 

It went from the storage sack in to the stuff sack. I remember thinking it felt nice and soft as I stuffed it. At the time I wasn't sure of the size but having measured it once I got home, it measured in at 27cm x 18.5cm and weighed about 638g in the stuff sack on my scales. Less than half the weight of the synthetic bag I usually carry, nevermind the difference in stuff sack size. In the Alpkit rucksack it went and that was the last I thought about it until we were pitching the tents.

Once the tents were pitched and I had inflated my sleeping mat, a POE Ether 6. I got out the Haven to let it breathe and loft after being squashed for most of the day. I gave it a good shake out and it lofted well and there is left it until after dinner. This was where the fun began, trying to figure out the best way to use the Haven. I started off with inserting the Ether 6 and sliding in up to my oxsters this was fine while I was lying about talking to Phil over in his tent but when it came to bed down for the night. I found even for me; it was tight, me in the fully inflated Ether 6 inside the Haven but I was willing to give it a go, for a while at least. That lasted until I tried to turn on to my side. Too tight with POE pad.

I decided that this was probably the best time to take a leak and then come back and sort it out. By that time I think Phil was already in the land of nod so I tried to be as quiet as I could. Once back in the LiteHouse Solo, I removed the POE and straped the Haven down and got myself back into the bag through the elasticated hole in the back. Much easier way in than through the hood, rat up a drainpipe experience of earlier. However i think that had a lot to do with the sleeping pad being inside that bag.

Now much more comfortable in the Haven, with plenty of from I settled down for some sleep. Ten minutes later I found myself having to strip off, down to my underwear and my baselayer. I found the bag to be warm and cosy. A lot warmer than the synthetic bag I was used to. At that time of year I would usually be sleeping in my clothes. Comfortable again, I drifted off to sleep but a few hours in I found myself waking because of a cold spot. My bum was straight onto the sleeping mat because of the elasticated hole. That hadn't happened when the mat was inside with me. After much fiddling and rumbling, I tucked one edge of the hole under me and that removed the gap enabling to get a good sleep the rest of the night.

It's a curious design in that it has no zips an well elasticated hole in the back and a couple of straps with clips to attach it to the mat of your choice. I'm not sure how much weight you save by not having a full length zip. I suppose the grams are a bit like pennies in that if you look after them the pennies will take care of themselves. I have no real complaints about the Haven sleeping, the pocket was too small to be of much use to me. Not sure what you would use it for. I judge these things on can I store my glasses safely. Which I couldn't. The cold spot, maybe but it could have just been the wrong mat. Having check up on a few things when I got home. Therm-a-Rest recommend using a tappered matteress like their TrailPro when the weather is cold. This still of mat would allow more room when inserted in and more than likely eliminate the cold spot but I managed to sort that for myself. Maybe that's my next move get hold of a tappered mat and try it with that. All in all I had a very good sleep in a very decent sleeping bag and I'm looking forward to testing it again.

 

Gram-counter Gear LiteHouse Solo - 1st look.

Photograph from the Gram-Counter Gear website 

This is new country for me; doing a first look, well my first look at a bit of kit. The disclaimer part. The tent I have is from Phil Turner, you can follow or find him here @PhilOutdoors on twitter or his website Lightweight Outdoors. Phil is also a good friend of mine. He's had a play with this tent before me. You can see and read that here. I had read Phil's post and had commented that it would be interesting to see how it tested. It has now come my way and these are my initial thoughts and impressions. 

I'll start at the beginning. I met Phil in the car park at Ballantrae. Where he handed me the tent, a sleeping bag and a sleeping mat. Lucky guy, yes I am. Phil gave me the low down. It weighs roughly 850g; in my hand it didn't feel like 850g of tent, lighter if anything. It is a classic ridge design with a single skin and fully stitched-in mesh interior with a sewn in groundsheet. The groundsheet is not the bath tub type you are used to with a traditional tent, some care is need when pitching. Also I had the nice happy yellow version. The website says orange but it looks yellow to me, there is however a green version available should you wish to blend more into your surroundings.

The pack size is great it fitted into my Alpkit Gourdon 30 litre rucksack width wise very comfortably leaving plenty of room for the rest of my overnight gear. I can't find any details of the stuff sack size but having measured it once I got home, it came out at 33cm by 12cm.

Once we arrived at our camp I was handed a set of pitching instructions, immediately I'm thinking uh oh. Nothing to worry about, it's just like every other tent you've ever done. It's a comprehensive pitching guide as the version I had came with 3 different styles/sizes of pegs. Two large aluminium pegs, 6 titanium micro pegs, 4" long and 5 titanium pegs, 6" long. I think that's just so you are aware which pegs have to be used where. It was definitely a good thing to read especially being new to lightweight tents. 

The pitching is quite simple and admittedly I did have an expert on hand but his input wasn't really needed. More just a check to see if I had it down correctly. Having pitched it once it will be really easy next time. 

The four corners get pegged first with 6" pegs then in goes your first walking pole, stabbed in to the ground. That gets held in place with the tension on the first guy line and a large aluminium peg. Then its round the back with second pole but doesn't have to be a walking pole, a branch would suffice. This is what gives the height at the rear by using the guy line to create the ridge line. Again this guy line is pegged using the other aluminium peg. After that it's just a case of securing the other points with the remaining pegs and tightening everything up. 

My description makes it sound a bit of a long process but it's not. I reckon ten minutes max and that would be pushing it. Nothing complicated even although using walking poles was completely new to me. 

Once pitched the gear porch gave ample room for my boots and Alpkit sack. I had plenty of room inside for the Pacific Outdoor Equipement Ether Elite 6 and the Therm-A-Rest Haven top bag. I actually had masses of room inside meaning I could bring in my rucksack. I should point out that I'm not the tallest person on the planet, being only 5' 7" on a good day. It was a good day. I can also sit up comfortably in the doors of the tent for cooking, putting on boots or just watching the sun go down and the stars come up.

It was my first time in a single skin tent and I had read and heard that they can have problems with condensation but don't all tents? I had none or nothing noticeable inside the tent and it was a very cold night. Not quiet double minus figures but somewhere around -5. There was however plenty of ventilation in the tent which certainly helps. There's venting all round where the groundsheet meets the the sides. Nice big mesh panels which also keeps out the creepy crawlies in the night.

The only things I could find fault with and fault is not the right word. They are just niggles, trifles or personal preferences. I found the pockets inside not to be of much use to me. They were too far down for me to reach easily. I would have much preferred them closer to the door of the tent. Then when I'm lying in my bag they are within easy reach but I had plenty of room to place my specs safely out the of the way. The other would be better guy locks on the strings, don't get me wrong there is plenty of tension there but it could be tighter in my opinion. However it's nothing that hampers the use or enjoyment of the tent.

All in all it's a great wee tent. So much so I can't wait to pitch it again and give it another thorough testing.