Darche - Cold Mountain -12C 1100 Dual Sleeping Bag

I bought 2 of these for a Simpson Desert trip. Thought I would try it out prior. First night +4. Gave up at 3am due being cold. Tried again next night with thermals, beanie and air mattress on top of my stretcher. Another 4 degree night. Woke at 3am and put on a jumper. Lasted till 6am. Forced to borrow some quality down bags from a friend. Good luck at -12. Didn't. expect them to be much good below zero but thought they may go close.

A well-made sleeping bag and very roomy, which is why I bought the Darche 1100, but definitely not -12c, which is a bit of a disappointment. Obviously, a lot depends on whether or not you wear sleepwear, and where you are sleeping; vehicle, tent, swag. In long thermals, thick socks and a beanie you'd probably be OK below freezing, but in t-shirt, shorts, thick socks and a sheet liner, on an Oztrail self-inflating mattress (red), I woke up cold in the middle of the night in a tent when it was 5c (note: 5c, not -5c). I had to put on a beanie, and cover the bag with a single duck down and feather quilt to be warm. The panel at the foot of the bag, on top, feels like three layers of hollow fibre, the rest of the bag has only two layers. I have a mummy bag that is all as ... MoreA well-made sleeping bag and very roomy, which is why I bought the Darche 1100, but definitely not -12c, which is a bit of a disappointment. Obviously, a lot depends on whether or not you wear sleepwear, and where you are sleeping; vehicle, tent, swag. In long thermals, thick socks and a beanie you'd probably be OK below freezing, but in t-shirt, shorts, thick socks and a sheet liner, on an Oztrail self-inflating mattress (red), I woke up cold in the middle of the night in a tent when it was 5c (note: 5c, not -5c). I had to put on a beanie, and cover the bag with a single duck down and feather quilt to be warm. The panel at the foot of the bag, on top, feels like three layers of hollow fibre, the rest of the bag has only two layers. I have a mummy bag that is all as thick as the one panel on the Darche, but even that would struggle to achieve -12c. Really, the whole bag should be three layers of hollow fibre, which would add about 800g to the weight, but that should not be an issue as it's not a sleeping bag for backpacking. As I don't like sleepwear, it looks like I'll be packing the duck down quilt as well, for those really cold nights.

Comfortable and well made. Warm but I wouldn't take it to -5 let alone -12. I'm. Generally a cold sleeper. Had it in a swag in 2 degrees overnight and was comfortable wearing merino wool thermals and a beanie which also covered my kneck. I could probably tolerate a few degrees colder before I'd need to pile on the added layers of clothing.