The Alpkit ArcticDream 1400
is an absolute beast of a sleeping bag. Stuffed with 1,200g of Nikwax hydrophobic goose down at a 750-fill power, it is the equivalent of a 24 TOG domestic duvet. In the sleeping bag world, this means that it has been independently certified as being comfortable down to -36.9°C (‘comfortable’ in this instance is defined as the user being able to expect to get eight hours of comfortable sleep while lying in a relaxed position), and suitable for conditions as cold as -48.9°C (the user will be in ‘thermal equilibrium’ at this temperature providing they lie in a curled-up position). It will even keep someone alive down to -79.2°C if pushed, although Alpkit does point out that the user may still suffer some weather-related injuries…
Bought for shelter in the forthcoming Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra, it’ll be paired with a simple foil-covered foam sleeping mat (the inflatable sort get so brittle at those sort of temperatures that the cells tend to go ‘pop’) and a decent bivvy bag to give me enough shelter to be able to snatch a few hours sleep when exhaustion strikes.
A classic down expedition sleeping bag with box-wall construction and a nylon inner, the ArcticDream 1400 is 2.1m long and 76cm wide at the chest. Only gently tapered, the ArcticDream leaves enough room to accommodate plenty of clothing. I intend to try and sleep in only my Merino wool underwear as I think this will provide enough warmth without generating too much sweat; moisture management is the key to keeping warm (and alive) in extreme Arctic conditions, and sleeping in too much clothing will leave it damp when I get up — and those damp clothes will freeze within seconds when I leave the sleeping bag, leading to a very real risk of hypothermia. Less can be more when you’re living and working in the sub-Arctic.
The outer fabric is 20D ripstop nylon with a Durable Water-Repellant (DWR) finish. While some internet warriors still insist that waterproofing down clothing is a waste of time, arguing that if it’s cold enough to wear down, then precipitation isn’t going to fall as rain anyway, I think this argument misses several points, not least that snow and ice will accumulate on clothing and footwear and will inevitably end up on your down-filled clothing and sleeping bag. It then doesn’t take much warmth — from, say, your body or a cooking stove — to raise the temperature enough to melt the snow and ice, soaking your clothing or sleeping bag in the process. Down is all but useless as an insulator when it’s wet, so a nylon DWR outer shell helps prevent the risk of this happening.
Having said that, Nikwax claims that its hydrophobic down is so good at repelling water that you can float on a lake in a sleeping bag filled with it — and the bag will retain at least some of its insulating properties. I’m not convinced, but try it yourself and make up your mind.
Of course, a minus 48°C rating does mean that the ArcticDream 1400 is pretty much useless anywhere but the sub-Arctic and Arctic in the winter — and given that it is spring here in Wales, there’s not much testing I can do at this point. (I’ve got my Montane Prison sleeping bag for spring through to autumn duties in more moderate climes.) However, I’ll be using it on the mandatory Arctic survival course before the Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra in mid-January and look forward to reporting back in due course.
For now, the bag’s fit ‘n’ finish is beyond reproach, and the £450 cost doesn’t seem too bad for something of this quality and temperature rating. It comes with a large cotton storage bag and a nylon compression sack and weighs 1.9 kg. Alpkit’s three-year Alpine Bond warranty also covers it.
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