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Sleeping bag rucksack

Baytree

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Over a few beers ( which may have a bearing) with friends at one point the conversation turned to inventions , wouldn't it be good if , or I wonder if anybody ...
I've had an idea lurking at the back of my mind for years if I'm honest and told my friends it and thought I'd tell the community here too. Before I explain further I'll just say if you think the idea is up there with the inflatable dart board then feel free to say so . If I'm honest again I can see some problems. If on the other hand you think it's brilliant and this time next year Rodney we'll all be millionaires feel free to pinch the idea as I'm never really likely to act upon it.
Now the idea. A sleeping bag is , well , a bag that you sleep in , a rucksack is again basically a bag you carry stuff around in. Not rocket science far and presumably neither is the point that you don't tend to use them both at the same time. So I thought , would it be possible to combine the two?
If we imagine a sleeping bag . Fold the leg area at around waist height back behind the body area which should allow the foot area to wrap over the head area. This gives a decent size bag and the foot area coming over acts as a lid. By necessity the whole thing will need to be waterproof so should have an added advantage for bivvying. I envisage the bag would then attach to a frame fo use as a rucksack proper. Again the frame being effectively a complete section on its own could also be used as a general purpose carrier. I thought it might be possible to have removable side pockets , Bergan style , attached with Velcro as buckles might cause a problem when using it as a asleeping bag.
As I say I do have reservations about the idea. For a start I'm not really sure what it would achieve as it may not be lighter or cheaper than a conventional set up. Then of course there's the question of what one does with the contents of the rucksack when it's being used as a sleeping bag. Either way if anyone has any comments I'd be happy to hear them whether it ranges from brilliant to "you're as dumb as a post , don't give up the day job".
 
Hi Baytree :xmas-cool:

Just my two penneth.

The idea in principle could work.....but would be better suited to warmer drier months maybe?
A sleeping bag is an important part of your kit.....any chance of damaging it or getting it wet could be a disaster and lead to a cold uncomfortable night.....even an aborted trip.
No sleeping bag is designed to be used as a pack or carrying bag..........the materials are just too fragile.....especially the interior.

Not something I would personally consider.........but food for thought all the same.👍
 
Thanks for the input. Talking down my idea I had considered the sleeping bag rating or thickness an issue too although I suppose it could be made with a removable quilted liner but if that raises the costs it may well be self defeating. I've also thought that should damage occur then it's in effect two items buggered rather than just one . It's possible it's an idea that is feasible if only for a "because we can" motive than a "because we should" . Hmm...
 
Beers and ideas :rolleyes: always a plus mate :D in saying this it’s worth wile writing it down and drawing it out....easier to spot the problems....something else could stem from it. Something along the same lines. Worth a little time if you ask me.... nothing ventured nothing gained 👍
 
Don't give up on it just yet, I thought my brother in law was insane for buying an inflatable tent but having tried it I had to eat my words of derision. These days I keep an open mind.
Whatever the problem there is always a way around it if you think outside the box. For instance you don't need buckles attached to the sleeping bag, just the adjustment webbing that the buckle fits onto....the waterproofing/breathability might be more problematic for the actual overnight experience but isn't that basically what a bivvi bag is? A waterproofed sleeping bag cover......
 
In my mind I had thought that there would be "pockets" on the rear of the bag at the leg position which would locate with the top of the carrying frame and then be secured by straps passing around the bag . I was thinking the bag would in efffect have a built in bivvy bag to maintain waterproofness when used as a rucksack.
Perhaps I should get my sewing machine and other tools out and have a go ...
 
I will look forward to seeing what you come up with, don't forget to protect your copyright.
 
Interesting idea!

In old german books about bushcraft it was recommended to use the ruck sack as over bag in cold conditions: If it's cold, put the legs in the ruck sack!
So, that was an old mountaineers and soldiers trick of the times before the nearly water tight ruck sack came in use.

It was done in combination of nature fibre ruck sack, woolen blanket and woolen coat, later with sleeping bags too.

Today the rucksack should be absolutely water tight, what so far I am informed only Ortlieb delivers, and breathing like a Goretex Jacket.

I think the needed material doesn't exist.

I think, it would be intelligent to connect the rucksack with a water proof zipper to the coat.

The Idea would be interesting for the ultra light trekking community. If they set up the tent, their ruck sacks are empty.

In my opinion the Idea isn't idiotic. But the market for this could be very small.

I think, it would be very complicated to produce it and expensive.

This must be frameless to save weight.

And there is a main problem:

usually we dry out every layer separately!!!
 
Thanks Erbswurst . I can remember being taught to put my feet in the rucksack if it got really cold on a school trip back in the '70's and I suppose that could very well have given me the germ of the idea
I probably not well informed enough in different materials and particularly modern materials to say off hand what would or could be used and in all probability I'll never do anything about this in a practical sense. This thread was more about proving or disproving the concept more than anything else. My "to do " list is too long as it is without adding more to it.
 
Over a few beers ( which may have a bearing) with friends at one point the conversation turned to inventions , wouldn't it be good if , or I wonder if anybody ...
I've had an idea lurking at the back of my mind for years if I'm honest and told my friends it and thought I'd tell the community here too. Before I explain further I'll just say if you think the idea is up there with the inflatable dart board then feel free to say so . If I'm honest again I can see some problems. If on the other hand you think it's brilliant and this time next year Rodney we'll all be millionaires feel free to pinch the idea as I'm never really likely to act upon it.
Now the idea. A sleeping bag is , well , a bag that you sleep in , a rucksack is again basically a bag you carry stuff around in. Not rocket science far and presumably neither is the point that you don't tend to use them both at the same time. So I thought , would it be possible to combine the two?
If we imagine a sleeping bag . Fold the leg area at around waist height back behind the body area which should allow the foot area to wrap over the head area. This gives a decent size bag and the foot area coming over acts as a lid. By necessity the whole thing will need to be waterproof so should have an added advantage for bivvying. I envisage the bag would then attach to a frame fo use as a rucksack proper. Again the frame being effectively a complete section on its own could also be used as a general purpose carrier. I thought it might be possible to have removable side pockets , Bergan style , attached with Velcro as buckles might cause a problem when using it as a asleeping bag.
As I say I do have reservations about the idea. For a start I'm not really sure what it would achieve as it may not be lighter or cheaper than a conventional set up. Then of course there's the question of what one does with the contents of the rucksack when it's being used as a sleeping bag. Either way if anyone has any comments I'd be happy to hear them whether it ranges from brilliant to "you're as dumb as a post , don't give up the day job".
I've seen videos of a guy that makes canvas packs that convert into a bivy for the homeless... I'll see if I can find the link.
 
I'd like to say great minds thinking alike and all that but he has at least done a lot more than just thinking about it .
Was that the sort of thing you had in mind?? I've seen another that is a similar idea... It was a kick starter project which the guy got funding for and started selling. The second bloke was a world traveler and wanted a convertible pack for the odd nights he didn't make it some place... Great concept tho
 
Interesting. It's along the lines of what I was thinking although the idea of a built in A frame and bivvy/windbreak wasn't something I'd considered .
 
Atom packs in the UK.and Palante in the US make ultra light packs.... Both the roll top type,.... If one of these had a sleeve inside that could be pulled out from the top it would be job done mate.... Some really good lightweight fabrics... Cuban fibre type... Good luck with your ideas mate 👍
 
It isn't Cuban, it's Cuben.

The material doesn't breath.

The point is, that ultra light materials on the market for different use all together allow a normal summer set up of round about 3,5 kg 20 Litres rucksack weight without food, water and gas.
With a Cuben poncho tarp plus Snugpack bivvy bag set up you get now a days a complete camping equipment in the pockets of a military suit.

That means a large ruck sack isn't needed any longer.
The Snugpack Special Forces bivvy bag is as large as an apple in its stuff bag. It costs around 80 €.

We are discussing here bomb proof equipment. The ultra light trekking community is using on long distance summer hikes 20 Litres bags....
 
And that's the point!

If you regard it singular, it is a good idea.

If you watch it in the whole system it becomes nonsens.

Especially if you know, that hundreds of people who walk in the summer american long distances, pack now a days ruck sacks with s total weight of 4,5 kg. Full, I mean, not empty!

The modern ultra light trekking equipment doesn't need any more large ruck sacks, where people would fit in. Today you get everything in a 30 litres bag!
 
"It isn't Cuban, it's Cuben" sorry teacher 😂😂

It isn't Cuban, it's Cuben.

The material doesn't breath.

The point is, that ultra light materials on the market for different use all together allow a normal summer set up of round about 3,5 kg 20 Litres rucksack weight without food, water and gas.
With a Cuben poncho tarp plus Snugpack bivvy bag set up you get now a days a complete camping equipment in the pockets of a military suit.

That means a large ruck sack isn't needed any longer.
The Snugpack Special Forces bivvy bag is as large as an apple in its stuff bag. It costs around 80 €.

We are discussing here bomb proof equipment. The ultra light trekking community is using on long distance summer hikes 20 Litres bags....
 
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