Desert Race Halfbag

A superlight half-length sleeping bag. With extension tube to protect against dust & wind.
Typical Operating Temperature
Guideline minimum temperature. Sleeping Bag TOT: you should get a night’s sleep, under normal circumstances. Clothing TOT: you should feel warm enough, assuming low/moderate activity. Sleep System TOT: relates to full system. For more details, see our Technical Briefing.
3°C / 37.4°F
Weight
For clothing, weight is for size: M. For sleeping bags, weight changes with selected length/width. N.B. there may be some variation in the weights of finished products.
240g / 8oz
Price
£342.00
Desert Race Halfbag - showing shoulder length fabric extender.

It worked brilliantly and I'd recommend it to others in a heartbeat.
Thomas Meakin (Marathon des Sables competitor)

Size
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Features

  • Use in combination with the down jacket you are already taking
  • Sheer-light 7X fabric inner and outer -- our lightest ever fabric
  • Exceptional 950 fillpower European goose down
  • Stitch-through construction to reduce weight
  • Neck-length “sand cover” or extender to cocoon your body, arms and hands
  • Team with our Ultra Jacket to make a flexible Sleep System
  • Footpiece: Ovoid shape
  • Stuff sac and storage bag supplied
  • Packed size 13 x 21cm*
  • Options:
    • Lengths: Short, Long
    • Footzip
    • Waterproof Dri-LX outer fabric shell (+175g)‡

* Please note: we make our stuff sacs big enough to allow fairly easy stuffing rather than reducing the down gear to the tightest minimum.

‡ Please note: The optional waterproof Dri-LX outer provides an extra seam-sealed outer shell to the bag. While a shelled half bag is not designed to be used alone in heavy rain (water will find its way in) the shell does protect the bag when it is used outdoors without a tent.

Description:

Designed specifically for desert racing. From the legendary Saharan Marathon des Sables to the Kalahari’s KAEM, and the growing number of events in the Gobi, the Atacama, the Australian interior and all around the world, these events have their own particular set of challenges to overcome. Sweltering 40 degree (C) race days can give way to 4 degree (C) nights – that’s cold enough for frost – in which warmth, sleep and recovery play a vital part in preparation for the next day’s challenge.

With the use of a suitably warm down jacket, such as the Ultra Jacket or Minimus Jacket, this Halfbag makes for a great way to cut weight and pack size, and keep legs and feet warm enough for a good night’s sleep. The use of “pied d’elephant” or Halfbags for lightweight bivis and camping is well proven in the mountains. Here we’ve made a super lightweight version for desert races, and in addition, we have added a neck-length sand cover or  extender to cocoon your body, arms and hands to cut out air movement - or a  breeze with shifting sand - that can disturb a night’s sleep under an open canopy tent. With the use of our new 7X (7 denier) fabric, 950 fillpower down, and stitch through construction, the Desert Race Halfbag offers an exceptionally flexible option.

The optional waterproof Dri-LX outer provides an extra seam-sealed outer shell to the bag. While a shelled half bag is not designed to be used alone in heavy rain (water will find its way in) the shell does protect the bag when it is used outdoors without a tent, for example in a snow-hole or under a tarp.

The Race Stuff Sac is a race-specific Stuff Sac with attachment points to strap to the outside of a rucksack. It can be purchased separately or added to your order as an option.


Ultralight 7X fabric (weight: 22 gsm)

7X is our new sheer-light 7 denier fabric. An exquisitely fine rip-stop nylon, 7X is incredibly light, highly wind-resistant and has first-rate down proofing. This fabric helps us create the very lightest of gear in the PHD range. Of course the lighter the fabric the lighter the sleeping bag or down clothing, and the less space it takes up in your rucksack. This fabric is so light it actually helps to allow even greater lofting of the down too.

Dri-LX (weight: 64 gsm)

At just 64gsm, Dri-LX is our lightest 2-layer breathable waterproof rip-stop nylon fabric. Its remarkably low weight not only makes for a lighter load, but also reduces pack size. Its excellent waterproofing qualities are in part due to how it can be taped at the seams to create a waterproof shell for sleeping bags and clothing.

950 fillpower down

A newcomer to our range. European goose of rare quality. A high value alternative at the top levels of performance. More on our down insulation.

"For me the half bag and pullover was perfect, probably the best bit of kit I bought. To be wearing the top half as a jacket in the evening, then slip into the lower half was simplicity itself. It was plenty warm enough, even on the colder nights, and the hood served well as a cushion so I could just lay my head on my pack and to muffle my ears against the inevitable night noises."
Dain Jensen (Marathon des Sables competitor).


"The Desert Race Halfbag and Desert Race Pullover both held out well overall. They are very comfortable, amazingly light, and for me, having a separate half bag and pullover provided great flexibility in the evenings. It was very windy and there was always debris and detritus all over the tent no matter how careful we were. My PHD kit suffered no tears or rips and after washing it (carefully and in accordance with your instructions!) on my return, it is as good as new.”
James Wilkinson, MdS competitor


"I loved the PHD half bag and pullover combination. It worked brilliantly and I'd recommend it to others in a heartbeat."
Thomas Meakin (Marathon des Sables competitor).


"I have never used a sleeping system like it, a completely superb bit of kit.

The conditions this year were tricky ranging from around 2 degrees to 15 (at night) the bag kept me comfortable at the lower end (with silk liner) and also comfortable with no jacket at the higher end (no soggy interior). How it did this I have no idea, but it did. Effectively I was comfortable in the bag every night regardless of temp.

The shell material was completely faultless despite my best efforts to destroy it (I used a lightweight matt with loads of holes) - the bag is completely unblemished. The lightweight upper section provided a high level of protection from sand/wind ingress and did keep me warm down to around 7 degrees C. The jacket worked very well as a wind smock during the evening and was very comfy to sleep in, once again the material was tough and remained unblemished.

The entire system was easy to pack into one stuff sack and worked well as part of my overall kit inventory. It was as small as it could be.

All in all I cannot speak highly enough of the race bag - it completely exceeded my expectations. It performed faultlessly, it is a cracking bit of kit and I would have no hesitation recommending it.

I can't think of a better sleeping system. The equipment was faultless. I would have no hesitation recommending this item I was truly amazed at the performance."
Jamie Hancox (Marathon des Sables competitor)


"The bag and jacket were both very good...overall I’d recommend this to anyone wanting a warm jacket for the MDS"
James Gillies (Marathon des Sables competitor).


"Overall, your desert combo product performed well and met my (high) expectations. Best piece of kit I brought. We had a mix of warm and cold evenings, with a couple blowing sand storms. Combo kept me in comfortable range throughout"
Scott Fischel (Marathon des Sables competitor).


"I thought it was a great product"
Jon-Paul Brett (Marathon des Sables competitor).


"It worked exactly as described. I consider the temperature ratings accurate. We had a couple of nights when the wind picked up and the sand blew. When this happened I was grateful for being able to pull the sand sheet on the half bag up over my head and use the drawstring to keep the sand out"
Gareth Scobie (Marathon des Sables competitor).

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