Hispar 600 Down Sleeping Bag

Mountain lightweight for low temperatures and high peaks. Ideal for fast ascents and quick travel.

Typical Operating Temperature

-21°C / -5.8°F

Weight

1040g / 37oz

Price

£936.00

On top the Dru after 1st one day & free ascent of Lesueur route

Zip & baffles (Photo: Carnets D'Aventures)

With Jon Griffith (Lhotse and Everest in the background)

With Tenji Sherpa (Lhotse and Everest in the background)

The weight to warmth ratio is still the thing that shocks me the most compared to its competitors, it's light years ahead.
Jonathan Griffith's review after 2 months' use in Alaska.

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Features

Rare 950 fillpower European Goose Down
Water-resistant Ultrashell outer fabric
Superlight MX inner fabric
Box-wall construction for max loft
Short zip protected by double draft tubes
Pack size: 23 x 40 cm†
Straight-wall baffles for lightness
Side block baffles to prevent down shift
Extra down channels along each side ensure side insulation
Oval footpiece to fit naturally to feet and avoid pressure
Mummy hood draws up close around head
Collar seals in warmth at neck
Ultrashell inner panels at head to protect against breath soaking the down
Ultrashell panels at inner foot to cope with damp feet/footwear
Stuff sac with mesh storage bag
Colour: Gold top, charcoal base
Options:
- Waterproof Dri-LX outer fabric shell (+250g)‡
- Slim, Wide and Extra Wide widths*
- Short, Long, and Extra Long lengths*
- Full zip (left or right)
- Further customisation available via our Design Your Own Sleeping Bag service

†Please note: We make our stuff sacs big enough to allow fairly easy stuffing rather than reducing the bags 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 sleeping bag is not designed to be used alone in heavy rain (the hood area is open to the elements) the shell does protect the bag when it is used outdoors without a tent.

*Please note: For all length or width options, we change the amount of downfill to keep the warmth (TOT) the same.

Description:

Ultralights for the mountains are the first words we put to the Hispar sleeping bags and it's hard to find a better way to describe them. Starting with our superlight MX inner fabric and the pared-down design features of the Minim range, we have added some of the extra elements from the Baltoro/Diamir bags to bring these new bags up to mountain specifications, while keeping weight to a minimum.

The combination of this design with the exceptional quality of our 950 down almost sends the new Hispar range off the scale for warmth/weight performance

The straight-wall baffle system (as used on the Minimus) is the lightest available.
The close-fitting mummy hood borrowed from the high-performance bags brings a snug protective feel.
A short zip with a double draft tube is standard on these bags (a zip is necessary with a mummy hood).
Side block baffles have been inserted to prevent down shifting between top and base.
The outer V baffle at each side protects the side seams and increases the inner/outer differential to allow the down full loft.
A simple internal collar completes the technical specifications.

The weights of the Hispar bags are graphic evidence of the effectiveness of this specific design. With the performance of our 950 down these bags deliver exceptional levels of warmth per gram.

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

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.

Ultrashell (weight: 40 gsm)

One of the lightest of PHD's coated materials. This ripstop nylon provides complete wind block and good water resistance at minimal weight. Ultrashell gives an excellent upgrade to performance with very little weight penalty.

Superlight MX fabric (weight: 32 gsm)

A mini-ripstop nylon with excellent tear strength, MX is the pick of the superfine 15 denier downproof materials. We have tested lighter fabrics, but most have had significant drawbacks, while our confidence in MX is based on several years of extensive use in both our ultralight and our high mountain gear.

Sleeping bag zips

No zip: The standard design on our lightest bags with open hoods. The simplest/lightest system which is a must for adventure racers. Up to 140gm (5oz) lighter than a full zip with draft tube.
Full zips: Full zip bags ventilate well, so they can be used over a wider range of temperatures.
Short zips: Short zips are lighter and pack smaller than full zips. A short zip & draft tube is up to 85gm (3oz) lighter than the full version.
Our full briefing on sleeping bag zips.

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.

Construction

This bag has an insulating straight wall baffle system throughout (no straight-through stitching). Straight wall is the lightest of all baffle systems. In cross section it looks like this:

Side V channels, and double draft tubes behind the zip optimise insulation.

More on sleeping bag construction.

Proofed inner panels

Proofed fabric (Drishell or Ultrashell) panels are included inside the hood and foot areas of the bag to help keep the down dry. In very cold temperatures your breath can cause ice to form around the face opening, which may soak into the down as it melts. The panels at the foot end are to protect the down if you get into your bag with wet socks (or in extreme situations with your boots on).

"The weight to warmth ratio is still the thing that shocks me the most compared to its competitors, it's light years ahead."
— Jonathan Griffith's review of Hispar 600 after 2 months' use in Alaska.

"This bag has an unmatched warmth / weight ratio....The draft tubes undoubtedly provide the best insulation behind the zip of all the bags tested - not a trivial detail if you face harsh conditions."
— from Carnets d'Aventures Magazine's test of 18 sleeping bags for cold conditions.

"I have been warm at night in minus 25 degrees C with the Hispar 600 alone. The local people were very impressed that I was warm in such a light sleeping bag."
— Jeanette Lykkegard Nielsen using the Hispar 600 studying reindeer headers on the Kamchatka peninsula, Siberia.

"While my tent-mate suffered and shivered through the coldest parts of the nights, I was snugly sleeping in a PHD Hispar 600 with just my base layer and a thin liner. I gave him my PHD pullover and vest so he could get a good night's sleep and we could then both enjoy long days out ski mountaineering."
— Mike Smith, on Trip to Greenland's 'North Liverpool Land', April/May.

TRIP REPORT:

"Packs into an impressively small volume.
Recovers/Lofts well on unpacking.
Perfectly warm with a baselayer down to -20C.
Length and width fine without cold voids. I could just manoeuvre enough to put on or remove socks without unzipping."

— Mike Smith, on Trip to Greenland's 'North Liverpool Land', April/May.

Works well with