PipeDream Reviews

I brought my PD600 after a cold night in my old sleeping bag,it arrived quickly and was as warm as I expected it to be, well worth the £170.00!

I’ve just received my 2012 Pipedream 400 and am so impressed that I’m posting my first ever internet product review.

I go cycle touring from May to September and wanted a sleeping bag to replace my Mountain Equipment Lightline which has served me well for nearly 20 years. I’m a cold sleeper and need a bag to keep me warm in an occasional ground frost in the Alps or Scottish Highlands but which won’t be too hot for comfort in the south of France.

The PD400’s price of £150 represents exceptional value - rival bags from big name competitors are well over £200 - while the quality of construction is excellent. You really can appreciate the lofting power of the 750+ down combined with the lightweight shell. The soft-touch lining is pleasant against the skin. When you squeeze the down with your fingers, you can definitely feel it’s finer, with fewer feathers, than the down in my old Lightline.

Even with the compression sack, the PD400 is 300g lighter than my Lightline and its pack size is significantly smaller, giving me extra room in my panniers.

The cut is similar to the Lightline. I’m 5ft 10in and 10.5 stone and there’s plenty of room for me. The neck collar and hood work well and (contrary to what a previous customer has said) there is a narrow anti-snag section of thicker material next to the zip on one side. The zip does catch slightly on the other side but nowhere near as badly as on my Lightline

Obviously, these are only first impressions but the quality of the down, shell material and construction make the PD400 the best value sleeping bag on the market for 2/3 season cycle touring.

I’ve just received a new 2012 PipeDream 600 and here are my first impressions:

Pros: Very very light, stitching and overall quality seems as good as from any other manufacturer, the Toray is nice next to the skin and seems as durable as can be expected from lightweight nylon, the fit is snug (I’m an average 6” 13.5 stone) but it’s spot on for maximum insulating efficiency, the neck/collar baffle works very well, I’m 6 foot and it’s a good fit so the stated maximum of 6’1” is probably just that - an absolute maximum, the down lofts well and I’m expecting it to be nice and warm.

Cons: No anti-snag taping so the zip can catch the inner quite easily, the hood doesn’t draw in quite as far as I would like leaving a slightly larger hole but this could be due to my 6 foot length restricting the hood closing in? there isn’t any padding around the hood draw cord either so it can dig into the face a bit (but I guess that stops cold drafts getting through!).

Other: It may be a design feature or could be poorly controlled construction but there seems to be more down at the feet and hood than around the torso. The ‘Next day delivery’ took 3 days but that’s out of Alpkit’s hands.

Overall I’m very pleased with the PipeDream and compared to my Marmot Sawtooth it’s a lot lighter and I expect it to be a fair bit warmer too (due to the snug fit and higher quality down) even though they are both rated at about -10. Also the Sawtooth’s baffles go all the way around the bag and so down can migrate from the front to the back where as the PipeDream has walls at the side preventing this.

A top quality lightweight bag at a great price.

My brother and I have eagerly awaited the release of the 2012 Pipedream range of sleeping bags, ever since reading Chris Townsends review in TGO magazine.
So when you announce they were available for pre-ordering, out came the credit card and off we go relishing the prospect of having a new shiny warm bag to catch the tail end of the cold weather.
Then disaster stuck they are only available in BLASCK!!!!!!
What is it with the mountaineering gear manufacturers, that makes them produce most of their clothing, and now SLEEPING BAGS in BLACK!
Some may think its trendy, but an injured or lost mountaineer would not show up in BLACK.
It also shows every stain and dirty mark.
I the winter it’s dark enough when wild camping without using a BLACK sleeping back.
So what do we do now?
The choice is stark, either by an inferior sleeping bag or pay through the nose.
Regards Geoff Edwards
AKA Disgruntled of Astwood Bank.

‘Best lightweight down bag’ Trail Magazine, March.. Graham Thompson says.. “The PipeDream 800 is a well-established winter sleeping bag that is insulated with down for maximum efficiency, and therefore minimal weight and packed size… if you don’t mind buying online and are prepared to wait for stock to arrive if necessary, this is a superb option if weight and price are important.” Get a copy of Trail to read the full review!

With the PD 6OO it`s quite possible to get it in to a 8 LT drybag, either Xtra or normal. What you have to do is put the PD 600 stuff sac inside the drybag, and then start stuffing the bag in, obviously take your time and squeeze as much air as possible out as you go. Every now and then push the stuff sac to the bottom of the drybag. When your done, do up the stuff sac and just do up the drybag as normal.

I bought my PipeDream800 last xmas to be used this Oct in Himalayas.Everyone else but 2 on trek hired.Tooo hot at low camps & just threw it unzipped over body.On the highest 2 camps at Lobouche & Gorak Shep it came into its own when everyone else had down jackets on in their bags,I just had merino top & leggings.Luvly toastie! Thanks guys for great service & the best bag I have ever slept in.PS the porters roped a tin of kerosene on top of my bag on the way down from Pheriche & it leaked all over it!!Hung it up in conservatory for a week & all trace of smell has gone!

Chris Townsend rates the PipeDream 800 in his TGO round up of Winter Down Sleeping bags.

Got a 650 PD, Perfect bag for UK hammock life (Hennessy Ultralight ASym)d with a sleeping mat (down to 3deg) when combinine works well with event bivvy bag and sleeping mat combo.
Light, strong but super soft to touch.  Feature rich.  Plus great service and a trully brilliant web site. Ethical Mofoz!

Excellent!
I heard about Alpkit through Alistair Humphreys,
You guys offer such good quality stuff and the right price for a change!
The Pipe Dream is great for me, you all know the technical details but I will say the build quality is great and it’s roasting!

Keep innovating!