PipeDream Reviews

Last Feb after almost 20 years my Snugpak softie 9 synthetic bag had lost most of its insulation properties and with a lakes backpacking trip coming up time for a new s/bag then. I contacted Alpkit they only had the 400 left so I bought one in conjunction with a filo so I could double up if need be. The s/bag is half the weight and packed size of my old snugpack and in last years and this years Feb trips to the lakes camping high up in snow (Angle Tarn, above Stickle Tarn etc) the bag performed faultlessly for me in conjunction with silk liner and on one night the filo (Angle Tarn last Sunday whiteout and blizzard plus 10 mins to chip ice off tent before packing up. Service from alpkit was informed,helpfull and prompt in all excellent and very keenly priced. I will soon be buying a full length mat from alpkit as my present 3/4 thermarest with walking trousers and fleece under my lower legs is not ideal in snow. I look forward to using kit a lot more in the future.

Tested my PD800 out last night in -8 on the Mendips under a midge net and tarp (and Helly Hansen Dry Base Layer). Getting into the bag was nothing short of delightful. A warming feeling from the start and continued right through the night. Woke this morning with tarp covered in frost but didn’t want to get out of my toasty bag. Absolutely brilliant. Don’t know how I’ve managed without one up until now…...and I’ve even got some spare change as it cost a heck of a lot less that comparable manufacturers.

I have used a Pipe Dream 600 on the Cape Wrath trail, 20 days, and the GR11,45days, plus shorter trips. Warmth:Weight performance is excellent and down retention is much better than a well respected and more expensive brand.

Ordered my PD 400 over the weekend. It arrived two days later and overall I’m really happy with it. It’s not been used in anger yet, but I’m training to enter the TGOC 2012 so it won’t be long til it is! I got a Hunka bivvi cover too, and am very pleased with that also. My blog entry is here: http://tgoc2012.blogspot.com/2011/01/acquisition-part-one.html

What a relief! I ordered and received one of the last 7 PD800’s before they ran out of stock. So so pleased! Had my Filet 6wks ago and can’t say how impressed I am with it. Really promotes the Alpkit label with very little difficulty. Everything about it is superb. Likewise, the PD800 is the same. I haven’t yet used it in anger but from the initial reaction it looks like it’s going to be good. Will update after my winter exped. Thanks Alpkit for providing the quality equipment without the faff. To be continued….

Had been looking for a first down bag for a while and after research went for Pipedream 400 along with Airo mat. Ordered it Tuesday,arrived Wednesday, in far north of Scotland.
Have slept in it and found it warm and comfy. Also packs down small, managed to get it into the small stuff sack.
Have never had sleep mat before but found Airo 180 comfy. First inflation took a while and a few breaths. Left it inflated for 24 hours and it packed away after use without any problem.
Am well impressed with the kit and have already recommended gear to a mate.

Hi Thanks for getting my pipedream to me so quickly and thank God that I am left-handed. The first thing I did was to see how it went into the stuff sack, boy that was a good work out. It all went in no problems; its first trip will be up in the lakes and the Scotland and Norway!

I ordered my Pipedream 800 on the 23rd of December. Despite snow storms all over Europe, delivery to Germany and not to forget Christmas it arrived on the 28th at about noon, plus I could follow the parcel via the FedEx Tracking number the friendly team of Alpkit had sent me.
As they had told me on the phone, a regular size is great for me. I am 1.82m tall and not really skinny… There’s even some space to move around the arms and wiggle your toes, not being too wide to keep you warm.
Having used the sleeping bag these last days on a quick tour of three nights with just a bivy bag in the snow and in my undies (but using a vapour barrier liner inside), it kept me warm and toasty all through. Even cold and wet feet took only some minutes to get warm at minus 5° Celsius. I trust it to do some more degrees minus, probably even the minus 17 if you really zip up the hood and the shoulder baffle, which always makes me feel a bit claustrophobic.
The slight humidity wasn’t a problem either, but you sure better keep it dry.

All in all great quality, neatly done, excellent, quick and friendly service at a very good price.

My friends already want one, too.

PD400 (and some other little treats!) arrived today. Quick delivery- despite the weather. Am 6’3 and fairly wide and bag seems more than big enough for me. Impressed by quality and feel of it- all I need now is to get out and use it!

I bought the PD800 last year and have only really put it to it’s test outside this year.  I’m a very cold sleeper and have never been warm enough camping in the UK (even in the summer!).  In the Hebrides this summer I was able to use my bag fully opened as a duvet with a silk liner and my inflatable mat and was very toasty in my just my undies!  One morning I woke to a frozen tent and had felt a little chilly but not enough to get inside the bag.  Did my ‘summer’ ML training in November and camped up high near Scarfell and got caught in a snow blizzard.  I did have to get in the bag and pull it around me but still didn’t need to wear a hat or anything more than a t-shirt.  I reckon with thermals, a hat and socks I could actually just about cope with the extreme temperatures rating suggested by Alpkit, which is fantastic.  This bag will pretty much cope with most things apart from maybe the extreme temperatures high in the Himalayas - Alpkit will there be a bag for this soon as I’ve been told to expect -35 degrees in November!