Trying to find information on my vintage sleeping bag

[trailmixisalie]

My mother gave me this and has owned it since the 90s . I really want to find information on it regarding temperature ratings . I have tried google, bing and deeper internet searching but no luck .

the model is kathmandu columbus sr goose down

Kathmandu-Dryheat-Navigator-Blue-Goose-Down-Sleeping-bag.jpeg (23.26 KiB) Viewed 14839 times

[camm]

Does it still have the white tag inside with the fill weight, etc?

[Moondog55]

Weigh it please and post the weight.
The older bags were supposed to be warm but heavy

[CasualNerd]

Chiming in because I have a similar one that I'd love to know more about. Same vintage Kathmandu label, it's very well made but quite heavy.

Mine's labelled as a Rumdoodle XL L, 1017 grams goosedown fill, total weight about 2.5 Kilos. Very very warm

I looked for info on these old bags a while back and couldn't find anything.

[keithy]

I still have that model bag as well but in the Columbus S L version - the purplely external colour. Pulled it out of the cupboard this morning.

Pretty sure mine was the first iteration of that model. Mine is the semi rectangular one with the separate footbox zip opening. There was a padded flap baffle at the footbox as well. There is no temperature specs printed on the white labels inside, nor on the original stuff sack.

Mine has a fill of 550g goose down, and the bag itself weighs around 1.4kg.

I dare say its too old for information on its specs to live on the internet. The Columbus model has been reused by Kathmandu.

Don't know if this will be helpful but from recollection, mine was a 3 season bag at the time, and it was an entry/mid range model.

I've used it down to -10°C but I tend tend to sleep hot.

Attachments

Label on stuff stack, Tag on inside of bag, Label on bag

KathmanduColumbusSL.jpg (286.28 KiB) Viewed 14720 times

[Franco]

550g of down should be a confort rating around-5c to -8c on a med size

[bernieq]

Go with Franco's assessment.

Be aware that bags made before 2005 will only have, at best, a manufacturer's rating. The EN13537 Standard was implemented in 2005 (as rating claims had become nearly meaningless).

Aaah, Standards. The good thing about Standards is there are so many to choose from

[commando]

Minus 5 to Minus 8 sounds about right but it would depend whether it was Asian Goose Down, or European Goose Down
as it may go to minus 12.

What's in a number anyway, there are many factors involved like sleeping in the snow, on the ground, in a hut,
on a picnic table or bivouacing on a rock ledge with strong winds and of course the type of sleeping mat employed
a lot of variables to consider and not even mentioning personal biological factors such as age, sex or level of intoxication.

All ratings are now determined by Standards and Laboratories measurement, the exact place its never used.

[Troy]

Old Army Sleeping Bags
Does Anyone know about old army sleeping bags?
Before 1987, 1/2 zip, 2.104kg, wide, was told they were Antarctic (which i am not sure). I believe synthetic, silvery inside lining, very very warm on school trips in youth.
Curious for a long time on the specs. Tempted to try plan to replace 1/2 zip for a full L zip and create a quilt option.

[Moondog55]

Pictures Troy.
Shape? Hood?
The army went through many iterations of sleeping bags and most were lowest bidder.
The one you describe isn't familiar but I doubt Antarctic unless these were an overbag because the old Antarctic bags were well over 5 kilos. Might also be US army or British.

[andrewa]

Interesting to reflect on “warmth ratings” and amount of down in the bag.

Well insulated sleeping mats have made a huge difference to the heat loss underneath, which can now be minimal.

Back in the 80’s/90’s, down was mostly 550 loft, up to 700 loft. Bags were over designed, and made from 1.9oz nylon, at best 1.5.

Better lofting down has improved things somewhat, but more so lighter nylon, and less “over designing” things.

I’d happily repurpose my 1980’s down in a new shell.

A

[Troy]

Hood is triangular, draw strings. Personally, zip or extra length and square plus oversized wood be more useful, but i have not slept out in the snow.

Any issues, let me know, seemed to open okay on my computer but obviously I have the google account on my browser.

(Google Drive) Photos of old army sleeping bag as described above:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yhKxdG ... sp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YBmAiK ... sp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KnJSwb ... sp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ePvL2T ... sp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s3U4M9 ... sp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ue6T1q ... sp=sharing

Edit: embedded photos.

iimage008.jpg (82.26 KiB) Viewed 13863 times

Attachments

iimage007.jpg (55.06 KiB) Viewed 13863 times

Triangular Hood

iimage006.jpg (124.72 KiB) Viewed 13863 times

iimage005.jpg (78.93 KiB) Viewed 13863 times

iimage004.jpg (110.04 KiB) Viewed 13863 times

iimage003.jpg (104.51 KiB) Viewed 13863 times

iimage002.jpg (86.7 KiB) Viewed 13863 times

Last edited by Troy on Sat 08 May, 2021 7:35 am, edited 5 times in total.

[Moondog55]

You should upload directly Troy so everybody could see the pix.
Not familiar with that bag but the fabric looks like Vietnam era Australian stuff and could perhaps be the overbag for the old summer bag but definitely NOT the old Antarctic overbag, that had a biggish boxed foot in one iteration or a tall boat-tail foot in another; at least I'm pretty sure this is so.

[Bill P]

Chiming in because I have a similar one that I'd love to know more about. Same vintage Kathmandu label, it's very well made but quite heavy.

Mine's labelled as a Rumdoodle XL L, 1017 grams goosedown fill, total weight about 2.5 Kilos. Very very warm

I looked for info on these old bags a while back and couldn't find anything.

Hi Nerd

I have a pair of Rumdoodle bags I bought new in about 1995. I think they were about $350 each .This was when Kathmandu made their own gear, On sale of course. The "L" indicates left hand side zip. (These were bought to replace a pair of Fairydown bags I bought in 1980 for ~$70 which, to my surprise and disappointment, the down crumbled to dust in the mid '90s.) I've never, ever, been cold in the Rumdoodle and its been a great winter bag. If you know you're heading into a blizzard this is the bag you want in your backpack. Mine weighs 1900g and is quite bulky, but unbeatable in super heavy winter conditions. My Rumdoodles have had solid Tasmanian and mainland winter alpine use, and despite being relentlessly flogged, are still in great condition. The Rumdoodles are as good today as when I bought them. I cant say that about any of my other bushwalking equipment, except the Trangia. Happily amused that my day to day bushwalking gear is now noted as being ' vintage'!

Cheers,

Bill

[Troy]

Edit of previous post: uploaded files in inline of original photos post above.

Sorry, photos were too large and had no luck editing in Photos on windows, the last I edited photos was on Windows XP - I miss XP programs. Used Infraview and eventually got it somewhat right after some trial an error - and time.

I don't know how the first Kathmandu photos were aligned so nicely or to merge into a block, have figured those ones out yet.

[trailmixisalie]

Thankyou all, very helpful. so kind