Sea to Summit Alpine ApIII - Ultra Dry Down Sleeping Bag - Red

The Alpine Series combines STS most technical sleeping bag features to deliver reliable performance while cocooning you in the highest quality RDS 850+ Loft Goose ULTRA-DRY Down. Designed for high altitude mountaineering and arctic conditions, the contoured mummy design delivers efficient insulation, while our updated expedition sizing provides space for extra clothing to be worn inside the bag. The anatomically shaped and oversized footbox can comfortably accommodate boots when necessary. Vertical baffles over the chest section ensure the down insulation cannot migrate or shift to the outside of the bag during sleep, creating cold spots. A side block baffle construction maintains the 60/40 fill ratio, keeping more down on the top of the bag for maximum insulation.

Suggested use: Winter Trekking; Snow Camping; Ski Touring; Base Camp; Alpine Climbing; Expeditions

Season ratings: Autumn/Winter

The ULTRA-DRY Down water-repellent treatment protects the down from external moisture and condensation from the inside of the bag, virtually eliminating the negative effects moisture has on down. All Sea to Summit Down Sleeping Bags use Responsible Down Standard (RDS) certified down. The Free-Flow Zip system provides a half zip on the right side of the bag to provide freedom of movement for both arms as well as additional ventilation.

The full length, two-way left side zip provides easy access and extra ventilation options. The waterproof yet breathable NanoShell fabric provides protection from wind and moisture. The tightly sized and carefully panelled hood fits snugly around your head, allowing you to maintain maximum warmth with minimal adjustment. An oversized zipper draft tube is fitted with the lightest and stiffest anti-snag materials for effortless operation and to prevent heat loss through the zipper.

The Free-Flow triple-zip design ensures your sleeping bag retains maximum warmth and efficiency when needed and multiple ventilation options when it’s not. The half zip on the right side of the bag (left side on women’s bags) provides freedom of movement for both arms, additional ventilation and allows the top third of the bag to be folded down as a mini quilt when the mercury climbs higher than expected.

Features:

• Designed for extreme cold and high-altitude conditions

• Contoured mummy shape for efficient insulation

• Expedition sizing for extra space and layered clothing

• Vertical chest baffles prevent down migration and cold spots

• Side block baffle with 60/40 fill ratio keeps more down on the top of the bag for maximum insulation

• Anatomically shaped and oversized footbox can accommodate boots

• Free-Flow half right-side zip for freedom of movement and additional ventilation

• RDS 850+ Loft Premium Goose ULTRA-DRY Down for maximum insulation value

• Waterproof/breathable NanoShell fabric protects against wind and moisture

• Snug panelled hood maintains maximum warmth with minimal adjustment

• Oversized draft tube with anti-snag materials, prevents heat loss through zipper

• Oversized neck draft tube with a dual adjustment system for even cinching and maximum warmth

• YKK #5 side zip has two sliders for easy access and extra ventilation

• Large internal security pocket

• Includes storage cell and lightweight Ultra-Sil compression bag for compact storage

• NOTE: This bag is not designed to pair with another

Long: for people up to 198 cm / 6'6"

Fill weight: Reg - 1250g / Long - 1440g

Compression Sack Size : Reg / Long - X-Large

CARE INSTRUCTIONS
Use the pack - store - wash system supplied with all Sea to Summit sleeping bags, and you will ensure maximum loft from your bag.

To help you care for your sleeping bag and store it properly, all Sea to Summit sleeping bags are supplied with three storage sacks:

• 1 Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil compression sack for easy packing
• 1 Oversized mesh storage cell to ensure the down maintains optimal loft during long periods of storage
• 1 Large cotton sack to protect your bag when laundering

Use the Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil compression sack to pack and compress your sleeping bag for an expedition. Stuff your sleeping bag in from the foot first, tighten the drawcord and gently compress the stuff sack. To ensure the best performance from your sleeping bag, do not store under compression for long periods.

The mesh storage cell has been specifically designed to store your sleeping bag in between trips. Air out your sleeping bag thoroughly before storing and do not store damp. Store in a clean dry place. This storage cell will help maintain the loft of your sleeping bag.

The cotton laundry sack has your sleeping bag washing instructions printed on it. We recommend hand washing, if you use a washing machine, use only a front loading machine. Sea to Summit recommends the use of Granger’s down wash or similar. Use the laundry sack to protect your sleeping bag when tumble drying. Caution: use low heat/delicates setting only.

With the correct use of these three supplied storage sacks you can expect many years of warm cosy nights in your Sea to Summit sleeping bag.

Q. What is the EN13537 Temperature Rating System?

A. This is the European standard for sleeping bag temperature ratings. Everyone sleeps differently; some people are very warm sleepers while others feel cold easily. There are many factors that affect your warmth and comfort in a sleeping bag. An important factor is that you use a good insulating mat, so your body heat isn't drawn into the cold ground you are sleeping on. Other factors include your tent or shelter, gender and metabolism, clothing, sleeping bag liner, use of the hood and your daily calorie intake. Although the EN13527 standard does not identify a single precise temperature a tested sleeping bag is suitable for, it does provide an industry standardised temperature range that a typical user can refer to as a guide for the conditions their bag will be most comfortable in.
The EN13537 standard provides three temperature levels to guide a consumer in their choice:

• Comfort: The temperature at which a standard woman can expect to sleep comfortably in a relaxed position. If you consider yourself a cold sleeper use this rating to decide the coldest temperature the sleeping bag is suitable for.
  
  
• Lower Limit: The temperature at which a standard man can sleep for eight hours in a curled position without waking. If you consider yourself a warm sleeper use this rating to decide the coldest temperature the sleeping bag is suitable for.
  
  
• Extreme: This is a survival only rating for a standard woman. Between the lower limit and the extreme rating a strong sensation of cold has to be expected and there is a risk of health damage due to hypothermia. This is an extreme survival rating only, we do not recommend you rely on this rating for general use.

Q. What colours do the sleeping bags come in?

A. The sleeping bags only come in one colour option for each series. 
 
Q. What sizes are the sleeping bags available in?

A. Most sleeping bags are offered in 2 sizes.

• Regular: for people up to 183 cm / 6'
  
• Long: for people up to 198 cm / 6'6

Please refer to individual models for length options. We also list sleeping bag dimensions at the chest, hip and foot.

Q. How small do they compress down to (when in compression sack)?

A. Please refer to individual models for this information.

Q. What is the warranty on the bag?

A. Sea to Summit offers a lifetime guarantee on all products against manufacturing and material defects. This warranty does not cover wear and tear. Should a fault develop in your product due to manufacturing or a material defect, we will repair or replace it at our discretion. This warranty is offered to the original owner of the sleeping bag if proof of purchase can be provided. We encourage you to register your sleeping bag on www.seatosummit.com.au/sleepingbags.

Q. What do I do if I have a warranty issue?

A. Please contact Travel Universe via the Online Help Centre.

Q. How do I look after my bag when it is not in use?

A. The best way to look after your sleeping bag is to air it out thoroughly after use, then store your sleeping bag in the mesh storage cell provided. Store in a clean dry place. Never store your sleeping bag if wet or damp. If you think your sleeping bag is damp air it out for as long as it takes to dry or tumble dry the sleeping bag in the cotton sack on a low heat or delicates setting.

Q. Where are the sleeping bags made?

A. Sea to Summit source their sleeping bag components from locations all around the world including Eastern Europe, Asia and the USA. The manufacturing operations are in China as the existing infrastructure allows us to best manage quality.

Q. It seems that Sea to Summit has created some very nice sleeping bags, what is their policy in animal welfare?

A. The Responsible Down Standard (RDS) is helping to shift the entire down and feather industry towards more humane animal rearing and handling practices. Overseen by the industry leading Textile Exchange, the RDS requires independent, third party assessments of all aspects of animal rearing and handling throughout the entire supply chain. By only using down that meets the audited requirements of the RDS we can have confidence that each phase of the collection process has been completed with the welfare and ethical treatment of waterfowl in mind. To find out more about how the RDS is improving animal welfare during down collection, please visit responsibledown.org

Q. My partner and I prefer to zip our sleeping bags together. I am 6'3 and she is 5'9. If we got two bags, a long and a regular, with opposing zippers, would the zippers be the same length and could they zip together properly?

A.Down and synthetic bags identified with the zip coupling symbol use a 165cm #5 YKK full-length zip which allows a unisex left-handed and women’s specific right-handed bag to pair together. Designed to pair side by side, each person sleeps in their own bag enabling each of you to take advantage of your bag’s unique insulation zones, hood and footbox features—perfect for cosy adventures for two. Bags with full-length #5 YKK zips on both sides can also be coupled together with other pairing bags.

Q. What are the benefits of down fillings?

A. In a world of technical brilliance it is remarkable that the performance of certain natural products have not been surpassed. Despite advancements in modern fibre technology, down is still the best insulator warmth for weight. Down forms the lightweight undercoating of birds, insulating them in very cold environments.
 The down in Sea to Summit sleeping bags is a by-product of the duck and goose meat  industry. Like most natural products, down quality depends on many  variables; predominantly the species, the feather content and the age.

The best quality down is sourced from older birds, consisting of large plumes and clusters that create hundreds of thousands of tiny pockets, trapping body heat to provide unmatched insulation. Not only does down have the best warmth to weight ratio, it is also the most  durable sleeping bag insulation. If kept dry and occasionally washed  using the recommended method, it will last a lifetime.

Q. What does "loft" mean?

A.Loft is a measure of volume for a given weight of down. It is used to describe the quality of down, relating directly to the insulating performance. High loft down is warmer for a given weight than low loft down. Higher lofting down will fill a larger volume of space for a given weight, as a result, less down weight is required to fill each baffle in a sleeping bag. This translates to a lighter sleeping bag. The most common measure of loft is called Fill Power. 650 Fill Power  implies that one ounce of this down will loft to fill a volume of 650  cubic inches. 850 Fill Power implies that one ounce of this down will  loft to fill a volume of 850 cubic inches.