Sea to Summit Spark SpIV - Ultra Dry Down Sleeping Bag - Grey

Ultra-light and technical, the Spark Series bags are designed to keep you as warm as possible while minimising packed weight and size. The Spark Series spans everything from an ultralight liner to an expedition weight mid-winter bag. While the end usage is very different, they reflect a design ethos of matching weather conditions to the lightest bag possible. 

Suggested use : Travel, Winter Cycle touring, Ultra lightweight Hiking, Ultra lightweight alpine climbing, Snow Camping
Season Ratings : Autumn/Winter

The secret to the impressive performance is a combination of premium materials and careful design. The RDS 850+ Loft premium goose down, light-gauge #3 YKK zip and high performance 10D Nylon shell and 7D lining fabrics, set the stage for superior performance.

These materials are combined with a contoured mummy design for efficient insulation, and that mummy design is then tweaked for each model to best fit the use scenario. 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 ULTRA-DRY Down protection also makes the Spark an impressive hard-alpine or adventure racing bag, where every gram is counted and down has never been a viable option.

Features:

• Ultralight 7D and 10D fabrics for minimal weight and packed size 

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

• Contoured mummy shape for comfort and efficient insulation

• Uses a full box baffle construction to accommodate extra down and reduce cold spots

• Expedition mummy bag sizing provides extra space for layered clothing or extra wriggle room

• Vertical baffles on chest optimises position of down to prevent it moving during use

• Full side zip with two sliders provides easy access and extra ventilation options

• Zipper draft tube, hood, front and back neck draft collar prevent warmth being lost when it’s needed

• Includes lightweight Ultra-Sil compression bag for compact storage

• Storage cell provided with all bags

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

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

Fill weight: Reg - 620g / Long - 700g

Compression Sack Size: Small

ULTRA-DRY Down

• Repels moisture
• Retains loft
• Dries faster
• Anti-bacterial and anti-microbial
• Prolongs the life of your sleeping bag

In a world of technical brilliance it is remarkable that the performance of certain natural products have not been surpassed. Despite advances in modern fibre technology, down is still the best insulator warmth for weight, and is also the most durable sleeping bag insulation.

The problem with down is its vulnerability to water; moisture decreases the ability of the down to loft to its full potential and insulate, decreasing the warmth of your sleeping bag. Once down is damp or wet, it also takes a long time for it to dry out and effectively insulate again.

With the introduction of water-repellent ULTRA-DRY Down we have virtually eliminated the negative effects that moisture has on down. The ULTRA-DRY Down water-repellent treatment protects the down from external moisture and internal condensation.

ULTRA-DRY Down is a permanent* Nano-level water repellent polymer treatment applied to our high loft, high quality down. The Nano-thin treatment vastly improves our down’s reaction to water without effecting its weight or loft performance. ULTRA-DRY Down™ retains over 60% more loft and absorbs 30% less moisture when compared with untreated down. Sea to Summit sleeping bags dry out 60% faster than bags with untreated down.

The Nano-level treatment also inhibits bacterial and microbial growth, which makes Sea to Summit sleeping bags more hygienic and improves their lifespan.
Sea to Summit sleeping bags, using ULTRA-DRY Down in combination with our already formidable 2D- and 3D-NanoShell system give you the best chance of sleeping warm and dry, day in day out throughout the worst of conditions.

With these technologies combined there is simply no reason to choose any other insulation or shell for your sleeping bag.

Loft
Loft is the 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. 850 Fill Power implies that one ounce of this down will loft to fill a volume of 850in3.

850+ Loft Goose Down
850+ Fill Power (Loft) Goose Down is the very best quality down available for sleeping bags. It provides the highest insulation for its weight and will last the longest.

Sea to Summit 850+ Loft series bags are all filled with Eastern European Mother Goose 850+ loft down.

Eastern European Goose Down is well renowned for its high quality, achieving the best loft, with the largest clusters that are strong and resilient, lasting for years.

650+ and 750+ Loft Premium Down

In the Sea to Summit Trek series, our 750+ and 650+ Fill Power Premium European duck down is a high quality insulation that sets the benchmark for sleeping bags in this class.

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

Use the Sea to Summit storage 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.

Differential Cut Shell & Lining
Down insulates best when it is uncompressed and fully lofted. To help the down loft correctly, Sea to Summit uses a differential cut shell and lining. The top shell of all Sea to Summit sleeping bags is cut larger than the lining. This creates space in between for the down to loft fully.

In addition they use 3D side walls which gives the distinctive vertical sides to their sleeping bags, this further aids vertical loft along both sides of the bag. In the bottom of the bag, they use a reverse differential cut. By increasing the size of the lining relative to the shell, down lofts up to fill the voids around your body, torso, legs and the small of your back. Trapping heat close to the skin is essential for efficient warm sleeping.

Side Block Baffle & Fill Ratio
The loft is optimised using a side block baffle construction which allows the bags to be filled with a different ratio of down in the top and bottom. Sea to Summit sleeping bags have more down in the top of the bag where it is most effective as the down isn’t compressed by your body weight. The exact ratio of down fill must be matched to the shape of a 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 onlydoes 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.