Helium GT 400 Down Sleeping Bag

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UOG TOP PICK – Helium GT Series Sleeping Bags – Slightly oversized bags from Mountain Equipment bridge the gap between super slim ultralight bags and your bed at home – for those who like a bit more space but still want to go ultralight backpacking.

Mountain Equipment’s Helium GT sleeping bags are from their Helium GT series of bags which are more generously sized than their standard Helium range, ideal for larger people and side sleepers.

Mountain Equipment says:

A light, versatile and highly packable bag with a little more space for added comfort. The ideal choice for backpacking and travelling through summer and cooler spring nights.

Our Verdict

Mountain Equipment’s Helium GT 400 Down Sleeping Bag is part of their Helium GT range which are built to a more generous size than they standard Helium bags. Nonetheless they share all the highly technical features and materials associated with the Helium bags making them accomplished sleeping bags for backpacking and trekking. Larger people or just those that want some extra room in a sleeping bag will like these.

They use 700 Fill Power down and a new baffle construction technique to achieve some excellent warmth to weight ratio figures. Reassuringly the GT bags have more down in them because they are bigger – so a Helium GT 400 will have more down in it than a Helium 400, this means both bags can achieve the same EN rating.

Design wise Mountain Equipment’s sleeping bags are superb, the hood and footboxes are particularly well designed with multiple baffle sections to give them shape and structure. The Helium bags have a built in neck collar rather than an out and out shoulder baffle – this saves weight and is pretty good in use.

There’s a DWR coating on the outer shell which is PFC free, this will give the bag some resilience to a damp environment. As an ultralight backpacker I think these bags are a superb choice – like buying IBM, back in the day.

– Reviewed by Ultralight Outdoor Gear

Features

• GT fit is roomy, comfortable and allows for a variety of sleeping positions
• Slanted box-wall baffles throughout
• Mid-level side seams
• 5 baffle anatomically shaped hood
• 4 baffle anatomically shaped and offset foot-box
• Full length Gemini zip baffle with 140cm zip and integrated neck collar with Lode Lock closure
• Supplied with waterproof roll-top stuff-sack and storage cube

Specifications

• Regular weighs: 894g (excludes storage bags)
• Long weighs: 947g (excludes storage bags)
• Packed size: 24 x 21 x 20cm

Temperature Ratings

• Comfort: 0°C / 32°F
• Comfort Limit: -6°C / 21°F
• Extreme: -24°C / -11°F
• Good Nights Sleep Guaranteed*: -5°C / 23°F

*Mountain Equipment use their own ‘Good Nights Sleep Guaranteed’ rating which they believe is a more accurate number for some sleeping bags and is based not just on the EN test results but on lab testing, their own use, thermal imaging and cold chamber work, along with a lot of data analysis.

Material & Construction

• 100% recycled HELIUM 20D outer shell is very light and highly breathable with PFC free DWR
• 449g of 90-10 Pure European Duck Down with a minimum fill power of 700
• 100% recycled Supersoft 20D lining fabric with PFC free DWR
• 100% Polyamide outer/inner, Down fill

Help & advice:

• The Ultimate Guide to Lightweight Sleeping Bags
• Time-Saver Guide to Choosing a Sleeping Bag
• The EN13537 Standard
• Mountain Equipment Sleeping Bag Guide
• The EN13537 Standard
• Why is ‘PFC Free’ Important?
• Recycled Content in Outdoor Gear