PHD Alpine Ultra Half Bag

DuncanDo

Summit Camper
Does anybody have one or used one? How tight is the fit/can you sleep on your side? Thinking of getting one for a bike packing trip this summer. Been out of the gear loop for a little while so scouting around for who's making what and seems like almost no half-bag options other than PHD?
 

EM-Chiseller

Thru Hiker
I've been using the Omm raid pants for a while now. They convert to a half bag. You have to add the foot pod for a true half bag, but I just wear my booties.
The raid pants have more practical use for me.
I can wear them around camp, sleep with them as pants or turn them into half bag mode.
 

Franky

Section Hiker
It was a treat. Customized to my spec about 7 years ago
The zip was the worst I’ve ever seen on a bag
It snagged all the time.
It was a lump of heavy metal
Compared to other high spec bags like Western Mountaineering, Mountain Equipment etc that Ive used through time it came last:poop:
Even a £15 Synthetic Vango I use to sleep in the car has a better zip.
I wasted £500
It also lost its loft faster than any other goose down bag I owned.
Comparable use in all the bags so nowt different
Let’s hope other owners love theirs:laugh::laugh:
I think Cathy had a better PHD experience then me lol
 

cathyjc

Thru Hiker
It was a treat. Customized to my spec about 7 years ago
The zip was the worst I’ve ever seen on a bag
It snagged all the time.
It was a lump of heavy metal
Compared to other high spec bags like Western Mountaineering, Mountain Equipment etc that Ive used through time it came last:poop:
Even a £15 Synthetic Vango I use to sleep in the car has a better zip.
I wasted £500
It also lost its loft faster than any other goose down bag I owned.
Comparable use in all the bags so nowt different
Let’s hope other owners love theirs:laugh::laugh:
I think Cathy had a better PHD experience then me lol

Cathy is less sure of PHD bags .
Some of their 300/400 Minims are OK but the heavier/warmer bags I've had from them were not up to expectations.
I do rate some of the jackets tho'.

If there was £500 and a bag was needed I'd go Western Mountaineering (or maybe Cumulus).

I sold all our Mountain Equipment bags too - they are OK but a bit heavy : warmth.
 
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DuncanDo

Summit Camper
Thanks both, that's really helpful. I have two PHD jackets and really rate them. Well at least with the half bag I don't need to worry about a zip!

I've also got a Cumulus bag (bought back in 2009), which is still going exceptionally well but to be fair, once I moved to quilts a few years ago, it hasn't had a huge amount of use since.
 

Franky

Section Hiker
Cathy is less sure of PHD bags .
Some of their 300/400 Minims are OK but the heavier/warmer bags I've had from them were not up to expectations.
I do rate some of the jackets tho'.

If there was £500 and a bag was needed I'd go Western Mountaineering (or maybe Cumulus).

I sold all our Mountain Equipment bags too - they are OK but a bit heavy : warmth.

In hindsight wish I’d initially made the ‘treat’ a WM..!!:rolleyes:
 

tom

Thru Hiker
No half bags but some similar experiences like @cathyjc and @Franky. I swear by my PhD down trowsers and jacket (K-series and part of my sleep system) but not impressed with PhD custom made sleeping bag maintaining loft. I ordered zipless (zips are such a pain in the middle of night that I never used them anyway) but cumulus or zpacks seem to retain their loft better than PhD.

[Edit] All my PhD kit was purchased in the same year and when I switched to quilt, I continued to use trowsers and jacket. Both are in top condition in spite of heavier and much longer use... This appaarent quality difference doesn't make much sense to me but its pretty undeniable...
 
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DuncanDo

Summit Camper
I've taken the plunge on the PHD Ultra Alpine half bag. With it not being a custom option, thought better to buy it and check it out in person, then can send back if not going to fit the bill. Hoping it will fill a gap in the gear closet for some light weight bike-packing adventures!
 

Franky

Section Hiker
I've taken the plunge on the PHD Ultra Alpine half bag. With it not being a custom option, thought better to buy it and check it out in person, then can send back if not going to fit the bill. Hoping it will fill a gap in the gear closet for some light weight bike-packing adventures!

Let PHD know that you need to check it first and will not be sleeping in it as I remember in the past they wouldn’t accept sleeping bag returns;)
Policy might have changed
 
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