This is the only down bag in the test (see July 2014 issue) that uses water-resistant down, which should appeal to anyone concerned with getting their sleeping bag wet. I haven’t tried soaking this bag, though it has shrugged off a few drips, but I have used water-resistant down jackets and been impressed. If your tent leaks or you’re going to sleep under the stars or in a damp bothy this bag could be a good choice. The design is a standard mummy with a shaped hood and foot, a filled collar and a baffle behind the zip. I found it comfortable, with enough room to move inside but not so much there were cold air spots. It’s very warm for a summer bag but even so the weight is on the high side as the shell fabrics aren’t very light and the fill power of the down is quite low, meaning more is needed to provide the warmth. I think for summer use a better Kelty bag, which only costs £10 more, would be the 2°C rated SB 35 Trailogic, which is filled with 800 fill power DriDown and weighs 700g. I’d only choose the Ignite if weight wasn’t significant and the night temperatures looked like being around zero.
First published: July 2014
