I have been reviewing the new Viking Trek 350X sleeping bag.
The Viking Trek bag features:
- Mummy shape
- 210cm long by 70cm wide
- 350g synthetic fill
- Temperature range -5 to 20°C
- Drawstring hood for keeping the warm air around your head
- Extra fill at the foot of the bag for warmer feet
- Soft lining fabric for comfort
- Anti-snag zip
- Hidden inside pocket for valuable
- Breathable outer fabric to prevent dampness from sweat
- Waterproof stuff bag
- Compresses to 25cm x 22cm
- RRP £39.99 but available for £24.99 exclusively on Amazon.
My thoughts: Viking Trek 350X sleeping bag
This is not the lightest nor the smallest sleeping bag (when packed into the stuff bag) but it does offer great value for money.
It retails at less than £40 yet for that you get a bag that has some good features.
It is a one-size-fits most people bag. You would need to be very tall for this bag to be too small for you. However, if you are smaller, for example less than 5ft tall, you might find yourself drowning in the large bag.
I would prefer to see a range of sizes in a sleeping bag, however. I like a smaller bag to fit my smaller frame but for that choice you usually need to pay a lot more.
The Viking Trek 350X is a sleeping bag for people of average height and weight. I liked the fact that I could easily move around in the bag. I find that if I am squeezed into a narrow bag I get sore hips because I do not have the space to roll over or stretch out inside the bag.
There are some thoughtful features, including a padded end to the bag to keep feet warmer.
The soft lining feels nice against bare skin. This touch of luxury is great in a bag that is priced below £40.
The drawstring in the hood allows you to create a really cosy nest for your head, if that is what you like. This would be good in cold weather.
Ant-snag zipper.
The anti-snag zip is also great. Many other sleeping bag designers should take a tip on this because I have found that sleeping bag zips can get caught on the fabric of the bag itself or on a sleeping bag liner.
The zip is two-way and has a pull on the inside and outside of the bag, which makes it very easy to use. If you get a bit warm, just open the zip from either end.
The inside pocket is useful for things like a mobile phone, keys and money. If you are camping at a busy festival and worried about theft it is comforting to be able to stow your valuables in the sleeping bag pocket rather than in a tent pocket.
The temperature range of -5c to 20C does not equate to a four-season bag in my opinion. In Scotland, overnight temperatures can go well below -5C in winter so this is not really a four-season bag. I would rate it two to three season for the UK.
However, warmth and ratings are personal and some people get colder than others. I get very cold at night so I would want a warmer down bag for winter camping in Scotland.
The synthetic fill is a good choice if you sweat a lot while sleeping. Although the bag is breathable there will still be an element of dampness created by your own sweat and the cool air outside. Synthetic fill, rather than down fill, will keep you warm even when it’s a bit damp. The disadvantage of synthetic fill is that it is usually heavier than down, so you should think about this if weight is an issue for backpacking.
It is very useful to have a stuff bag that is waterproof. If you are moving kit from the car to a camping site or carrying the bag on the outside of your rucksack in the rain, you can be safe in the knowledge that your bag will stay dry. I like this feature and I wonder why more sleeping bag brands do not do the same.
To me, this is a car-to-camping sort of sleeping bag. The sleeping bag does not say “overnight hiking”, unless you are only walking a short distance. I would prefer to pay more for a far lighter sleeping bag because I hate carrying heavy kit.
It is not a heavy bag but it is also not a very lightweight bag.
If you were going to a festival or heading off for a one or two base campsite holiday, it’s a great bag to have with you. Likewise, it’s the sort of bag I might have in my campervan.
For £24.99, it is a really great value sleeping bag and looks to be of good quality with plenty of features that you would not normally find in sleeping bag that is at the cheaper end of the market, especially if you are looking for a bag that will keep you warm on a chilly summer or autumnal night.
If you are starting out with camping the VikingTrek 350X sleeping bag is one to consider.