NOTE! This site uses cookies and similar technologies. If you continue without changing your settings, we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies from this website.
I understand
More Info

Fortunately the Vaude Säntis 800 SYN sleeping bag is best tested when asleep, so we got into the spirit of things and slept out in all conditions

vaude santis
Best for...
Damp bivvy trips where the synthetic insulation will just keep on working
Price
£250
Value
7
Quality
9
Performance
8
Looks
8
Comfort
9
Overall Score
8
+
A practical synthetic sleeping bag with arm holes for insulated camp tinkering
The stuff sack isn't great and needed replaced with a dry bag straight away
vaude.com

Bikepacking and wild camping, with the best will in the world, can be a damp business and for that reason we have always preferred synthetic sleeping bags. Down, once wet, has a habit of losing the bulk of its insulation properties (unless you go for one of the moisture resistant fills that lasts longer in wet conditions) making synthetic a good idea. The downside is a slightly bulkier pack size and higher weight (for the warmth), but it's a worthwhile trade-off it if you're regularly wilding it in iffy conditions.

This excellent offering from Vaude is rated down to 1 degree centigrade in comfort and sports many features that make it a good option for bikepacking. A zip opening for arms adds not only the ability to sit up and cook or read from within the cosy cocoon of your sleeping bag, but also a degree of temperature versatility to the bag - when too warm we tend to just put our arms out when sleeping to lose some heat. A stretch panel for the knees also allows sitting up without tensioning and crushing insulation - again, handy for sitting up in the bag - but also good if you tend to assume the foetal position while sleeping.

One complaint we have is a relatively trivial one - the stuff sack uses a roll top and webbing loops to secure it which was a pretty inefficient and fiddly way to pack and unpack. We would much prefer a straightforward drybag approach with roll top/clip, so we spent an extra tenner and bought one which made it easier to compress the bag, and is waterproof to boot.

Overall, a great sleeping bag with extended functionality like zip out arms and stretch panels for movement, but we would have liked to see more thought given to the stuff sack.

Share on

All our reviews are independent and unbiased. We may earn a commission when you buy from links to Amazon and other affiliates on this page.