Rab Solar Ultra 1 Sleeping Bag First Impressions
The Rab Solar Ultra 1 Sleeping Bag is very well made lightweight and high performance synthetic sleeping bag. Perfect for spring and summer bivouacs, tarp camping and mountain wild camps.
My first sleeping bag had a synthetic fill and I used it for all my early hill and mountain adventures as a teenager and then into my early twenties. It served me well but it was bulky and heavy and not quite warm enough in some bivis and snow holes. I eventually upgraded to a Rab 800 down filled bag made in Sheffield. This began my long and loyal relationship with Rab sleeping bags, I now own five; the original 800, a very light zipless summer alpine bag, an excellent Neutrino 600, a very warm Expedition 1000 for the Himalayas and now the Solar Ultra 1. All these bags have a down fill except the Solar Ultra 1.
So why go back to using a synthetic fill? If we compare synthetic to down we know that down is warmer for it’s weight, down is cosier, lasts longer and packs down smaller. The big disadvantage is that when down gets wet it clumps up and looses its ability to insulate. Synthetic bags are cheaper and easier to care for, they will still provide some insulation if wet and will dry quickly. These qualities make synthetic bags ideal for use in damp weather with a tarp and/or bivvy bag.
The Rab Solar Ultra 1 Sleeping Bag is packed with latest sleeping bag technologies including plenty of recycled material. The insulation is recycled polyester, the outer fabric a 38gsm recycled ripstop. There are the usual features you will find on a top end sleeping bag including a tapered mummy shape, a adjustable neck baffle and a 3/4 length zip.
However the most interesting innovation in the this sleeping bag is the TILT (Thermo Ionic Lining Technology). The TILT lining reflects back radiant body heat towards your body and reduces radiant heat loss by up to 50% without adding any additional weight.
This short video from RAB explains all this technology far better than me…
Tilt
The first time I used this sleeping bag I had arrived in our mountain campsite at the end of a long day teaching on Mountain leader training. I pitched the tent and settled down to boil some water for a brew. It was a bit chilly so I took off my damp clothes, put on a dry baselayer top and slid my bare legs into my new Solar 1 sleeping bag. Almost immediately I noticed a new sensation that I hadn’t experienced in a sleeping bag before. Very quickly my legs felt enveloped in a warm glow. It usually takes a few moments in a sleeping bag to get warmed up but this was almost instant. I guessed that this was the TILT lining reflecting my radiant heat back onto my skin. It definitely made a difference.
Rab Solar 1
In Use
The Solar Ultra 1 is a slim fitting sleeping bag and has an elasticated inner lining that increases efficiency by drawing the insulation closer to the your body eliminating cold spots. Rab suggest a -4 temperature limit and this feels about right. However temperature figures are always very subjective as there are lots of individual factors to take into account. I tend to wear as little as possible in my sleeping bags, at most just a base layer top and legging. Wearing a thin down or synthetic jacket would boost the warmth a little.
There is a handy zipped pocket inside that is useful for stashing contact lenses or a small head torch etc.
There are two other models in the Solar Ultra range; the Ultra 2 with a -10 rating and a winter version with a -13 rating.
The Solar Ultra 2 and 3 are available in a women’s specific shape which is slightly shorter in length, narrower at the shoulders, and wider at the hips.
Weight of the Solar Ultra 1 is 888g, the long version weighs 950g.
Conclusion
The Rab Solar Ultra 1 Sleeping Bag is very well made lightweight and high performance synthetic sleeping bag. Rab have combined all the latest sleeping bag technology into the Solar Ultra to provide us with a bag that maximises weight to warmth performance.
There are warmer down filled bags for the weight but for peace of mind in damp weather it’s sometimes worth carrying the extra weight of a synthetic bag. If it gets wet or damp it will dry quickly and still provide some level of insulation. The Solar Ultra 1 is extremely well made and I can see it lasting a very long time.
This sleeping bag will be great for lightweight backpacking wild camping or fast packing, bivouacs, tarp camping and bike packing.
Alex
Beyond the Edge Ltd is based in the Peak District, easily reached by train from London and within easy travelling distance from Sheffield, Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham and other Northern towns and cities.
We are one of the UKs most experienced providers of climbing, walking, scrambling, mountaineering and navigation training courses.
Most of our courses are run in the Peak District National Park which has some of the finest rock climbing, bouldering, walking and hiking in the world.
