Rab Quantum 250 Endurance – the story so far
A few months ago I took the plunge and replaced my old trusty Buffalo Bag with a Rab Quantum 250 Endurance. Lots of bloggers helped me with information so I thought I’d reciprocate with a small review of how it’s performed so far. I’ve used it at around 750m in the Mamores, at the top of the Glenshee road, next to the Kingshouse high on Rannoch Moor and on my mum’s floor! And the overall impression? It’s a very warm bag. Too warm for me in summer I think. In the Mamores I almost sweated to nothing in the night, despite a gale force wind hammering the tent all night but the bag started to work for me at Glenshee, as autumn approached. The night at the Kingie I was toasty warm even though I woke to the hardest frost of the season in the morning. It was a real scrape to get the car clear and the tent folded like cardboard but I slept warm all night with a silk liner.
The hood is superb as it pulls down to a tiny tiny wee hole through which I can poke my nose but it also opens up for warmer nights. The zip is a mess though. It’s always catching on the fabric and for some reason, no idea why, the pull came off completely after I’d packed it in the bag. It was easy enough to put back on in the dark though as it’s a quarter length zip. Another problem for hot summer nights as you can’t open it right up. It lofts wonderfully though and is very comfortable and there weren’t any cold spots at all. I like to roll about in the night and the bag just rolled with me.
I doubt I could use this bag in the height of summer though as it is very warm. It seemed to come into its own around September and it was perfect during October when the first of the frosts arrived. I suspect I’ll get most of the winter out of it which means a small pack size as the bag really is very small and light. If I used it with the silk liner it should be fine away from the summits. But I have a big Rab for that. I’m also glad I got the Endurance version as I used my old Force Ten at the Kingie on damp ground and the 25 year old groundsheet has a lot of holes! Plus when it’s cold, your breath condenses around the hood and the condensation in the Akto is horrendous. It was actually raining inside the tent at Glenshee. A blast of wind would shake the drops from the inner!
On the whole, it’s a good bag for autumn/low level winter use. I’ll more than likely head for the high tops to test its winter mountain performance but I should really take the big Rab as a backup just in case. As for summer? Maybe a PHD is looking like an option.
November 7th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
It is a good bag and you must sleep on the warm side. I reckon it is too wide and long in the standard size and could weigh less. The hood is very good but the overall cut of the bag I did not like unlike the Summit 500 which I rate highly. Cold spots definitely are not a worry on the Q250 with is well designed baffles.
If the Summit 500 had the Q250 hood it would be exceptional in my view. I did have some stitching come loss on the Q250 as well and the my friend fixed that is is using it now. He like you finds it very warm. I would say warm. Agree it is a good buy but I changed to another brand. PHD would be a fine choice if the results PTC gets from them are anything to go by.
November 7th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
I bought the 1/2 zip version of the Rab Summit 300 so I could clip into my harness while bivvying on exposed belays – haven’t yet taken advantage of that feature!
I use it all year round, I wear my clothes inside it in the winter and unzip it in the summer.
Mind you I have been using it for 7 years without washing it so the fill power of the down has probably deteriorated quite a bit.
November 8th, 2009 at 10:48 am
The only problem with PHD is the price!
November 8th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
That is due to made in the UK. Rab have the bags made abroad and fill them with down in the UK. PHD have higher costs I would assume with their manufacturing base, and hence the price. Cost is high with them. Do a price of a custom spec vs the same on the Summit 500 and you see the difference made clear in the pricing.