Review: Gelert Lakeside Deluxe 300 Dl sleeping bag

I’m heading to Glastonbury next week, and am so excited I’m a bit worried I’m going to burn out before I even get there. The amount of bands I want to see and muddy dancing I want to do means I’m going to need a mega-comfy sleeping bag to see me through the long weekend, so I was very excited when Tesco sent me a big squashy package in the post: a Gelert Lakeside Deluxe sleeping bag (£45.00). As I was off camping last weekend I thought I’d give it a test run and see if it was up to a hardcore week of moshing.

The product description:
“The Gelert Lakeside deluxe 300DL sleeping bag is ideal for weekends away, camping trips or festivals during the spring and summer months. With hollow fibre insulation and sumptuous flannel lining, this single sleeping bag is extremely comfortable. This envelope type sleeping bag comes with a 2 way reversible zip to allow you to easily get in and out of this sleeping bag at night. When you have finished with this sleeping bag, you can roll it up and put it into its storage bag to carry it home. Then it can be washed in your washing machine and hung out to dry.”

Test 1: Camping
The Lakeside Deluxe is an interesting size: it’s a bit bigger than normal sleeping bags but wouldn’t comfortably fit two people unless you got on VERY well. For one person, there’s an upside and a downside: it’s incredibly comfortable, with a soft fleecy flannel lining, but it’s also very roomy, which means on cold nights it’s hard to retain body heat, as there’s a lot of space between your body and the bag. The night I slept in it it was pretty balmy, and therefore absolutely fine, but I’d stick with using it in summer months.

Test 2: Outdoors
I took my Lakeside along to a stargazing evening, which turned out to be the ideal time to test its warmth – it had rained earlier so the ground was wet, and by midnight it was properly chilly. Once I’d tucked the Lakeside around me properly to keep my body heat in, it did the job well, and despite lying inert for a good few hours I didn’t feel too cold. However, if I laid it out flat it was a bit too big to keep me properly warm.

Test 3: Washing
As a result of a few days camping and a sleep outdoors, my Lakeside was less olive green and more mud brown. I did as the product description said and shoved it in the washing machine (no mean feat). It came out perfectly: mud gone and bag as good as new. It took a while to dry spreadeagled over the washing line and some chairs, but is now back to its shiny-on-the-outside, fluffy-on-the-inside original condition.

Verdict
The Lakeside is definitely the comfiest sleeping bag I’ve ever tried: the lining is so cosy I want to shuffle around the house in it. The bag itself is possibly a little bit to big for a one-man sleep: there’s just too much space, which is great in warm weather but an issue in the cold. The upside of course is that two people can get in for a cuddle if you’re freezing…
After helpfully modelling the Lakeside, my lovely helper Catrin thought it would suit a couple due to the size. Leo liked how soft and comfy it was but had an issue with the opening and hood, reckoning it would let cold air in during the night as there’s no zip or way to button it up. The verdict? If you’re after comfort, look no further: the fuzzy softness of the Lakeside is addictive. It’ll be perfect for festivals, making sure you get a good nights sleep on warm evenings. All in all, an ideal sleeping bag for spring and summer (or if you like spooning).

xx Sian