Sea to Summit Spark SPIII + SPIV review

Winter is the new spring, as long as there's a warm bed at the end of the day. We test out Sea to Summit Spark series, and find out if the Spark 3 and Spark 4 have what it takes to unlock a whole new hiking season.
00:00 - Intro
01:01 - What you pay for
02:16 - Warmth
05:40 - Design, durability and fit
07:42 - Controversy! (the zipper)
09:32 - Sizing and fit
10:24 - Alternatives
11:27 - Conclusion
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Current prices (affiliate links):
- Sea to Summit Spark SPIII: amzn.to/3WUsko2
- Sea to Summit Spark SPIV: amzn.to/3XQ7Kq0
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Filmed with (affiliate links):
- Sony A7IV: amzn.to/329AyCi
- Sony 24mm f1.4 GM: amzn.to/3XAIFip
- Rode NTG4+ microphone: amzn.to/3v4hksy

[@Axis050]

"We'll have to disagree about the fact that I'm right" ahah 😂

[@TommyGunner86]

great review.

[@averages]

Good review! Tested within current sleeping bag market and not in vacuum. Graph with weight vs degrees and possible alternatives in EUROPE - for that alone thumbs up!

[@zealoustravelco.3094]

10/10 review.

[@josuaspeck5470]

wow amazing rewiev thanks a lot, im searching for quite some time now and watched a ton of reviews but yours was the most helpfull i dont know why you have so few Followers and views

[@BelgianHikers]

Thanks man!

[@kirstendl1724]

Nice review and comparison. I wanted a 'real' winter sleepingbag for ages and searched, read and listened to many outdoor channels and gear freaks. I've heard alot about Cumulus Equipment Teneqa series so i looked deeper into the Teneqa850. Also thought about a military surplus system (summer + winter sleepingbag in one) or a Carinthia G-loft. But i bought the Cumulus Teneqa 850 and now temps need to drop asap to test it in real winter conditions in my tent or under a tarp. 🌨️🌲👌👍

[@BelgianHikers]

Fingers crossed that you get to test it this winter 🤞🏻 It would be a shame to have to wait all year for the right temps. Cumulus is definitely on my list as well.

[@kirstendl1724]

@@BelgianHikers thanks! Yes and when temps won't drop overhere the Alps or Eifel are not that far away. 😉 Cumulus has my respect because it's designed, made and produced in Poland.

[@andrewhunter6536]

My friend has a Cumulus sleeping bag and I borrowed it (using a liner) and it was great. Not the same model as you are getting but they definitely seem to make quality bags

[@Pasequale100]

extremly good chanel!! You will have thousands of followers more soon :)

[@BelgianHikers]

Thanks man! Fingers crossed that you're right 🤞🏻

[@JCJ7754]

I am currently considering getting either the Spark 0 or Ember 1 to use in conjunction with my go-to Spark 2. I'm hoping this will give me a winter system that doubles as a summer system 🤞

[@BelgianHikers]

I’ve got the Ember EB1 coming up for review, liking it for summer use so far.

[@treegle.X]

I love the SP III, so many nice Nights at Austrian Alps (up to 2700m high) 🙂

[@BelgianHikers]

What's the lowest temperature you'd use the SPIII for up there in the Alps?

[@treegle.X]

-10 C/ 14 F and i sleep well! I use the STS Etherlight XT Extreme Mat, and a Tarp.@@BelgianHikers

[@Dave-qj1yg]

This is a very good review! Have you also tested WM bags? How do S2S compare to WM

[@BelgianHikers]

Not yet, hope to do those in the future!

[@SanA-xg7vq]

Good review albeit you forget to mention the best of this class: the bloody marie from Valandré! also cheaper!

[@BelgianHikers]

Thanks, didn't know that one! Bit heavier but seems interesting indeed.

[@Pasequale100]

with your video you helped me so much to decide which sleeping bag to choose. How can i help you?

[@BelgianHikers]

By letting us know which one you chose and how you like it!

[@andrewhunter6536]

No mountain equipment sleeping bag get your interest? I’ve only heard good things about them. The Helium line is a bit heavier but are much cheaper and the fire (firefly, firelite) ones seem nice. I haven’t looked at the super light weight ones but the specs on these look winter worthy

[@BelgianHikers]

Great suggestion, thanks! Haven't tested them but they do seem promising, especially the Firelite.

[@neemancallender9092]

There are a lot of synthetic bags rated for very cold for a lot less money Yes heavier but hey this is winter camping

[@BelgianHikers]

True, definitely not a smart buy if you don’t care about weight!

[@andrewhunter6536]

They would not be in the same weight class. There are cheaper down bags that would come closer to being comparable

[@boogeyman423]

Do you think Spark 3 is good for summer ? Summers can sometimes get around 0 degrees at night.

[@BelgianHikers]

You'll be fine at 0 degrees, but I'd reckon the Spark 3 is going to be a bit on the warm side for most summer nights. If you're looking for 4 season versatility, you may want to take a look at S2S's Ember series instead: a quilt like the EBIII has a comparable warmth rating, but I find it a lot more comfortable in summer (more like a blanket).

[@Pasequale100]

Do you use a liner in the spark 3 or 4? Because i have to choose between both of them and normally i think a about using a liner so i don’t habe to wash these precious bags. So if i use a liner which weighs at least 250g evek without isolation, than i would choose a liner which give me 8 plus degrees of celsius like the thermolite reactor liner from sea to summit. But if i would take the spark 4 with this liner, wouldn t it be tooo warm? So should i rather go for the spark 3 in that case?

[@BelgianHikers]

Hey Pasequale, I don't use liners myself, since I usually wear long underwear inside a sleeping bag. They are a good way to protect your down bag against sweat, but I'm not convinced the weight/performance ratio is all that great (and if you're looking at these, weight probably matters to you). I think it mostly depends on the temperatures you plan to use these in. If the Spark III plus the added warmth from a liner (or extra clothes, or an additional light quilt like the Ember series, ...) is easily warm enough, I would go that one since it's just more versatile. If you need the warmth of the IV then it's of course a solid option.

[@Pasequale100]

@@BelgianHikers thanks a lot for your long and detailed answer! In fact in several cases the spark 4 is overkill so in most cases i will have more weight with me and pack size with the spark 4 in comparison to spark 3. But i can have the spark 4 for nearly the same price as the spark 3 and as you said the weight to warm ratio with spark 3 plus other options is not as good as the warm to weight ratio of the spark 4. In fact as you said: with the spark 4 you have kind of more options and a safer feeling even if it is too heavy and warm for 3 of 4 seasons 😀 It is complicated with the camping gear. But we are dedicated to it ;)

[@QBYOUNGBLOOD]

What is the Patagonia fleece you're wearing?

[@BelgianHikers]

That’s their R1 Air full-zip hoody. Great all-round fleece and very warm for the weight.

[@QBYOUNGBLOOD]

@@BelgianHikers thank you. I just got one from columbia that looks just like yours... I've been looking at these bags though, so this video was a good find. Got yourself a new subscriber!

[@Bikepacking]

Strange they down have the 5 on there website

[@BelgianHikers]

Well there’s 5 of them, but it’s SP0 to SPIV, so the SPIV is number five, so to speak.

[@Bikepacking]

@@BelgianHikers yeah found it cheers it in 5 F INSTEAD OF C -15