It is a step up in features, Anthony, but the quality is on par. The Trek range offer excellent value, while the Asdcent range offer a higher lofting down, a more technical cut, extra zippers and a roomier foot section. They can also be opened up completely to be used as a doona. 

G'day Steve,

We've got a great blog on our site that steps you through how to wash and dry your bag, along with the products you'll need.

Have a read of the blog here and just let us know via return email if we can help with anything else.

G'day Meredith,

The comfort temp makes this significantly better than the Trek Tk2 that you are looking at.  It may only be a couple of degrees, but when we're talking about minus temperatures and a sleeping bags ability to keep you warm, that's actually alot.
The Ascent range uses a higher grade loft, which means it has better insulative properties gram for gram, and better overall compressibility.  It also has a draft collar and free flow zip system to give you more versatility in how you're using you bag.
The Ascent and Trek series are Sea to Summits Unisex bags, however they have Female specific equivalents that have a slightly different shape and insulation distribution, which are the Altitude and Journey series.  They may be worth looking at aswell.

Taking into consideration all of the variables, the general rule of thumb when choosing a sleeping bag is to go with a comfort temp 5 degrees lower than the lowest temp you expect to be in, or 10 degrees lower if you're a cold sleeper.  The other consideration is the R-Value of your sleeping mat.  When sleeping bag comfort temps are tested to EN standards, this is done on a mat with an R-Value of 4.  If your mat has a lower insulative value than this, the sleeping bag performance will not be as good as stated.

If you need more help choosing the right bag for you, please give us a buzz on 1300 914 007.

G'day Fiona,

The Ascent/Altitude model is an intermediary for people who want an accessible hiking bag option that still hits performance markers.
It's a middle of the range option for people who don't need the count the grams and centimeters as much as some hikers, so the duck down allows a bit more afforability.

If you love your Mountain Designs bag & are having trouble finding a replacement that ticks all your boxes, I would thoroughly recommend looking at getting it re-lofted.  Remote Equipment Repair is an awesome business that has been around for a long time, and offers repair services for a whole range of high quality, technical outdoor gear brands.  One of their services is relofting old & tired bags, and may be a great option for you to investigate.

G'day Paul,

There are a number of considerations to make here, and you'll want to think about the lowest temperature you're likely to encounter, along with your entire sleep system. The comfort temperature will give you a good indication of the temperature you'll stay warm at, this assumes you'll be sleeping on an insulated mat, in some form of shelter. The wonderful thing about the Ascent Bags is that they're very flexible, you can open the foot zipper separately and stick your feet out, or you can zip down the quarter side zip and have an open fold style, or if it's really warm you can open the whole bag out and use it like a quilt. My general recommendation is that if you afford the extra weight and cost then a warmer bag will always give you more flexibility. There is nothing worse than having a 'not quite warm enough' sleeping bag, and spending the night cold and uncomfortable. If your bag is a little too toasty for the temperature on a trip you can always open it and ventilate it. 

G'day Mark,

The unisex Sea to Summit bags all have Left Hand Zippers, they have zip coupling that can connect to Women's specific bags with Right Hand Zippers. The Women's Equivalent in the Range is the Altitude At1.

G'day Lindsay,

The Ac2 will pack down a little larger than the Ac1 as they've got extra down in the bag which will take up a little more space.

G'day Mark,

The Ac2 and the Spark SP3 are both great options, the Spark will pack down much smaller than the ascent as it has 850 loft goose down, as well as lighter weight nylon than the ascent. The overall weight is approx 500g lighter, for a similar comfort rating, and a significantly smaller packed size. 

G'day Martin,

We'd recommend having a look at the product video, and watching right through to the end. Ben is 185cm tall but he gets in the bag and finds it quite comfortable. The long will suit users up to 198cm, so it might be a slightly roomier option, but it's hard to give an exact answer purely based on height, the Long is also a little wider which might help if you're broad-shouldered too. 

G'day John,

You can essentially use any regular, mummy or tapered mummy liner with the Ascent AC2 regular. There are various options depending on whether you'd prefer thermolite, silk, cotton or fleece. 

G'day Michelle,

The Women's specific bags have a little bit more room across the hip and a little more insulation in the foot box. So based on your description I'd probably steer toward the Altitude over the Ascent.

G'day Mark,

This sleeping bag, as a guide packs down to about 20-30cm in height and width - this depends on how much effort your willing to put into this though! On the 11th picture on this page, we give a comparison to an Eddy bottle so you have a visual plus the video also gives some info on compressing it down.

G'day Melvyn,

The Ascent Ac2 doesn't have a pillow retainer feature, but the new Sea to Summit sleep systems have an integrated pillow lock that will attach your Sea to Summit pillow direct to your Sea to Summit mat. When you're tucked into your sleeping bag the pillow will stay attached to the mat underneath your head.

G'day Richard,

Thanks so much for your video suggestion, this is in the works and hopefully not too far away!

In the meantime, the Trek range is a great option for versatility.  It's suitable for car camping, but ticks the boxes for overnight hikes aswell.  If you're looking for something more hiking specific, thats warmer for the size, with a higher loft, the Ascent series is the way to go.