As the COVID-19 pandemic听swept across the United States, many of us kept sane through socially distanced outdoor听gatherings with friends. In the summer months, options abounded: camping trips, park beers, and sunny backyard gatherings. But as the days grow shorter, temperatures drop, and infection numbers skyrocket, opportunities for safe outdoor gatherings are growing slim. I spent the last golden days of fall mentally preparing myself to spend winter alone, bundled up in blankets and existential dread.
That was until I found the world鈥檚 first wearable sleeping bag: the 听($170). As a lifelong cold-blooded person (otherwise known as a 鈥渨imp鈥), I have often dreamed about an invention like the听Selk鈥檅ag during frozen nights. An for the common folk, it is essentially a ripstop nylon, water-resistant, synthetic insulated 听with legs. It looks as ridiculous as it sounds. But frankly, I don鈥檛 give a damn鈥擨鈥檓 in love.
It鈥檚 only a slight exaggeration to say that the Selk鈥檅ag has kept me sane these past couple months, allowing me to attend outdoor social gatherings I would normally forego or leave early, shivering. So far, I鈥檝e used it on two subfreezing camping trips, two backyard firepit hangs, one drive-in movie, one patio happy hour, and听much to the amusement of my housemates, several cold mornings at my desk.听I鈥檝e outlasted my most warm-blooded friends around the fire or stargazing, and as strict shelter-in-place orders resume in New Mexico, I鈥檓 eager to take it solo camping.听I comfortably strolled around a campsite in 20-degree weather,听and I slept like a baby chick under a heat lamp through that听night with only a very light 50-degree sleeping bag draped like a blanket on top. It all gave听me hope that I might actually enjoy winter camping for the first time in my life.
The Selk鈥檅ag is rated to 44 degrees for comfort and 9 degrees for 鈥渆xtreme survival.鈥 (There is also a 听($100),听as well as the new ($249), which uses听fabric and insulation made entirely from recycled materials.)听While that鈥檚 not low enough to replace your winter sleeping bag, it will keep you warm enough while you鈥檙e awake in most climates. It traps body heat exceptionally well听and, unlike a blanket, keeps that heat with you when you move. During porch drinks and outdoor movie nights, I can sip a beer or nibble on popcorn without breaking the seal of warmth. Plus, while there are always plenty of options for upper-body insulation (if you don鈥檛 mind looking like the Michelin Man), the Selk鈥檅ag also keeps your legs toasty.
The Selk鈥檅ag has four zippered vents鈥攖wo on the legs and two on the sides鈥攖o prevent overheating. In addition to the handy kangaroo pocket, a听fabric flap folds over the sleeve opening to make little cocoons for your hands. My favorite feature, though, is the zip-off booties. My piggies almost always feel on the verge of frostbite, no matter how many pairs of socks I have on, but听to my surprise, the booties kept them toasty all night. They听have sturdier fabric听on the bottom, so you can wear them for short distances around camp.
My only real complaints about the Selk鈥檅ag are that I鈥檇 love the booties to have proper soles so they鈥檇 be听more comfortable and durable. (They are a bit too bulky to wear under your camp shoes.)听The suit听is also a big pain to pee in鈥擨 found myself wishing for a crotch zipper. Since the Selk鈥檅ag zips up the side, jumpsuit-style, relieving yourself (for both men and women)听requires听pulling it halfway down. (To its credit, the bag鈥檚 warmth does make it less of a mental struggle to crawl out of your sleeping bag for a midnight bathroom break.) And while it鈥檚 great for car camping, the weight (3.4 pounds for a unisex small) makes it prohibitive for backcountry pursuits, but it鈥檚 so cozy that I might just schlep it in my backpack anyway.
If one piece of gear is a cure for the winter pandemic isolation blues, this is it. Sure, your friends will make fun of you. But you鈥檒l inevitably get the last laugh when, through chattering teeth, they ask where they can get their own.