When taking a sleeping bag deep into the backcountry or high into the alpine, you have to balance comfort with portability鈥攜ou do have to drag them up there, after all. This is not the case with a car camping sleeping bag.

As far as we鈥檙e concerned, car camping is all about comfort鈥攕ave the rehydrated meals and paper-thin foam sleeping pads for the backcountry. And if there鈥檚 any part of your kit where you shouldn鈥檛 cut corners, it鈥檚 your bedding. The scenery always looks that much nicer after a good night鈥檚 sleep.

The good news about shopping for sleeping bags in 2025 is that there鈥檚 something for every type of camper, but the downside of that abundance is that it can be hard to parse all the models and features to find what you really want. Our testers, a mix of men, women, and children with different sleeping preferences (hot/cold; side, stomach, back sleepers, etc.) put 24 sleeping bags and blankets to the test on cold, windy shoulder-season trips and balmy summer nights. These sleeping bags and quilts came out on top.

Updated April 2025: We added five new sleeping bags to this list, including our new “Best Overall” pick, the Rumpl Wrap Sack. We also updated pricing and info on the sleeping bags we previously included and still highly recommend.听

At a Glance

• Best Overall:
• Best Value:
• Roomiest:
• Most Versatile:
• Best for Families:
• Best Blanket:
• Best Wearable Bag:
• Other Sleeping Bags We Tested
• How to Choose a Sleeping Bag for Camping
• How We Test
• Meet Our Lead Testers

Don’t miss: The Best Tents for Camping in Comfort and Style

Best Overall

Rumpl Wrap Sack Sleeping Bag 20

Weight: 5 lbs
Sizes: Standard
Dimensions: 82鈥� x 35鈥�
Comfort rating: 20-30F

Pros and Cons
鈯� Wide temperature range
鈯� Roomy
鈯� Smart design
鈯� Too cold below 30F
鈯� Clips could be uncomfortable to roll on

This unique sleeping bag is the most comfortable and innovative bag we鈥檝e tested in a while.

The best way to describe the Wrap Sack is a hybrid between a sleeping bag and an adult swaddle. Two wings on either side of the bag offer two different amounts of Rumpl鈥檚 proprietary recycled synthetic insulation. Depending on how mild or chilly it is at night, you can wrap one or both of these sides around yourself and secure them via four easy-to-close clips; when it鈥檚 cold out, zip the outer layer of the Wrap Sack like a traditional sleeping bag.

This layering design made the Wrap Sack versatile enough to accommodate big temperature swings at night. It proved ideal for summer nights that start out in the 80s and drop down into the 40s, which is common in the parts of far Northern California where we tested. That said, one tester cautioned that the Wrap Sack does not have enough insulation to live up to its stated 20-degree comfort rating. Even with the bag fully cinched, he woke up cold on a 28-degree night on the Scott River in California.

While it鈥檚 not a bag for nights that dip below freezing, the Wrap Sack鈥檚 ability to handle big temperature swings above 32 degrees and its roominess made it a tester favorite.The rectangular shaped bag allowed active sleepers enough space to toss and turn, and our 6鈥�2鈥� tester had enough room to stretch out even with the Wrap Sack鈥檚 hood stuffed with a camp pillow.

Even after over 20 days in the field and two machine washes, the robust, fully-recycled nylon exterior showed no visible wear. The Wrap Sack packs down to the size of a watermelon鈥攏ot exactly small, but smaller than the Big Agnes Echo Park, the other extra-roomy option on this list.

Best Value

The North Face Wawona 20 Sleeping Bag

Weight: Regular 4.9 lbs (Regular); 5.3 lbs (Long)
Sizes: Regular, Long
Dimensions: 78鈥� x 32鈥� (Regular)
Comfort rating: 20F and 35F

Pros and Cons
鈯� Good value
鈯� Soft liner fabric
鈯� Incorporates recycled materials
鈯� Large pack down size for a single
鈯� Comfort rating is off
鈯� No hood

The Wawona is reasonably priced yet doesn鈥檛 feel like a budget bag. Testers gave it top marks for its next-to-skin comfort thanks to a cozy, brushed high-pile fleece that comprised the top interior of the bag. At 78 inches by 32 inches (regular), this rectangular bag is also comfortably roomy.

With only a $10 price difference between the 20-degree and 35-degree versions, we opted to test the Wawona 20 to see how well it performed in lower temps. While the recycled polyester fill proved sufficient in 40-degree temps, testers noted that it didn鈥檛 live up to its stated 20-degree comfort rating. The lack of a hood left one tester wishing he had worn a beanie and needing to layer up in a down jacket to make it comfortable during a 28-degree night on the Scott River in Northern California. We would have expected a bag that packs down to no smaller than a five-gallon cooler to have more insulation power.

Still, testers had plenty of good things to say about this more affordable sleeping bag. The 50-denier polyester ripstop outer proved surprisingly durable鈥攊t was no worse for wear after we used the Wawona as a blanket on bare, rocky ground for some stargazing. And the hearty YKK zipper (usually the first thing to go on a budget bag) worked just as well after a season of camping as it did at the start. One tester especially appreciated the storage pocket built into the bag鈥檚 lining at chest height, where he stashed his essential ear plugs when not in use.

And perhaps the Wawona鈥檚 biggest flex: At such a reasonable price, campers could buy two Wawona bags and zip them together to enjoy an affordable double bag.

Roomiest

Big Agnes Echo Park

Weight: 4 lb 16 oz
Sizes: Regular
Dimensions: 80鈥� x 30鈥�
Comfort rating: 0F and 20F

Pros and Cons
鈯� Good value
鈯� Roomy design
鈯� Integrated pad and pillow sleeves
鈯� Heavy and bulky

While technically a little bit smaller than Rumpl Wrap Sack, the Big Agnes Echo Park is the roomiest traditional bag we tested with a higher temperature rating, making this our top pick for larger campers who want a comfortable, spacious bag that can hack it in lower temps.

The Echo Park comes in 0-, 20-, and 35-degree temperature ratings and uses Big Agnes鈥� proprietary FireLine Max Eco synthetic insulation. We tested the 20-degree version ($200) to see how it stacked up to the other bags in the same price range (at 0 degrees, the Echo Park bumps up to $230). It proved toasty on a 28-degree night in Northern California, yet testers were also able to dump enough heat via full-length zippers on the either side to stay comfortable on nights that didn鈥檛 dip below 60 Fahrenheit. The cotton-polyester blend on the interior felt supple next to skin and as comfortable as our bedding at home.

Big Agnes lists max user height for the Echo Park as 6鈥�6鈥�, which we found to be accurate; a 6鈥�5鈥� tester commented that this was the first bag he鈥檇 tested where his feet had room to spare. It is wide without being as boxy as the Rumpl and North Face sleeping bags on this list, with a 74-inch hip girth and a 64-inch foot girth, which feels snug but not constricting like a mummy bag. This lightly tapered design enhances space and comfort while still keeping the bag close enough to the body to help insulate.

On top of being incredibly roomy and high on the creature comfort scale, the Echo Park is packed with features we would expect to see on higher priced bags, making it a great value. The integrated sleeping pad sleeve accommodates pads as wide as 30 inches and successfully kept our pads from moving around at night; the pad sleeve also features a separate pillow pocket to keep your camp pillow in place. While incredibly comfortable, the Echo Park also proved plenty durable鈥攖he 40-denier ripstop exterior showed little wear and tear after two months of use.

The large footprint and quantity of synthetic insulation did make this bag a beast to pack down. It doesn鈥檛 get much smaller than the size of a carry-on bag, so you won鈥檛 fit the Echo Park into a backpack. But if packability isn鈥檛 a priority, this comfy, extra-roomy bag is a good buy.

Most Versatile

Kelty Supernova 20

Weight: 3 lbs (regular)
Sizes: regular and long
Dimensions: 75 inches (regular)
Comfort rating: 20F

Pros and Cons
鈯� Versatile
鈯� Good temperature regulation
鈯� No hood

No single sleeping bag will be optimally comfortable and functional for every body type, sleep style, and trip destination, but for the frontcountry camper, the Kelty Supernova Down comes pretty darn close.

This summer, lead tester Miyo McGinn brought it on a very loosely planned summer road trip that she knew at the outset might include sea kayaking; backpacking in the alpine; and car camping in the mountains, desert, and beach. At each disparate location she stopped for the night, the Supernova worked beautifully鈥攊t fit comfortably in a backpacking pack, and felt light and unrestricting even when fully zipped up. The 550-fill down offered ample warmth for high elevation overnights with temps around freezing, opened up flat like a quilt for mild seaside nights with 55-degree lows, and the zipper allowed for plenty of venting for everywhere in between.

The roomy mummy-ish shape (with some extra space around the knees and hips, in addition to the shoulders, before tapering around the feet and lower legs) is particularly comfortable for side sleepers and anyone with wider hips, without sacrificing all the insulating benefits that a form-fitting cut provides.

The recycled 50-denier recycled polyester taffeta liner fabric felt buttery soft next to skin, and 20-denier recycled nylon taffeta exterior held up well over three weeks of constant use. The Supernova isn鈥檛 quite ultralight, nor does it pack down as tiny as some dedicated backpacking sleeping bags, but it still tilts the scales at a perfectly respectable 3 pounds and fits in a stuff sack about as big as a family-sized bag of potato chips.

鈥淢ost bedding that鈥檚 as luxurious as I want on a comfortable car camping trip is too bulky or too delicate for more rugged adventures, like short backpacking or sea kayaking trips鈥� said McGinn. 鈥淏ut the Supernova was great for all of the above鈥攊f it replaced all the other three-season quilts and bags in my gear closet, I wouldn鈥檛 miss them.鈥�

Best for Families

NEMO Jazz Double

Weight: 8 lbs 15 oz
Sizes: double
Dimensions: 78鈥� x 129鈥�
Comfort rating: 32F

Pros and Cons
鈯� As comfortable as home bedding
鈯� Integrated, removable bed sheet
鈯� Passed its comfort rating with flying colors
鈯� Bulky packed size

Thanks to its versatility, the NEMO Jazz Double became test director Joe Jackson鈥檚 go-to family sleeper for his crew of three last summer. The 78-by-129-inch double bag was roomy enough to comfortably sleep two adults (5鈥�9鈥� and 5鈥�11鈥�) plus a six-year-old kid. Most impressively, this 30-degree bag鈥攎ade with a supple, recycled taffeta interior, and featuring Nemo鈥檚 proprietary synthetic recycled Stratofiber insulation鈥攚orked for all three of their different heat preferences.

The double zipper pulls on either side of the bag are a smart design feature that let campers dump heat from their upper body or from their feet if they get too toasty. The Jazz Double鈥檚 incredibly soft, integrated polyester-stretch bedsheet offers an in-between layering option and proved warm enough on its own on milder nights in the 50s. Bonus: The sheet is removable for easy washing.

For a bag this plush, the Jazz Double also impressed us with its hardiness. One tester used the Jazz Double coupled with the NEMO Roamer Double sleeping pad鈥攕lipped into the bag鈥檚 integrated pad sleeve鈥攐n a night on the Scott River that was below 30 degrees and reported that it really did live up to its 32-degree comfort rating. Credit the insulated quilted layer added to the top of the pad sleeve for adding extra comfort and warmth. The bag鈥檚 50-denier recycled polyester outer also survived more than two dozen nights of camping and two washes and dries without breaking down in any visible way.

Our biggest gripe is that this almost-nine-pound bag is extremely bulky. Packed down into its stuff sack, the bag still measures 33-by-16-inches, which took up the entire driver鈥檚 side seat of one tester鈥檚 Toyota Tacoma during transport.

Best Blanket

Mountain Hardwear Stretchdown Quilt

Weight: 1 pound 15.4 ounces
Sizes: 0/S
Dimensions: 82鈥� x 59鈥�
Comfort rating:听N/A

Pros and Cons
鈯� Incredibly versatile
鈯� Durable
鈯� Comfortable
鈯� Expensive for a blanket
鈯� Not warm enough in 30-degree temps

Featuring the same sterling materials that Mountain Hardwear incorporates into its highest-end jackets, the Stretch Down Quilt is the most high-tech camp quilt we鈥檝e ever tested.

Weighing in at just shy of two pounds, this 650-fill down quilt offers an incredible warmth-to-weight ratio for a blanket. While we don鈥檛 think anyone would be comfortable using it as their sole cover on nights that dip below 40 degrees, this blanket makes a versatile layer for those who camp in milder climates where a sleeping bag would be overkill.

The stretchy 20-denier nylon and elastane exterior meant this 82-by-59-inch blanket had enough give to comfortably envelop a family of three sitting by a campfire and was notably pleasant next-to-skin. Testers also appreciated the corner snaps that let them turn this blanket into a wearable poncho for lounging around the campfire.

For how supple it feels, the Stretch Down Quilt held up admirably after we used it as a picnic blanket on abrasive volcanic rock and rocky beaches that would have shredded lesser exteriors. Its durability is a good thing, too, because at $300, we would hope to get many years out of it.

Best Wearable Bag

Mountain Hardwear Yawn Patrol 30F

Weight: 2.1 lbs
Sizes: regular, long
Dimensions: 72鈥� x 62鈥� (regular); 78鈥� x 64鈥� (long)

Pros and Cons
鈯� Convenient temperature regulation; Packability
鈯� More restrictive than some rectangular bags

Most sleeping bags that also claim to be loungewear tend to be more on the gimmicky end of the spectrum. Not the Yawn Patrol, which is a sleeping bag, quilt, and extra long poncho all in one, thanks to clever zipper design.

One smooth-running zipper extends from the top of the bag to the feet to split it into a quilt. Another runs a third of the way down for easy entry and to create sleeves for reading or drinking while inside the bag. Josie Boulding, a Union Bay, B.C.-based tester, loved the bag鈥檚 poncho mode. 鈥淚 could wear the whole thing in camp to stay warm around the campfire,鈥� she says.

Tougher, 45-denier nylon protected the bottom of the bag from dirt, while a lighter-weight 30-denier nylon top shell and the interior were both soft next to skin. When she actually slept in the nearly rectangular bag, the insulated hood with a pillow pocket, phone pocket, draft collars, and 650-fill down kept Boulding toasty and all those zippers gave the bag a huge comfort range, from the 60s to its 30-degree limit. Bonus: At just 2.1 pounds, it can be pressed into service for short backpacking trips.

Other Sleeping Bags We Tested

• :听The Xenith II had the best warmth-to-weight ratio of any bag we tested in this category. But for most car campers, this bag would be overkill, especially at this price.
• :听We tested the Exped Megasleep head-to-head with the Nemo Jazz Double. We preferred the Jazz for its supple, integrated sheet.
• : The Boost features brilliant arm holes (which doubled as vents) and a great heat-dumping center zipper, but felt like a better fit as a backpacking sleeping bag than a car camping option.

How to Choose a Sleeping Bag for Camping

Finding the ideal sleeping bag or quilt is a little like finding the ideal life partner. When you start looking, the options might seem overwhelming. But the more you focus on what you really want, the easier it is to narrow down. Here are four aspects to consider.

Seasons and Temperature Rating

Bags generally fall into three temperature categories: Summer (rated 30 degrees F and warmer); three-season (rated between 15 and 20 degrees); and winter (rated 15 degrees and lower鈥攕ome expedition bags are rated as low as -40 degrees). These temperature ratings are based on 鈥渁verage鈥� sleepers and don鈥檛 consider external factors like the thickness and rating of your sleeping pad; climatic factors like wind or humidity; or how quickly your body regulates heat loss or gain. Even if you tend to prefer cold sleeping environments, we recommend erring on the side of buying a higher temperature bag鈥攜ou can always open zippers, but making a bag warmer requires extra layers.

Camping vs. Backpacking Sleeping Bags

Car camping, or camping at a campground or near your vehicle, is about comfort: look to prioritize roominess, fabric feel, and features, like pillow pockets and multiple zippers, rather than weight and packability. Cotton, fleece, or flannel-like interior linings will make sleeping that much more cozy than the usual polyester stickiness you experience with backpacking bags. Pockets help corral slippery pillows right where you want them; an additional pocket to keep a headlamp, phone, or watch close at hand is a nice bonus feature. And extra zippers provide options for customizing warmth and lounging in camp.

What Type of Insulation Is Best in a Sleeping Bag?

Down bags are generally warmer for their weight and more compressible than bags with synthetic insulation. But if down bags get wet, they lose insulating capacity and take longer to dry out than synthetic bags. Many manufacturers use down processed with a hydrophobic chemical that prevents it from absorbing as much water. Others keep the insulation dry with a water-repellant finish or fabric.

Pay attention to fill power. That number measures the volume taken up by the amount of down in your sleeping bag; the more loft your sleeping bag has, the more efficiently it will trap warm air. It will also weigh less and pack down smaller than bags with a lower fill power rated to the same temperature. Synthetic bags are more affordable, and therefore an excellent choice for new campers who are unsure how often they want to sleep outside, or backpackers who are headed to wet environments.

How Roomy Should a Sleeping Bag Be?

Bags come in many shapes and sizes鈥攔ectangles, mummies, modified mummies, and double bags. Mummies are warmer and lighter-weight than rectangular bags, but can also be claustrophobic. Rectangular bags are excellent for restless sleepers who need to move and don鈥檛 have space or weight constraints. Some quilts can be opened up to act as comforters, although they require a warm sleeping pad and don鈥檛 come with hoods. Women-specific bags often come in modified mummy shapes to accommodate the curvier parts of a woman鈥檚 body. Doubles are simply sleeping bags built for two, although many solo bags can be zipped together to create a double bag.

How We Test

• Number of Sleeping Bags Tested: 24
• Warmest Temperature Tested In: 80F
• Lowest Temperature Tested In: 20F
• Number of Nights Camped: 42
• Number of Testers: 16

In this category, we primarily considered sleeping bags designed for car campers versus backpackers. This meant focusing on more affordable options with comfort-forward features and weeding out the highly technical and expensive bags that would be overkill for most recreational campers.

In the end, we tested 24 sleeping bags that fit the bill on multiple camping trips along the Scott River. We then pitted the top contenders against each other in a head-to-head test in Crescent City, California, where we kept one camp up for an entire month and invited testers to try the different options. We asked testers to rate things like next-to-skin comfort, warmth, feature-set, and packability.

The bags that made this list were rated as the best picks for casual campers who care more about comfort and affordability than packability and performance in cold climates.

Meet Our Lead Testers

Joe Jackson

Test director Jackson has been testing gear professionally for 国产吃瓜黑料 for over a decade. By his best estimation, he has tested more than 100 sleeping bags for this publication. His most trying sleeping bag test took place on an incredibly cold night on Donner Summit, where he intentionally soaked sleeping bags to see how long each wetted bag could keep him warm in freezing temps.

Saylor Flett

Saylor Flett runs the outdoor recreation and leadership program at Feather River College in Quincy, California. He once spent a month sleeping in a cave in Yosemite and has spent hundreds of nights camping out on portaledges and riverbanks.

Josie Jackson

The test director鈥檚 daughter is arguably the most mobile sleeper of our 16 testers, and as a seven-year-old, is the least likely to be subject to brand bias鈥攕he could care less about who makes a sleeping bag, all she cares about is if it鈥檚 warm and comfortable.

Miyo McGinn

Miyo McGinn is an assistant editor at 国产吃瓜黑料 based in Bozeman, Montana. She has camped in a dozen different states and four continents, but Washington state, where she grew up, will always be her favorite place to pitch a tent. Miyo got her start reviewing gear as 国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 gear editorial assistant in 2021.

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The post The 7 Best Sleeping Bags for Car Camping appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

An editor at听国产吃瓜黑料 once told me about a winter camping trip he took on his birthday. He and a few friends skinned up into a high basin in the Sierra Nevada on skis to camp and tick off lines for the weekend. The only problem was, he took a 20-degree sleeping bag, and the temperatures at night dropped into the single digits. After burning all his energy shivering overnight, he was too exhausted the next day to climb to his ski line and had to head home early. Some birthday weekend.

Getting the right sleeping bag can make or break an adventure. But there are so many factors to nail. How should you think about stated temperature ratings? What the hell is fill power anyway? What arcane witchcraft is a denier number?

Below, we break through the jargon and marketing claims, give you the tools you need to understand how sleeping bags work, and help you find the right one for your unique needs. Consider this the ultimate guide to picking the right sleeping bag.

What Temperatures Will You Use It In?

A sleeping bag鈥檚 job is to keep you warm. It does that by preventing convective heat loss. In other words, it keeps your body heat from escaping into the cold air. While you sleep, your body is also subject to conductive heat loss, which comes from contact with the cold ground. That’s why we recommend you think of a sleeping bag and a sleeping pad as a single, cohesive system.

If you want to get into the nitty gritty of how sleeping bag temperature ratings are determined, you can read all about that process here. But the bottom line is that lots of testing goes into determining the three temperature ratings you’ll see on almost every sleeping bag.

• Comfort: This is the range at which your sleeping bag will feel absolutely cozy.
• Limit: This is the range at which you’ll sleep a few hours, but probably not comfortably.
• Extreme: This is the range at which you’ll survive, but it will not feel good.

The bad news is that understanding what performance is being advertised is a little tricky. Most bags highlight the “limit temperature” in their naming conventions. Limit is the absolute lowest temperature you鈥檒l want to use the bag in, and it will not feel comfortable.

So, if you see a bag called the 鈥淪uperDuperSleep 10,鈥� you can typically understand that to mean it has a limit temperature of 10 degrees. And that can be confusing because you can鈥檛 just climb in that SuperDuperSleep 10 and expect to sleep super duper in 10-degree temperatures. If the limit temperature is 10, the comfort temperature will probably cap out around 20 or 25 degrees. (This is less true in women’s bags, where the model names often reflect the comfort rating.)

One thing we will note about the temperature-rating process is that the pad used to test bags is much warmer than most of the popular pads consumers tend to buy. If you want your bag to perform like the temperature rating that’s written on the side, you’ll need an extremely warm pad, like a .

If you want to ensure warm sleep when it鈥檚 cold outside, then buy a bag with a comfort rating at least 10 degrees colder than the lowest temperature you plan to use it in. That way you鈥檒l have a little cushion should the unexpected happen.

How Will You Carry It?

Do you plan to use your new sleeping bag only for car camping, or will you want to take it backpacking? If you want to carry your bag, you’ll need to prioritize packed size and weight. Bags that are both compressible and warm tend to be expensive. Ones that just need to fit in the back of a truck are free to be a little heavier and more spacious. Heavier materials also tend to be more comfortable and less expensive.

If you can only buy one bag鈥攁nd you live in a mostly dry climate鈥攎ake it a simple down mummy bag designed for backpacking. Skip any crazy-expensive ultralight materials or designs, and you鈥檒l end up with a versatile solution that can work anywhere from a truck bed to a weekend trek through the mountains.

Can You Keep It Dry?

Down insulation is light, compressible, and durable. But despite recent innovations in chemicals used to coat the down fluffs, it still loses its loft if it gets wet. That means it will wilt and compress, and stop insulating until you dry it out. Despite performance claims, water-repellent coatings only work to shorten the time in which it takes the down to dry. Even with a coating, that typically won鈥檛 happen overnight.

Synthetic insulations, on the other hand, perform better when exposed to moisture. But, they also tend to be heavier and less compressible, and they aren鈥檛 going to last through decades of use like quality down will.

If you plan to use your bag in a very wet environment like the Pacific Northwest, or are buying a bag to use on float trips, then synthetic insulation may be the better choice. But down will probably work best for most campers due to its superior loft and longevity. If you鈥檙e worried about exposure to rain or submersion, consider housing your down bag in a lightweight, silicone-coated nylon dry bag.听 The only issue there is that any moisture trapped in the bag in the morning (the human body produces about a quart of water each night), will remain trapped inside a dry bag. So make sure you give your sleeping bag time to dry out between uses. Store any sleeping bag uncompressed, hanging inside a warm closet.

While synthetic insulation is typically thought of as being cheaper than down, there鈥檚 actually a wide variety in quality and performance across both material categories. We鈥檒l dive into that below.

How Do You Want It To Fit?

Basic mummy bags are narrow at the feet and wide at the shoulders, and they wrap insulation over your head to prevent heat loss from exposed skin. Rectangular bags are as wide at the feet as they are at the shoulders to give you more space inside. Most also skip the hood. There are seemingly endless twists and combinations on those basic formulas designed to reduce weight, increase warmth, or just catch the eye on crowded shelves.

There are positives and negatives to every change. While a roomier design may allow you to toss, turn and spread out in your sleep, it鈥檒l also be less efficient at trapping body heat. Ultralight quilts that look like mummy bags without backs may seem like a way to cut weight while gaining roominess, but they can be hard to really cinch down on cold nights. That means some heat loss is pretty much inevitable.

There鈥檚 also all of our unique body shapes to consider. And while matching a bag鈥檚 length to your height is pretty easy, pairing one to your shape is often trickier. Men’s and women’s bags map insulation differently based on differences in physiology. Women’s bags have narrower shoulders and wider hips, for example. It can be a good idea to visit a physical retail location and try different types of bags from multiple brands to find the one that fits you best.

What Features Do You Want?

Let鈥檚 start with the functional stuff. Since it鈥檚 the job of a sleeping bag to prevent convective heat loss, features like zippers covered by insulated plackets, baffles that close tightly around your neck, and drawcords that allows you to tighten up the head opening are important considerations that can all work together to prevent cold air from being sucked inside the bag every time you toss and turn.

From there, bags may have all sorts of frills like phone pockets (batteries need to be kept in a warm place on cold nights to prevent them from draining quickly), or very Instagram-friendly arm and foot holes so you can take selfies while standing up inside your bag. These things tend to add cost and potential points of failure, while distracting from more important performance metrics like temperature ratings and quality materials.

One area where sleeping bags can functionally differ is in their relationship with sleeping pads. Bags that include pad sleeves help create a unified sleep system in which the bag鈥檚 back insulation can be reduced or eliminated since it鈥檒l never be exposed to cold air. Such setups can help eliminate unnecessary weight and bulk while adding space inside the bag, but they typically restrict you to using pads of specific widths and sizes.

Kifaru Slick Bag Os

How Much Money Do You Want To Spend?

After temperature ratings, there鈥檚 one other important number that will determine how much money you’ll spend: fill power.

Fill power is not a measure of warmth; it is a measure of compressibility. The number, typically expressed as something between 500 and 1,000, is the amount of cubic inches one ounce of the material in question is capable of lofting to fill. So, one ounce of 650-fill-power down clusters will fill up less space than an ounce of 850-fill-power down. That means a bag filled with 650-fill will generally have to have more clusters鈥攚hich means it’ll be heavier and less compressible than an 850-fill bag of the same size.

If a bag (or any other item made using lofted insulation) lists its fill weight, you can then surmise how much insulation it鈥檚 packing, and use that number as a point of comparison with other products. So an 850-fill bag equipped with 16 ounces of down will come with 13,600 cubic inches of insulation (cubic inches x ounces = total material). Since that鈥檚 most of what you鈥檙e paying for, this can be a good way to cross-shop on pricing.

For synthetic insulations, you’ll see the insulation power measured in terms of density. Insulation density is listed as grams per square-meter, or GSM. This number lets you compare one insulation to the other.

Of course, all this comparison assumes that you鈥檙e talking about insulations of identical quality, and there鈥檚 just a ton of variation there. When it comes to down, the ways in which it is sourced, harvested, processed, and treated are all variables that end up being really important to both its performance and longevity.

Cheaper downs will be mechanically harvested in ways that can not only hurt animals, but also damage the product. There will be a higher percentage of feathers to down clusters in the resulting product. That limits warmth and compressibility, since actual feathers are less compressible and less insulating than down fluffs are. More feathers can also damage face fabrics since their sharp quills are prone to poking through. Low-quality down can also be treated harshly with high-temperature processing. This processing removes the natural oils that help down resist moisture and hold up to long term use. To ensure quality, look for down sourced from , or from a source compliant with the voluntary .

With synthetic insulations, quality varies just as widely. The spun polyester inside a bag you buy at a discount store is not going to compress, perform, or last like something made from a high-quality insulation like Climashield Apex or Primaloft Gold. Look for name-brand fabric technology over generic insulation types.

Lastly, let’s go over face fabrics, which contain a bag鈥檚 insulation. These are typically listed in terms of denier. Denier is the mass (in grams) of 9,000 meters of the material in questin. In practical terms, it measures how thick and durable the threads are. Low-denier fabrics are gossamer and lightweight. High-denier fabrics are burly and robust.

Very light, very thin face fabrics may help cut weight and packed size, but they also tend to be fragile and expensive. Very heavy canvas materials can be nice to have for car camping as they utterly resist abrasion and penetration, but they can lead to a bag so bulky it can be hard to even fit inside your trunk. A good middle ground tends to come around 20 to 40 Denier, which, when paired with a reasonable fill power down or quality synthetic insulation, will give you that light, durable, affordable, versatile mummy bag that鈥檚 probably the answer to most of your needs.

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Most quilts designed for the outdoors are created to be used as either throw blankets, or seriously ultralight insulation for backpacking. The former prioritize low prices over performance, while the latter sacrifice versatility in order to save a few ounces. But the traditional sleeping bag also brings limitations, mostly to your ability to spread out, get comfortable, and share a sleeping space with a partner. Surely, there must be a better way. At least that was the thinking that led to the .

The brainchild of Laura and Brandon Davey, the $500 Hoverquilt sets out to be a no-compromises pursuit of comfort in those casual camping situations most of us probably seek out. Scaling a mountain in sub-zero temps? Give me a mummy bag. Spending a night on a beach in Mexico? I鈥檇 rather spread out, and sleep without a bunch of nylon and down between me and my wife.

Brandon has been designing sleep systems for brands like Marmot, Nemo, Patagonia and more for 15 years. 鈥淢y wife and I actually like to sleep together,鈥� he tells 国产吃瓜黑料. 鈥淎nd fussing with zippers just isn’t the best way to do it. After designing high end, highly technical sleeping bags, it was time to change things.鈥�

In creating the Hoverquilt, the Daveys have applied the materials and construction used to create the best sleeping bags to a 90-inch-long, 80-inch-wide quilt. The result is lightweight and compressible, but also entirely comfortable down to about 30 degrees, and remains just as useful hanging out around a campfire, or even at home, as it does while spooning inside a rooftop tent.

The Hoverquilt is constructed using 750+ fill power, responsibly sourced goose down insulation housed inside a 20 denier ripstop nylon shell. Critically, it uses box baffle construction, versus the stitch-through arrangement you鈥檒l find on cheaper lofted insulation camp throws. Where sewn-through construction creates cold spots in between pockets of warmth, box baffles allow high-end sleeping bags and the Hoverquilt to achieve a uniform level of insulation.

鈥淲e maximize the efficiency of the down through careful three-dimensional box baffle locations to create the best warmth to weight ratio we can get,鈥� Brandon explains. 鈥淭his thing really is that warm in freezing temps.鈥�

With 21 ounces of that 750+ fill down inside, the Hoverquilt is constructed identically to how the Daveys would design a sleeping bag with a 15 degree comfort rating. Just with larger open spaces underneath the quilt, and the potential for more air ingress, it doesn鈥檛 sleep quite as warmly. But that doesn鈥檛 mean you can鈥檛 use one in sub-freezing temperatures.

鈥淐ombine it with your 15 degree sleeping bag and you’ll extend your comfort down to just below zero,鈥� Brandon says. He also claims the quality materials and construction should, 鈥渓ast decades,鈥� just like a good sleeping bag.

The Daveys originally designed the Hoverquilt to use with their kids and dogs inside their rooftop tent. And I鈥檝e been using mine inside my GFC camper for the last couple of years. I鈥檓 writing this at the tail end of two-week camping trip, through which my wife and I used nothing else but a couple of pillows inside that camper, while traveling to Todos Santos, Baja Sur from our other home in Bozeman, Montana. The weather on this trip has seen everything from intense atmospheric river storms and temperatures in the high 30s, to relaxed nights on beaches with temperatures in the 60s. And we鈥檝e been comfortable in the Hoverquilt throughout. In fact, the only night we鈥檝e been cold was inside a hotel in Loreto, which didn鈥檛 provide bedding beyond a simple top sheet. And I was able to fix that by going outside to my truck, and grabbing the Hoverquilt.

Less serious, but more frequent use cases like these are exactly what the Daveys had in mind when they created this thing. In applying the kind of experienced insights and trained attention to detail they鈥檙e able to charge major brands big bucks for, they considered things often overlooked like the size of the included stuff sack. That鈥檚 big enough that shoving the quilt inside remains easy, and the end result stays soft and flexible. And that allows you to fit the packed quilt into all sorts of small awkward spaces, like under the seat of a truck, or into the hull of a kayak.

鈥淲e’re giving folks the freedom to sleep,鈥� says Brandon. 鈥淎nywhere, and any way they want.鈥�

The post The Best Quilt for Overlanding Doesn鈥檛 Sacrifice Comfort for Performance appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

If you鈥檝e never tried it, we鈥檙e here to tell you that sleeping outside in the winter is way more fun than it sounds. Today鈥檚 winter bags are constructed like mobile sleep spas: Our three favorites for 2024 are so technical and luxurious that they outpuff the comforters at most five-star hotels. With water-repellant outer fabrics and silky, breathable interior liners that keep damp鈥攁nd stink鈥攁t bay, cozy hoods that cradle your noggin on a billowy pile of down, and roomy-yet-swaddling mummy shapes, these three bags put our testers into deep hibernation, even when temps dropped below zero. The challenge was waking up the next morning to face the cold.

The Winners at a Glance

• Most Versatile: NEMO Sonic Down Mummy
• Most Comfortable: Feathered Friends Widgeon ES -10 (men鈥檚), Arctic Finch -10 (women鈥檚)
• Best Expedition Bag: Therm-a-Rest Polar Ranger -20

The Reviews: The Best Winter Sleeping Bags of 2024

Most Versatile: NEMO Sonic Down Mummy ($600)

Weight: 3 lb, 4 oz (Regular)
Size: Short, Regular, Long
Pros:

• Great temperature regulation

Cons:

• Small top vent zipper pulls
• Tiny exterior pocket

The Sonic mountaineering mummy was already Minnesota-based tester Patrick Greehan鈥檚 go-to bag for winter camping. And that was before NEMO gave it a significant upgrade last year, improving its ability to adjust to varying temperatures, giving it greater warmth retention, and making it more sustainable. We鈥檙e happy to report that over three campouts, nestled in a bivvy sack atop multiple feet of packed snow in northern Minnesota, with temperatures that ranged from three to 20 degrees Fahrenheit, Greehan slept better than ever before.

The most notable upgrade for Greehan was the bag鈥檚 redesigned 鈥淭hermo Gills,鈥� the two vents on top of the bag that can be opened or closed to regulate body temperature. The improved gills, which run vertically down the top half of the bag, now have internal and external zippers that work independently of each other to more finely tune ventilation and comfort. On the 20-degree nights when he fully unzipped, he was able to prevent himself from overheating. On the three-degree nights, he remained in that same comfort zone by zipping them back up.

To improve warmth retention, NEMO redesigned the draft tube along the side zipper and added a velcro tab to the draft collar to keep cold air from sneaking in. New chevron-shaped baffles hold the 800-fill power hydrophobic down in place and provide more uniform lofting. As a back and side sleeper, Greehan was able to snooze in both positions with no cold spots. A layer of synthetic insulation in the toebox protected the down from wetting out, a common occurrence at the bottom of a bag.

To complete the overhaul, NEMO updated the shell and liner fabrics, using plush, 100-percent recycled, bluesign-approved nylon for the shell and a silky, 100-percent recycled polyester for the liner.

Other exceptional features? The roominess of the hood, which Greeham could cinch tightly if needed, the bag鈥檚 excellent packability鈥攊t scrunches down to an XXL roll of paper towels despite an only average weight鈥攁nd a robust zipper that never got caught up on the lining.

Bottom Line: With its versatile temperature range, solid construction, and impressive packability, the NEMO Sonic Down Mummy is the only winter bag most of us will ever need.

Most Comfortable: Feathered Friends Widgeon ES -10 ($889)

Weight: 3 lb, 2 oz (Regular)
Size: Regular, Long
Pros:

• Extremely warm and comfortable

Cons:

• Narrow footbox

The Widgeon cocooned our testers in so much warmth and silky comfort that they could have happily hibernated all day. Already a frigid-weather favorite, the handmade-in-Seattle bag鈥攐riginally designed for a K2 expedition back in the 鈥�80s鈥攔eceived a major facelift this year. Feathered Friends added three additional ounces of responsibly-sourced 900-fill power goose-down. That down is sandwiched between a gossamer 10-denier nylon Pertex taffeta lining made from PFC-free recycled yarns and a water-resistant, breathable Pertex nylon shell with a DWR coating. The collar and hood keep your face snug, warm, and protected (but not claustrophobic) thanks to a gradually contoured cut. It can be cinched nearly all the way closed using a nylon cord that runs around the perimeter of the top of the bag.

With all that plush comfort, one might think the bag would sleep too hot. But even when camping in late March, Duluth-based tester Brian Hayden and category manager Stephanie Pearson never overheated while cowboy camping in temps that ranged from 15 to 28 degrees鈥攂almy compared to its negative ten degree rating. The reason? An additional Pertex nylon panel over the top of the bag vastly improves its breathability and venting. That Pertex layer blocks moisture, too: Despite waking up to a thick layer of hoar frost, they stayed dry in their bags, even as the morning sun warmed their tent.

Additional small-but-mighty upgrades include a second sidewall to ensure even insulation all around the circumference of the bag; more streamlined internal construction that cuts weight despite the extra down, and a generous draft tube to stop cold air from seeping through the zipper. That might sound like splitting hairs, but every warmth-preserving measure matters when you鈥檙e winter camping鈥攅specially on the flanks of K2. And, for a bag so lofty, it packs down impressively to the size of a 64-ounce beer growler.

Bottom Line: The Widgeon鈥檚 warmth-to-comfort-to-weight ratio is exceptional for nights in the zero-degree range.

Best Expedition Bag: Therm-a-Rest Polar Ranger -20 ($790)

Weight: 3 lb, 4 oz. (Regular)
Size: Regular, Long
Pros:

• Side zips for venting and hand-use

Cons:

• Three-quarter zipper is hard to get in and out of for taller sleepers

The Polar Ranger was one of the best expedition bags on the market when it came out in 2018 thanks to polar explorer Eric Larson, who helped design the mummy for its natural environment. The result was a pioneering three-quarter length zipper straight up the middle to cut weight and increase warmth. Zippered side vents made it possible not only to dump heat, but also sit up, shoot your arms out, and do anything from write in a journal to fiddle with a sat phone. 鈥淚n an expedition situation, every ounce of energy saved is key,鈥� Larson explained over email. 鈥淎fter spending years of my life in a sleeping bag, I found full length zippers unnecessary in most situations.鈥�

But the Polar Ranger wasn鈥檛 without its imperfections. The newest iteration comes with a slew of upgrades that make the bag even more livable. A fresh, 100-percent recycled DWR-coated nylon ripstop shell and a buttery-smooth 100-percent recycled nylon liner are silky to the touch. The newer version is also slightly larger in both length and girth after feedback from the field that the bag was too tight with heavy winter layers on. A redesigned snorkel hood is stiffer and shorter, too, which means improved breathing and ventilation, with a magnetic closure that makes it easy to break free in case of a claustrophobia emergency. Small but critical details? An added internal drawcord in the draft collar for cinching the bag around the neck and shoulders, and an internal pocket for keeping small electronics warm.

Our testers found the 800-fill hydrophobic down bag up to the task of keeping them warm on a -10 degree overnights with lots of wind in Minnesota鈥檚 Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. 鈥淚 used the arm holes way more than I thought I would,鈥� reported Minnesota-based tester Hansi Johnson who, as a side sleeper, was also impressed with the roominess of the bag and how it maintained its loft on all sides as well as on the back. The snorkel hood, on the other hand, took a little getting used to. 鈥淚t felt claustrophobic at first, but it kept moisture off my face. I was so warm I tossed my Buff.鈥�

Bottom Line: If you have an Arctic expedition or winter mountaineering project in your future, this is the bag to take along.

How to Buy

As a general rule, men tend to run hotter and women tend to run colder鈥攁lthough, as with anything, there is a spectrum. Throw in varying sleeping positions, body shapes, and sizes, and it鈥檚 quickly evident that while some bags offer superior materials and design, there鈥檚 not one magic winter bag that works for all. To find the one that will work best for you, here are four things to consider that keep you from investing a significant chunk of change in the wrong bag.

Intended Use

Are you purpose-buying the bag for a specific mission like Eric Larson鈥檚 14-day or to climb Denali? If so, you鈥檒l need one with an excellent warmth-to-weight ratio that will be relatively easy to haul, yet keep you warm enough in potentially life-threatening situations. Or do you intend to use it on shorter missions like weekend ice-fishing jaunts into Minnesota鈥檚 Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness? In that case, you鈥檒l likely be hauling a sled and will have fewer size and weight restraints. Or maybe you need an ultralight bag for a winter bikepacking trip that you can strap to your handlebars and only use in case of an emergency. Whatever the reason for buying the bag, think through the logistics of the journey and how that will affect the size, weight, and warmth of the bag you want to buy.

Insulation

Down bags are generally warmer for their weight and more compressible than bags with synthetic insulation. But if down bags get wet, they lose insulating capacity and take longer to dry out than synthetic bags. Many manufacturers use down processed with a hydrophobic chemical that prevents it from absorbing as much water. Others keep the insulation dry with a water-repellant finish or fabric. Pay attention to fill power. That number measures the volume taken up by the amount of down in your sleeping bag; the more loft your sleeping bag has, the more efficiently it will trap warm air. It will also weigh less and pack down smaller than bags with a lower fill power rated to the same temperature. Synthetic bags are more affordable, and therefore an excellent choice for new campers who are unsure how often they want to sleep outside, or backpackers who are headed to wet environments.

Shape

Most winter bags are mummy bags or modified mummy bags. Traditional mummies have a hood that gently tapers into the bag, is wide at the shoulders and narrows all the way to the footbox. Mummies are great for winter because they minimize dead space inside the bag and help keep you warmer by giving air less space to circulate. Some people find them cozy and cocoon-like, others find them claustrophobic.

For claustrophobes, a modified mummy comes in handy. While it鈥檚 generally tapered like a mummy, it鈥檚 cut more loosely in certain areas. Some offer slightly flared footboxes to give your toes more room, while others are wider in the body to accommodate side sleeping. Some have hoods that gently taper into the bag, others have removal hoods.

Temperature Rating

All bags on the market have EN (European Norm) or ISO (International Standards Organization) ratings, which is a standardized, independent test across manufacturers. The most commonly used since 2017 is the ISO rating. Note: ISO stops rating at -20C/-4 F, which means your -20 degree bag may require a test run before you head into truly frigid conditions.

With these standards, most sleeping bag manufacturers use a sliding range of temperatures for which a bag can be used. The 鈥淐omfort Range鈥� is roughly the temperature range at which the average female will remain warm. The 鈥淟ower Limit鈥� is the temperature range at which the average male can remain comfortable. This Lower Limit number is the temperature rating of the bag. That being said, your temperature tolerance will depend on much more than your gender, so it鈥檚 always best to err on the conservative side. Some bags offer a 鈥淩isk鈥� range, which indicates the lowest temperature in which the bag should be used. At this temperature, the bag might not prevent hypothermia, but it may prevent death. It鈥檚 always best to buy a bag rated ten degrees colder than the average temperatures you intend to use it in. For example, if you plan to camp in conditions no colder than 10 degrees, you鈥檒l want a 0-degree bag.

How We Test

Given the increasingly wild weather swings we鈥檝e experienced from climate change in the last few years, we gave our testers鈥攚ho were spread out between northern Arizona, Minnesota, and Norway鈥攁s much true winter time as possible. We started testing in mid-January and wrapped up the process in mid-April. During that 90-day window, temperatures swung from -20 to a freak 70-degree thaw. Northern Minnesota and northern Arizona had record snow years, which meant wintery wind gusts and white on the ground long after the calendar told us it was officially spring.

Each bag was sent to category manager Stephanie Pearson for testing before heading off to secondary testers around the globe. One tester took his kid ice fishing in Minnesota鈥檚 Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in January. Another went to Lillehammer, Norway for a late winter camping trip. Others spread their testing out over the course of the three months, bikepacking and sleeping out in their backyards to catch frequent aurora borealis sightings.

After the season was up, Pearson gathered the data, compared notes, and picked the winners.

• Number of Testers: 6
• Number of Nights Slept 国产吃瓜黑料: 20
• Coldest Night: -20
• Warmest Night: 50
• Highest Latitude Tested: 61掳6鈥�54.5鈥砃 (Lillehammer, Norway)

Meet Our Lead Testers

Stephanie Pearson has winter camped at Mount Everest Base Camp, in the Swedish Arctic, and in northern Minnesota. A fitful sleeper, she often gets better rest outside in a bag than in her own bed.

Hansi Johnson is a lifelong backcountry camper. His go-to winter spot is the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to camp, ski, and fish. Johnson works for the Minnesota Land Trust advocating for Minnesota鈥檚 Natural spaces. He lives in Thomson, Minnesota with his wife Margaret and his son Tae.

Ian Derauf spent a year studying at a Norwegian Folk School based in Troms酶, where he learned the art of survival in the Arctic. He recently graduated from St. Olaf College and is headed to Sitka, Alaska, where his warm winter bag will come in handy.

Chloe Leege, a recent graduate of Duluth East High School, competed on the Duluth Devo Mountain Bike team for six years and is an aspiring bikepacker. She will attend Northland College, an environmentally focused liberal arts school in Ashland, Wisconsin, in the fall.

Patrick Greehan is an assistant coach for the Duluth Devo Mountain Bike Program. He currently races gravel, mountain, and fat bikes with a focus on long distance and ultra events. He is an avid bikepacker who pedals year-round in Northern Minnesota.

Brian Hayden is the founder of the Duluth Devo Mountain Bike Program who has logged a few months in Antarctica in a former life. He鈥檚 a reluctant winter camper, but can sleep through just about anything.

The post The Best Winter Sleeping Bags of 2024 appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Confession: I love my women鈥檚 sleeping bag. It鈥檚 made by , before 2016, when that company stopped making gendered options for its pinnacle product, the . My 15-degree women鈥檚 version weighs less than two pounds, envelops me in a blissful bubble of down, and fits my particular length and girth. That last detail is crucial, because sleeping in a too-tight mummy bag ranks as its own circle of hell.听

Most companies still make separate sleeping bags for women and men (Mountain Hardwear still offers many women鈥檚 bags). But there are signs that, like gender-specific restrooms in some parts of the country, women鈥檚 sleeping bags may be on the way out. Led by new initiatives from REI, major brands from The North Face to Big Agnes are debating whether gendered bags do an adequate job of keeping a diverse range of backpackers comfortable鈥攁nd if using the still widely-accepted binary labels is necessary in a world that seems to be moving away from them. Although companies haven鈥檛 officially axed women鈥檚 models entirely from their product lineups, many are moving to gender-neutral lines that could serve male, female, and nonbinary-identifying backpackers across the board鈥攚hich may ultimately mean the end of women鈥檚-specific sleeping bag design.

When the first women鈥檚 sleeping bag hit the market in 1995, it was heralded as an empowering piece of gear. Made by Sierra Designs, the 20-degree Calamity Jane was the brainchild of company president Sally McCoy, who had climbed some of the world鈥檚 highest mountains and felt poorly served by bags built for men. Her women鈥檚 bag was narrower through the shoulders but wider at the hips, shorter in length (it came in 5鈥� 5鈥� and 5鈥� 10鈥� options), and generously insulated with beefed-up padding in the core and footbox. Women took its existence as a sign of their inclusion within the male-dominated outdoor culture鈥攁nd sales soared.

Inspired by the success of Calamity Jane, a flood of companies brought women鈥檚 bags to market and promoted shorter lengths, hip-accommodating widths, and extra insulation.听 European Norm (EN) ratings for sleeping bags, established in 2005, confirmed through repeated independent testing McCoy鈥檚 suspicion that women sleep colder than men on average (although the specific science is still fuzzy) and allowed manufacturers to publish gendered comfort ranges for their sleeping bags. REI embraced the system, and by 2010, the retailer required all brands that manufactured mummy-style bags to reveal the product鈥檚 EN rating. Instead of making one unisex bag that didn鈥檛 appear to perform as well for women, manufacturers doubled down on gendered bags.

But, as with the ongoing dialogue about traditional gender labeling in everything from political language to high fashion, future product lines suggest a new, less binary direction. When The North Face presented its spring 2023 line to the media in September, women鈥檚 bags were part of the assortment鈥攂ut TNF鈥檚 rep also forecast that it might be the brand鈥檚 last year making them. NEMO is another sleeping bag manufacturer that鈥檚 reevaluating the concept of women鈥檚 bags.

鈥淭here鈥檚 currently a lot of discussion among brands and retailers about the future of gendered bags and whether gender-neutral options might serve campers better,鈥� says Mike Welch, NEMO鈥檚 vice president of global sales.听

Why the sudden sea change? TNF says that REI is urging brands into the new approach with sleeping bags鈥攐ne that saves shoppers from having to identify as either male or female and still have a bag that keeps them comfortable at night.

鈥淚t鈥檚 ironic, since REI was behind the creation of women鈥檚 bags in the first place,鈥� notes Tim Beck, TNF鈥檚 sleeping bags category manager. Indeed, REI鈥檚 influence on the outdoor industry can鈥檛 be overstated: Given the retailer鈥檚 vast scale, it drives the trends that other brands follow. When REI declares a new direction for gendered sleeping bags, it鈥檚 a big deal.

Case in point: For spring 2023, REI is introducing a gender-neutral line of backpacking gear and apparel that鈥檚 across gender, budget, and body size. The Trailmade 20 sleeping bag won鈥檛 be sold in men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 versions. But it will come in three lengths with a wide-cut option for each, for a total of six possible fits per temperature rating.听

鈥淲e didn鈥檛 want people to have to choose bags based on their gender, 鈥� says Derek Temple, REI鈥檚 camp category merchandise manager. The every-body Trailmade bags allow shorter-than-average men to purchase the right-fitting bag without feeling like they鈥檙e getting gear built for women, or allow non-binary shoppers to bypass uncomfortable questions. (Admittedly, some women about the need for gendered bags.)

For now, REI expects to keep selling women鈥檚-specific bags for as long as demand continues.

鈥淲e do a strong women鈥檚-specific business,鈥� says Courtney Gearhart, REI鈥檚 senior public affairs program manager. But offering women鈥檚 models while also developing a broad size-inclusive unisex range creates a glut of sleeping bags鈥攕o campers鈥� purchases over the coming year will likely determine whether women鈥檚 bags stay or go.听

REI, along with other brands with growing all-gender lines, like Big Agnes, haven鈥檛 determined how their new bags will represent the formerly-gendered temperature ratings. 鈥淐omfort鈥� ratings (the temperature threshold for cold sleepers) currently appear on women鈥檚 bags, while 鈥渓imit鈥� ratings indicate the temperature range for warm sleepers and appear on bags that have historically been marketed at men. Test standards for gender-neutral bags don鈥檛 yet exist. And although brands aren鈥檛 required to use standards verified by the EN or the International Organization for Standardization (ISO is another third-party regulator), these guidelines have become a key factor in how brands market bags鈥攁nd how campers buy them.听

Consequently, NEMO won鈥檛 make firm decisions about gendered bags until it can work out a fair and understandable way to represent temperature ratings. Says Welch, 鈥淣EMO is focused on presenting options that create the best shopping experience by speaking clearly about temperature ratings across all bags.鈥�

Campers aren鈥檛 likely to know whether women鈥檚 bags will remain on the market until 2024 or beyond. In the meantime, people who identify as female鈥攁nd who want a women鈥檚-specific sleeping bag鈥攎ight want to start shopping now. And as brands work out temperature ratings for non-gendered bags, these new models may do what women鈥檚 bags did decades ago: validate participants鈥� inclusion in the outdoor realm, while making the actual experience more enjoyable too.

The post You May Have Bought Your Last Women鈥檚 Sleeping Bag appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

The Basics

The is designed for fast and light pursuits. It is stuffed with 800-fill Nikwax Hydrophobic Down. Heat-mapped zone insulation combined with a boxed-baffle construction optimize weight and warmth. Spacious hood and foot zone. Side-zippered pocket. Removable straps to secure the bag to a pad.

Size: Regular

Weight: 2 lbs 6 oz

Price: $530

Brand: Therm-a-Rest

Pros听

• Warm (like really warm)
• Face fabric is soft and silky
• Made with recycled materials
• Packs down to the size of a bread loaf听

Cons听

• Expensive

Initial Thoughts

This just might be the nicest sleeping bag I鈥檝e ever tested. It鈥檚 just so much warmer than any other similarly rated bags I鈥檝e used. And given its low weight and how much it packs down, it works great for any alpine or backcountry endeavor.听

The Lowdown

Big Yellow. That鈥檚 what I鈥檝e taken to calling this sleeping bag, Therm-a-Rest鈥檚 Parsec 0F/-18C Sleeping Bag, which also just might be the nicest sleeping bag I鈥檝e ever used. Let鈥檚 start with the easy descriptions: warm, soft, oh so fluffy.听

The Parsec was designed for fast and light endeavors. It is light, coming in at just 2 pounds 6 ounces. Par for the course, it packs down to the size of a large bread loaf.听

Filled with a highly compressible 800-fill Nikwax Hydrophobic Down, the Parsec absorbs 90 percent less water and dries three times faster than untreated down. On more than one occasion when it was raining hard and the bedding on the perimeter of my truck bed got wet, I stayed warm and dry when my boyfriend, in his lesser bag, did not. Where the Parsec did get wet, it dried off quickly.听

I鈥檓 the type of person who wears puffy pants in 60-degree weather; I never leave the house without a coat; and I work next to heat spacers. You could say I run cold. Prior to owning this bag, I used to joke that sleeping bag temperature recommendations were accurate鈥攊f you added about 30 degrees. Not so with the Parsec. OK, so the coldest weather I鈥檝e slept in this year was about 35 degrees, not 0, but I was toasty and in shorts and a tank鈥攚ith the bag half unzipped. I could easily see myself sleeping in 0 degrees with this bag with a few added layers. It鈥檚 just plain warmer than other bags I鈥檝e owned with similar temperature recommendations.听

Therm-a-Rest鈥檚 boxed baffling construction helps prevent cold spots. Likewise, the fill is distributed to the spots where heat is more likely to be lost: 60 percent on top and 40 percent beneath. Combined, these features optimize both warmth and weight.

I really can鈥檛 overstate just how fluffy this bag is. Inside, you鈥檒l feel like you鈥檙e lying in the clouds from My Little Pony. It may dawn on you that your comforter at home sucks. You may buy new pillows, like I did. Basically, you鈥檙e going to rethink your definition of soft and fluffy.

Oh, and the best part? All that fluff is , meaning that the waterfowl were treated humanely. The shell and liner, too, are made with 100 percent recycled fabrics鈥攖hey have the certificate. I should add, here, that the 20 denier nylon is soft, silky, and quiet. You don鈥檛 really get that super annoying swash swash sound. The shell is tough, too. I accidentally got a strip of duct tape stuck to the outside (like really stuck) and was worried the bag would rip as I pulled it off. I held my breath and tugged gently. The bag remained untorn.

Are you a side sleeper? I am. Two sets of lightweight, stretchy straps located in the top and bottom halves of the bag securely fix it to your sleeping pad. Roll around all you鈥檇 like and this thing is staying put. On that note, the bag is fairly roomy, especially for being a standard mummy shape. You can keep layers on and still have toss-and-turn space. I hate feeling constricted when I sleep. In this bag, I never did.

The hood can be cinched down if you want a tighter fit, and it鈥檚 so fluffy you can fold it over itself to make a pillow. In addition to the roomy top, the bottom of the Parsec protrudes up to create a noticeably spacey foot pouch, or, as Therm-a-Rest calls it, a Toe-asis Foot Warmer Pocket. It鈥檚 warm down there, and I love that I never felt that weird ankle compression flattening thing that you get with less spacious designs.

The zipper has a meaty string attached to it, making it easy to find in the dark. Admittedly, I鈥檝e accidentally cinched it down on the shell a few times now, but never with any casualties to the fabric. There鈥檚 a side pouch on the upper part of the bag for convenient storage of small things. It would fit your phone or a headlamp or a nighttime snack.

The Parsec is also available as 20-degree and 32-degree sleeping bags, but I鈥檓 glad I went with the zero, since it鈥檚 more versatile and the long zipper makes it easy to vent. The Parsec 0F comes with a hefty price tag: $490 to $570, depending on length (it comes in small, regular, and large). But I鈥檒l level with you, dear reader: while I don鈥檛 trust gear reviews that don鈥檛 discuss at least a few cons, the price is the only that I can think of. To be fair, other sleeping bags with the 0掳 F recommendation fall in that ballpark as well.听

At the risk of being too complimentary, I leave you with this image: My back was aching, my fingers were fat and swollen from climbing. My boyfriend and I parked the truck in an empty, flat meadow, the dying grass expanding out from us in gentle waves. In the distance, coyotes let out a chorus of howls. Crawling into my truck bed and into the Parsec was truly divine. It was exactly what it should be: a thing to look forward to after everything else.

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国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 gear team exists to bring you information on the best outdoor products on the market. Usually this involves having our testers spend months in the field with them鈥攊t鈥檚 difficult to know what really works until we鈥檝e actually tried products in the wild. But a couple times a year at the Summer and Winter Outdoor Retailer shows, brands announce so many product launches at once that we can鈥檛 help but make some educated guesses about what will be our favorites. Here are the four items that we can鈥檛 wait to test from this show.

NEMO Forte Endless Promise Sleeping Bags ($180-$240)

There are a lot of new products out there that are made partially of recycled materials, and this is certainly a welcome trend. The holy grail these days: products that are made entirely from recycled materials and that are also recyclable at the end of their lives. NEMO accomplished just that with an upgrade to its popular Forte sleeping bag line. The new Endless Promise bags (men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 in 20- and 30-degree versions) are manufactured with zero waste practices. Each bag is made completely with Bluesign-approved recycled materials and insulated with recycled PrimaLoft synthetics. The kicker: 95 percent of the bag is made from a single polyester polymer, so that portion be recycled when it can鈥檛 be repaired anymore. Nemo will send the bag to their partner Unifi and give consumers $20 toward new gear. These bags hit the market in the spring of 2023.

Pale Blue Earth Rechargeable Smart Batteries ($30 for 4 AA)

Americans throw away millions of batteries every year, resulting in precious鈥攁nd toxic鈥揾eavy metals sitting in landfills across the country. Rechargeable batteries are nothing new, but we got our hands on lithium ion versions a few months ago and they are the most convenient we鈥檝e tried by far: each battery has an individual micro USB port that charges it within two hours, and a life cycle that takes the place of 1,000 alkaline batteries. And they weigh 40 percent less (17.5 grams for an individual AA)听than disposables鈥攁 boon for weight-conscious athletes. The up front cost is more than a normal pack of batteries but you鈥檒l potentially save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars over their lifetime. And they come in AAA, C, D, and nine-volt versions too.

Aurea Technologies Inc. Shine Turbine ($400)

Portable solar panels keep getting better and better but some limitations remain: in areas with fickle weather and limited sunlight harnessing enough juice can be difficult. Enter the . This three-pound device sets up in minutes and can create power in winds from eight to 28 miles per hour, rain, shine, or through the night. Juice can be stored in the five volt, 12,000 milliampere-hour integrated battery or you can directly charge any USB-chargeable gadget. You could feasibly carry this setup into the backcountry, we think it鈥檇 be most handy in base camp situations where you鈥檙e in a fairly remote location but still need power. It鈥檚 on the market now.

Level Six Ace Spray Skirt ($185)

Spray skirts are a necessary evil for kayakers. They are a life-saving device, keeping you in your boat when you flip, but wrestling听 them on is one of the more onerous tasks in the sport. Level Six takes on the latter problem with the , a skirt which has a thinner stitched (instead of glued) rubber band that鈥檚 stretchy to fit easily onto any style of cockpit. But it鈥檚 still made tough, with thick neoprene and reinforced kevlar panels for durability. We have questions about whether or not it鈥檚 too stretchy and could result in unwanted swims, but we鈥檒l have to get it on the water to test that factor. 鈥淚f it works, it鈥檒l be a game-changer,鈥� says our Gear Guy, Joe Jackson.

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The North Face Chrysalis 20 ($375)

Best for Weight Savings

If pack space is limited and distance is the goal, the Chrysalis is a trustworthy companion. It weighs just under two pounds and packs down to the size of a bread loaf, courtesy of 900-fill down. For this reason, one tester brought it along for 50 miles and two 22-degree nights in Utah鈥檚 Bears Ears National Monument. 鈥淎fter beating up my body all day, the anticipation of crawling into this soft cocoon was the motivation I needed to finish the hike back to camp,鈥� our tester said, crediting the 64-inch shoulder, 59-inch hip, and extra-roomy 47.5-inch footbox girths. On another trip, into Wyoming鈥檚 Wind River Range, our tester packed the Chrysalis among climbing equipment. Its abrasion-resistant ripstop nylon compression sack emerged unscathed, though the bag鈥檚 15-denier ripstop nylon shell (coated with a non-PFC DWR finish) is finer than most. Weight savings come from reduced insulation in the bottom panels (pair this bag with a high-R-value sleeping pad) and a smaller than average hood, which doesn鈥檛 hold a pillow inside. 1.9 lbs (regular); 20掳; unisex regular, long

Sitka Kelvin Aerolite 30 ($399)

Best for Versatility

Why choose between a sleeping bag and a parka when you can have both? When zipped, the Kelvin Aerolite takes the shape of a traditional mummy bag. But it鈥檚 the multifunctional design that helps justify the admittedly high price: a two-way, full-length center zipper allows you to roll the footbox up and stow it via an aluminum hook and a nylon webbing loop. That, plus zippered arm holes ringed with draft tubes, transform the bag into a knee-length layer for hanging around camp. 鈥淲aiting for the sun to warm the Zion West Rim Trail, I converted the bag to a jacket and happily got up to start the group coffee,鈥� one tester said. The synthetic fill kept another tester warm in 32-degree temps in Denali National Park. The bag鈥檚 66-inch chest and 60-inch hip girths offer room to layer. 2.3 lbs (regular); 30掳; unisex regular, long

Mammut 32 Trail ($100)

Best Value

Weighing just over three pounds and packing down to the size of a large watermelon, this budget-friendly synthetic bag shines for car camping trips and on short backpacking excursions. The Trail鈥檚 62-inch shoulder and hip girths, plus a 30-inch footbox, kept one tester cozy but not claustrophobic during a rainy, 32-degree night at 11,000 feet on Colorado鈥檚 Berthoud Pass. On a 55-degree night in Chatfield State Park, Colorado, the oversize hood fit our tester鈥檚 favorite pillow from home and the full-length, two-way zipper kept clamminess at bay. The Trail鈥檚 shredded synthetic insulation allows for a baffle-less design, so there are no stitch holes to let heat escape and fewer threads to tear or pull. While this construction doesn鈥檛 allow the Trail 32掳F to loft up, testers reported the synthetic fill doesn鈥檛 clump, and when temps dropped to freezing, the warmth was evenly distributed from head to toe. The bag鈥檚 63-denier polyester shell is more durable than most. 3.1 lbs (regular); 32掳; unisex regular

Montbell Seamless Burrow Bag #3 ($159)

Best for Warm Weather

On the hottest nights, we chose the Seamless Burrow Bag. The synthetic insulation is minimal, but it lofts more than similar bags. Credit a combination of cylindrical and angular polyester fibers, which stack like a losing game of Tetris and thus increase airiness. One tester reported that he didn鈥檛 sweat out the bag after five 45-degree nights in North Carolina鈥檚 Great Smoky Mountains National Park. On a two-week road trip down the Pacific coast, another tester used the full-length, two-way zipper to ventilate and reported that the DWR treatment repelled condensation on muggy mornings. Comfort bonus: the bag鈥檚 seamless construction trades baffles for internal elastic stitching that expands and contracts to match your sleeping position. The Seamless Burrow packs down to the size of a rugby ball. 2.1 lbs; 32掳; unisex regular, long

Exped Ultra 3R ($150)

Best for Comfort

Striking a balance between lightness and comfort, the Ultra 3R pad helps you go the extra backcountry mile. 鈥淚t kept my pack weight down for one of my longest mileage days to date,鈥� one tester said after heading into Wyoming鈥檚 Titcomb Basin. Another tester, after a trip in Oregon鈥檚 Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, lauded the pad鈥檚 three-inch thickness, fortified with insulating and cushy microfibers. 鈥淚t was comfortable in all sleeping positions,鈥� said the tester. 鈥淢y knees, back, and shoulders never felt uncomfortable.鈥� The 72-by-20.5-inch rectangular pad has lengthwise baffles, wider at the edges and slimmer in the middle, creating a cradling effect to keep sleepers centered. The Ultra 3R鈥檚 recycled, 20-denier ripstop polyester face fabric offers average durability, and an inflation sack eases setup. 1 lb (medium); 2.9 R-value; medium, medium/wide, long/wide

NEMO Astro Insulated ($140)

Best for the Environment

After more than a decade of success, this time-tested pad gets a sustainability makeover for 2022. For one thing, its 75-denier polyester shell is now 100 percent recycled. Still, it endured seven nights of sleeping directly on California鈥檚 High Sierra granite without signs of abrasion. Its rectangular shape鈥�72 by 20 inches, and 3.5 inches thick鈥攌ept testers warm on a ten-day backpacking trip in Colorado鈥檚 San Juan Mountains, where temps dropped below 40 degrees. A 2.6 R-value provides three-season comfort, thanks to 100 percent post-consumer recycled synthetic insulation. Still, the Astro Insulated packs down a bit smaller than a Nalgene. The included pump-sack reduces the blowup time from three-plus minutes to just under one and can extend the pad鈥檚 life by keeping delamination and mold-growing moisture at bay. (The updated non-insulated Astro now clocks a 1.5 R-value and packs slightly wider than a tube of cinnamon rolls.) 1.5 lbs (regular); 2.6 R-value; regular, long/wide

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Most of the time, choosing a sleeping bag and pad is about compromising comfort for the sake of weight. Car camping eliminates the need for such concessions. There are plenty of great such options on the market, and picking a winner is difficult when every product invites a nap. So we homed in on a few main criteria: packability, portability, and features. Here are the car camping sleeping bags and pads that stood out for delivering both extreme comfort and ease of use.听

NEMO Jazz ($300)

Best Solo Bag

Everything about this 30-degree synthetic bag feels indulgent, from the 77-inch girth (roomy enough for side sleeping) to the removable, washable microfiber liner sheet that buttons into the inside for added coziness. That鈥檚 in addition to an oversize draft collar and an extra-large insulated hood. The Jazz is stuffed with synthetic insulation designed to mimic the warmth and packability of down. On a 40-degree night in Tofino, British Columbia, one tester stayed so toasty he had to crack the two full-length zippers for ventilation. When it鈥檚 time to break camp, just drop it in the storage duffel, no stuffsack cramming required. Bonus: the fill and silky 50-denier ripstop polyester fabric are fully recycled. 6 lbs

Hest Foamy ($299)

Best Solo Pad

Three Benjamins for a sleeping mat? Trust us, Hest鈥檚 newest offering is worth it. For one, it鈥檚 made from a memory foam that鈥檚 infused with billions of small air pockets, which help retain gentle support even in subfreezing temps鈥攗nlike home-goods varieties that turn hard below 40 degrees. Then there鈥檚 the waterproof nylon bottom shell, which paid off when we spilled our Nalgene on the tent floor. A built-in strap system helps roll the pad up for transport. This does little to save space (packed up, the Foamy is more than a foot thick and two feet wide and the size of Oscar the Grouch鈥檚 garbage can). But during a 32-degree night on a Rocky Mountain logging road, we slept so soundly we forgot to complain. 11 lbs

REI Camp Dreamer Double Sleep System ($299)

Best Couples Bag

The only thing separating this sleep set from the one you use at home is that REI designed the fitted sheet to stay put on an air mat (its elastic sides are only six inches deep, ideal for double-wide camping pads). The kit pairs that sheet with a synthetic-insulated quilt, removable hood, and cotton top sheet, all of which pack into an included storage bag. Arrange the pieces together to lock in warmth or layer them unattached for easy heat dumping. The set doesn鈥檛 have a temperature rating, though one couple slept cozy down to 45 degrees. But the real winning feature is washability: simply remove the sheets to clean your sleep system between trips. 7.19 lbs

Ust Fillmatic Doublewide Air Mat ($180)

Best Couples Pad

Be careful when you pull out this two-person pad. Its three-inch-thick cushioning and large size (four feet two inches across and six feet eight inches long) spell such comfort that the pad had a way of making testers forget what they were supposed to be doing. (Some immediately wanted to lie down and take a nap on the soft, bouncy expanse.) Luckily the Fillmatic mostly self-inflates in a few minutes and thus requires little focus to set up: just open a valve, wait a bit, and then top off the pad with a minute or so of huffing and puffing. The internal foam structure is firm, warm enough for winter use (R-value of 6), and sized to fill most two-person tents. 8.3 lbs

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You have to be a little bit of a masochist to spend much time on Denali. In the early season (beginning of May),听temperatures regularly plunge to 20 below on the upper mountain. You have to be willing to suffer a tad听in that environment, but that suffering can get out of hand quickly without really warm gear.

When my team and I flew onto the Ruth Glacier on May 8 last year, we went prepared for serious cold. We didn鈥檛 reach the summit, but we did get a good taste of all the weather Denali had to offer. After two winters in Colorado testing every item, seeking out the best approximations of Alaska (mainly the lowest temps, strongest winds, and most exposed campsites the Rockies have to offer) to double-check that everything performed, I was confident in the gear I took up the mountain. Here鈥檚 what kept me warm and comfortable while climbing in Denali鈥檚 40-mph winds and subzero temps.

Scarpa Phantom 6000 Boots ($949)

Choosing what boots to pack for a trip like Denali is tricky. You need a single pair that breathes well enough on the lower glacier, where daytime temps are in the fifties, and can still keep you warm on summit day when it can be 70 degrees colder or worse. I also wanted something with a toe and outsole precise enough for more-technical climbing. A good compromise between limitless warmth (and bulk) and a bit of precision was with . The Phantoms use PrimaLoft Micropile and EVA to insulate enough for 90 percent of the mountain, but on the coldest days I could slip the neoprene overboots over the top for extra insulation. My feet don鈥檛 typically have major issues with cold, though. For my climbing partner who suffers from chilly extremities, , with even more insulation and integrated overboots, were a one-stop shop.

Feathered Friends Down Booties ($119)

While the Phantom 6000s do have internal liners, they tended to get wet over the course of the day, especially on the lower mountain, where warmer temps made my feet sweat and mushy snow dampened them on the outside. So I got in the habit of slipping out of them as soon as we arrived at camp and finished digging, dropping the shells in the vestibule of my tent, slipping the sweaty liners into my sleeping bag, and sliding on my . Cozy 800-fill down felt amazing after a long day in constricting boots, and the removable weather-resistant shell made it easy to step outside to pee or hang in the cook tent without getting them wet and ruining my foot warmth.

The North Face Summit Futurelight Belay Mittens ($165)

If there鈥檚 any item to bring in excess onto Denali, it鈥檚 handwear. I brought three pairs of gloves, plus these beefy , so I could fine-tune my selection for the conditions of the moment and get a set wet without being totally out of luck. Unlike my feet, my fingers get cold quickly. And thanks to an internally split finger compartment, these mittens allowed just enough hand function if I needed to ditch my lighter gloves for something warmer midclimb. This is where gear confidence is key in the Alaska Range. If you know you can reach into your pack and have warm hands whenever you need them, you鈥檒l feel exponentially better about your preparedness.

Smartwool Mountaineering Extra Heavy Crew Socks ($25)

Socks, like gloves, are most effective in numbers. Expect them to get wet and need continuous drying, usually in your sleeping bag near your chest at night. I needed only three pairs of these for a two-week trip: a couple pairs in daily rotation that held their shape and didn鈥檛 get smelly thanks to their sturdy woven arch brace and merino鈥檚 odor-resistant properties, plus a pair sealed in a Ziploc bag specifically for summit day. The extra-heavy weight was necessary for the colder days (and I sized my boots specifically to fit them), but the breathable, wicking merino kept them from becoming totally useless on warmer days. Setting aside a set that had kept me warm for soggy hikes and windy climbs and unwrapping those summit socks once we made the decision to turn around was definitely bittersweet.

Therm-a-Rest Polar Ranger -20 Sleeping Bag ($750 and up)

Even in a place where the sun never fully sets during the summer, conditions change a lot at night. When the sun is just skimming across the horizon and ducking behind other peaks, all the heat that the sun baked into the snow and rocks during the day evaporates鈥攆ast. A sleeping bag like the (designed with the help of Polar explorer Eric Larsen), with 800-fill down insulation (which doesn鈥檛 wet out with a little moisture), is crucial for a good night鈥檚 sleep in extreme cold and wet. The hood鈥檚 magnetic openings made it easy to tuck my face away from chilly air, and on stormy evenings when I was killing time in bed, I could slide my hands out of the arm holes to read a book without unzipping the bag.

Patagonia Grade VII Down Parka ($899)

I brought only three different upper-body layers to Alaska: a lightweight active insulator, a midweight synthetic puffy, and a massive parka. The versatility that would come from adding an additional layer to this kit wasn鈥檛 worth the space it鈥檇 take up in my pack. But that parka was a doozy. The massive baffles kept the 800-fill down lofted and maximally insulating, and the extra coverage from the long hem and big helmet-compatible hood provided nearly instantaneous warmth during my trip. The snow skirt, elastic cuffs, and elasticized side panels ensured a snug, warmth-retaining fit, but there was still room for my other layers underneath when necessary.

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm Sleeping Pad ($230 and up) and NEMO Switchback Foam Pad ($55)

Two sleeping pads are better than one, especially on snow or ice. Your sleeping bag isn鈥檛 something to skimp on, and neither are your pads鈥攚ithout sufficiently insulating ones, your pricey down bag won鈥檛 be as effective at retaining heat. Most climbers you see on Denali use a super-insulating inflatable pad with a foam pad underneath. I went with the , which has a crazy-high 6.9 R-value (the rating for how resistant to heat flow, or insulating, something is; the higher the number, the more resistant to heat transfer) and the , which adds 2, bringing my cumulative R-value up to almost 9. Both pads pack down small (I carried the foam pad strapped to the side of my backpack, and the XTherm is about the size of a disposable water bottle). And, conveniently, the XTherm comes with an inflating bag that makes blowing it up a whole lot easier in the thin air.

Mountain Hardwear Compressor Pants ($175)

are one of those pieces of gear you never knew you needed until you tried them. On chilly overnights in Colorado鈥檚 San Juan Mountains, they were an epiphany. Just slap them on over your ski bibs or climbing pants (no need to take your boots off鈥攖hey have full-length side zips) for instant and appreciable warmth. In Alaska, they were perfect around camp at night or sitting in our group kitchen tent. They鈥檙e synthetic (using Mountain Hardwear鈥檚 proprietary Thermal.Q Elite insulation), so not as packable as down but more durable than down for sitting or kneeling. The 20-denier nylon ripstop fabric on the knees and seat held up to wear and tear.

40 Below Bottle Boot ($40) and Insulated Food Bag ($20)

Because of the technical route we chose for our trip, it was easier and more time-efficient to pack cook-in-the-bag dehydrated meals rather than bulky ingredients (not to mention the minimal cooking space higher on the mountain). With a stove like the , which has a wind-blocking design and efficiently sips fuel, getting the water hot was no problem鈥攂ut once we added it to our food, we had to find a way to keep it warm while the food rehydrated (which takes extra time at altitude). The is a neoprene pouch that helps the cook-in bags, which are insulated with much milder climates and shorter cooking times in mind, retain heat while your chili mac rehydrates. A loop on top lets you hang the whole thing in the tent and keep it from tipping or getting crushed. The brand鈥檚听 is also a staple on Denali to prevent water from freezing. You鈥檒l still want to keep fluids in your backpack听on really cold days, but the neoprene sleeve keeps your water from turning to a block of ice.

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