Every year, I like to recognize the piece of new gear that has had the greatest influence on my enjoyment of backpacking. This year’s winner is the Therm-a-Rest Alpine 35 Blanket (click for my review), a down quilt which I started using this May and have used on almost every overnight trip since. Last year I [...]
te-wa Underquilts – An Interview with Mike Stivers
When did you start your company and how did you get into the business of making ultralight quilts for hammocks? I was trying overnight hammocking (or “hanging” as it is commonly called) for the first time, and made a rookie mistake of using just a sleeping bag, thinking the bottom would provide insulation. Needless to [...]
Sleeping Pad R Values
Measuring Insulation If you’re a home owner, you are probably familiar with the concept of an R-Value. If not, it’s a measure used in the building and construction industry to rate the thermal resistance of building insulation under specific test conditions. The higher the R value, the more effective it is. R value performance testing is [...]
Down Fill Power Ratings: The Low Down on Goose Down
If you are on the market to purchase a new sleeping bag, quilt, or a down filled parka, it’s helpful to understand why high fill goose down is better than lower quality goose down. But first, it’s helpful to understand why goose down is such an effective cold weather insulator. Goose Down Ratings Goose down [...]
Reader Poll: Hydrophobic Down Sleeping Bags and Jackets
In the past year, Sierra Designs, Kelty, Marmot, Columbia, Brooks Range Mountaineering, Berghaus, Big Agnes, NEMO, L.L. Bean, Mountain Hardware, Sea-to-Summit, Eastern Mountain Sports all announced that they were going to start making hydophobic (water-resistant) goose down sleeping bags and jackets. Citing the following benefits, the two leading goose down treatments – DriDown and DownTek [...]
Therm-a-Rest Haven Sleeping Bag
The Therm-a-Rest Haven is a special type of sleeping bag that doesn’t have any back insulation. Called a Top Bag, all of the insulation in the Haven is located on top of your body and along the sides, because insulation and fabric you lie on can’t retain warm air and is just dead weight. Designed to be [...]
Sierra Designs Cloud 15 Down Sleeping Bag
Last summer, Sierra Designs introduced a new ultralight, 900 fill goose down, mummy style sleeping bag called the Cloud 15. Available in one color, a retro-looking cloud white, it weighs just 1 pound 12.3 ounces in the 78″ regular length, making it one of the lightest 15 degree bags available today. I’d never associated Sierra Designs with ultralight [...]
Therm-a-Rest Alpine 35 Down Blanket
Last summer I was on the fence about switching from a sleeping bag to a quilt (see The Tentative Quilter), but I’ve been camping with a Therm-a-Rest Alpine Down Blanket (35F) this spring and I’m now a convert. As a side sleeper, I’ve spent years trying to get used to sleeping on my back, the [...]
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