Gossamer Gear Air Beam Sleeper

In the not too distant past, I raved about a very small cottage manufacturer of sleeping pads.  I won’t mention the company here, because unfortunately the owner/operator fell behind on his work and his solution was to keep taking orders (customer money) without providing a product.  His business is now defunct.

One of the products he offered was something that the industry hadn’t seen – an inflatable sleeping pad that tapered both vertically and in width and length.  It meant you could get a ton of cushioning and girth around your torso and have it taper down at the knees where padding, width and extra weight simply isn’t necessary.  By the time his business closed, he was adding synthetic insulation to it which made the pad into a 4-season option.  I had one of his prototypes and the valve simply never worked.  Other than the valve though, it was beautiful and was hands-down my favorite pad.  I returned it to him for a new valve and never saw the pad again.

Several years passed since then and I’m pleased to announce that Gossamer Gear has partnered with Klymit to offer the Gossamer Gear Air Beam Sleeper.  Like the prototype I miss so dearly, the Gossamer Gear Air Beam Sleeper also tapers both vertically and in width and length.  It comes in 4 sizes and ranges from 7.2oz to 13.80oz.  Pricing is $82 to $99.

 

·         XLARGE - 28" Wide tapering to 19"  X   56" Long  X  2.5" tapering to 1.5" in height

·         LARGE - 21" Wide tapering to 14.5"  X  56" Long  X  2.5" tapering to 1.5" in height

·         MEDIUM - 21" Wide tapering to 14.5"  X  48" Long  X  2.5" tapering to 1.5" in height

·         SMALL - 21" Wide tapering to 14.5"  X  36"  Long  X  2.5" tapering to 1.5" in height

While the Gossamer Gear Air Beam Sleeper is not insulated, it works just fine for 2-3 season use as-is, or a simple foam pad can be added for increased warmth.

Gossamer Gear includes a patch kit and extra valve with purchase.

One thing I really like about the Gossamer Gear Air Beam Sleeper is that it has tabs on the side for quilt users to be able to secure their quilt to the pad - a great feature for those of us in the lightweight backpacking community.

I like the Gossamer Gear Air Beam Sleeper quite a bit, but there are some drawbacks.  First, I’m not aware of a creative solution to blow it up without using my mouth which means it gains condensation fairly quickly.  Second, while it is refreshing that different sizes are offered, I’d like to see one that was considerably wider.  At 6’5” and 280 pounds, I wear a 54 wide jacket which means I’m very broad shouldered.  I figured the 28” wide XLARGE would suit me just fine, but it isn’t quite big enough as the pad loses measurable width when inflated.

Regardless, Gossamer Gear has introduced another great product and I truly hope it evolves into a padded and wider product that will stay on the market.

MLD / Klymit Pillow X (1.9oz/$30)

While I’m not sure the perfect backpacking pillow exists just yet, Mountain Laurel Designs teamed with Klymit to offer a very viable option in the form of MLD’s Pillow X.

 

Pillow X is a 1.9oz/$30 pillow that uniquely has an “X” chamber design which enables the users head to be cradled in a manner standard backpacking pillows simply can’t offer.  It valleys in the middle to also center the head and at 15”x11”x4”, the size isn’t too bad either.  Fabric is 30D on top and 75D on the bottom which offers assurances towards durability and the Klymit valve system is reliable.

 

I found that not blowing it up firm added to the comfort, and like a lot of other pillow options, coupling it with clothing and adding something fuzzy around it (i.e. fleece shirt) increased the comfort level tremendously.  Overall, I wouldn't mind if it were thicker.

 

The only drawback, MLD doesn’t offer a patch kit, although truthfully, it probably isn’t needed and most backpackers likely already carry one for their sleeping pad.

 

Ultralight...COT?

I think we'd all agree that sleeping on the ground isn't always fun (no need to chime in hammock campers). Air mattresses help, but are a bit clumsy, heavy, expensive, and prone to popping and maintenance. Ever thought about lugging around a cot? Probably not, well, unless you're car camping. Well, how about an "ultralight cot"?

LuxuryLite (www.luxurylite.com/cotindex.html) has been tweaking their cot design and got it down to a merely 2lbs 12 oz. That's actually less than some air mattresses. For a mere $220 of your hard earned dollars, they will be happy to send you their fairly inventive cot which packs up to be 16"x5". Made in Texas in the good ole USA, it is a full 24" wide (wider than most air mattresses) and 74" long (longer than most air mattresses) with no crossbars to get in the way. It's a simple engineering feat of stretching fabric over patented bows which creates the cot and gets you off the ground.

So if money is really burning a hole in your pocket and you don't mind the extra weight, get one! If you have a lot of extra money, feel free to get me one too.

Meet the Exped SynMat 7 UL - Rival to the NeoAir

In July 2010 at an Outdoor Show in Germany, Exped (http://www.exped.com/) revealed a sleeping pad which would easily compete with the famed NeoAir. Personally, I wasn't a big fan of the NeoAir for many reasons, but it does have a following. More correctly, people either love it or hate it and one could probably read between the lines a bit when it was announced that Thermarest was redesigning the NeoAir for the coming future.

The Exped SynMat 7 UL in an insulated sleeping mat which weighs just 16.57 ounces (470 grams) for a rectangular 72.04"x 19.68" (183x50cm) and an intriguing R-value of 3.5. Insulation is synthetic which is laminated to the top and bottom of the inner walls. This makes it significantly warmer than the NeoAir which is claimed to retain an R-value of 2.5 for nearly the same size and weight of 14 ounces.

Like the NeoAir, the Exped SynMat 7 UL packs down to the size of a half-liter water bottle and comes with a unique "flat-valve" system which enables the inflation and deflation valves to be separated and thereby is claimed to be easier to operate.

If you aren't a fan of lighter and cheaper (but more bulky) closed cell foam pads, and the NeoAir isn't in your gear closest for one reason or another, the Swiss Exped SynMat 7 UL might just be an answer for you...when they are put on the market. So when it that? Well, in north America it won't be until March. At that time, two sizes will be available (Small 64"x21" and Medium 72"x21"). There is discussion on a larger size which is believed to be 78"x20".

Ultralight Pillows

Sleeping in the backcountry can be a challenge without the right gear. Sleep system components must consider ground comfort, warmth, protection from elements (and possibly animals), and often something to cradle your head. Lightweight backpackers have been known to cut any pillow from their gear list and substitute a rolled up jacket, stuff sack, or even a flexible water bladder instead. Some find this comfortable and some don’t. If you’re looking for something a little more substantial which won’t add too many ounces, here are some to think about.

Lighter than those offered by Thermarest or off the shelf at Walmart, but one of the heavier lightweight pillows, is the Cocoon UL Air Pillow which is $19 / 13”x17” / 3.7oz and can be found at http://www.basegear.com/cocoon-ultralight-air-core-pillow.html. This is a very comfortable pillow, but it might be a little heavier than you’d like. Comfort is comfort though, and it might work for you.

A popular mainstream pillow is the Montbell UL Comfort Pillow which is $29.00 / 10.6”x18.5”x3.9” / 2.4oz and can be found at http://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?p_id=1124290. This is a very durable and long lasting solution. At 2.4 ounces, it is a fair weight for a lightweight pillow, but there are lighter options.

One new vendor which is fairly unknown is Kookabay. This is simply a guy who figured out how to bond materials to form pillows and sleeping pads and is slowly bringing them to market. In my view, he offers likely the lightest and most hearty solution for the weight. That means there are others which are less hearty and more prone to failure and others which are more hearty and unnecessarily heavy. Kookabay’s UL pillow is $30 / 12”x7.5”x3.5” / 1.3oz and can be found at http://kookabay.com/.

There are three pillows offered by BackpackingLight which are worth discussing. They are nothing but disposable hospital pillows and are sold in three packs for the simple reason that they will fail after a handful of uses. Out of those discussed here, these are also the only pillows made of lightweight plastic and don’t have a standard twistable valve. If you’re only using them for a very short period, other than rolling up a jacket or using a stuff sack, these are the lightest option. Quite honestly, they are fairly comfortable too. I’ve found adding a thin 1/4” to 1/8” CCF pad cut to size on top and stuffed into either a shirt or soft pillow case makes it very comfortable and remains lighter than any other option I’ve discussed. BPL pillows include the FlexAir Ultralight Pillow for $10 3-pack / 14.5”x10.5” / .56oz) at http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/flexair_ultralight_pillow.html, the FlexAir Dual Compartment Ultralight Pillow for $13 3-pack / 19”x12.5” / .98oz) at http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/flexair_dual_ultralight_pillow.html, and the FlexAir Plus Ultralight Pillow for $12 3-pack / 19”x12.5”/ .85oz at http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/flexair_plus_ultralight_pillow.html.

UPDATE (23 Feb 2012):
Regrettably, I can no longer recommend or support Kookabay.  In late 2011 and well into 2012, numerous customers came forward to say Kookabay (Ben Neubrander) had defrauded them.  Concerns included taking money for products never provided and providing products with bad valves which were returned for repair and were never repaired (or returned) or refunded.  I was one of those customers.  I attempted to contact Ben numerous times of the last 5 months and he simply did not respond.  Others experienced the same.  He eventually shut down his website and his PayPal account.  It was reported that he had gotten burned out, and just simply walked away without fulfilling his obligations.  Ben had a great product and was plenty fine to deal with when he chose to manage his company responsibly.  It's a shame he experienced some kind of personal hardship, but he did not handle it well.  Simple correspondence with his customers and extended timelines would have likely made everyone happy.  Instead, he just chose to cut and run.  I personally wish him the best and hope to see his products return somewhere, someday, somehow.

Stephenson's Warmlite

There’s always a lot of chatter during this time of year regarding ways to keep warm in the cooler months. Most of us know the standard methods which include camping below the treeline on soft ground duff, dressing in layers, stopping drafts, keeping your head covered, drinking something warm or eating spicy foods before going to bed, putting a hot water bottle in your sleep system, and of course getting a warmer sleeping bag or quilt and cozying up to a fire.

Another key method to stay warm is to ensure you have a solid sleeping pad capable of keeping the cold ground from sucking the warmth out of your body. Most people are familiar with r-value and throw it around as if they are pseudo scientists. Most can articulate that it is a measure of thermal resistance with the larger the number translating to the warmer you’ll be. What is missing, however, is the r-value that will keep YOU warm given whatever conditions you're in. Meaning, it is 1, 2, 3, 4? I’m not sure there is a definitive answer other than claims from those who are experienced, but either way many people like to lose sight over the reality that someone sleeping on snow could very well be plenty warm with a sleeping pad with an r-value far less than manufacturers are putting into their sleeping pads. The truth is, you really don’t know until you try. What the r-value tells us is what items are warmer than others and ultimately through thorough testing it tells you what value works for you. Keep in mind, r-value is relevant to clothing, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, and anything that will keep you warm.

There are a ton of websites that discuss the relevancy of warmth and ultimately how to achieve it, but my point today was not to address all of these things, but to very briefly mention a rarely discussed manufacturer known as Stephenson’s Warmlite (http://www.warmlite.com/).

All signs point to the fact that this business was started by hippies, or at the very least, nudists. Their lifestyle is inundated throughout their marketing. In addition to pictures that may or may not make you feel uneasy, information on their website, throughout their product guide, and within all distributed literature is a blob of overwhelming information and directions. If you’ve ever seen a large Dr. Bronner’s bottle of soap, you know what I mean. Aside from the unusual marketing, they offer outstanding products from tents, to sleeping bags, and yes, sleeping pads. In fact, their founder was a fairly well known intellectual who talked about r-value, vapor barriers, and the foolishness of crushing down in the 1970's, long before it became popular. Much like many others within the small lightweight backpacking community, their customer service is top notch.

Many have compared the efficacy of sleeping pads and you can find detailed comparative information reflecting r-value, size, cost, etc., on various blogs to include some earlier posts here. The reason I think it is important to mention Stephenson’s Warmlite is because they will make you an air mattress full of high quality down to whatever size you want. They also put extra down in the footbox, something I don't know of anyone else doing. If you’re comparing, for example, one of their stocked items is a 19 ounce Down Air Mattress (DAM) which is the same weight as the biggest NeoAir by Thermarest. If you didn’t care about pack size and were only interested in warmth, the Stephenson’s DAM is substantially warmer than the NeoAir…for the same weight. So while shopping for something to keep you warm in the form of a sleeping pad, don’t forget to take a look at a little know company that makes good high quality gear and offers customizations at your request. Can you stay equally warm with less weight – YES…but it depends on your personal comfort zone within the magical r-value conundrum. If carrying less is your goal, consider layering a 1/4" or 1/8" Gossamer Gear CCF with anything from a NeoAir, Backpackinglight Torsolight, or even a small (or customized) Thermarest Ridge Rest or Ridge Rest Deluxe and you'll be able to sleep quite well in cold temperatures and even snow. Regarding Stephenson's, take a look at their other stuff too, especially their tents as I think many of you would be surprised at their lightweight and very special 4-season designs.

Happy New Year's......A Night in the Cold

So, what did you do for New Years? Myself, I decided to sleep outside. I had planned on making a short trek to utilize the rare time away from work, but instead a doctor’s appointment for my 9-month pregnant wife ensured I needed to stay home to watch our other young son. Although I would have rather been exploring, this opportunity gave me time to test out some gear in my backyard.

The weather was a relatively calm and clear 15 degrees with only a light breeze here and there. Being that my backyard of nearly 6 acres backs up to a small lake, I can assume the air also had more humidity.

Generally speaking, before I do anything in sub-20 degree weather my first thought is to check my sanity. I mean seriously, isn’t there something intrinsically inhuman about being outside when the earth literally freezes? Course, as a backpacker who chooses to seek entertainment in these temperatures, I figured I had no choice but to test my gear to ensure it works as the last thing I need is to freeze off my generously over-proportioned fanny due to my own ignorance. To me, backpacking in the winter is great as it usually means I can see further into the tree line and the sounds of the forest are generally quite silent as most bears and their friends are at home watching the NFL playoffs on their plasmas. There are also fewer people, virtually no bugs, snakes are long gone, and a whole new world of beauty is revealed in the crisp air.

To most planning on a night outdoors in the cold, they likely would immediately attempt to find the warmest sleeping bag they own. For me, that would be a zero degree custom-made bag from Feathered Friends which includes the specialty waterproof and highly breathable fabric eVENT. Because my wife reads this blog, I’m omitting the price, but suffice to stay this was one of the most stupid and expensive purchases I ever made. The bag is beautiful and terribly warm. Each time I look at it I think how great it looks and admire its crisp lines. It is also very impracticable and totally useless for my needs and lately I’ve been wondering what to do with it other than perhaps frame it.

The reason my custom bag doesn’t make a lot of sense is because it is a bag instead of a quilt. Switching from a bag to a quilt and losing the mindset engrained in all backpackers is something I admit was hard to do. After all, I too was raised with sleeping bags, sleeping bags were all that is available in stores, and when it got cold, all I wanted to do was bundle up. As I’ve said before, the insulation on the bottom of a sleeping bag is worthless because once it is compressed it loses its loft (i.e. heat is trapped in the air of whatever fill is being used, and when the loft is gone, so is the heat), and thereby it becomes worthless weight. The quality of the sleeping pad serves as the bottom insulation and even a modest 1/8” – 3/4" closed cell foam pad does the job plenty well. Quilts also drape over the user, much like a blanket does at home, and allows greater mobility and air circulation when necessary. Without the bottom and without a zipper, it then saves you weight and saving weight should be a top priority to any backpacker. It took me to actually trying a quilt to understand that this theory isn’t just an overzealous lightweight backpackers myth – it’s wonderfully load lightening truth!

Many people post gear lists and I actually haven’t because I can’t figure out how to use all the various components of this blog site adequately enough. With that said, I figured I’d give a brief run-down on what I did to stay warm in 15 degree temperatures by posting what I used:

· SHELTER 8.4 oz - Gossamer Gear SpinnTwinn (http://www.gossamergear.com/cgi-bin/gossamergear/Spinn-Twinn.html) does not include titanium stakes
· QUILT 19 oz – Western Mountaineering Caribou Long MF (http://www.westernmountaineering.com/index.cfm?section=Products&page=Sleeping%20Bags&cat=Microfiber%20Series&viewpost=2&ContentId=23) used as a quilt
· BIVY 7.2 oz – BPL Vapr Quantum Bivy Sack Long http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/vapr_pertex_quantum_ultralight_bivy_sack_r.html
· SLEEP PAD #1 7.8oz – Gossamer Gear Nightlight 3/4" (http://www.gossamergear.com/cgi-bin/gossamergear/nightlight_3_quarter.html)
· SLEEP PAD #2 7.3 oz – Gossamer Gear Thinlight 1/4" (http://www.gossamergear.com/cgi-bin/gossamergear/thinlight.html)
· INSULATING JACKET 11.3 oz – XXL BPL Cocoon UL 60 Hoody (http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/cocoon_ul_60_hoody.html)
· INSULATING PANTS 8.4oz – XXL BPL Cocoon UL 60 Pants (http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/cocoon_ul_60_pant.html
· SKIN LAYER TOP 11.04 oz – XXL SmartWool Midweight Zip T-Shirt (http://www.backcountry.com/store/SWL0047/SmartWool-Midweight-Zip-T-Shirt-Long-Sleeve-Mens.html)
· SKIN LAYER BOTTOM 8.11 oz – XXL SmartWool NTS Midweight Bottom (http://www.backcountry.com/store/SWL0048/SmartWool-NTS-Midweight-Bottom-Mens.html)
· UNDERWEAR 3.80 oz – SmartWool NTS Midweight Brief (http://www.backcountry.com/store/SWL0022/SmartWool-NTS-Microweight-Boxer-Brief-Mens.html)
· SOCKS 3.20 oz – XL Darn Tough Ultralight Merino Wool Socks (http://www.darntough.com/onmountain-1409.html)
· HEADWEAR 3.49 oz – Fleece Balaclava (http://www.amazon.com/Balaclava-Fleece-Clench-Front-Black/dp/B000B74XW8/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1230920903&sr=8-3)

Now keep in mind, this includes my shelter, sleep system and all clothing worn. The clothing is also what I would use for lingering around camp and otherwise staying warm when not sleeping. It makes a lot of sense to integrate clothing carried into your sleep system to increase the effective useful temperature of your system as otherwise why carry dead weight if you aren’t going to utilize it throughout your adventure? Using this method, I could use a very lightweight 35 degree bag and still make it down into the teens without being cold in the slightest. Quite honestly, this system, on this night, where the sky was clear and there was very little wind, I was actually a little too warm most of the time and I could probably have actually gotten by just fine with one pad or without some of my clothing. In the same breath, I have used this system in the thirties on an unprotected 5,000 ft summit and my feet were slightly chilled which had a lot to do with wind, hydration, my socks, and the fact that I only had one pad. My point, each situation is different and little “tweaks” can make all the difference. I should point out that I used a sleeping bag as a quilt because I don’t otherwise own an actual quilt due to their expensive nature. As a big person (6’6” and roughly 270) most quilts are nearly dimensionally the same as this bag anyway as it is a pretty small bag which otherwise wouldn’t fit me if I tried to use it as a bag. I have my eye on a couple quilts by Nunatak USA, but they are a little too costly for me right now and my smaller and just as light Western Mountaineering bag was easy enough to modify (remove zipper and hood, install straps to go around pads, etc.) to serve as a quilt for nearly half the price. I should also mention that I tinker with most of my gear by removing things here and there that I don’t need which also brings down the weight (straps, tags, loops, zippers, hoods, laces, etc.). If I can’t purchase one of the Nunatak quilts, or if Jacks R Better’s offerings don’t float my boat, I’d sure like to find a seamstress who could tinker with my high dollar and quite useless Feathered Friends bag to make it suitable for use as a quilt.

By testing this system, I now know it works in these conditions and I have high hopes that it will be a solid option down the road. Testing gear is as important as planning food, distance, and picking equipment.

Lightweight Sleeping Systems (bags, quilts, pads, bivys, etc.)

One of my favorite backpacking topics is “sleeping systems”. To the inexperienced or uneducated, “system” may seem like a bit of a stretch to describe what most people assume to mean merely a sleeping bag. The reality is, there are better (warmer and lighter) options than just a sleeping bag and this is one of those issues you have to try to believe as many people simply cannot fathom “less” being “more”. Cold weather also seems to be a very quick way to evaluate whether going lightweight was a smart idea because getting cold not only can be devoid of fun, but it can also be life threatening. Lightweight backpacking requires an educated consumer who is willing to make smart choices based on their experience and environment.

A sleeping bag is a plenty decent option when sleeping in the wilderness. Unfortunately, it isn’t a terribly efficient system. First off, the mere pressure of your body on the bottom portion of your sleeping bag does nothing but compress whatever insulation you are using to keep you warm. Being that warmth comes from loft, whether it is down, synthetic, pine needles, or whatever, no loft equals no warmth no matter what it is. With that said, and you guessed it, the bottom part of your bag serves pretty much no function other than dead weight – so why carry it. Sleeping bags are also constrictive and no doubt users have been known to fight all night with a zipper to be comfortable. Lastly, sleeping bags often trap dampness, both inside the bag from the user and outside the bag from the environment. If the bag gets wet, the loft may be degraded. If the loft is degraded, so will its ability to keep you warm. Simply put, a sleeping bag is an option, just not necessarily the best one.

A quilt is an excellent replacement for a bag and ensures you have only what you need to stay warm. Without the unnecessary weight of the bottom portion of your sleeping bag, by default you just lightened your load. By definition, and much like your bed at home, a quilt is designed to lie on top of you instead of going completely around you. When fit properly, it drapes around your sides which traps warm air just like the bundling effect of a sleeping bag. Most backpacking quilts also offer a footbox to keep your feet in place and help keep you warm. Insulation choices range from down to synthetic with synthetic winning out in wetter climates and down tending to be warmer and lighter overall.

Several manufacturers make very good quilts which are also very lightweight. These include Nunatak (http://www.nunatakusa.com/), Jacks R Better (http://www.jacksrbetter.com/), Backpacking Light (http://www.backpackinglight.com/), Feathered Friends (http://www.featheredfriends.com/) and others. If you really like the bundling effect of a sleeping bag, try the Sleeplight offered by Gossamer Gear (http://www.gossamergear.com/cgi-bin/gossamergear/sleeplight.html) which is essentially a sleeping bag without insulation on the bottom. Being a person much taller and wider than others, I decided to go with the Caribou sleeping bag from Western Mountaineering (http://www.westernmountaineering.com/) which is just slightly bigger than the other quilt options listed above, but in some cases, it is lighter. The zipper was removed, saving some ounces, and two elastic straps were sewn on to cinch it to my sleeping pad. It functions extremely well in cold weather as I intended - as a quilt.

I should mention some people use a 3/4 length bag or quilt especially if they have warm upper layers as it further reduces unnecessary pack weight.

The next part of the sleeping system is a good ground pad to take out floor bumps and to provide insulation from the cold ground. Many people seem to think they need expensive inflatable pads and mattresses to be the most comfortable. The reality is, an inexpensive foam pad has a higher “R – value” (measure of thermal resistance), than most fancy and expensive options. Personally, I find foam pads to be a little more comfortable too as they don’t sit up so high and I don’t feel like I’m trying to sleep on a rubber raft. Because they are lightweight and fairly easy to carry, many people use them as a backpack frame of sorts by placing them inside their otherwise frameless or internal frame backpacks. Some manufacturers are putting things such as down feathers or special gels which have low freezing points in their pads. There is some debate as to whether these methods work, but not of any debate is the fact that these options are always more costly and heavier than a simple foam pad.

When picking a pad, pick one which is about the size of your torso. This may seem counterintuitive, but the reality is your legs don’t contact the ground in the same manner as the rest of your body and they also don't get cold as easily. Without a full length pad, you can save valuable weight. I’ve also found using my pack under my legs accomplishes the same task and uses something that would have otherwise just been lying around. Part of being successful at lightweight backpacking is using all your resources to their fullest extent. Gossamer Gear is one manufacturers who maintains several options for foam pads http://www.gossamergear.com/cgi-bin/gossamergear/pad_matrix.html.

The last part of the sleep system is a bivy made of a waterproof bottom (such as SilNylon) and breathable and water resistant top (such as Pertex). The bivy will help bundle you like a sleeping bag, but it will also allow you greater movement as it is cut larger than a standard sleeping bag which works perfectly for active quilt sleepers. It will also ensure your quilt doesn’t get wet which allows your loft to stay intact and that your body condensation can escape through the breathable fabric. Backpacking Light (http://www.backpackinglight.com/) offers some of the lightest bivys. Some manufacturers, such as Integral Designs (http://www.integraldesigns.com/) offers bivys made of eVENT fabric which allow the user to forgo the need for a conventional shelter and instead stay warm and dry sleeping under the stars.

I’ve used my system in below freezing temperatures and the entire system weighs far less than most sleeping bags and offers me much more comfort and flexiblity. I was personally shocked to find out that with merely a base layer of merino wool that I needed no other warming layers despite the cold temperatures. It is also worth noting that the choice of your sleeping system and its warmth rating should not go overboard because users should consider any clothing items carried as part of the system. For example, a sleeping system doesn't necessarily need to be improved if the user is cold at 30 degrees but can be plenty warm by adding a jacket buried in their back. Lightweight backpackers need to utilize all their resources as otherwise carrying something rarely used serves little greater purpose than dead weight. Much like an empty backpack can be used as a sleeping pad for your legs, a jacket can be used while sleeping and socks make excellent gloves in a pinch.