Gear Spotlight: Sierra Designs Backcountry Bed
Posted on August 12, 2013 by
Xploritall attended the Outdoor Retailer Summer Show to check out outdoor, lifestyle, and travel products to be released in the upcoming Fall and Spring seasons. We'll be covering some of the more interesting things we saw at the show. Once we receive products to demo and get a chance to test them out, we'll be reviewing them as well.
Sierra Designs are undergoing a revamp of their entire brand for the Spring 2014 season. While they were at it, they also sought to re-imagine the popular mummy style sleeping bag, which they saw as deficient. “The mummy bag has been the go-to design for backpackers for years, but it is really a flawed design. It doesn’t know if it wants to work as a bed or a garment. Plus the side zipper and all the toggles and Velcro are just a hassle,” says Michael Glavin, VP and Brand Manager for Sierra Designs. To address the perceived flaws of current mummy bags, Sierra Designs came up with three different approaches - one bag that functions more as a bed, one as a garment, and one geared toward the weight-sensitive ultralight camper.
As the name suggests, the "Backcountry Bed" is meant to perform as the camping equivalent of a real bed. In a traditional mummy bag, it is difficult to impossible to be able to turn while sleeping without the bag moving with you. The Backcountry Bed is built more like a sleeve with a rounded opening, and an oversized, integrated comforter. The comforter can be tucked in on cold nights, or un-tucked when it's warmer. So, you're free to roll around comfortably from your back, side, or even stomach. An integrated sleeping pad sleeve keeps your sleeping pad in place. This design removes another hassle with sleeping bags - fumbling to open or close zippers and/or velcro fasteners. There are none! The Backcountry Bed will be available in 2-season (30°) and 3-season (15°) versions, with 600 or 800 fill DriDown™ insulation.
Available from:
Sierra Designs are undergoing a revamp of their entire brand for the Spring 2014 season. While they were at it, they also sought to re-imagine the popular mummy style sleeping bag, which they saw as deficient. “The mummy bag has been the go-to design for backpackers for years, but it is really a flawed design. It doesn’t know if it wants to work as a bed or a garment. Plus the side zipper and all the toggles and Velcro are just a hassle,” says Michael Glavin, VP and Brand Manager for Sierra Designs. To address the perceived flaws of current mummy bags, Sierra Designs came up with three different approaches - one bag that functions more as a bed, one as a garment, and one geared toward the weight-sensitive ultralight camper.
As the name suggests, the "Backcountry Bed" is meant to perform as the camping equivalent of a real bed. In a traditional mummy bag, it is difficult to impossible to be able to turn while sleeping without the bag moving with you. The Backcountry Bed is built more like a sleeve with a rounded opening, and an oversized, integrated comforter. The comforter can be tucked in on cold nights, or un-tucked when it's warmer. So, you're free to roll around comfortably from your back, side, or even stomach. An integrated sleeping pad sleeve keeps your sleeping pad in place. This design removes another hassle with sleeping bags - fumbling to open or close zippers and/or velcro fasteners. There are none! The Backcountry Bed will be available in 2-season (30°) and 3-season (15°) versions, with 600 or 800 fill DriDown™ insulation.
Available from:
