Backyard Gear Testing

As our family tries to squeeze the most out of the last days summer vacation, our son is trying to find and build the perfect campsite in the woods around our house.  His first attempt was a small teepee made of sticks, leaves and pine needles built on a steep hillside.  Despite my attempts to reason with him that this wouldn't work, he won me over with his enthusiasm.  I was sure he'd see the light when we couldn't get our sleeping pads inside, but we managed by overlapping them and letting out feet stick out the back!  Even when I didn't move I constantly felt my sleeping bag sliding off my pad down the hill.  If the experience hadn't been so "awesome" for him, it would have been one of my worst night's sleep ever even if I hadn't awakened with a slug on me!
So when the tent went up two days later in a semi-flat clearing, I was almost eager to join him and test some gear.  My wife picked up an Exped Downmat which seemed like the perfect extravagance to lure me out of my comfy bed.  The only hitch was that it's too wide to fit in the sleeve of my Big Agnes Heart Mountain 30 degree superlight sleeping bag.  Never-the-less the 800 fill down bag felt like a bit much for this outing.  So out came my old Sierra Designs synthetic mummy bag. 

But when I started overheating all bound up in the mummy bag I decided to fetch the Big Agnes bag.  Much roomier and more comfortable, this would also give me a chance to see how the Big Agnes sleep system feels without a pad inserted in the sleeve.  Not only did the bag's un-insulated side expose me to the cold when I rolled over, but I spent considerable energy sliding back up my pad all night as the ground's slight incline was less than ideal.  (My son ended up curled up in a ball in the bottom corner of the tent in the morning; very cute but shivering cold.)   Conclusion: a proper fitting pad is recommended to go with your Big Agnes sleeping bag for a reason. 

It's hard to knock the Downmat, but my right side was sore from my rough night 48 hours earlier. When my side lodged in the deep trough of the Downmat's vertical baffles I was feeling it in a way I wouldn't have a pad with horizontal baffles like the Nemo Astro Air pad.  Then in the middle of the night I felt the urge to let out a little air but there was a fat plug instead of a screw valve which would have let me make micro-adjustments.  What the Downmat did better than I needed was keep me warm.  While not recommended for a cool summer night, later in the fall this might be just the right go-to sleeping pad.  Conclusion: a comfortable night's sleep can be found by using sleeping bags and pads with a temperature rating matching conditions.  Yes dear, I do need that new 45 degree summer sleeping bag. 

Big Agnes: Would You Like a Bag?

In life we have choices; summit or vista, lead or follow, wake up or stay in toasty sleeping bag? Another choice to make, related to toasty sleeping bags, is whether to get a down sleeping bag or synthetic sleeping bag. For years down was the go-to, 'cuz hey- feathers keep birds warm. But research and development have led to advancements in the quality of synthetic sleeping bags. There are a few trade-offs but in my book synthetics are the way to go.

Down's one major upside is less weight, but there is a vital drawback. Not to be a 'downer' but wet feathers don't keep you warm, only dry ones.

Synthetic sleeping bags do have the insulating properties to still capture and contain heat when wet. You will also save money when you buy a synthetic sleeping bag, and the weight issue has improved substantially.

Two Big Agnes summer sleeping bags, the Gun Creek (30 degrees) and Cross Mountain (45 degrees) bags, use A-Shingo construction to save weight and keep you warmer. Envision how shingles on a roof are aligned. All of the space between each 'shingle' creates more trapped air, which maximizes heat containment by eliminate gapping. And the "Integrity" insulation within the bags comes from 97% recycled materials. It is by far the lightest and warmest synthetic insulation that Big Agnes offers.

Both the Gun Creek and the Cross Mountain have pad sleeves which fit a 20" wide sleeping pad, eliminating the risk of a roll off. They're also both constructed with breathable nylon and finished with a stain and water resistant coating. The warmer of the two, the Big Agnes Gunn Creek has a no-draft collar to prevent air from sneaking in near your head, a no-draft zipper tube and a no-draft wedge between the bag and pad sleeve. The Big Agnes Cross Mountain, for down to 45 degrees, has a pillow pocket for a fleece or a Big Agnes pillow. The Gunn Creek at 2 pounds 13 oz, and the Cross Mountain at 1 pound 11 oz, are both cozy, dream inducive and capable to keep you warm if even if the bag becomes wet- a potentially life-saving parameter.
Cross Mountain Gunn Creek

Give the Gift of Warmth

Give a Big Agnes Sleeping Bag to your loved one(s). High quality down, lightweight fabrics, innovative sleep system = GREAT REVIEWS.

On this THIRD DAY OF THE REMAINING 12 SHIPPING DAYS 'TIL XMAS we suggest you check out the last THREE DAYS of our BIG AGNES SALE.

Big Agnes' King Solomon two-person sleeping bag was one of last year's top gifts given by CCOutdoorStore.com customers. High grade 600 fill down keeps you warm down to 15 degrees Fahrenheit. A synthetic version of this double-wide bag called the Cabin Creek sleeping bag is also available.

Big Agnes Summer Sale

Get 'em before its Gone! Summer is fading fast...but it's not too late to pick up a great deal on a Big Agnes Tent or Big Agnes Sleeping Bag. Featuring Big Agnes four person tents like the Fly Creek UL4, Copper Spur UL4, and the Flying Diamond 4 our sale can get you as much as 20% OFF. Find out for yourself why Big Agnes Tents have redefined the concept of lightweight backpacking tents in the last decade. (And won so many awards, including this year's Outside Gear of the Year.)

All summer Big Agnes sleeping bags are on sale at up to 20% off. So whether you're looking for a new down sleeping bag or a synthetic one you'll find some great options. And check out Big Agnes' new Cabin Creek 30 degree two person sleeping bag; you won't believe how lightweight and compact this double sleeping bag is. Look no further for the perfect wedding gift!

Get what you need today for your next backpacking trip or your family's final summer camping trip.