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The Gear Blog: May 23rd

By Claire Maxted and Nicki Giles

Gear news

23 May 2008 10:16

New sleeping bags roundup

It’s all go in the world of sleeping bags this week. Three well-established outdoor brands – The North Face, Snugpak and Vango – are jostling for cash from women, summer walkers in Scotland, and cheapskates.

The North Face has revamped two of its wide-hipped, narrow-shouldered, shorter-in-length women’s bags. The 3-season synthetic (-7 deg C) Cat’s Meow and the 3-season down (-10 deg C) Blue Kazoo have both undergone a redesign to comply with the current European EN13537 standard for sleeping bag comfort ratings. They now use lighter-weight shell fabrics and Climashield Prism pads in compression zones such as the head, torso and feet to provide up to 13 per cent greater thermal efficiency, without any increase in bulk or weight. This is achieved by creating an insulating buffer between the sleeper and the ground. They also provide more insulation in common cold spots – the hood, hand-warmer pocket and footbox.

>> (01539) 738882; www.thenorthface.com

Snugpak has launched a range of tiny-pack-sized travel sleeping bags impregnated with stay-fresh-smelling antibacterial fabric. We think the most interesting bag in the range is the smallest, the 12x14cm Travelpak Lite (+7 deg C comfort rating), which now comes with an integral midgie net as a good-value £40 bag for summer camping in Scotland this summer.

>> (01535) 654479; www.snugpak.com

Vango’s student appeal will go through the roof with their new £10 (we repeat, £10!) 2-season Tundra for sleeping comfortably in temperatures of +8 deg C. However at 1500g it’s over twice the weight of the 700g Snugpak Travelpak Lite mentioned above.

>> (01475) 746000; www.amg-outdoor.co.uk

We got our hands on Petzl’s latest, brightest ever headtorch last week and took it to a dark Cairngorms bothy for a test against the next best in their range, the Myo XP.

The Ultra, out this August, boasts a 120m light that kicks out 350 lumens, which is four times brighter than the 85-lumen Myo XP. In a sneak preview of our First Test coming in the September issue of Trail, we can tell you that it lit up the bothy and the surrounding trees like a car headlamp, almost blinded the testers, and made the moon look like a candle.

However, with a hefty £260 price tag, a large lithium ion battery and a weight of 200g, does the average hill-walker really need a torch as bright as this? Check out the September issue (out 29 July) for all the details you need to make this decision.

>> (015396) 25493; www.lyon.co.uk

Nikwax launch mozzie repellent

One of the leading re-waterproofing brands, Nikwax, has launched a new range of natural, DEET-free bug repellent sprays, gels and sunscreens that will guard you from malaria- and yellow-fever-carrying mozzies. The SkitoStop Insect Repellent costs £6.99, and 2% from every sale goes to the World Land Trust, who work to protect the world’s tropical rainforests.

>> (01892) 786400; www.nikwax.co.uk

The Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme has given Vango’s camping equipment its official seal of approval.
Over 20 products in the outdoor manufacturer’s Mountain and Lightweight ranges, including tents, sleeping bags and rucksacks, were given the thumbs up after extensive field testing by Vango and the awards scheme itself. Sharon Aitken, marketing manager at Vango, said,“We are very pleased to receive official endorsement from The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. The skills and qualities the Award provides to young people are something which remain unrivalled, and something which Vango is very proud to be associated with.”

Vango’s products were chosen as they were deemed to be performance-led, easy to use and suitable for the variety of conditions encountered on expeditions. The Hurricane tent (£240-270) and the Fitzroy rucksack (£85-90) were among the products endorsed. 

>> (01475) 746000; www.vango.co.uk 

New Therm-a-Rests

This sleeping mat giant released a new range of products in March, but what’s new about it?

For a start, the Trail Pro has replaced last year's Trail Comfort model. It has the same 5cm thickness and insulating performance, but is 200g lighter due to the use a different foam and construction method, for virtually the same price of £69.99.

The new Trail mattress, £39.99, is aimed at the entry-level user wanting the Therm-a-Rest quality and warranty at a lower cost. It’s polyurethane-coated rather than being laminated inside a nylon or polyester fabric, which means it is resistant to traumatic damage and easily repairable, but more vulnerable to wear and tear than the traditional construction (in other words, the coat will eventually grind away).

Finally, the Comfort System allows any Therm-a-Rest mattress to be converted into a combination mattress with a snap-on top blanket, and is aimed at those who find traditional mummy-shaped bags too constricting and inflexible. The fitted sheet is £14.99 and the Tech Blanket £34.99; but, we have to ask, what’s wrong with a good old-fashioned body-shaped sleeping bags?

>> (01629) 580484; www.thermarest.com