Backpacker Magazine – Gear Guide 2012

Gear Guide 2012: Rab Genesis 3 Sleeping Bag

This eco-friendly, synthetic sack offers comfort and sustainability.

by: Will Rochfort

Tags:
• Gear
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• Sleeping bags
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[eco-friendly]

This British company has created a synthetic sack that advances green sleeping bag design to a new level of sustainability. Every component of the Genesis is optimized for eco-friendliness. The Eco 3D short-staple insulation is made from 100-percent-recycled polyester, and it’s arranged in an overlapping shingle design to prevent cold spots. The Pertex Classic Eco shell fabric, threads, labels, Velcro, and stuffsack are also made of recycled polyester, and even the plastic components (like the drawcord toggles) all come from Bluesign-approved* sources.

The eco-friendly approach doesn’t compromise warmth, say our testers, but it does boost weight and bulk, making this a comfort-oriented pick for car- and boat-camping. “I’m a big fan of the cut,” says one 6-foot, 175-pound tester who used the Genesis in the Laguna Mountains near San Diego. “The extra roominess around the torso and in the footbox is great for rolling around or stuffing in extra clothes (or fuel on cold nights), but I never felt like it was so spacious that I had trouble heating it up.” The roomy hood easily fit a standard backpacking pillow, yet testers could still cinch it down effectively. The three-quarter-length zipper ran smoothly thanks to effective anti-snag zipper tape. Tip: BYO compression sack. The Genesis is bulky (17 x 10 inches) when packed in its included (noncompression) stuffsack. $160; 4 lbs. 2 oz.; 19°F; us.rab.uk.com

*BLUESIGN-APPROVED This independent assessment agency evaluates (among other things) the sustainability and harmfulness of materials and manufacturing.

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