Backpacker Magazine – June 2009

Sleep Easy: Find Your Perfect Gear

Whether you're looking to go ultralight or stay cool on a hot summer night, here's the gear that will help you sleep comfortably.

by: Grant Davis

Tags:
• Gear
|
• Sleeping bag
|
• Sleeping pad
|
• Tent
|

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TALL-GUY COMFORT: THE AUTHOR'S PICKS

Bag REI 25+ Radiant ($179; 25°F; 2 lbs. 5 oz.; rei.com)

Pad Big Agnes Dual Core (25"x 78"x2.5": $145; 3 lbs. 1 oz.; bigagnes.com)

Must-have Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow ($23; 9 oz.; thermarest.com)

ULTRALIGHT

Bag Montbell UL Spiral Downhugger #3 ($229; 30°F; 1 lb. 3 oz.; montbell.us) for three-season use; Feathered Friends Lark ($420; 10°F; 2 lbs. 5 oz.; featheredfriends.com) for cold climes

Pad Therm-a-Rest NeoAir, (20"x47" x 2.5": $120; 9 oz.)

Must-have Foam earplugs (try E-A-R brand; e-a-r.com) for those noisy shelter nights

Bargain

Bag Lafuma X950 Pro ($120; 30°F; 2 lbs. 2 oz.; lafumausa.com) for down lovers; REI Polar Pod ($89; 25°F; 3 lbs. 12 oz.) for fans of synthetic fill

Pad Big Agnes Air Core (20"x 48"x2.5": $45; 1 lb.) for comfort; Therm-a-Rest Ridge Rest (20"x 72"x.6": $25; 14 oz.) for rock-bottom price

Must-have Therm-a-Rest Trekker Pillowcase ($11; 2 oz.)

COLD WEATHER

Bag Mountain Hardwear's Banshee SL 0 ($500; 0°F; 3 lbs. 10 oz.; mountainhardwear.com) or Wraith SL ($610; -20°F; 4 lbs. 12 oz.)

Pad Pacific Outdoor Peak Oyl Aero Mountain (20"x 72"x1.5": $120; 27 oz.; pacoutdoor.com)

Must-have Integral Designs Hot Socks ($45; 4.5 oz.; integraldesigns.com), plus a leakproof hot-water bottle.
 

HOT WEATHER

Bag Cocoon Tropic Traveler-Silk ($140; 2 lbs.; cocoon.at)

Pad Pacific Outdoor Ether Compact 6 (20" x72"x2.5": $53; 20 oz.)

Must-have REI Bug Hut 1 tent ($39; 1 lb. 1 oz.)

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