Eagles Nest Outfitters Ignitor Topquilt

[best loft]

For just over a pound in the pack, this premium-down bag kept testers warm into the mid-30s. “It puffed up like cotton candy as soon as I yanked it from the stuffsack,” reports one tester, who slept tentless in Arizona’s Havasu Canyon to enjoy the desert sky—and saw no dip in the Hightail’s loft due to nighttime dew. Credit plenty of 850-fill down and a shell made with Pertex Endurance fabric (on the footbox, hood, and collar), which lets interior moisture escape but repels rain, snow, and wind.

On a chilly fall night in Colorado’s Flat Tops Wilderness, the Hightail also shed heavy condensation that collected inside the tent. The hood’s generous cut covered most of our tester’s face when fully cinched. Other dimensions are roomy, too: The 64-inch shoulder girth amply accommodates big guys and restless sleepers, and the spacious footbox kept testers from feeling hog-tied. The two-way zipper allows for easy foot venting. But cold spots along the box baffles’ horizontal seams chilled testers at 35°F, and the draft tube catches in the zipper without careful two-handed operation. $349; 1 lb. 4 oz.; 35°F; thenorthface.com

The Ignitor Topquilt is designed to accompany hammock campers providing a warm layer on top of them and their hammock. The Ignitor has a triangular shape (when used) to make getting in and out of the hammock a snap. The topquilt has a DWR Ripstop nylon shell to resist moisture and a smooth nylon taffeta liner inner shell. An added bonus is the convertible footbox that can be used open like a blanket or can close up to the knee for additional warmth.