NEMO Equipment, Inc. Strato Loft 25
Perfect for car camping and shorter hikes, the NEMO Strato Loft 25 provides the best in roomy backcountry comfort.
Brand: NEMO Equipment, Inc.
Model: Strato Loft 25
[roomiest]
Car campers who occasionally log backcountry nights found their ideal nest with the Strato Loft. Its rectangular cut and generous dimensions (girth is a full 76 inches at the shoulders) let campers thrash, lounge, and even sit up inside the bag, thanks to zippers on both sides. The extra-long top doubles over in a neck-cuddling “blanket fold,” and a stretchy sleeve on the underside secures a 25-inch-wide pad. “Like sleeping at home,” says one tester, who snoozed in blissful comfort in Wyoming’s Curt Gowdy State Park.
Waterproof/breathable fabric on the footbox protected the 700-fill, DownTek-treated duck down from puddles that had collected on the floor of one tester’s camper van. The DWR-treated, 40-denier shell is more durable than most: Stored alongside mountain bikes and dragged across parking-lot asphalt, it emerged unscathed. Two interior ditty pockets hold a lip balm and a pack of tissues. While not ultralight, the Strato isn’t too heavy for backpacking. “It packs to toaster-oven size, and seems a reasonable burden given the comfort,” one hiker says. But the extra room makes it chilly on nights approaching 30°F, when our tester struggled to heat it and concluded, “It’s best for warm sleepers or mild, 40°F conditions.” $370; 3 lbs. 1 oz.; 25°F; nemoequipment.com
Less packing, more doing. Strato Loft is a grab-and-go bed for overnights on the trail, your aunts living room floor or your 72 EuroVan. Designed to mate with our Cosmo series sleeping pads, the Strato Loft has a roomy rectangular cut (4 wider than our Spoon Series bags) and stretch stitching for plenty of room to move. Dual side zips allow you to sit up easily or link 2 Stratos together. When you wake up in the morning, roll up the bag with the pad inside and store it packed for your next outing. The lightest bed youll ever own.