Nothing is worse than being on the road and not getting a good nights sleep. Since we are going to be traveling for a year, I spent a lot of time researching sleeping gear and this is what we've purchased.
Sleeping Bags
Amanda and I both choose identical sleeping bags. I've got one with a zipper on the left side and her's is on the right side, this way the bags can be zipped together. We decided to go with Montbell's Super Spiral Hugger #3 Down Bag. These bags are made with 650 fill goose down which packs up super small and is very light. The bags have a unique spiral construction made with elastic threads to that the bags will stretch and move with you. The fact that the bags have an elastic property means you stay warmer because they fit snuggly against you, but with out making you feel like a real mummy. The bags also have a DWR (durable water repelant coating) that helps prevent moisture from getting into the down. The other awesome feature of these bags is that they can be compressed down to the size of a Nalgene bottle! Of course we tried ours on a cold Michigan night soon after we got them and I stayed nice and toasty.
Sleeping Pads
This was probably one of the most crucial gear purchases we made. These sleeping pads will be our bed for a year. I don't know how many of you have slept on hard rocky ground, but it usually doesn't lead to a fantastic morning. We have several differen't kinds of sleeping pads in our camping arsenel but nothing that really provided a great nights sleep. Another reason sleeping pads are crucial is that they will help keep you warmer as you sleep. We went with the Big Agnes Insulated Air Core because they are uber light, and like the sleeping pags, pack down to the size of a Nalgene. When inflated they 2.5 inches of comfort. The pads are also insulated to help provide warmth on those chili nights.
Backpacking Hammocks
A big thanks goes out to our good friend Ryan Ricketts to turning us one of my favorite pieces of gear. These Eagles Nest Outfitter Hammocks are made from parachute material and can hold up to 400 lbs and can be setup anywhere that two objects are less than 110 ft apart. They have two straps with loops in them that you connect to the hammock and then wrap around the tree/post or whatever you can find. These pack up to the size of a softball and provlide the ultra sleeping experience. Nothing beats being rocked to sleep. These hammocks are so durable that they also double as a means for just lounging around or if you can find a horizontal branch can be made into a hammock chair! Our hammocks should be here today, which means we might be having a little campout in the backyard tonight.
This concludes my blogs about our sleeping bags, sleeping pads, and hammocks. Next up will be random piecies of gear, such as stuff sacks, and netbook. Any comments or suggestions on your favorite gear would be greatly appreciated!
