Sea to Summit Ascent AcII $399
We’ve seen the trend in jackets and tents, and now it’s come for sleeping bags: weight savings, warmth, and comfort are no longer at odds. Sea to Summit loaded its Ascent AcII with niceties, like an oversize shape that accommodates all sleeping positions and three zippered openings— full-length on one side, half-length on the other, plus a slit around the footbox—to regulate temperature. It boasts 19.4 ounces of 750-fill down, with a mix of vertical and horizontal baffles that keep the insulation in place and prevent cold spots, and a large draft collar to lock in heat. The result is a no-compromise sleeping bag that weighs just 2.4 pounds. “It’s much roomier than most light bags, but still toasty warm,” said one tester. On a backpacking trip in British Columbia’s Chilcotin, we found it true to the 15-degree temperature rating, but the easy venting system meant we slept great at 60 degrees. That’s an impressive range, especially for such a feathery bag. Sure, there are cozier options. But we have yet to find a worthier bag for three-season use. 2.4 lbs
BEST IN SUMMER
Mammut Relax Down bag $320
This story is from the Summer Buyers' Guide 2020 edition of Outside Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Summer Buyers' Guide 2020 edition of Outside Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
#she hunts
A new school of social-media influencers are giving hunting a fresh and decidedly female face. Food writer RACHEL LEVIN joins two rising stars of“Instagram” in the Arizona backcountry to chase mule deer for her first photographs by Jen Judgetime. Can she stomach what it takes to be an omnivore?
Breaking the Waves
What has life under lockdown taught the greatest surfer on earth? That switching it up was exactly what he needed.
Wellness That Endures
Strategies and tips to help you get through anything
The New Reality
AFTER A NEARLY TWO-DECADE HIATUS, ECO-CHALLENGE MAKES A COMEBACK ON AMAZON PRIME AT JUST THE RIGHT MOMENT
Out There, Nobody Can Hear You Scream
Two years ago, LATRIA GRAHAM wrote about the challenges of being Black in the outdoors, and countless readers asked her for advice. She didn’t write back, because she had no idea what to say. In the aftermath of a revolutionary summer, she responds.
Mr.Freeze
Wim Hof became famous for submerging himself in frigid water with the calm of a Zen master, and his teachings about breathwork and the health benefits of cold plunges have attracted millions of followers. Our writer traveled to Iceland to chill with the man who made cold extremely hot.
Life Is a Highway
TOOLS TO HELP YOU SAVOR THE JOURNEY
Enter Sandman
SLUMBER WELL IN CAMP, NO MATTER HOW FAR OFF THE BEATEN PATH YOU PARK
All Together Now
MARINE BIOLOGIST AYANA ELIZABETH JOHNSON BECAME A STAR IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT BY DEFTLY COMMUNICATING WHAT FEW PEOPLE UNDERSTAND: THAT CLEANING UP THE PLANET REQUIRES A COMMITMENT TO SOCIAL JUSTICE
In It for the Long Haul
GEAR THAT STANDS THE TEST OF TIME
