Fifth prototype sleeping bag completed.

We're happy to announce that the fifth prototype for our North Rim sleeping bag series is complete.
In this latest design, we've enhanced the signature features and versatility of the North Rim series to create a bag that is useful in a wide range of temperatures but maintains the light weight and low bulk that keep it in step with long-distance backpacking ethos.
    The bag is still being tested in Yosemite National Park and on the Pacific Crest Trail, but preliminary data suggest that it will be comfortable to 30°F. It weighs just 23.5 oz. (1 lb. 7.5 oz., or 667 g). The insulation in the sleeping bag is PrimaLoft One, and the lightweight 1.1-oz. ripstop nylon is water repellent and durable.

Many of the problems with our earlier prototypes were resolved during the engineering and construction of this fifth prototype, and the quality of the sewing has also improved.

We're proud to state that our bags are made right here in the USA, and we intend to keep it that way. We hope that our commitment to our country and communities is evident in all of our products — we prioritize people over profits and avoid animal products.

Features of the North Rim series of sleeping bags.

Side sleeper friendly
The sleeping bags in the North Rim series do not sacrifice comfort to save weight. One of the key feature is a slightly wider cut that accommodates side sleepers and those who enjoy a one-knee-up sleeping position.
Careful drape considerations and bag shaping reduce large air pockets, and a differential design – the inner liner is smaller than the insulating layer – prevents insulation compression by users from within the bag, even when they are pushing outward against the bag itself.

Bottomless construction
North Rim sleeping bags have no insulation on the bottom. Insulation on the bottom of a sleeping bag largely rendered useless because the sleeper compresses it, so it contributes little to warmth but adds to overall weight and bulk of the stuffed bag. The bottom of the fifth prototype bag is approximately 22 in. wide, so eliminating this insulation shaves off about 20% of the weight and bulk of the bag.

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Quick-release sleeping pad straps
Attaching this Ardeth North Rim sleeping bag to a sleeping pad is easy with the built-in quick-release straps on the bottom of the bag. Users need only adjust the straps to their sleeping pads when they receive the bag or on the first time they use the bag. Once adjusted, straps can be quickly clipped and unclipped using the the miniature buckles to get the bag set up for use. 

Body-conforming materials
North Rim sleeping bags contain PrimaLoft One insulation. Although expensive and difficult to work with, this insulation has excellent drape, conforming more closely to the body most insulations. This characteristic results is smaller and fewer heat-draining dead-air pockets.

Cargo neck baffle
The North Rim sleeping bag's generous insulating neck baffle features pockets for storing nighttime essentials. This cargo neck baffle ensures that sleepers will feel snug in the bag on chilly mountain trips.

Double zipper
Our North Rim sleeping bags have a 56-in. main zipper as well as a second, 12-in. zipper on the other side. The main zipper can be used to attach two sleeping bags, and the second zipper expands the useful temperature range of the sleeping bag by allowing a sleeper to fold down the top of the bag to adjust the level of warmth. This second zipper also helps the bag accommodate front-sleepers. The added weight of the second zipper? Just 0.6 oz.

Gear ties
Minimalist and lightweight backpackers make the most of all of their gear rather than carrying extras. We've found laying jackets or clothing on top of our bags can provide warmth and further expand the comfort range of a lightweight sleeping bag or stave off the cold of an unexpectedly cold night. Keeping those impromptu insulators in place is made easy on North Rim sleeping bags by tiny fabric gear ties designed for use with lightweight mini-carabiners or other means of attachment. Instead of carrying extra nighttime gear, backpackers can make full use of their basic gear with this convenient and innovative design feature.

Additional design features include neutral external colors that reduce possible visual pollution and conspicuous interior colors that may assist you if you do need to be found. Hang loops on the four corners of North Rim sleeping bags – both inside and out – make drying the bag easy in the backcountry and in the laundry room. The sleeping bag hood had a shock cord to adjust the size of the the face opening, and the footbox that mimics shapes and dimensions of the feet during sleep. Production and testing of this prototype continues, and we expect to have this bag ready for sale by mid-summer 2012.

-Jason

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