As we detailed in an earlier article about backcountry tents, Nemo Equipment specializes in lightweight and durable gear for extreme conditions. Here, we showcase four sleeping bags and three pads that will ensure solid sleep no matter where the hunt leads you.
Sleeping Bags
A good, versatile sleeping bag goes a long way in the backcountry. The most important factor in selecting a sleeping bag is temperature rating. However, it’s not the only factor to consider. Nemo offers a wide variety of sleeping bag designs, shapes, weights and temperature ratings. Here are four in the Nemo lineup.
Men’s Riff and Women’s Jam
The Riff and Jam sleeping bags lend themselves to the side sleepers of the world. Their unique Spoon shape ensures sleepers have enough room to roll around without restriction, but not too much, to where they are compromising warmth. Another innovative feature of these sleeping bags are their Thermo Gills, which allows the user to vent body heat. Additionally, the Riff and Jam incorporate a waterproof footbox designed the feet warm and dry. The Riff and Jam include both a compression sack, as well as a cotton storage sack.
Riff Specs
- CAPACITY: 1
- SHAPE: Spoon
- MINIMUM WEIGHT: 2 lb, 9 oz
- PACKED SIZE: 17.5 x 9 in
- TEMP RATING: 15F
- FILL TYPE: Down
- FILL WEIGHT: 1 lb, 5 oz
- FITS UP TO: 6’
- SHOULDER GIRTH: 64 in
- HIP GIRTH: 60 in
- KNEE GIRTH: 64 in
- COMPRESSED VOLUME: 6.2 L
- MSRP: $399.95
- The Riff is also available as a 30-degree bag; both bags are available in regular and long lengths.
Jam Specs
- CAPACITY: 1
- SHAPE: Spoon
- MINIMUM WEIGHT: 2 lb, 15 oz
- PACKED SIZE: 18 x 9 in
- TEMP RATING: 15F
- FILL TYPE: Down
- FILL WEIGHT: 1 lb, 11 oz
- FITS UP TO: 5’6”
- SHOULDER GIRTH: 62 in
- HIP GIRTH: 58 in
- KNEE GIRTH: 62 in
- COMPRESSED VOLUME: 8.8 L
- MSRP: $399.95
- The Jam is also available as a 30-degree bag; both bags are available in regular and long lengths.
Men’s Ramsey and Women’s Cleo
For the hunter who wants to spend more money on hunting tags than sleeping bags, these are a solid choice. The Ramsey and Cleo are a traditional-style mummy bag, designed for efficiency, warmth and packability. These two bags also incorporate Nemo’s Thermo Gills and waterproof footbox. The Ramsey and Cleo include both a compression sack, as well as a cotton storage sack.
Ramsey Specs
- CAPACITY: 1
- SHAPE: Mummy
- MINIMUM WEIGHT: 2 lb, 7 oz
- PACKED SIZE: 13 x 8.5 in
- TEMP RATING: 15F
- FILL TYPE: Down
- FILL WEIGHT: 1 lb, 4 oz
- FITS UP TO: 6’
- SHOULDER GIRTH: 61 in
- HIP GIRTH: 57 in
- KNEE GIRTH: 53 in
- COMPRESSED VOLUME: 5.13 L
- MSRP: $279.95
- The Ramsey is also available as a 30-degree bag; both bags are available in regular and long lengths.
Cleo Specs
- CAPACITY: 1
- SHAPE: Mummy
- MINIMUM WEIGHT: 2 lb, 12 oz
- PACKED SIZE: 12 x 7.5 in
- TEMP RATING: 15F
- FILL TYPE: Down
- FILL WEIGHT: 1 lb, 10 oz
- FITS UP TO: 5’6”
- SHOULDER GIRTH: 56 in
- HIP GIRTH: 53 in
- KNEE GIRTH: 51 in
- COMPRESSED VOLUME: 6.53 L
- MSRP: $399.95
- The Cleo is also available as a 30-degree bag; both bags are available in regular and long lengths.
Sleeping Pads
If you haven’t spent the night in a remote wilderness on a cold evening, then it’s difficult to understand the full functionality of a sleeping pad. Cushioning is a nice comfort, but the insulation qualities of a good pad go a long way for overall warmth. An inflatable pad with the correct insulation for the conditions are critical for real rest and sleep. And, a good night’s sleep is crucial for recovery on a backcountry hunt. Here are three sleeping pads to consider.
Tensor Field
This pad was designed with backcountry hunters in mind. It’s lightweight, yet handles the rigors of the hunt. Its coated underside is puncture resistant and repairs easily in the field. The Tensor Field includes both a suspended Thermal Mirror as well as a layer of Primaloft to provide additional warmth. The Thermal Mirror is a metalized film that provides quiet insulation, while similar pads can be noisy. Finally, the Tensor Field includes a micro-adjust valve for user-controlled inflation.
Tensor Field Specs
- MINIMUM WEIGHT: 1 lb, 2 oz
- PACKED SIZE: 8 x 3.5 in
- TEMP RATING: 10 to 20F
- THICKNESS: 3 in
- DIMENSIONS: 72 x 20 x 3 in
- SHAPE: Rectangular
- MSRP: $179.95
- The Tensor Field Insulated Ultralight is also available in long length.
Vector Field
A newcomer to the Nemo lineup, the Vector Field is similar to the Tensor Field. The Vector Field includes the Thermal Mirror metalized film, as well as a layer of Primaloft to provide additional warmth. A micro-adjust valve allows user-controlled inflation. Additionally, the Vector Field pad includes a foot pump, which is handy, if the added weight is not a deal breaker.
Vector Field Specs
- MINIMUM WEIGHT: 1 lb, 7 oz
- PACKED SIZE: 8 x 5 in
- TEMP RATING: 10 to 20F
- THICKNESS: 3 in
- DIMENSIONS: 72 x 20 x 3 in
- SHAPE: Rectangular
- MSRP: $179.95
- The Vector Field is also available in a long/wide size.
Tensor Ultralight
The Nemo Tensor Ultralight is perfect for the diligent, weight-shaving backcountry hunter. This pad weighs less than a pound! Though lightweight, it’s crafted from the same 20D material and includes all of the features found in other models. The Tensor Ultralight is a lot of pad, for a fraction of the weight.
Tensor Ultralight Specs
- MINIMUM WEIGHT: 14 oz
- PACKED SIZE: 8 x 3 in
- TEMP RATING: 30 to 40F
- THICKNESS: 3 in
- DIMENSIONS: 72 x 20 x 3 in
- SHAPE: Rectangular
- MSRP: $119.95
- The Tensor Ultralight is available in mummy and rectangular shapes in a variety of width and lengths.
