In 2008, the world was graced with what can only be described as a modern marvel: the Snuggie. For those of us who wanted the comfort and security of our favorite blanket but couldn't see past the inhibition of our arms to freely wave about, this sweet, sweet combo of mobility and squishy, soft comfort was a godsend.
Sadly, the blanket with arms never caught on in the outdoors. The soft, fleece-y material would be ruined by dirt in just a few hours, and without insulation, the Snuggie just couldn't offer the warmth an adventurer would need. We hikers and campers never saw one scale the heights of Everest or tackle the Pacific Crest Trail — and had to resign ourselves to the fact that we'd never know the bliss of a mermaid tail of warmth on the bottom and completely unhindered arms on the top. That is, until now.
Eddie Bauer has taken matters into its own adventure-ready hands, and created something remarkable: an insulated, ultralight, one-of-a-kind sleep system. The new Downclime Alpine Sleeping Bag zips into the Downclime Alpine Parka to create a complete camp solution that saves space in your pack, provides mobility and flexibility and maybe most important of all, finally gives the outdoors the Snuggie we so rightfully deserve.
Filled with lightweight 800 fill goose down insulation, the sleeping bag's outer shell material is 100-percent nylon coated with Eddie Bauer's Storm Repel super DWR water repellency treatment. The small/medium bag weighs in at just 24 ounces, making it almost three pounds less than our top pick sleeping bag.
If you're interested in maintaining the use of your arms while staying as warm as a marshmallow slowly roasting next to a fire, you'll want to get your paws on this two-piece set. Oh, and if you're already the proud owner of the Downclime Alpine Parka, you're in luck: you'll only have to buy the bag.
Of course, the lingering question is how all this innovation actually works in practice — and whether basically wearing your jacket 24-7 is tenable. So stay tuned. We will be testing this sleep system soon.
