A LIGHT SYNTHETIC SLEEPING BAG FORMS A HIGHLY FUNCTIONAL PART OF AN EXPEDITION SLEEPING SYSTEM, FILLING ROLES RIGHT ACROSS THE SPECTRUM FROM SOMETHING TO USE ON BALMY APPROACHES TO SOMETHING BOMBPROOF YOU CARRY FOR AN EMERGENCY TO THE SUMMIT.
RAB’S SOLAR 1 WEIGHS AROUND 800g. LIGHTER BAGS OF COURSE EXIST, BUT WHAT MAKES THIS STAND OUT IS THAT IT’S STILL BUILT LIKE A BAG FOR MUCH COLDER CONDITIONS, WITH A FULL HOOD AND COLLAR AND DIFFERENTIAL BAFFLES AND SIZEABLE TO FIT IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER EXPEDITION GEAR LIKE DOWN SUITS AND OTHER BAGS.
WHERE THE SOLAR 1 WORKS EXCEPTIONALLY IS WHEN PAIRED OVER THE TOP OF A DOWN BAG LIKE THE MYTHIC ULTRA 360. IN AN EQUATION WHERE 1 + 1 = 3, THE COMBINATION OF THE TWO CREATES A SYSTEM THAT WILL CONFIDENTLY GO TO WELL PAST -25c, FOR 1500g AND AN OUTER OF SYNTHETIC PROTECTION THAT WILL SURVIVE THE ROUGHEST BIVY. USED LIKE THIS, AS AN INSULATED BIVY MAG, THE SOLAR 1’S HOOD WILL STILL CINCH AND THE BOX SHAPED FOOT WILL STILL LET IT LOFT FULLY. ANOTHER OPTION IS TO USE THE SOLAR 1 AS A QUILT OVER TWO CLIMBERS. IN AN ASSAULT TENT LIKE THE SAMAYA ASSAUT2 ULTRA, THE THERMAL EFFICIENCY IS EVEN HIGHER THAN AROUND A SINGLE CLIMBER FOR A LOT LESS WEIGHT.
OTHER SYNTHETIC BAGS WILL DO A SIMILAR JOB, BUT NO OTHER BAG OF THIS WEIGHT FITS AS WELL WITH RABS OTHER BAGS LIKE THE MYTHIC ULTRA 360, OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE RAB DESIGN THEIR BAGS TOGETHER. AS THE NICEST DOUBLE BAG SYSTEM WE ARE YET TO FIND, FEATURING BAGS THAT ARE EXPECTIONAL BOTH AS STANDALONES AND COMBINED, THIS IS IT.
