With a cosy and lightweight Boost 650 Sleeping Bag from THERM-A-REST campers are all set for a good night’s kip, writes Mike Gormley.
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This is a proper toasty sleeping bag and no mistake. I used it out on Dartmoor recently (Ten Tors Training is nearing completion) on a very chilly night and a ‘frost on the tent’ sort of morning; it was definitely a couple of degrees below zero and I had a really comfortable night so it was a good, real life try-out. Okay, conditions were not Norway winter cold but this bag is rated to -6°C and I felt confident it would be cosy at that. This test was in conjunction with THERM-A-REST sleeping mats which I have covered separately.
The basic filling of the Boost 650 is light, compact, hydrophobic duck down but there are many other features to this sleeping bag to make it what it is. Like many I do have a basic concern about using a down bag, most of my camping being in the UK at present and therefore inevitably wet to damp, but I think these days with modern treatments this is mostly an unfounded concern. The Boost 650 has a hydrophilic (RDS – Responsible Down Standard) duck down fill and, so far, has been fine with really only the inevitable condensation damp; which has not affected it and any dampness soon dries off. To help in all this the Boost 650 has a DWR coating on the mostly recycled nylon outer.
The Boost 650 has a bunch of features which all work well and add to your overall comfort, aiding that important good night’s rest. All openings have inner baffles and there are features such as a small internal pocket for high value items. One feature I find really handy is the ability to extend the volume of the bag to give more space. I am quite big and so not a fan of the tight fitting ‘mummy’ style bags. However, the closer fit can help to make things inside warmer if conditions are cold outside. With this bag you have both options with a simple zip ~ known as the ‘Warm Zip’ ~ which runs, more or less, the full length and simply closes or opens a built-in panel; this is easy to use when inside, via the armholes, particularly if you want to make adjustment during the night.
To augment the fit of the Boost 650 these come in a range of six sizes, both length and width, so you can get the one to best suit your size as well as being able to adjust it when you are using it. On the subject of zips, the ones used on the Boost 650 are good to very good. I am famous for getting zips to snag and, so far, these have worked perfectly for me. There is nothing worse than getting trapped into a sleeping bag by a jammed zip!
Another feature that I think is possibly unique to the Boost 650 are the previously mentioned zipped armholes. I know if you have spent any time at all in a sleeping bag you will have had the issues of closing it up when it’s cold or, if you need something, having to go through the performance of unzipping the main fastener thereby losing all that hard-earned warmness in the process. With the Boost 650 you have two armholes, one for each hand, which are really handy… if you will please excuse the pun. Once in your sleeping bag it is just good to be able to stay there.
On a cold night, or even day, it is warmth you need to preserve. This is easily lost if you have to open up the main zip so these armholes are a really good idea; simple things like checking the time or finding your torch and so on are made easy. If you want to read and have the luxury of a book or, more likely, to check your maps and route info for the day ahead you can do all this from the comfort of the sleeping bag with just your arms out. Even the hood can remain in place. Brilliant!
For travelling, the Boost 650 packs down very well into the supplied compression sack and it also comes with a mesh storage bag to enable the down to be relaxed when in storage and also allow it to ‘air’. This is also handy on multi-day trips to keep the bag ‘controlled’ but allow it to dry and air without getting it mucky or tangled in a bush. Annoying isn’t it? If you have been to Africa and experienced the aptly named ‘Wait-a-Bit Tree’ you will fully understand me.
I just know I have some more cosy nights to come with this bag from THERM-A-REST.
[images © Mike Gormley]
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