Mountain Equipment

Matrix III Sleeping Bag: 23F Down

In the high-wire act that's life in the alpine, it's pretty easy to get knocked off balance by a storm, held back by improper equipment, and slowed down by excess weight. Your sleeping bag is perhaps the most important piece of gear you have, so it's vital that it can handle cold nights, soggy mornings, and long days without cramping your style. Mountain Equipment's Matric III 23-Degree Down Sleeping Bag can do all that and more, courtesy of its tough, ultralight, and water-repellent Helium 30 fabric, hybrid down and synthetic insulation, and weight-saving design, so you'll be able to sleep soundly through chilly and wet alpine nights.

The real star of the Matrix is its hybrid insulation. By combining superlight and lofty 725-fill down with water-resistant Primaloft synergy, the engineers at Mountain Equipment were able to make the Matrix seriously lightweight (well under three pounds) and keep it warm even when it gets soggy. It's also cut to save weight, with a tapered Alpine footbox and Trapezium 4 foot design that increase warmth while reducing bulk. You lose plenty of heat through your noggin, but the Matrix's DC5 five-panel hood and Solus draft collar help prevent your body heat from escaping, and the Supersoft 20 lining stays surprisingly comfy while making sure down doesn't leak out. The 3/4-length zipper provides lots of ventilation on warmer nights, and the included stuff and storage sacks make for easy travel and storage, respectively.