Chilly nights call for some seriously warm gear, especially if you’re out in the bush. Canadian Geographic’s associate editor Michela Rosano and education program coordinator Sara Black try a few products from Mountain Hardwear’s Hotbed line that claim to keep campers toasty warm at night.

Mountain Hardwear Hotbed Flame 20° Sleeping Bag 

No matter how much I bundle up for an evening under the stars, I always seem to get cold throughout the night. I decided to test Mountain Hardwear’s Hotbed Flame 20° sleeping bag on a recent camping trip to Charleston Lake Provincial Park, just north of the Thousand Islands region of eastern Ontario. And I was pleasantly surprised.

For starters, this sleeping bag is warm. The Hotbed Flame’s Thermal Q insulation maintains loft and its vertically welded Lamina (proprietary) construction eliminates cold spots to keep campers toasty, even when temperatures dip below zero (Its T-Comfort rating is -2 C; its T-Limit rating is -7 C.). Overnight low temperatures hovered around 10 C during my camping trip, so I was very comfortable without having to double up on sweaters or tights. But once the sun was up, this sleeping bag got a little too warm; it really is best suited for cold nights.

As someone who likes to pull the blankets up around her head, I also appreciated the sleeping bag’s mummy cut, which could be easily adjusted using the single-handed draw cords. One of its selling points is its roomy construction, and as a tall woman (5’10”), I was skeptical of this claim. However, once I was all zipped in, I had lots of room to spare (for very tall individuals, this sleeping bag also comes in a long version).

Touted as a backcountry/hiking item, this sleeping bag rolls up to a modest 23-by-43 centimetres in a fleece-lined stuff sack that can double as a pillow.

In all, I really liked the Hotbed Flame 20° sleeping bag and would recommend it for anyone camping in the spring or fall who, like me, just can’t seem to keep warm.

mountainhardwear.com

— Michela Rosano

Mountain Hardwear Hotbed Ember Camp Quilt

For my recent cottage adventure in Prince Edward Island’s Northumberland Provincial Park, I decided to bring the Mountain Hardwear Hotbed Ember Camp Quilt to keep me warm on chilly nights by the fire.

After settling in for a night outdoors, the quilt became handy almost immediately as a storm rolled in. The quilt’s Thermal Q insulation kept me warm and its versatile design, including snaps in the foot-box, made it easy to wrap around my entire body.

When rolled up in its microfleece-lined stuff sack, the camp quilt can also double as a pillow, which came in handy many times throughout the weekend when I wanted to rest my head after a long hike or needed neck support while reading.  

Although the camp quilt is exceptionally warm, I would not suggest packing this if space and weight are an issue. There are many multi-season sleeping bags that can keep you just as comfortable. However, this quilt is perfect to bring along to a cottage any time of year for a chilly evening in the great outdoors.

mountainhardwear.com

— Sara Black