Cascade Designs isn’t just a company that makes kick-ass outdoor gear, it’s seven brands in one! Therm-A-Rest, Platypus, SeaLine, MSR, Hummingbird, PackTowel and ECase all fall under the Cascade Designs umbrella. There was plenty to see at their booth, but the main thrust this year was sleeping, eating and filtering water. The most exciting addition to their lineup of gear is the all new lightweight and ultra-packable sleep systems.
Seven down and synthetic sleeping bags join the lineup of Therm-A-Rest pads and mattresses, and these offer a whole new take on backcountry bedding. At the core of this new system is the NeoAir inflatable mattress (we recently reviewed the NeoAir Xlite and gave it a big thumbs up) which integrates seamlessly with the sleeping bags. Each bag is equipped with SynergyLink mattress connectors, which are simply flexible bands that tightly hug the NeoAir. Since the NeoAir has a high r-value (the higher the value, the warmer you sleep), the sleeping bags have no padding on the bottom. How can this possibly work, you ask? With the uber-warm mattress under you, your heat can’t escape from your back. All the fill material is located in the sides and front baffles of the sleeping bags. This new design allows for two things: more wiggle room in the sleeping bag, and a lighter packed weight for your sleep system. Every bag in the collection is under 3 pounds and most come in under 2. They offer a full quiver of mountaineering and camping bags, and the down bags are 750 fill. Impressive stuff.
If you’re backpacking, you’re going to need a way to filter water. We got to test the Platypus Gravityworks water filtration system earlier this summer, and came away impressed. Now, Platypus is adding some variety to the Gravityworks line with a 2 liter system that dumps fresh, clean water straight into your bottle or water bladder.
Finally, you’ll need some dinner to go along with that pure mountain water, and MSR has you covered with new cooking and dining supplies. The 2013 Reactor Stove System features an assortment of stoves and pots that can be mixed and matched to create the ideal personal cooking system. The Reactor is a tiny stove that packs a big punch, and the newest version is even capable of being suspended from a tension wire so you can cook above the ground. Oh, and there is a coffee filter accessory that turns the pot into a french press…well played, MSR, well played. Some of the items will be available starting in fall, others will be arriving in spring 2013. You can check Cascade Designs website to see all of the latest gear that will be on shelves in your favorite outdoors store.
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