I’ve hiked, skied and biked more miles with overloaded packs and overweight gear than I care to admit. Haul a bike trailer with a sleeping two-year-old (and his bicycle) over 3,000 feet of elevation gain? Check. Dangle a stock pot off your pack for eight miles so you can make chili for a group of 10 children? Yep, did that. Use bungee cords to keep an ancient six-person tent strapped to your pack while hiking in a torrential downpour? Did that one, too. Load a case of your favorite Colorado brew onto your pack while skinning into a backcountry yurt? Ok, my husband did that one, but I watched his good-time attitude go downhill fast (while I tried to take some of the load off by cracking a couple along the skin track).
But, once I hit my thirties, I got smart: lightweight, reliable and versatile quickly became the three most important factors of my backcountry camping kit. In searching for a sleeping bag option that fit those criteria, I found the Katabatic Flex 22 and haven’t looked back.
Katabatic Gear is a small company based out of Colorado’s Front Range and founded on a simple principle: make innovative, ultralight outdoor gear. The quilt-style Flex 22 sleeping bag is just that. While my son got to claim the first night in this bag, I snagged it on our next outing – a spontaneous camping trip in the Sawatch Range en route to a concert at Red Rocks. The first night that I used this bag, the outside temperatures dropped fast and condensation inside the tent got heavy thanks to the breathing of our family of three. But this bag kept me warm and dry through sunrise and sipping camp coffee.
MSRP: $295-420, depending on size and fill options
Pros: When prepping for a camping trip, I want to know my gear will deliver and this sleeping bag has taken on every challenge I’ve thrown at it over the past five months. From car camping to backcountry yurt trips and bikepacking overnights, the Flex 22 exceeded my expectations. It kept me warm while camping near treeline when temperatures dipped into the teens. It got the job done while car camping outside of Colorado Springs. And it packed perfectly into a saddle pack during a bikepacking trip above the Arkansas Valley.
On the lightweight front, it has a great warmth-to-weight ratio. Rated to 22 degrees (F) and weighing in around 23 ounces (regular size), it is a great ultralight bag with options of 850 or 900 fill power down. It quickly regains loft after being packed in a stuff sack on long road trips, bike rides and ski tours; readily sheds water from frosty, condensation-soaked tent walls, and stays in place on a sleeping pad thanks to removable webbing straps. The outer shell is also made of ultralight Pertex Quantum which means it is durable and breathable.
As for versatility, the Flex 22 can be used as a blanket or a traditional sleeping bag. I like this feature because it means you have temperature regulation options. If you run hot, or prefer the freedom of a down blanket, simply lay it flat. For the thin-blooded individuals out there, cinch down the toe box drawcord, pull the zipper and jump into a mummy-style sleeping bag. I also appreciate the sort of “one-stop shop” options this bag provides. You can use it solo as a traditional sleeping bag or as a blanket on trips with your partner or family.
Cons: In recent years, the outdoor industry seemed to be transitioning to brighter, more colorful materials for various pieces of gear like bags and packs. However, the Flex 22 only comes in a neutral brownish color. While this helps hide stains and dirt, it might not let you show off your colorful personality through your sleeping bag selection.
Where We Took It: Camping in cars, tents and backcountry huts/yurts around Colorado.
