As far as I’m concerned, the only good thing about camping in cold weather is that there are less bugs. But the only thing I hate more than bugs is being cold. So, I need a good comfortable sleeping bag that will keep me warm but still light enough for me to pack around and not be exhausted at the end of the trail. Because I do get cold so easily, I tend to do all of my camping in warmer weather, preferably in the middle of summer, when the nights are at their warmest. I love hiking up to my favorite camping grounds, laying out, watching the stars slowly move across the sky while a fire flickers close by.
I recently had the privilege of testing out the Kelty Ignite. I was excited at first but thought a joke was being played on me when I was handed the box. It is so incredibly light; I was shocked to learn that the Ignite weighs just over two pounds. What‘s even more surprising is that the EN rating for women is 46*F (8*C) and 37*F for men (3*C). So not only is the Ignite light enough to just strap to my pack and hike up a trial, it is actually going to keep me warm when it‘s time for sleep.
The Ignite is fantastically warm for its light weight. It has a heat efficient, form-fitting hood and a full length draft tube to help keep all of your heat right where it should be, in your bag. It even has sleeping pad security loops, for sleepers like me that, even when wrapped up in a mummy bag, still find a way to wiggle off of my sleeping pad. But just in case it‘s a really warm night and you start to get hot and sweaty in your Ignite, Kelty has added a special touch. There is a 58” locking zipper with dual sliders so that you can unzip a portion of the bottom to add some cooling air.
How did Kelty make such a light bag this warm? By filling the Ignite with 100% recycled Ecopet™Soft. This insulation provides warmth, a soft feel and packs down to be quite small and compact. Plus, when you‘ve gotten it rolled up tight, there‘s a convenient, durable stuff sack to slide it into. It makes it incredibly easy to tie onto my pack and keep my sleeping bag clean when I duck under trees or when I trip and play it off as if I wanted to just lay in the dirt for a moment. As unfortunate and embarrassing as that sounds, it does happen at least once but usually two or three times for me on each outing. I‘m quite certain that my backpacking buddies think I‘m just some weird girl that likes to take a wallow in the dirt or brush. My old sleeping bag didn‘t have a stuff sack and when we finally made it to camp, I‘d be shaking all sorts of dirt and weeds off of my sleeping bag before being able to lay it down comfortably.
If the temperature range is suitable for you, I would definitely recommend this bag. It‘s light and warm, perfect for backpacking, and it‘s stuffed with recycled material! What more could you ask for? If you want more info, click on over to www.Kelty.com and check out the Ignite as well as their other fantastic products.
-Heather