Considering a Nunatak Raku

[Alaskaoneday]

No need to get out of the bag in the morning if it is cold out.

[BlackHatGuy]

Well, finally got a chance to try out my Raku this past weekend. What a great bag! I climbed into it for cooking/eating dinner and chatting before bed. Temps were around 20 or so when I hit the sack (bivy sack, that is), and got down to 18.3 degrees (F) during the night.

After bringing the sleeves in and cinching up the bottom, I climbed into my MLD Soul side zip eVent bivy in an AT shelter (on a raised wooden floor). Under the bivy (outside of it) was a NeoAir on a Ridgerest. I was wearing an icebreaker 200 beanie, a BPL beartooth hoody with hood on, icebreaker glove liners, RAB vapor rise pants over icebreaker 200 boxers, smartwool liner socks and heavy hiking socks, and Nunatak chugach down booties. Within 20 minutes (no exaggeration) I was too warm so I removed the chugach booties, RAB pants and icebreaker beanie. Also 'put down' the hood on the hoody. Unzipped the top of the bivy (across the chest) and left it unzipped for a few hours. Zipped it up a bit at some point in the morning, but still left a 6"-8" 'hole' unzipped. Never put the pants or booties on again til I wanted to warm them up in the morning for the day (the pants) and the booties just to get up and get into the day. Stayed warm all night long.

To say the least, I was quite impressed! At some point this winter I'll try it in a hammock!

[Steven Evans]

And if you're realy bored….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LQrEbSd7mg

hopefully it will help someone with their decision.

[Alaskaoneday]

So Steve, any feedback on your field testing yet?
I noticed the extra wide draft tube in your video before you said anything. What do you think about the hood opening?
I am playing around with a draft tube to seal the face area better (similar to how golite does it). I am also working on the bottom draw string seal a little. Might mode it a bit like my wallcreeper to address sealing the hole better. It is still my favorite bag and have thought about a lighter version one for when the temps are not that low.
Rich

[Steven Evans]

Still too new to really give any real feedback. I have a few trips lined up in the coming months and I really want to push this thing around a bit. I will say that I am completely surprised by how easy it is to use as a jacket (ie. walking around). I really thought it would be a pain, but I can literally do cartwheels with it on – no problems.

I like the hood opening so far. I usually wear a balaclava because I don't like when my face is covered up with the bag – I wake up thinking I am suffocating.

One thing I never thought of when ordering is that I am pretty thin and the large version is definitely very spacious for me…good for layering, but I could have shaved some weight off of it with a trimmer cut:)

[Christopher Kayler]

Sweet. That thing is so ridiculous, but so, so awesome!

[Steven Evans]

HAHA! Seriously, it is just crazy.

My friends heckled me all weekend after the episode went up…they can't believe I bought something that makes me look like Mr. Potato Head. :)

[Christopher Kayler]

Haha, I hear you. All my friends heckle me about "normal" things like bringing my kitchen scale into REI to weigh individual items of the same type, just to save a few tenths of an ounce. Can't imagine what they would say if I whipped out a Raku on a backpacking trip :)

In all seriousness though, it is a very sweet setup. Unfortunately I don't think I could ever pull it off as a lot of my trips are for photography, so I need a legit jacket and pants for more "off-trail" type stuff to photo locations where I will be moving more than I would around camp, but not enough to stay warm with hiking clothing.

BUT I like it … maybe someday if I have more money than I need I will get one for times when I don't have the photo gear!

On a Nunatak side note, I do have a Skaha Plus front pocket w/ 1.5 oz overfill, and an Arc Alpinis w/ 2 oz. overfill on the way :)

[Steven Evans]

Just an update on my Nunatak Raku, the thing is warm…and I'm talking serious warmth. I had it out this weekend and had to unzip it to vent in the middle of the night. Its ability to be used as a parka is MUCH easier then I expected. Once you get in it, it is dead easy to pull up and walk around with and vice versa. Getting up in the morning is nice because you don't have to get out of your bag.

The only "sort of" downfall is the size of it, and it isn't really a downfall, more of a "think about this if you have a small shelter". You have to hone your gear management skills when you pull it out of your pack in the tent. I used a Duomid in winter and when I pulled my Raku out to put it on, it nearly filled the inside. Basically, make sure you have alot of room available when you want to put one of these on. For some reason, I didn't expect it to take up so much room inside the tent and a small battle took place, but I tamed the beast.

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