05 BMW products ??????

[Colin Thomas]

Ok I just got Backpacker magazines Gear Guide issue and skimmed through it. Not really impressed with any of the products. I think last year was when the industry took an innovative turn and when mainstream big companies stated to lighten up their products.

But I did notice that Bozeman Mountain Works has lots of new products coming up. You can find the info in the back of the magazine in the charts. Why is no one talking about them, perhaps nobody has read the magazine yet or missed the info?

Looks like there will be a new backpack called the “Rapture”. It says it is 2500ci, weights 12oz, and has an internal frame.

A new shelter looks to be in the works too. The “Stealth Solo” is 1lb 7oz MAF SW with a 5sqf vestibule. Specs are 84/48/42. I wonder if it is tarptent like ie tarp with netting

In the sleeping bag department it looks like they dropped the Arc X and have 2 down bags and 2 synthetic (PD) bags in the works. The bags are rated

Sparc Down900 14oz 39F

Cocoon PD 15oz 36F

Cataclysm PD 18oz 33F

Squall Down900 18oz 30F

So Ryan and BPL staff, can you share some info on these new products? Will the bags still be made by Nunatak? When will we see some of this gear?

Thanks in advance.

[Jason Shaffer]

I hate to see this question slip to the bottom of the pile. I’m also really interested. Staff?

[Ryan Jordan]

These products are expected to begin shipping in the Fall of 2005. The first model in the Rapture pack line (there are 3 to be released in the 05-06 season), the one in the Gear Guide, may be ready by late summer.

I don’t expect that the Arc X made by Nunatak will be dropped. We are still accepting pre-orders for the next batch, which will ship late this Spring. It’s been a very popular bag.

[Jason Shaffer]

Its always nice to make space on our wish lists ahead of time! Looking forward.

[Colin Thomas]

Bump

Any news here BPL staff.

[kevin davidson]

Ryan—will the carbon-fiber upgrade be shipping late-summer/fall,as well?
and can you scare us yet with the projected price?

[J R]

There is a 3degree difference between the two, but a 3oz difference on weight. Are these two radically different designs? Im not even sure how 3degrees plus or minus can be rated reliably since even the food you ate the night the before can adjust for such a minute temp difference, and 3oz can be alot for this crowd… so, whats the deal? Hood? Zipper?

Thanks

[Ryan Jordan]

Those bags were slated for a fall 05 release, but glitches in fabric production have put them behind. Spring 06 is now the schedule, but it could be January 06 if everything falls into place.

More info when it becomes available. I think the two coolest bags in this line are the Polarguard ones, one is an ultralight quilt, the other an event shelled quilt. As you drop weight of the fill, the differences between down and polarguard become not so dramatic. Down really shines at high fill rates. Case in point is the Cocoon jacket. We made the same design in a baffled down version (850 fill) and the weight was more than the polarguard version.

Carbon fiber frames: field ready prototypes are being done now. These are a little ways out.

[Richard Sullivan]

Hi Ryan, I’m confused about your example of greater weight for the down version when you say previously that down really shines at high fill rates. Seems like a contradiction but maybe I am missing the point.

[Jason Shaffer]

Good question. I just thought he meant, down better realizes a higher warmth:wt than synth if the loft in question is greater than Cocoon proportions, which is <1". Not so much higher down fill-power rating for instance, but higher fill weights / more fill.

ps – maybe I’ve missed the boat here, but let me renew my vote for the COCOON BALACLAVA! : )

[Ryan Jordan]

Sorry for the confusion! I hope this makes it more clear:

The differences between down and polarguard are minimal at low fill rates. Thus, a 1″ loft baffled down sleeping bag using 800 fill is very similar in weight to a 1″ loft polarguard delta bag. Because the down + baffles almost equals the weight of the polarguard (which requires no baffles.

At high fill rates, say, in a 3 inch loft bag with 3″ baffles filled with 800 down, vs. 3″ of polarguard, the down bag will be lighter.

Does that make sense? No promises :)

[Nicholas Couis]

Hi Ryan, When will you be accepting pre-delivery orders for these items.I will be ordering as soon as they become available,Thanks for the great gear.

[Jason Shaffer]

Hi Nicholas,
Sorry to intrude as I’m not staff, but I know staff works hard trying to keep us up to date on questions like this. Don’t expect an exact time frame quite yet, its still a bit early. Generally tho, the ‘release date’ is around the time preorders are taken–which as per above will be early 06 for the bags. As for the Rapture pack, sometime late summer.

[Ryan Jordan]

We don’t take pre-orders anymore until the production run has started. We are trying to be more confident on delivery dates. Generally, we’re looking at targeting pre-orders 8-12 weeks before delivery of the initial shipment.

The next item that will be up for pre-order will be the Cocoon Pants. They are expected to go to production very soon. These are similarly constructed to the Cocoon Pullover, they are pull-on style, full length, and about 9 oz size L.

Combined with a Cocoon Pullover, you have a set that weighs the same as midweight synthetic long underwear but takes a one pound down sleeping bag to well below freezing, in the experience of our crew that field tested the pullover and pants this winter.

My initial guess is that the pullover+pants+ a one pound down quilt with 2″ of loft will be fine down into the teens for most and single digits for many, zero or slightly lower for emergencies.

[Author]

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