September 04, 2007

Cocoon Silk Mummy Liner (courtesy, REI)

Do you have a question of your own?

Are you serious? What I recommend is that you step away from me as rapidly as you can, before I whack you in the head with a snowball. Poor you! Going to the nasty Caribbean where it’s relatively dry and night temperatures are usually 75! Oh, the humanity!

I mean, obviously there won’t even be a need for a sleeping bag. Really all you need to take is a cotton or silk sleep sack. Cocoon’s Cotton Mummy Liner ($20; cocoonusa.com) gives you just a touch of warmth and something to hang onto in the night, and it weighs next to nothing. The silk version costs $50 and is a little warmer. Honestly, it and a T-shirt ought to suffice even if a “cold snap” sends temps plummeting into the—gasp!—mid-50s.

If you decided you could use something warmer, then consider REI’s Kilo Flash +40 bag ($179; rei.com). As the name implies, it’s a sleeping bag rated to 40F or warmer. It weighs just over a pound and packs down to nothing. You could unzip it and use it as a comforter, too.

Now go away.

You’ve seen our picks for 2007 Gear of the Year, and now the entire Outside Summer Buyer’s Guide is online. Check out this year’s more than 400 must-have gear items, including sleeping bags.

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