THE SELL: A moisture-fighting down bag for long, wet expeditions. THE TEST: To keep down insulation from getting wet (read: clumpy and cold), some manufacturers go beyond the standard DWR coating and instead wrap the bag in a fully waterproof-breathable shell. The problem? The fabric doesn’t breathe very well, and your body vapor gets trapped in the down—and turns to water. So the fully featured Traverse XTII (ventable footbox, thick draft tubes, 850-fill down) is wrapped in the sleeping-bag equivalent of a soft shell, which helps it manage moisture better (see above). THE VERDICT: A pair of rainy four-day paddling expeditions later, we think it works pretty well. But if you’re not heading someplace very damp, it’s probably overkill. 12º; 2.8 lbs; seatosummit.com
Compressibility: 4.5
Warmth-to-weight ratio: 4.5
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