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Zenbivy: The Mummy Bag Has Met Its Match

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The Zenbivy Bed’s exclusive 2-piece design is the first hybrid sleeping bag to match the warmth/weight ratio of a mummy bag, while eliminating constriction. The separate sheet means no more sliding off the mattress, and allows you to “tuck in” the quilt when temps dive.



I’m always on the lookout for the coolest stuff, travel essentials for life on the road, new adventure ready gear, new tech stuff and accessories. So, when I had the opportunity to try the Zenbivy Bed, my first thought was: “oh, great…another mummy bag…” I had visions of me trying to enjoy being wrapped in another mummy sleeping bag like a burrito or something. Yes, mummy bags are warm, but I find them to be generally very constrictive, uncomfortable, and downright unnatural.

Before we go any further, I have to say that when I’m camping, I often feel like I’m sleep challenged. I faithfully crawl into my mummy bag on top of my air mattress only to end up cold…waking up nowhere close to the mattress. As I head out of my tent in the morning, I just shake my head and saying to myself that no wonder I was cold all night. I didn’t get the needed benefit of the insulated mattress, since I rolled off of it sometime in the night. As a side sleeper, this happens to me every time.

At least it did before I discovered the Zenbivy Bed, which is the first hybrid sleeping bag of its kind.

I just returned from Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado a couple of weeks ago where I used my new Zenbivy Bed during my week long stay in the park. It was the perfect time to put the Zenbivy to the test, the alpine spring. While it was nearly 100 degrees down in Denver, the temperature was below freezing every night at the higher altitudes in Rocky. We even had a pretty heavy snow storm one night, but I stayed warm all night. I had plenty of room to freely toss and turn with the comfort of a bed. The Zenbivy Bed is the best integrated sleep system I’ve ever tried!

Zenbivy was founded with the ambitious goal to create the most comfortable outdoor bedding, like ever. They believe no matter what type of outdoor adventure you seek you perform better when you’re truly rested. I don’t know why so many sleeping bag companies ignore this fact. They design bags that are light and warm but lack the comfort you experience when sleeping in your bed at home.

Whether you like to sleep on your back, side, or stomach, whether you toss and turn or sleep like a rock, Zenbivy believes a sleeping bag should conform to your sleeping habits rather than you having to conform to its limitations. Try sleeping in an ultralight mummy bag on your stomach or tossing and turning from side to side—the results are always the same; bags twist, bags constrict, bags lead to a less than comfortable night of sleep.

“Hybrid” Sleeping Bags

Zenbivy sleep systems are built like your bed at home – a sheet below you and a quilt above.

A “Hybrid” sleeping bag is one that integrates the mattress, which often provides a compromise. It’s a simple idea, just remove the weight that’s crushed underneath you in a mummy bag and therefore rendered thermally useless and re-allocate that weight to address the mummy bag’s inherent constriction and lack of versatility. In theory that’s great, but combining a sleeping bag with a mattress tends to create more constriction by pinning you to the mattress. To address this, hybrid bags tend to be much larger, less thermally efficient and—you guessed it—heavier.

The folks at Zenbivy decided it was time for a better design. The Zenbivy Bed is the first hybrid sleeping bag of its kind that not only matches a mummy bag in warmth to weight ratio, but it accomplishes this while eliminating the constriction. Zenbivy’s design provides unparalleled versatility and excels in a much wider range of temperatures.

Traditional hybrid sleeping bags pin you to the mattress and are oversized to try to allow space for natural movement, which ultimately just ends up making them heavy. The Zenbivy Bed easily solves those problems. By attaching the top quilt to the hinged “wings” of the fitted sheet, the Zenbivy Bed is instantly free to get wider where and when you need it to. Then just as instantly, it “settles” to wrap snugly around you. No more constriction. It’s time to sleep easy.

By attaching the top quilt to the hinged “wings” of the fitted sheet, the Zenbivy Bed is instantly free to get wider where and when you need it to.

The Zenbivy Bed’s exclusive 2-piece design is the first hybrid sleeping bag to match the warmth/weight ratio of a mummy bag, while eliminating constriction. The separate quilt adds incredible versatility and allows you to take comfort with you on all your trips from hammock to hostel. The separate sheet means no more sliding off the mattress, and allows you to “tuck in” the quilt when temps dive. Combined, they create an EN rated sleeping bag that obsoletes the mummy bag because it is just as warm and light, but a whole lot more comfortable.

The Zenbivy Bed is the best integrated sleep system I’ve ever tried!

When I got my Zenbivy Bed assembled, I quickly realized that it’s built just like a bed at home. It has a sheet below you and a quilt above, the Zenbivy Bed gives you the freedom to sleep, just like you do at home. The quilt “floats” above you (even when fully zipped in) to give you complete freedom to move around during the night without the fear of feeling trapped. The hood is integrated with the sheet to insulate your head without the constrictive mess of toggles and cords.

Overall Impression:  All in all, the Zenbivy Light Bed quilt system offers a cozy, comfortable, and flexible sleeping experience. The unique way the pad attaches to the quilt provides a sense of security that is not often found in other quilts while still allowing for a wide range of movement.

Personally, I struggle with the idea of adding extra pounds to my backpack just so I can bring the Zenbivy Light Bed on more challenging hiking adventures. After all, there are other lightweight quilts out there that weigh at least a pound less. However, for those who are tired of feeling restricted in traditional mummy bags or dealing with drafts from regular quilts, the Zenbivy is definitely worth considering and may be the perfect solution.

When searching for a sleeping arrangement that is both cozy and convenient for front-country camping, where weight is not a major concern, the Zenbivy Light and Original Bed are excellent choices that I would gladly bring along for added comfort at camp.

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