Spring Sale Right Now ! 25% off Site wide

Meet the Product: Ugly Bag™

We’re proud to introduce a highly water resistant and breathable alternative to down sleeping bags.

When you make a product that’s so fundamentally different from anything else out there, it requires a little extra explanation. Sure, it’s unique, but what makes it better than the other options available? That might be what comes to mind when you look at the new Ugly Bag™. Our newest piece of gear lives up to its name—we know we’re not going to win any style awards with this one, Herd. But allow us to explain why we think this sleeping bag is nothing short of revolutionary. We’re convinced that once you give it a go, you’ll be Team Ugly all the way.

The new Ugly Bag is the first-ever sleeping bag to use high-performance 100% alpaca fleece for insulation. By now, we hope you’re well aware of the numerous characteristics that make alpaca fiber ideal for outdoor performance. Just in case, here’s a reminder: alpaca is naturally moisture managing, highly breathable, temperature regulating, odor resistant, lightweight, and offers an incredible warmth to weight ratio. By developing a sleeping bag using our patent pending All-Paca™ fleece as insulation, we are able to offer a sustainable alternative to the down and synthetic bags flooding the market without sacrificing any of those performance qualities.

The Ugly Bag

When you look at the sleeping bag market, the current state-of-the-art is to use down feather insulation or synthetic insulation. Both of these rely on loft…or airspace…to provide actual insulation. The down and/or synthetic material used provides very little insulation by itself and can be problematic in backcountry situations since both only insulate properly when dry. If they become wet, they get clammy and cold and lose all insulating qualities.

Alpaca, on the other hand, absorbs very little moisture, yet this wonder fiber has the amazing ability to insulate even if it does become wet. Additionally, alpaca’s insulating quality comes from the structure of the fiber itself…rather than the airspace between the fibers…so there are no cold spots similar to what you might experience when down or synthetic fills become compressed.

Ugly Bag™

The bag’s shell is constructed from soft-structure Tyvek, a spun-bonded high-density polyethylene fabric that is highly water resistant without sacrificing breathability. It’s important to note this shell does not require the use of any fluorinated compounds or chemical coatings to provide its incredible water resistance. Additionally, because of its extremely abrasion-resistant structure, the shell is significantly less likely to contribute to microplastic pollution in the environment than other synthetic shells.

The Ugly Bag features a zipperless, hoodless construction with elastic at the opening and chest for a comfortable, expandable fit. A unique “turtleneck” feature at the opening provides an extra length of All-Paca fabric that can be tucked inside for additional core warmth, bunched around the neck like a baffle, or pulled completely over the head like a hood. The Ugly Bag can be used on its own or as an overbag with a standard mummy and is suitable to a 30°F range (when used in a tent with the proper base layers). When paired as a system with the award-winning All-Paca Sleeping Bag Liner, it is suitable to a 10-15°F range. The Ugly Bag weighs approximately 2lbs. 8oz. and compresses to a compact size of approximately 10” x 7”.

We’re calling this the “Ginger B Edition” in honor of our friend and all-around hiking badass Ben “Ginger B” Vaughan, who completed the illustrious Triple Crown of Thru-Hiking in 2020. For the final 4,000+ miles of that nearly 8,000-mile journey, Ben bedded down in an Ugly Bag prototype each and every night. His feedback was invaluable to our design process, so we wanted to show our gratitude by naming the initial model after him.

Ben “Ginger B” Vaughan

“This bag was my home from late February until early September last year, and I’ve used it in every type of weather over a 4,000-mile adventure—from the snow of the Smoky Mountains to the dry desert of New Mexico, and in high altitudes from Colorado to the Wind River Range of Wyoming. It is lightweight, waterproof, and extremely comfortable, and since it has alpaca fiber on the inside, it’s almost odorless—very important for a thru-hiker! It is unlike any bag on the market.” - Ben “Ginger B” Vaughan

So, what do you think, Herd? Ready to embrace the Ugly? Test this revolutionary new bag for yourself HERE.

Ugly Bag™

Older Post
Newer Post

4 comments

  • Could you please let me know when the All-Paca Fleece Hoodie comes in? I would love to order one. Thanks.

    Mark Haveman

Leave a comment

Please note, comments must be approved before they are published

Check Out Our Wares

Close (esc)

Join The Herd

Sign up to receive 10% off your next order!

Age verification

By clicking enter you are verifying that you are old enough to consume alcohol.

Search

Shopping Cart

Your cart is currently empty.
Shop now