Sleeping bags have been the standard for bedding down outside for decades. Their position is being challenged though, by the camp blanket. Camp blankets aren’t a new thing, but they are gaining in popularity. Commonly referred to as trail quilts, these outdoor blankets aren’t just decoration for Instagram-friendly cabins, they’re viable sleeping bag replacements made of technical fabrics and fills. Kammok makes one of our favorites, and today it announced a new addition to its line with the Bobcat.
The Bobcat looks like a sleeping bag that’s been given the blanket treatment — it’s rectangular with down-filled diamond baffles — but it hides an array of smart features that give it the extra functionality it needs to become a reliable piece of camping gear. For one, Kammok used top-notch Atmos 20D ripstop nylon and responsibly-sourced, water repellent down. It also has cinch cords at either end and snaps running down its sides so that it can effectively close up like a sleeping bag if that’s the way you want to use it. It also comes with straps that link it to your sleeping pad so it won’t fall off in the middle of the night and a conversion kit that turns it into an underquilt for sleeping in a hammock. These attributes make the Bobcat ideal for backpacking and camping, but even if you have no use for them the quilt is still a warm and light solution for the home or the camper.
The Bobcat is rated for comfortable use down to 45 degrees Fahrenheit, weighs 19 ounces and packs down to the size of a football. Kammok initially launched the quilt on Kickstarter, where it earned over $265,000 (of a $50,000 goal), but as of the commencement of the new year, the Bobcat can be purchased on Kammok’s website in three colors.