Why We Chose the Mountain Hardwear Lamina Eco -9C Sleeping Bag: Eco-friendly, warm, innovative

Price: £260
Weight: 1090g
More info: mountainhardwear.com

The first thing you might notice about the new Lamina Eco AF sleeping bag from Mountain Hardwear is the name. Yes, ‘Eco AF’ means exactly what you think it does – which is not only a bold statement in itself, but also a pretty audacious name for a product, especially from a major US brand like Mountain Hardwear.

The second thing you’ll probably notice is the striking colour. Or more precisely, the lack of colour, since it is white. That might seem a strange design choice for a bit of outdoor kit, particularly a sleeping bag, but just like the Columbia Outdry Eco Shell that was released a couple of seasons back, there is a good justification for it. The Lamina Eco AF sleeping bag is white because it is undyed – which saves thousands of gallons of waste water in the production process, i.e. a very good thing for the planet.  

In fact, sustainability is at the heart of the product. The bag itself is made using recycled fabric, insulation and trims. The shell and lining is 20 denier 100% recycled ripstop nylon, with a PFC-free durable water repellent (DWR) coating. The insulation, meanwhile, is 70% recycled Thermal.Q polyester fill. The lab guys at Mountain Hardwear claim that, in terms of outright performance, this is the closest synthetic fill comes to goose down. The nylon compression sack and storage sack that are included with the bag are also made from recycled fabrics.

The bag’s performance is as impressive as its construction. It is lighter and more compact than the rest of Mountain Hardwear’s Lamina range, but uses the same unique stitch-free construction to hold the insulation in place, eliminating cold spots caused by traditional stitched baffles. It certainly feels cosy once you climb inside, and though you might look – and feel – a bit like a silkworm, you’ll stay snug as a bug in the proverbial rug.