Products from other companies get thorough reviews where we can read specifics about performance, specs, what was good, was was bad, etc.

I wish BMW products were reviewed. I think this would make people more likely to buy them. There have been many posts in "The G Spot" about Cocoon gear. Reviews by BPL staff would help this.

I agree.
I have wanted to get a quilt and jumped on the Cocoon 90 during the sale last week but when I went to find definitive info on specs (on BPL and Bozeman Mountain) could find practically nothing, not even dimensions. Evaluation of fabrics, features, and fuction beyond the skimpy product page would be helpful. For example, the 90 quilt is touted as a summer bag (to what temperature?) and a winter overbag (how well does the footbag accomodate other sleeping bags?).

This has come up in the past and the response has been that BPL will not review BMW products ... it was cast more or less as a conflict of interest issue. I tend to agree with that position.

But YES, it's be Real Good to have more detailed specs about the Cocoon product line.

I agree and have accumulated a bit of BPL gear myself. I suggest there are 2 options, those that have BPL gear provide comments on the Readers Review section of BPL, the other being that BPL provide gear for review on Backpackgeartest.org at least this will provide an independent view point. My feeling is that any gear that BPL sells has been well thought out. However, there is always the potential for improvement and development.

Thanks everyone, for your posts.

We've been discussing the possibility of staff reviews of Bozeman-brand gear and I believe it will happen.

Clearly, our biggest challenge is to ensure that any such review is conducted fairly and forthrightly. In part because of the separation of the BPL editorial and retail staffs and the peer and outside review processes, it seems possible to do so. Another, more subtle issue is the possibility we’d review a Bozeman product at the expense of not reviewing a competing product. This needs to be addressed in an ongoing fashion by the editorial staff. Finally, we need to ensure that a Bozeman product receiving a poor review (as if! :-) would be published regardless.

Because we’ve not finalized our policies, I can’t say when reviews might eventually be published nor which items might be reviewed. I encourage you to suggest what Bozeman—or BPL Shop—items you’d like to see reviewed.

Rick,

A stop-gap approach that definitely doesn't have any conflict issues would be to at least provide detailed specs in the product listing.

On the Pro 90 quilt (my current interest since I have one coming) there are no dimensions provided except for the lengths; no info on insulation thickness, widths (variable?) at different points, dimensions of the footbox, nominal temperature rating (however variable this is for each individual), etc.

I usually disregard items for sale when complete descriptions are not provided by the vendor but do trust that most BPL items should function well. Independent performance reviews obviously are the goal, but detailed factual specs are a start.

Thanks. Sig

Sig -

Many of the statistics listed on the Bozeman Mountain Works Web site and BackpackingLight were originally based on prototype models of the products, as production models were still in transit from the manufacturers. Granted this is no excuse for the information to not have been updated or bulked-up once production models were available and we will see to it that the proper information is provided to the consumer.

The statistics you see on the Web sites are accurate but I see from some of the comments and complaints that they are not detailed enough. BackpackingLight members all value precise information in terms of specifications provided by manufacturers and it is my opinion that we should not put ourselves "outside this loop" in terms of our own products.

- Sam

In light of the thread I recently started with respect to Cocoon products, obviously I couldn't agree more. So much so that without some further feedback on the products and as well (important here), full specifications and expected (read: average) gains in degree warmth, I am going to wait a bit before charging the credit card.

I know it's already been mentioned, but detailed specs would help a lot. I would especially like to know loft specs on the Cocoon gear. I know BPL doesn't give temp ratings, which is understandable. But the UL60, Pro 90, and UL180 all say "can be used by itself in summer temps". I have a good idea what lofts can keep me warm to certain temps, but without that info, I'm just taking a gamble on a product.

Edited by splproductions on 10/30/2007 07:44:57 MDT.

The primary issue I have with the Cocoon quilts is the definition of "summer" temps. I live in Southwest Georgia. Summer temps here are significantly different than on a mountian in the Sierras, for example. Perhaps a "summer" quilt there is a shoulder season quilt down here. I have no idea personally. Something objective that we can use to gauge how the Cocoon would fit our needs would be fantastic. I understand BPL's stand on temp ratings, and agree with it. I just wish there was something else I could use to gauge how these products would fit my needs.

Tom

I have posted a response to a similar thread here:

Cocoon Conundrum