Just an FYI to let everyone know the status of the upcoming Fall 2006 Cocoon line.

The BPL Cocoon line is a series of garments to date that uses ultralight breathable fabric inner and outer shells (Pertex Quantum) that sandwich synthetic insulation (Polarguard Delta).

Info about current products in this line is here:

Cocoon Pullover and Pants

For Fall '06 (expected Sep 30 delivery, approx) a number of new products are being introduced.

The 8 oz Cocoon Pullover and 7 oz Cocoon Pant will remain in the line.

A 10 oz hooded pullover, 11 oz quilt, 20 oz quilt, and 2 oz balaclava are being introduced in Quantum (shell and lining) and Polarguard.

In addition, a 13 oz full zip hooded jacket, 13 oz full zip pants, and 16 oz quilt are being introduced that use an ultralight waterproof-breathable fabric for the outer shell.

Here's a teaser photo of the 20 oz quilt, inside of which is the 10 oz hooded pullover, which I will use, combined with the 7 oz pant, as my insulating clothing and sleep system for my upcoming Arctic trek. Roman and Jason will also be using the pullover and pants, and sharing a 23 oz insulated dual person Cocoon quilt, which we may introduce in spring '07.



Stay tuned for more later in the summer.

I will be posting photographs of the hooded pullover and 20 oz quilt, which I'm taking on my Arctic trek, over at Arctic1000.com in the next few days.

Have a great "June" and I'll catch up with everyone when I return in July.

Take care,
Ryan

Edited by ryan on 06/02/2006 14:22:12 MDT.

Ryan, will the Cocoon series stll be making use of PG Delta?

Best of luck on the Arctic 1000.

wow, that's light. I think I'm going to suffer through the summer with my 15 degree bag and put off the lightweight summer bag purchase until that comes out...

Unfortunately, by I'd love to have that 11oz quilt for the balmy days of summer and save the sleepingbag for the fall...

Oh well, still looks very cool.

Great, This is what I have been waiting for.

I have a few questions

what are the aprox. temp ratings of both the 11, and 20oz quilts?
what is the expected pricing?
Do you have a recomended stuff sack size for the quilts?

Thanks

Too bad they wont be available until the fall.

Edited by ryanf on 06/02/2006 18:41:27 MDT.

Ryan F.

With a little math a close guess for a temp range should be possible.

If we take what we know the Pertex Quamtum used for the Quilt shell will weight about .9 to 1oz per sq yard. This might be a small amount over weight but with seam allowance and thread I think 1 ounce should be a close planning weight.

For the Quilt I took the BMW Bivy and used that size for the Quilt (Reg & L). For the two different sized Bivys I get from 4.3 to 4.6 sq yards of fabric needed for a Quilt. This would figure a weight of about 4.3 oz and 4.6 oz for the material alone.

Now if we subtract that from the weight posted for the two Quilts we have an available weight of about 6.7 oz of insulation for the 11 oz and 15.7 oz for the 20 oz Quilt.

If I was making this Quilt with 800 Down I would guess the 11 oz Quilt will be good for about 40 degrees F. I think this will let someone wear a set of Cocoon stuff to stay warm with this quilt down to around 32 degrees F. I am making a new Spring/Fall Sleep System that counts something like a set of the Cocoon Pants and Pullover in the amount of insulation available to help me stay warm. My current plan is to use Down for the Quilt

The 20 oz Quilt has a lot of insulation and I really don't know how to figure a temp range. A wild guess would seem about "10" degrees F. or so maybe "0" F. This might be way off but 15.7 oz of insulation is a lot.

If either of the Quilts have a zipper then we would need to subtract a little for that.

If someone wants to redo my math and post a closer temperature rating have at it.

Cost is a hard thing to guess and I don't want to go there.

Let me add my own teaser: The other three new items that are being introduced that use "an ultralight waterproof-breathable fabric" maybe a new material "sailing" into the outdoor market. Something about 0.7oz per square yard.

Edited by bfornshell on 06/02/2006 20:11:11 MDT.

Ryan, Bill, others, re: temp ratings.

1. The 11 oz quilt is definitely a summer quilt. I would not want this in AK, even combined with Cocoon hooded p/o and pants, at the temps, wind, and humidity we are expecting up there. Low temps will begin in the 20s-30s. I think with Cocoon gear, in foul conditions (wind, humid, cold, wet) this quilt would be "ok" for me in the 40s with cocoon clothing.

2. The 20 oz quilt, combined with Cocoon clothing, is a solid 2-season and marginal 3-season setup. I would call something that has the insulation of say, a TNF Fission, to be a solid 3-season synth bag. This has slightly less thickness than the Fission.

3. There are no zippers. Footboxes are sewn closed partway up, and you can tie them shut along the upper girth if needed to conserve heat.

4. Costing has not been done yet.

5. WPB items are not Nano/Cuben fabric. That would be bad, it doesn't breathe. But yes, we looked into it and you can make some really light stuff! It's a new type of Pertex Quantum Endurance.

Thanks Ryan J. for the additional information. You must know that we go crazy wanting more info everytime you talk about something new.

I have been playing with the numbers and had dropped my thought about the temp range I had suggested. I think the PG Delta was something like 1.8oz a sq yard. That may be off a bit. I have no way to figure the loft of PG Delta but from looking at my Cocoon stuff it isn't a lot. Maybe one inch but I really can't tell.

The best news maybe (I guess) is that Pertex has a new addition to the Quantum line? Is this new from Japan?

The next best news someday maybe that Cuben will make a WPB fabric.

On a side note, I liked the article "6 Tips For Backpacking Light With Kids" and let my neighbor have my copy to read. They have three kids about old enough to start getting out into the woods.

Being a Canuck, my safe window for "2-season" gear is pretty small. A 3-season sleep system can be a prudent choice in literally any month of the year up here, and 4-season gear finds its' way into our packs earlier than many would expect as well.

Any chance that there is a "4th-season" addition to the cocoon line in the works?

I'd love to see it.

Brian

Re: 4th season Cocoon system

Two of the quilts are designed to work and fit together to make a layered winter setup...combined with the Cocoon hooded pullover (10 oz) plus the pants (7 oz), the two quilts make a great winter setup with the advantage that the inner quilt nearly always stays dry (by pushing condensation outward into the outer quilt) and the thin outer quilt is a snap to dry out in the sun quickly.

Just curious, for the winter,
which two bags should work together ?

11oz + 20oz = 31oz ?
OR
16oz + 20oz = 36oz ?

FYI: My current down long Marmot Helium is good to 15F and weighs 36oz.

Any chance to modify the 11oz to wear as a jacket(headhole), ie JacksRBetter?

Good luck on your Artic expedition !

About the 13 oz waterproff/breathable full zip hooded jacket, could be considered a belay jacket? o its aimed to backpacking use