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Zenbivy sleep system

I'm prepping for a backpack hunt and looked into it a bit. I came up with the system doesn't seem to pack nearly as small or light as a decent down bag with an inflatable mattress so that did it for me. I'd be interested to hear from people who have tried it also
 
People sure seem to rave about them, to me it's too much money for what it is.

You get a much lighter and warmer quilt for the same $ from EE.
 
ResearchinStuff said:
The quilt is only half the system. And it's not the revolutionary half.
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Can you expand? my wife wants to start backpacking and asked for the Lite Bed for xmas. I was inclined to get her the quilt and buy an air mattress that has a more solid track record like a sea to summit, Nemo or Thermarest. Do you really need the sheet?
 
whatnext said:
Can you expand? my wife wants to start backpacking and asked for the Lite Bed for xmas. I was inclined to get her the quilt and buy an air mattress that has a more solid track record like a sea to summit, Nemo or Thermarest. Do you really need the sheet?
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I'm not who you're quoting but I kind of agree with him. I only had hands on from a friend that did a backpacking trip with me.

For the same money there's better stuff. The names they use are also confusing, because experienced backpackers don't call what they call a mattress a mattress. A mattress is one of those huge things you buy at Walmart and need a pump to blow up. A sleeping pad is what you use for backpacking. So, weird that that's how they chose to describe it.

With that said, the Nemo tensor insulated, which is a favorite of mine, is on sale for $100 ant REI and has similar specs to the zenbivy light mattress thing. Nemo, thermorest, big Agnes, sea to summit, etc are all going to have the good offerings.
 
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I use a sea to summit etherlite xt pad with my zenbivy lite bed. The sheet part of the bed blocks out drafts and creates a large hood to keep your pillow with you. The quilt is quilt like at the bottom third, then connects to the sheet the rest if the way, keeping out drafts while allowing you to toss and turn and sleep in whatever position you'd like. The zenbivy lite quilt is 850 fill down and very high loft. The material you touch on the inside of the quilt and sheet feels great on your skin, unlike a bare air mattress.

It's a very bedlike sleeping experience, unlike a mummy bag, and draft free, unlike a plain quilt.
 
ResearchinStuff said:
I use a sea to summit etherlite xt pad with my zenbivy lite bed. The sheet part of the bed blocks out drafts and creates a large hood to keep your pillow with you. The quilt is quilt like at the bottom third, then connects to the sheet the rest if the way, keeping out drafts while allowing you to toss and turn and sleep in whatever position you'd like. The zenbivy lite quilt is 850 fill down and very high loft. The material you touch on the inside of the quilt and sheet feels great on your skin, unlike a bare air mattress.

It's a very bedlike sleeping experience, unlike a mummy bag, and draft free, unlike a plain quilt.
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Thanks for the description.
 
700 fillpower water repelling down is very impressive. However, looking at the images it appears the zenbivy bags have sewn thru seams such that the insulation thickness goes to zero at each seam. Does anybody know if this is actually the case? For poly bags, they don't compress to zero thickness at the seam so it is not as critical. High quality down bags will have baffles such that the insulation is uniformly thick. Very expensive and in some cases very fragile when washing and the wet down is heavy (glued baffles vs. sewn baffles).
Another consideration is that with down, regardless of construction, the bag compresses under you such that a good pad is required. Standard 'air mattresses' will provide a cushion between your bag and the ground, but freely convecting air provides little insulation. Thinsulate inflatable pads have insulation inside to curb convection.
Again, does anybody know if the zenbivy seams are sewn thru?
 

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