[at-l] 2 Gear Questions

[RoseMarie/Al Sarra" <rms2aas@earthlink.net (RoseMarie/Al Sarra)]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Stephen P. Champion, MD" <champion@iquest.net>
To: <at-l@backcountry.net>
Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2001 4:01 PM
Subject: [at-l] 2 Gear Questions

but the ability to sleep on my stomach and put my
> arms wherever I want, yet still stay warm, >
> Steve
>

I'm was sitting here pondering the good doctor's complaint above when
suddenly an entirely new concept for sleeping bags popped into my head.
(Maybe it isn't a new concept but I've never heard of the like before.)

Given that many of us feel overly restrained in mummy bags and yet don't
want to carry the larger (heavier) bags which allow semi-unrestrained
movement, then:

Why not a sleeping bag shaped and sewn like a jump suit?  You know, arms,
legs and a torso with maybe a hood, maybe not?  Zipper down one side or down
the front. At first thought, it seems that such a bag would allow absolutely
unrestrained movement.  Would not be confining. Would not require the body
to heat unoccupied air space. Would be lighter than conventional bags.

And...what else?? How about pocket(s) to keep filter from freezing - to dry
socks & underwear - to hold pee bottle - etc. ?  Pit zips/ other zips for
those who sleep really warm ?

After maybe 3 or 4 minutes of hard thinking, I only came up with two
possible negatives.  The first is with really warm weather use when folks
just like to sleep on top of their bag. It would be awkward with this one.
And the second is that it doesn't allow, errr, uhhh, that is, ummm it is
truly a uhhh one person bag.

Any thoughts on this??  Any gear builders out there like to try creating one
and let us know how it works ? I'm five feet, twelve and a half inches tall,
weigh 163 lbs and am a cool sleeper in case somebody wants to build one for
me to try.

Al (Draggin' Anchor)  Trying to think out of the box, err, bag.