Graphene-X is a Hong Kong-based company that produces outdoor clothing and gear. This time around it's entering the camping market with a product called the Tardigrade Sleeping System, currently available for backing on Kickstarter.
The product is named after the tardigrade – a tiny organism famous for being one of the toughest life forms on Earth, capable of surviving temperatures between -272 °C and 150 °C (-458 °F and 302 °F). The new sleeping system from Graphene-X might not match that extreme range, but it’s promised to offer a good solution for both summer and winter camping.
With so many sleeping bags already available, it may seem like there's little room for innovation. The team at Graphene-X sees this market differently though. The company argues that choosing the right sleeping bag still comes with a lot of compromises. And this is a fair point: a high-quality bag can be quite expensive, and we understandably expect a lot from it. Ideally, every camper wants a single solution that works across all seasons instead of buying several separate bags.
And this is the main inspiration behind the Tardigrade Sleeping System. It’s not a single product, but rather a modular system that combines three components:
- Tardigrade Extreme – a winter-oriented sleeping bag rated down to -30 °C (-22 °F) and weighing 1.9 kg (67 oz)
- Tardigrade Lite – a lighter three-season sleeping bag rated down to -10 °C (14 °F) and weighing 1.4 kg (49 oz)
- Modular Cover – a thin layer with 150 g/m2 Graphinsulate fill that can be attached inside either sleeping bag using buckles for extra warmth. It weighs 334 g (12 oz)
The biggest challenge was to make the whole system adaptive to different conditions, and that was achieved through a smart combination of materials. It involves two key technologies: Graphinsulate insulation and WAI (Weather Adaptive Insulation).
Graphene is a one-atom-thick layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal structure. This material is incredibly strong and conducts heat very efficiently. It has a better warmth-to-weight ratio than down insulation and maintains its quality after multiple washes.
The second important component is aerogel, an ultra-light material made by removing the liquid from a gel and replacing it with air. Because of its low density and strong insulating properties, it has been used in space missions by NASA.
The creators of Tardigrade integrated aerogel into polyester fibers by filling special internal fabric tubes with it. Those tubes can inflate or deflate depending on the temperature outside. This is part of the WAI system, which allows the sleeping bag to adapt to different weather conditions without becoming heavy or bulky.
There are several additional features worth mentioning. One of the priorities for the team was to create a product that feels more like sleeping in a bed rather than in a sleeping bag, so a lot of effort went into reducing typical inconveniences.
Sleeping in a traditional bag often feels like being in a cocoon where you can't move freely, and need to unzip the whole thing to reach your phone or water bottle. To address this, Tardigrade features zippers just for the arm areas, so cold air doesn’t enter the bag as quickly.
Another common issue is sliding off the sleeping pad, and this was solved by adding stretchy hoops to the bags to hold the inflatable mattress underneath. Both versions (Extreme and Lite) are compatible with mattresses measuring 220 x 56-65 x 8 cm (86.6 x 22.0-25.6 x 3.1 in). Both sleeping bags come in the same size, measuring 210 x 80 x 50 cm (82.7 x 31.5 x 19.7 in).
Tardigrade sleeping bags also feature an additional graphene layer at the foot end for added warmth, and an internal pocket.
Early Kickstarter backers can get all three components for US$629, with a planned retail price of $979, or purchase them separately: Lite for $249, Extreme for $359, and the modular cover for $109. A compression packing bag is included in each system. Assuming the campaign is successful, shipping will begin in November.
Source: Kickstarter
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