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High Peak Arete 0
- High Peak Arete 0
What It Is
A zero-degree rated, 650-fill down bag at a good price.
Retail Price: $300
83
- 95-100 Extremely high recommendation.
- 90-94 Enthusiastically recommended. Exceptional.
- 80-89 Highly recommended - few reservations.
- 70-79 Recommended. Standard performance.
- 60-69 Fair. Recommended for certain uses.
- 50-59 Poor. Not recommended in general.
The Good |
The Bad |
The Verdict |
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While its 2.85 lb weight may not entice those looking to minimize weight, the Arete’s price point makes it a great value, especially for cold sleepers who don’t want to push the lower limits of the EN rating. |
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High Peak Arete 0
If carting around an extra three-quarters of a pound of sleeping bag instead of playing chicken with the comfort limits of your existing bag sounds like a reasonable tradeoff, the Arete should make your short list.
Materials
Insulated with 650-fill down and sturdy fabrics, it’s still lighter and more compressible than a similarly rated synthetic bag. And it comes at a solid price. It will work well for anyone who pegs the warmth side of the warmth to weight ratio.
Features
The design isn’t finely tuned, and cost savings are reflected in the Arete’s heavier, thicker fabrics, but it’s functional and doesn’t skimp on the effort to keep you comfortable when the mercury drops. Large baffles up the comfy factor while sealing in heat on below-freezing nights. For those who tend to be a bit rough with their gear, part of the Arete’s value will come from knowing you won’t be risking your investment every time you dish out a little abuse.
How We Tested It
The sleeping bags were tested by a crew of about a dozen from August 2011 through July, 2012 on camping trips in Oregon, Washington, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, and Norway.
The products featured in this test have been loaned to the Gear Institute. For more on our policies regarding editorial objectivity and sample returns, see here.
About the Author
Frederick Reimers
Frederick Reimers was the editor of Canoe and Kayak Magazine from 2007-09 and has been writing for Outside, Men's Journal, Skiing and Powder ever since.
Ratings
Compressibility
7
10
Warmth to Weight Ratio
6
10
Comfort
5
10
Durability
7
10
Value
8
10
Gear Institute Rating (Total Score)
83
100
Weight
2.85 lbs
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