Sleeping bags debut plus an extended tent range from lightweight specialist brand Lightwave in 2013.
Following on from yesterday's Crux 2013 preview, we also got a sneak preview of fellow brand Lightwave's new kit for next year including completely new range of high-spec sleeping bags and three major new tent range changes.
Lightwave Sleeping Bags Are Go!
Sleeping bags are a new product for Lightwave, but they've plenty of hands-on experience thanks to the eVent-shelled bags in the Crux range. And like Crux, the new Lightwave bags are all about a combination of light weight and high performance, but without compromising durability of versatility.
The Firelight bags use mega high-spec down - 900 fill power (EU) / 970 fill power (US) - housed in box-wall baffles made from mid-weight Pertex Quantum to maintain fabric tear strength. The bags are mummy shaped and have full-length zips, and they have all the baffles you'd expect.
There are going to be four different fill weights offered from a 250g fill with a comfort rating of around zero˚C at around £299 through to a 550g version, -9˚C, and a price of £419.
Once nice touch is that the bags are all going to be available in three size, S, M and L, so you should be able to optimise fit as well for better efficiency. And because 900FP down is in very short supply, there won't be many of them around, maybe 50 in each of the four weights.
New Tents
For next spring, tents also get a makeover. There's a new Arctic range, which is a relaunch of Lightwave's old, 5-season tunnel tents - yes, we did say 5-season - which use full-on mountaineering-friendly fabrics. There are changes including a new dual-vestibule format with a porch at either end and multi-pitching options. Proper all-year round, mountain tunnel tents in two versions: T25 (3.5kg) and T35 (3.8kg).
Then there's Mountain a relaunch of the old semi-geodesic tents but with a stronger structure designed to cope better with snow loading and again, full 5-season fabrics and ground sheets for full-on mountain use and durability. Two models again, the G20 MTN (2.75kg) and teh G30 MTN (3.00kg).
Finally the Hyper family of tents is joined by an additional pair of Hyper DV models, which have Dual Vestibules - hence the DV designation. The tents are identical in design to the Arctic models above, but with the fabric and pole specs from the Hyper range of lightweight tents.
The idea is that you get the 4-season lightweight performance of the Hyper range, but with the added versatility of the dual porch design. There are two models, the T25 Hyper DV and the T35 Hyper DV with estimated weights of 3.85kg and 4.25kg. All Lightwave's weights are for fully-packed tents. We'll check those weights as they're actually heavier than the Arctic...
Current Lightwave information at www.lightwave.uk.com.
