Going camping does not have to mean sacrificing a good night’s rest. No one enjoys sleeping on a hard damp ground only to have to hike the next morning. For some, that’s a rather torturous excursion rather than a fun-filled outdoor adventure. Hammock camping was born out of outdoor enthusiasts valuing a good night’s rest. And with the evolution of lightweight weatherproof gear, there’s now a practical yet affordable way to sleep comfortably in the outdoors.

Outdoor Durability

Introducing MummyPod by Outdoor Vitals – a modular camping system that is part sleeping bag, part hammock, and part rain tarp. With the option of purchasing each part separately, your best bet is to take advantage of a sleeping bag designed to seamlessly integrate with Outdoor Vitals’ hammock. Depending upon where your next adventure takes you, Outdoor Vital offers two types of sleeping bags: one that is rated to 30-degrees F (-1 C) and is synthetically insulated and one that is hydrophobic and rated to 0-degrees F (-18 C). Unless you plan on braving the elements on the side of Mount Washington in February, this gives you plenty of options to stay toasty during cold nights.

Intelligent Design Features

With setup only taking five minutes and the entire system weighing only 4.4 lbs. (2 kg), the MummyPod is an ideal camping companion. No tent. No tent pad. No poles. Everything fits in a backpack and takes up less space than a traditional tent and sleeping bag. Capable of holding up 300 lbs. (136 kg), the super strong yet lightweight hammock only weighs 13.4 ounces (378 g). If you’re concerned about comfort, the Outdoor Vital sleeping bags are made out of water-resistant RipSoft fabric and the zippers are all YKK units – designed for minimal snagging.

User-Friendly Setup

So how does the MummyPod work? As mentioned previously, the modular sleep system comes in three parts. The first step is to secure the hammock in-between two trees with the provided double-looped polyester straps. Now for the real magic (step two): The hammock is then fed through the unzipped foot-box of the sleeping bag – passing through the head-hole. The sleeping bag is then secured to the same tree as the hammock and cables are tightened to ensure that no loose materials are hanging over the edge. This process attaches the sleeping bag to the hammock. Finally (step 3), is simply hanging the hexagonal tarpaulin above the hammock for protections from the elements.

The Bottom Line

Outdoor Vital designed MummyPod with the camper in mind. They could have easily created affordable outdoor gear made from weatherproof materials and called it a day; instead, they designed a hammock that weaves into a lightweight sleeping bag equipped with zippers that lock into place for added comfort. This highly portable sleep system keeps you suspended above the ground, protects from a late night rainstorm, and weighs only 4.4 lbs. – making the MummyPod the most versatile piece of camping equipment you can own.

MummyPod’s Availability & Pricing

There’s a reason for the recent movement toward hammock camping: it’s more comfortable than laying on the ground. With an estimated ship date scheduled for this September (perfect for a fall hike) and the complete set (hammock, sleeping bag, and rain tarp) priced at $240, Outdoor Vital’s MummyPod certainly falls into the must-have category.

Source: Outdoor Vital