When I first saw the Jakpak I thought it was an interesting idea; a tent, Jacket and sleeping bag all in one, what a great idea. I contacted the company, and was able to receive a sample. I received the Jakpak in late spring and had the summer and fall to test it out. I was able to take it up hiking and camping and see how it worked. On a rainy summer day in the Wasatch Mountains, it kept me dry and comfortable. The sleeping bag and tent part of the system was easy to use after doing it a couple times. The integrated suspenders really helped to keep the bag on at night. This is a great choice for anyone who is going hiking in the summer or warmer parts of fall and spring. Having an all in one waterproof jacket and sleeping system is a great way to save on space and weight.
Some of my first impressions of the bag were: I was impressed by the look of the jacket. I was also impressed that all the seams are seamed taped, the tent has plenty of head room and the netting is plenty long to give sufficient coverage. The back of the jacket felt a little bulky where the bag and tent are stored. The zipper on bag could be double sided. As mentioned earlier at first it can be a little confusing to figured out but after a few practice runs, it was a breeze to get in and out of.
If you have a chance to check out the JakPak, I recommend it. I don’t think it is the answer for everyone but I do think that it can be useful to a lot of people. If you are interested in learning more about the JakPak or would like to order one, visit their website at http://jakpak.com/. This gear review is of the JakPak in 2009 but the JakPak has been updated for 2010. I have listed the new specifications for the 2010 version of the JakPak.
Overall Product Specifications
- All-in-one patent pending revolutionary design featuring a waterproof, breathable jacket with integrated tent (shelter), mosquito netting and sleeping bag
- 3 season design (spring, summer and fall)
- Urethane coated ripstop nylon/polyester body fabric:
- – 3.1 oz. colored fabric, 3.39 oz. camo, 4.4 oz. HiViz polyester
- Breathable/Waterproof construction, 100% seam taped
- Entire product meets flame retardant standards for tents
- DWR finish (Durable Water Resistant)
- W/P non-breathable coating
- W/P Hydrophilic coating 10000mm, MVT 5000g
Jacket
- 3 total pockets (2 exterior, 1 interior)
- Reversible center front zipper
- Integrated hood and collar with draw cord and visor
- Integrated suspenders help distribute shelter and sleeping bag weight evenly
- Storm flaps over pockets and zippers keep water out of garment
- IPod loop to help control iPod cording
- Pit Zips
- Elastic draw cord hem
Tent/Shelter
- Integrated tent provides shelter over the head, neck and shoulders
- Quick and easy setup with no hassle, added grommets can be used for staking
- Curved shaped back tent pouch with mesh along bottom of pocket, allows debris or water from storing tent to fall out without having to clean out the pocket
- Rust resistant, metal tent rods
- Attached No See-um netting deters small no-see-um size insects, while maintaining good visibility
- Detachable tent can be used as a pack cover or removed and stored separately
Sleeping Bag
- Integrated sleeping bag folds in/out of jacket for quick and easy access
- Waterproof and Waterproof/Breathable fabics used, Waterproof on bottom for laying on wet ground and breathable on top for comfort
- Angled full length two-way zipper allows for ease of entry/exit, also allows you the choice to zip your feet free for easy access for walking around, hook and loop to help from dragging on ground
- Roomy fit and capacity allows winter clothes inside the bag and jacket
- Detachable sleeping bag can be removed and stored separately
