The JakPak: Gear you want but don't need

Weighing in at a mere three pounds, the JakPak is the Swiss Army knife of outerwear, tripling as a jacket, a one-person tent, and a sleeping bag. The Seattle-made product incorporates a waterproof jacket with a hood and visor, a sleeping bag, a basic tent, and insect netting into its...

By Eric Peterson

April 28, 2010

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Weighing in at a mere three pounds, the JakPak is the Swiss Army knife of outerwear, tripling as a jacket, a one-person tent, and a sleeping bag. The Seattle-made product incorporates a waterproof jacket with a hood and visor, a sleeping bag, a basic tent, and insect netting into its design. Its market is twofold: 1) the ultra-light, fast-packing crowd who want to get their gear weight down to the bare minimum; and 2) people who like to be prepared for anything.

The tent and bag are detachable, with the former covering your shoulders up and the latter covering everything else. The bag also has a zipper at the bottom, so you can move around in the dark without getting out of it. (You still have to get out to pee. Presumably.)

New this spring, the JakPak retails for about $250. For a piece of clothing that doubles as a home, that's not bad -- even in this economy.

www.jakpak.com

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