Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
Canada’s Mountain Equipment Company (MEC) has created a complete backcountry sleep system that weighs less than 2 kilograms (4.5 pounds). Complete with a sleeping pad, four-season bag, shelter, and backpack, it’s an impressively light setup that could function as a bikepacking system. Read on for more on this new sleep kit…
As its name suggests, Mountain Equipment Company created the 2Kilo Project to build a complete sleep system weighing under 2 kilograms. Featuring a single-wall, one-person tent, a 5.8 R-value sleeping pad, a 400-gram backpack, and a 900-fill-power down sleeping bag, the MEC Label 2Kilo Project system seems an impressive feat. Though it’s made for backpackers, the system could easily serve as a sleep system for weight-focused bikepackers. Let’s dive into each portion of this system to see what’s applicable.
MEC Alpha UL 1-Person Tent
The Alpha UL 1-Person has a 15-denier, silicone-coated nylon ripstop fly that is ultra-lightweight and reportedly resistant to tears. It also has a no-see-um mesh canopy for airflow, a bathtub-style floor, and a storm flap with magnetic closure. Inside the tent, there’s a hanging loop for gear storage, along with an interior pocket. The tent uses guylines for setup, with seven ultralight carbon fiber pegs and aluminum J-stakes to accommodate soft or hard-packed ground.
The floor has a waterproofness rating of 2000mm, and the fly has a rating of 1500mm. The floor is 240cm in length, 65cm wide, with an interior peak height of 130cm. The tent is not free-standing and weighs 660 grams. Made in Vietnam, the Alpha UL 1-Person Tent retails for $650, but can be bundled with the rest of the 2Kilo Project.
For more on the Alpha UL 1-Person Tent, visit MEC.ca.
MEC Bravo 6 Sleeping Pad
The 5.8 R-value sleeping pad boasts three-season performance with an internal structure that supposedly reflects heat back onto the user. The pad features an 8.5cm-thick cushion when fully inflated and comes with a pump sack to prevent moisture build-up. The 20-denier pad is made of 100% recycled materials and features an embossed honeycomb structure, forming a mummy-shaped pad. The Bravo 6 is 183cm long, 56cm wide, weighs 455 grams, and is made in Taiwan. The Bravo 6 sleeping pad retails for $280 and can be bundled with other items in the 2Kilo Project.
For more on the Bravo 6 Sleeping Pad, visit MEC.ca.
MEC Delta Pivot -2 Sleeping Bag
The sleeping bag has a 7-denier hollow yarn nylon ripstop shell, 900-fill-power RDS down, a removable hood with PrimaLoft Gold Aerogel for extra insulation, and a fitted design for active and side sleepers that the company says will maintain comfort even when rolling around. The Delta Pivot -2 sleeping bag fits people up to 6’0″ tall, is rated for -2°C, and weighs 505 grams. The packed size is 24 x 18cm, while the open shoulder girth is 148cm, the hip girth is 140cm, and the foot girth is 112cm. The Delta Pivot sleeping bag retails for $600, is made in Vietnam, and can be bundled with the rest of the 2Kilo Project.
For more on the Delta Pivot -2 Sleeping Bag, visit MEC.ca.
MEC Charlie 32L UL Pack
Perhaps the least applicable item for bikepackers, the Charlie 32L UL Pack is still an impressive feat of design. Made of waterproof Challenge Sailcloth TX70, it features an impermeable main body for wet-weather use, an Ultra™ 100 UHMWPE bottom panel, and UHMWPE-reinforced stretch pockets for added durability. The bag features a roll-top closure, a removable waist belt and back panel, and an external hydration sleeve on the shoulder strap. The main fabric used on the bag is 70-denier polyester, and it has a claimed volume of 32L. The bag measures 59.5cm in length, 27cm in width, and 27cm in depth. With a claimed total weight of 400 grams, the Charlie 32L UL Pack retails for $300 and is made in Vietnam.
For more on the Charlie 32L UL pack, visit MEC.ca.
When bundled, customers can save 15% by buying the tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad together. The team at MEC has also created a cool overview of the entire system and how they arrived at its design. Check it out below:
Further Reading
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