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Sleeping BagSierra Designs Zissou 15 Down is a near-perfect insulation—perfect except for the way it stops insulating once it gets wet. That’s one reason synthetic sleeping bags are so popular in damp climes (we’re talking to you, Olympic National Park), and it’s why the new Zissou 15 sleeping bag from Sierra Designs is being heralded as the next big thing. The Zissou, as well as other Sierra Designs bags and jackets, uses an innovative new down called DriDown, in which the 600-fill down is treated with a hydrophobic coating. The result is a bag that stuffs compact, sleeps warm, and stays dry seven times longer in wet conditions than untreated down. Get It: $259; www.sierradesigns.com

Photograph courtesy Sierra Designs

Gear of the Year 2012 - Spring/Summer

Technology is what makes product design move forward, and this season sees exceptionally big leaps in cleverness, creativity, and ever-shrinking electronics. Some examples: A carabiner that locks using magnets, a high-res video camera built into a pair of sunglasses, and a new treatment that helps down work better when it’s wet.

BySteve Casimiro

October 1, 2012