The Hightail was the lightest and smallest in the class (although the Sea To Summit Talus TsII comes very close). But all our testers felt it was the most constrictive fit of any bag in the class. One hidden feature that we loved, however, is the inclusion of a bit of synthetic Climashield insulation in the bottom of the bag to bolster the down insulation. Since down compresses easily under weight, it’s next to useless underneath you. The Climashield panels under key contact points, however, provided added warmth on the coldest nights.

Compressibility
This bag packs small—it had the smallest packed size in this class—and it lofts up nicely when pulled out in camp. The premium 850-fill down and thin Pertex Endurance shell aided in that compressibility.

Warmth-to-weight ratio
As with the compressibility rating, the Hightail had an excellent warmth-to-weight ratio due in large part to its use of premium down and the addition of that body-mapped Climashield panels in the bottom of the bag.

Another factor boosting this rating was the overall cut and design of the bag. The narrow taper eliminates any excessive air pockets or ‘cold sinks’ within the bag.

Comfort
However, that extreme taper affects comfort as well as warmth. While the narrow bag provides incredible warmth, it also limited movement and most testers agreed it felt overly confining—only the sleepers who generally spend the entire night on their backs didn’t feel limited in their movements.