Development of a Extremely Compact and Lightweight Sleeping Bag Navy SBIR FY2006.2 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2006.2 Topic No.: N06-107 Topic Title: Development of a Extremely Compact and Lightweight Sleeping Bag Proposal No.: N062-107-0750 Firm: Cascade Designs 4000 1st Ave S Seattle, Washington 98134 Contact: Mike Andrie Phone: (206) 676-6032 Web Site: www.cascadedesigns.com Abstract: New paradigms in lightweight sleeping system design are required to address the high-mobility needs of today's soldier. Functional requirements that include use from -40�F to +80�F, a weight limit of 7.22 pounds and a maximum stored volume of 104 in3 will necessitate the use of cutting edge materials, processes and configurations that have not yet been commercialized. In Phase I, teams from Cascade Designs (inventors of lightweight, compressible insulating sleeping mattresses) and Sierra Designs (innovators in sleeping bags) will come together to (1) leverage internal materials and design R&D efforts, (2) scour suppliers' development labs for the soon-to-be-state-of-the-art materials, and (3) accelerate their integration into high performance sleeping gear. The usefulness of these new materials and designs will be evaluated using a combination of thermal testing and an aggregate model to estimate their effect on system performance. Ultimately, the most appropriate materials and design for each of the system's functional areas will be determined. Optional work will take the selected materials through full-scale mock-up and instrumented manikin testing. Benefits: Cascade Designs is the leader in sleep pads with over an 80% share of the outdoor specialty market. Sierra Designs is an industry leader in high-performance sleeping bags, tents, and apparel. The technolgies developed under this Phase I SBIR program will help us retain our current position as the technical and market leaders in the military and outdoor markets. Return