Product details
Product description

The multi-functional Thermal Cloak can be used as a coat/cloak, sleeping bag, and tarp or emergency shelter.. The extremely simple yet astonishingly adaptable design makes this a valued piece of gear for a multitude of situations all year round.

  • Dimensions:
    • 216 x 216 cm / 85" x 85" (opened and laid out flat)
    • 216 x 108 cm / 85" x 42.5" (zippered shut as a bag)
  • Weight:
    • 1500 g / 53 oz. (100 g/m2 Climashield insulated)
    • 1300 g / 46 oz. (67 g/m2 Climashield insulated)
    • 650 g / 23 oz. (Non-insulated)
  • Pack size compressed:
    • 40 x 20 cm / 15.5" x 8" (100 g/m2 Climashield insulated)
    • 35 x 15 cm / 14" x 6" (67 g/m2 Climashield insulated)
    • 20 x 10 cm / 8" x 4" (non-insulated)
  • Three two-way, double sided zippers
  • A total of six tie-down webbing loops
  • Waterproof and thermal reflective shell fabric
  • Waterproof taped center seam
  • Materials:
    • Shell and lining: 100 % polyamide
    • Insulation: Climashield Apex
    • Reinforcements: 500D Cordura
    • All materials are NIR compliant

The Climashield insulated models double up as sleeping bags. The heavier 100 g/m2 insulated version is a bit heavier and bulkier than the 67 g/m2 variant but also offers roughly 50% more insulation, making it ideal for use in extreme cold. The non-insulated models have no insulation or lining, the silvered underside of the shell fabric is bare and visible. These unlined cloaks can be used as sleeping bag covers, similar to a bivvy bag.

If you´re in the need of a packing or compression bag, we recommend the following options:

For wear as a coat or cloak you will need a belt or similar strap. If you don´t own such a wonder already we recommend the Särmä TST utility strap.

The Thermal Cloak's roots and purpose

Since we believe in giving credit where credit is due: The Särmä TST Thermal Cloak is in all honesty our take on the Norwegian Jerven Fjellduk, a fantastic piece of kit which we've grown to love and respect over the years. Our design is basically the Finnish evolutionary offspring of its progenitor, adapted to suit our and other Finnish end-users needs based on our own experiences and feedback gathered from various users, especially military and law enforcement, around the country.

The design of the Thermal Cloak is outrageously simple, and that´s what it´s all about: from simplicity comes reliability, and this type of gear must be worth your trust. The Thermal Cloak is basically just a waterproof, insulated square but by the clever use of zippers and tie-down loops, it can be worn as a coat, used as a sleeping bag, or pitched like a tarp. This very versatile piece of gear adapts to a multitude of situations making it a valuable companion in the field, all year round.

The multiple functions of the Thermal Cloak

Sleeping bag or bivvy

The most simple trick is to use the Thermal Cloak as a sleeping bag. Fold and close it shut to form a bag and dive inside, or use it as a bivvy bag over a regular sleeping bag. The thermal reflective shell and Climashield insulation make the Thermal Cloak a sleeping bag on its own and an even better shell bag for use as a bivvy.

The 67 g/m2 Climashield insulated model is on its own roughly equivalent to a modern military summer sleeping bag. This is no exact science, but we suggest that the Comfort Limit is 5 °C (41 F) and Extreme Limit -10 °C (14 F).

The highest level of sleeping baggy pleasure is achieved when the Thermal Cloak is used in conjunction with an actual sleeping bag. In this configuration, you can keep your clothes and gear (especially any electronics or batteries) safe and warm within the Thermal Cloak whilst you yourself sleep comfortably inside the sleeping bag. The joy of getting into non-frozen-solid clothing on a cold winter morning is something you just have to experience first hand to truly appreciate.

Example: Thermal Cloak + Carinthia Defence 1 = a sure bet which keeps you going all year round in all but the very most extreme freezing temperatures. And if it gets really, really cold, like -35 °C (-31 F), just use a 3-season bag inside the thermal cloak and that´s it. A combo such as this gives you a quickly donned thermal shell coat, emergency shelter, and summer and winter sleeping bag all in one.

When using the Thermal Cloak as a sleeping bag we strongly recommend using a sleeping mat between the cloak and the ground. This protects the shell of the cloak from jagged rocks and sticks, a waterproof shell is not worth much if it´s full of holes.

Coat or cloak

When movement stops your own heat production slows down. In cold temperatures, it´s extremely important to add warm clothing fast when activity levels drop from high to low. For this purpose the Thermal Cloak can be worn like a coat or cloak:

  • Fold the cloak in half, zip up the long side halfway. The open section will become your armhole.
  • Zip shut one short side halfway starting from the previously left-open armhole corner. The open half will become your headway.
  • Leave the other short side completely open. This will become your feet hole.
  • Pull the sock-like bag over yourself, push your head out of the slit left for it, and your arms out of their large opening.
  • Take your belt/strap and tighten it around your waist and pull up the excess length of the cloak so it does not interfere with leg movement.
  • Your warm, insulated thermal cloak is ready!

You can lift or lower the "hood" as desired and adjust zippers for the perfect fit. Through the large opening for your arms, you can also access your jacket pockets and any chest-worn gear. This configuration is no acrobats dress, that is a reality, but whatever you need to do in such situations when wearing this makes sense - that you can do. If the need arises you can also operate firearms from this setup, we recommend some training beforehand.

If you´re really in no hurry to get going you can zip shut the feet end of the cloak to further conserve heat. In this configuration you´re basically a legless blob with arms and head, so don´t expect to get a quick running start if something happens.

Emergency shelter or tarp

Six reinforced tie-down loops along the sides and corners of the cloak allow for its use as a tarp or similar emergency shelter. There are numerous different setups that you can use depending on what you need, we recommend experimenting and learning what works for you.

Hammockeers a-hoy: by shutting the Thermal Cloak over your hammock you get great insulation, basically an under-and-over quilt. This cocoon also shields you from the wind, making this a viable option especially for wintertime hammocking.

Sewn in the EU

These are now made in Latvia by Sia GPT.

Reviews
4.5(17)

Eduardo L.

22.08.2024Verified purchase
I got the 100gr model last winter as a christmas self gift and man, I nailed it. I have used it to bivvy camp at 4000 mosl with stong enough winds to feel like I was being nudged by something in the middle of the night, but man, I was toasty inside. I've even had to ventilate a couple of times because i felt like it was getting to warm for my taste... and because I didn't consider that if it was windproof in the outside, it was going to be windproof inside too. Thing is, It is a really versatile piece of kit and it has excelled at the roles i've given to the cloak. With some paracord it worked fine as a hammock underquilt/cocoon of sorts, car liner for 4 soaked to the bones hikers... you get the idea. GET ONE

John H.

09.03.2024Verified purchase
I bought the 100g/m2 version. Overall I’m pleased with it, but with some minor reservations which I’ll note at the end. I like the fact that this cloak is versatile. It can be used as a shelter, as a sleeping bag, as a bivvy bag, or as a garment. It makes the rather high price easier to bear when you can use this one item to do four different jobs. The quality seems excellent. No complaints. I’ve slept outside in this several times, once in light snow and sleet with no shelter, just using the cloak as a bivvy bag. There were no problems with condensation inside (I left a few inches unzipped near my head so vapor from my breath would go outside) and I stayed warm in below freezing conditions with just light clothes inside a light sleeping bag. It’s warm, it’s (mostly) waterproof (see below), it’s versatile, and it’s well made. If I had it to do over again, I would buy the uninsulated version because it packs down so much smaller. In colder weather you could make your own swagman roll with a wool blanket, sleeping bag, etc. This might make the entire setup just as large as the insulated version when it comes to rolling it up, but you’d have the flexibility of mixing and matching to suit the conditions. When you buy the insulated version, you’re stuck with its bulk. The other thing to note is, the zippers on this cloak are of high quality and work perfectly but they ARE NOT waterproof, and there’s a small gap where the zippers meet at the corners into which water could penetrate in heavy rain. In light rain you’d probably be OK with the gap and the non-waterproof zippers without a shelter, but if rain was heavy I think you’d eventually have some water inside your cloak. Therefore you’ll need a shelter of some kind to prevent water ingress from the zipper when rain is moderate or heavy. All in all, a great piece of kit and I'm mostly satisfied with it.

Eric W.

20.12.2023Verified purchase
I bought the 67g model and have been impressed with it so I bought another 67g one for the wife. After looking at the zippers I unzipped both of them on the long sides and spun one around and then zipped them together forming a double wide insulated bivy. All in all this is a nice versatile item that will be on many trips with us.

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