Big Agnes Double Z Sleeping Pad Named Backpacker 2014 Editors' Choice

March 20, 2014 (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) -- Big Agnes' Double Z sleeping pad has been honored as a recipient of a 2014 Backpacker magazine Editors' Choice Award, one of the most prestigious awards in the outdoor industry. The award is given annually to products in recognition of outstanding innovation in design, materials and performance. This is the eighth Big Agnes product recognized with the award.

Backpacker Editor-in-Chief Dennis Lewon and his staff of editors and testers presented Big Agnes with the award at the annual Outdoor Retailer Winter Market in Salt Lake City, Utah on January 22, 2014.

The Big Agnes Double Z sleeping pad offers a more comfortable and luxuries backcountry sleeping experience. The four inch thick sleeping pad features an internal stabilizer construction to distribute weight evenly. The two-piece valve allows for one way inflation ans super quick deflation. The uninsulated pad is rated to 35° and weighs 16 ounces.

The Backpacker Editors’ Choice Awards, bestowed annually since 1993, honor the products that Backpacker editors have chosen as the best of the year based on months of trail testing by teams of highly experienced hikers and climbers. With no set categories for the awards and no set number of recipients, the products and the testing process drive the award categories.

"BACKPACKER gear reviews set the benchmark by which all others are measured," said Editor-in-Chief Dennis Lewon. "That's because no other magazine or website conducts field-testing as rigorously or impartially as the crew led by Gear Editor Kristin Hostetter. Our core testers each have years of backcountry experience and expertise in multiple pursuits, from climbing to paddling to skiing. Under Kristin’s leadership, they put new products through punishing real-world abuse in the toughest terrain and worst weather. She also oversees a transparent process that has earned an unrivaled level of trust from readers, retailers, and manufacturers. The result? Best-in-class reviews that lead consumers to best-in-class gear."

Bill Gamber, Big Agnes co-founder and president, in reflecting over winning these two prestigious awards stated “Big Agnes is honored to be recognized by Backpacker magazine. To be surrounded by such great competition, and come out on top is something that makes everyone at Big Agnes feel extremely proud.”

The Double Z will be available spring 2014 in two sizes (20"x72", 25"x78") at select retailers and www.bigagnes.com for $79.95-$109.95.

About Big Agnes:

Named for a peak in the nearby Mt. Zirkel Wilderness, Big Agnes®, Inc. is located in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and produces award-winning sleeping bags, pads, tents and insulated apparel.  Big Agnes is the exclusive distributor of Helinox trekking poles and camp furniture in North and South America.

For more information, visit www.bigagnes.com or call 1-877-554-8975.

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