In creating his own line of sleeping bags, bushcraft expert Ray Mears turned to Climashield Apex, a continuous-filament synthetic insulation that provides reliable warmth no matter the conditions.
According to Mears, “if you’re roughing it, you’re doing something wrong.” To share his outdoor expertise, in 1983, he founded Woodlore: The School of Wilderness Bushcraft, which paved the way for bushcraft courses around the world. Soon after, Mears’ Survival Handbook became a bestseller, leading to a series of popular TV shows in which he taught viewers not just how to survive, but how to stay warm, dry, and well-fed in the outdoors.
Today, Mears and Woodlore continue to focus on natural materials and traditional knowledge, providing some of the best, most comprehensive bushcraft courses in the world. And, in order to make the wilderness experience accessible safely to all, Mears also designed his own range of top-quality three-season and four-season sleeping bags. Conceived and self-tested, the Woodlore sleeping bags are suitable for a variety of environments and weather conditions and are as rugged as they are warm.
Models Osprey (three season), Golden Eagle (four season) and Canada Jay (Arctic) all feature Climashield® APEX synthetic continuous filament insulation, which makes them extremely resistant to prolonged compression and numerous wash cycles. Featuring proprietary AquaBan® surface encapsulation treatment, Climashield® APEX delivers reliable warmth by retaining body heat and efficiently wicking away moisture. Lightweight and durable, it maintains its thermal performance even in damp conditions, making Woodlore sleeping bags dependable in any adventure.
The Canada Jay, the warmest of Woodlore’s synthetic sleeping bags, boasts an impressive comfort rating of -35°C (-31°F) while maintaining a low weight of just 2.4 kg (5.3 lbs). It’s also the warmest model in Woodlore’s entire sleeping bag range, outperforming even pure down four-season bags with an extreme rating of -45°C (-49°F).
Like all sleeping bags designed by Ray Mears, the Canada Jay features a central zip — a design originally developed for military sleeping bags. This simple change from the conventional side zip makes a remarkable difference, allowing the user to comfortably sit up while keeping their lower body inside the bag.
To minimize dead space and optimize weight, the Canada Jay is cut in the classic tapered mummy shape. For additional warmth, its spacious drawcord-adjustable hood is equipped with an insulated baffle across the neck. A second baffle runs the length of the central zip, preventing heat loss and keeping the zip from touching the user’s body.
Inside the bag, at chest height, two zippered mesh pockets provide safe storage for valuables. The Canada Jay is embellished with the Woodlore logo and packs easily into its own compression sack. It is the sleeping bag of choice for all winter expeditions led by Ray Mears and the Woodlore team, trusted for its exceptional warmth, durability, and field-tested design.
