I like to
sleep outside
Click here to see some of our trips.

Inspired by Squatting in the Bush
I’m a Type 2 fun-lover and I’ve been modifying gear for as long as I can remember: altering, experimenting, and sometimes ditching. Several results have become my cherished trail companions. But sleeping solutions have never been dealt with completely. For example, there’s that annoying 3am wakeup call to squat in the bush. No amount of modifications could solve that one. I had to start from scratch. Subsequently, the fusion of my passion, skill, training, and experience has resulted in a sleeping garment that you are going to love!

Jackie Bourgaize, B.Des.
Designer
Hiking History
Click here to see videos of our trips by Mason Lindquist
- HIKES/BACKPACKS
- Birdwood Traverse
- Chilkoot, AK
- Goat Traverse
- Great Divide, Barnaby Alt
- Heart Horsehoe
- Kalalau, Kauai
- Limestone Lakes
- Piper Pass
- The Rockwall
-
West Coast Trail
----- - AREAS
- Banff
- Cyress Hills
- Ghost Wilderness, AB
- Glacier Park
- Gros Morne, NF
- Guernsey, CI
- Jasper
- Kananaskis
- Kauai
- Kootenay National Park
- Peter Lougheed
- Rogers Pass
- Tonquin Valley
- Waterton Lakes
-
Yoho
-----
- HUTS & LODGES
- Abbott, Lk O'Hara
- Aurum Lodge
- Carlyle Lodge
- Elizabeth Parker, Lk O'Hara
- Emerald Lake
- Engadine Lodge
- Kokanee Glacier
- Hilda Lodge
- Silver Spray
- Sol Mountain
- Sperry Chalet
- Stanley Mitchell, L Yoho
-
Sydney Vallance, Fryatt
----- - SUMMITS & SCRAMBLES
- Black Rock
- Bourgeaux
- Bow Peak
- Indefatigable
- La Coulotte
- Lady McDonald
- Moose Traverse
- Prairie
- Temple
- Tent Ridge Horsehoe
-
Yamnuska
-----

How the Unightie came to be
The zipper would have to tuck under the pocket to prevent the base ripping out (a common weak point in zipTs). The zipper head would be reversible so I could access it when my arms were pulled inside it to dress or undress. If you have ever removed your bra or jockstrap while driving, you know what I mean!
16th CENTURY TECHNOLOGY
This doesn’t sound very technical, but at first I wore what I wear at home: a full-length, white cotton Victorian nightgown compete with ruffles, embroidery, and shell buttons. It kinda acted like a bag liner except it went where I went!
If I had to tramp through wet brush to the biffy I twisted the hem up into a knot — a tactic that kept my hands free to deal with toilet paper or a rodent-proof door latch.
On a hut trip with strangers, I realized my modest nightie could function as a portable cabana! I pulled it over my head and undressed beneath it. In the heat of the night, I tossed my sleeping bag aside, confident I had a barrier between me and everything (and everyone) else. In the morning I snuck off to the creek, tied the hem in a knot again, and gave myself a thorough washing below. At lodges, I simply wore my Unightie down to the sauna and back. Infinitely better than underdressing piece by piece and re-dressing a damp body.
STRIDE
The stride was a big deal for me. I wanted to be able to make short work of nature breaks, handle uneven terrain, negotiate steps, but also keep fabric to a minimum.
LOOPS
I had already positioned minimal thumb loops in case you need to pull on a rain jacket when nature calls. And the day we wore our Unightie prototypes down to the sauna at Carlyle Lodge, I realized a hanging loop was also necessary — previously I had only worn my prototype in my tiny tent where hanging was not possible!
FOOTBOX FUNCTIONS
As the old saying goes, “If your feet are cold, wear a hat!” So a hood was imperative. At the other end, I constructed a footbox. With toes in the footbox, you could draw the fabric to the foot of the sleeping bag, aligning the sleep system. Letting toes remain in the box, is optional!
When engaging in a little intimacy, I could keep the mountain chill off my shoulders!
I soon realized that that big wide opening at the bottom was the key to dealing with basic body needs. I got out my Sharpie and started marking up my Victorian nightgown with additions, deletions, and alterations to the fit, fabric, and features.
HITCHING IT UP
With a full-length garment, a hitchup feature was critical. I experimented with Velcro, hooks, and buttons. All were too fiddly. Magnets did the trick. I positioned them at the narrowing of the waist to avoid rolling on one with a hip bone. I found that you don’t have to be very accurate bringing them together. And they release quite easily. [My prototype testers found it amusing to hear the click of their magnets as they adhered to the fridge, stove, and dishwasher! I reminded them that the Unightie is for the backcountry. All love their Unighties so much they were wearing them around the house.]
NO RULES
I began to see the Unightie as a sleep base layer. Most of the time I wear mine alone. But when the temperature dips below freezing, you might keep a tank or t-shirt on. You can overlayer the Unightie with fleece, toque, neck gaiter, and mittens. You can tug on your big socks or even sock-shoes like Skinners (Skinners were my camp shoes on the Great Divide to save weight). In extreme cold, I may even compromise the open system with tights or ultralight long underwear. There are no rules!