I get dozens of press releases a day and many of them talk about revolutionary new products which, well, aren't. But then I saw the Selk'Bag Lite and the marketing people were saying that gamers were loving it. It took me all of two seconds to know they were right.

The Selk'Bag is basically a romper suit but for adults - a Snuggie on steroids (that phrase stolen from PC & Tech Authority's, Nic Healey who's grumpy he doesn't have one). It's like a high-quality sleeping bag suit which was originally designed for campers but has apparently gone down well with gamers who sit motionless for long periods of time in cold houses. Speaking as someone who works mostly from home in a drafty, uninsulated Federation house which is designed to lose every bit of heat in a roasting Australian summer, the potential for day-to-day work is huge aswell.

Indeed, sitting motionless for some ten hours a day in front of a computer is not ideal in the cold. My back seized up last year and still isn't quite right. Heating is an expensive business these days - I'll write about that some more in a later article - suffice to say, I don't want anymore $900 electricity bills so I'm willing to contemplate anything. And having lived in the Selk'Bag for a while, it's exactly what I've been looking for. Why waste money heating a drafty house during the day when I only need to warm myself?

Selk'Bags

There are three variants: the new 'Lite', which I tested, is a two season suit (rating 8 degrees Celsius). The 'Classic' model is a three season affair (rating 4 degrees Celsius) with better insulation, more ventilation zips and more adjustment straps . The 'Patagon' variant is rated to four seasons and offers more adjustability plus detachable feet.

They come in sizes which range from 'kids' 4ft 1in (125cm) to 6ft 7in (200cm) and are available in a range of colours which stretch from earthy to garish.

History

From the release: The Selk'Bag was designed in Chile and was inspired by the selk'nam (man) tribe who lived in Chile's extreme climate. Their resistance to freezing temperatures, hunger and thirst won them respect and fear from their enemies (apparently... I'm not sure I could respect or fear warriors turning up in one of these - ed).

So I walked into the living room this morning and found this.

Design

The Lite is very comfortable to wear although it might not fit all body sizes. In my case I'm 6ft 3in with a long back and the XL suit is a bit long in the leg and tight on the body for me, but only just. The hands can be completely enclosed or the ends can fold back and attach to the sleeves using Velcro allowing you to type, game or whatever. There are rubber pads on the feet to prevent slippage when walking, however, the lack of insulation there means your feet can get chilly on a cold floor. A ventilation zip down the side ensures you don't get too hot.

The synthetic filling and polyester shell were initially static worries, but I never had any problem with that. This could change depending on different people's homes.

While it takes a little while to put on (think baggy boilersuit) it's quick to take off if someone comes to the door - assuming that you have some sense of shame/can be bothered to. This is also a good thing as there's no fly for quick toilet stops. It's not waterproof in order to keep it fully breathable. It should be hand washed only (check the label).

The only downsides I found were that it terrified the cat and it was a little too slippy on an office chair - a rubberised, non-slip bottom might make a good future update.

Value

The Lite version retails at $99 which means it should easily pay for itself in energy savings over the course of one winter. The Classic version is $199 and is better suited to camping.

This man has no shame. But you can bet your bum he's warm and toasty.

Overall(s)

The official blurb says, "Faraway lands of mysterious beings and magical rituals inspired the creation of the new Selk'Bag Lite." I don't think gamers or people who work all day in cold offices will give a monkey's about that. The Selk'Bag keeps you warm in cold rooms and for those who are more wary of expensive power bills than looking chic, that's all you need to know.