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Sleep in a Bed, Not a Bag (Every ZenBivy Feature Tested)

Paul Messner

55,547 views

I took the new ZenBivy ultralight bed system out for a wild camp in the Peak District to see if it really feels like sleeping in a real bed. Throughout the night, I tested out the mattress, sheet, synthetic quilt, and pillow, evaluating its draft-free design and overall comfort against my go-to Nemo pad. After a rainy night under the stars, I shared my final thoughts on its price, packability, and whether it's truly worth the upgrade for backpackers.

Big thank you to Ultralight Outdoor Gear for supporting us in 2026 https://geni.us/UltralightOutdoorGear

The complete Zenbivy Bed system can be found here https://zenbivy.co.uk/products/ultral...

Last chance to WIN a FULL WILD CAMPING SETUP https://www.messner.co.uk

I've started sharing my routes over on Hiiker. They've kindly given me a discount via my affiliate link
https://hiiker.app/paulmessner?via=paul and then you can download to my routes here https://hiiker.app/users/6h3F8tE4psSp... and use the app to navigate you. I'll be uploading all my future hikes here.

Big thank you to Ultralight Outdoor Gear for supporting us in 2026 https://geni.us/UltralightOutdoorGear

My Gear
Trail Running Shoes https://geni.us/UOGLonePeak
Tent https://geni.us/ULOGHyperliteUnbound2
Backpack https://geni.us/UOGHyperliteUnbound55
Quilt https://zenbivy.co.uk/pages/curated-c...
My Favourite Sleeping Pad https://geni.us/UOGNemoEclipse
Lantern https://geni.us/ULOGFlextailLantern
Powerbank https://geni.us/ULOGFlextailPowerbank
Stove https://geni.us/UOGJetboilFlash
Mini Inflator Pump https://geni.us/UOGgigapump
Sambob Hoodie https://geni.us/UOGSamboAlpha90
Outdoor Research Helium Waterproof Jacket https://geni.us/UOGORHeliumUL
Pillows https://geni.us/UOGNemoFillo & https://geni.us/UOGNemoFilloElite
Little sit pad https://geni.us/UOGLittleSitPad
Mug https://geni.us/UOGS2Smug
Powerbank https://geni.us/UOGNitecorepowerbank
Charging block https://amzn.to/4ecLzUz
Water bottle https://geni.us/UOGThrubottle
Rab Down Jacket https://geni.us/UOGRabmythicjacket
Darn Tough sockshttps://geni.us/UOGDarntoughsocks
First aid kit https://geni.us/UOGLifesystemsfirstaid
Little towel https://geni.us/UOGTowel
Wilderness Wash https://geni.us/UOGWildernesswash
All my other gear https://www.messner.co.uk/gearlist

Timestamps
0:00 - Intro and the ZenBivy ultralight bed system
0:52 - Inflating the ZenBivy mattress
5:00 - Fitting the sheet and quilt clips
7:34 - Setting up the inflatable pillow system
10:18 - Hiding from the Peak District rain
11:41 - Getting into bed for the night
14:17 - Morning verdict and draft-free sleep experience
16:32 - Rating the pad comfort vs. Nemo Eclipse
27:07 - Pros, cons, and the price tag
29:15 - Packing away the quilt into the dry sack
34:10 - Deflating and rolling up the mattress

All my other gear https://www.messner.co.uk/gearlist

Multi-day Hikes Playlists
Cumbria Way Backpacking The Cumbria Way
West Highland Way The West Highland Way, Hiking in Scotland
Peak District Multi Day Hikes Peak District Multi-Day Hikes
Cairngorms backpacking in the Cairngorms

Timestamps

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DISCLAIMER: This video and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission.

20 Comments

@PaulMessner Creator 1 month ago Pinned

It’s raffle time. Up for grabs this time is a Garmin Epix Pro gen 2 GPS Watch. https://raffall.com/427604/enter-raffle-to-win-garmin-epix-pro-g-2-performance-sports-smartwatch-hosted-by-paulmessner

@solo-romo 1 month ago

I had flashbacks to Rhubarb and Custard sweets as a kid when you pulled that out of the bag 😋

@jimforgo22 1 month ago

A major factor you’ve forgot to mention Paul is the fact that the design of it keeps you on the mattress all night, when using a sleeping bag and mattress I seem to wriggle off the mattress at points during the night and have to climb back on

@MattsMoorsandMountains 1 month ago

The second I’d get in that and clipped myself in my mind would go ‘you need a wee’. 😂

Looks a great bit of kit.

@Ruptobmiss 1 month ago

I got one when I saw it on your pride of the peaks or great glen film. Used it in Scotland when I hiked from knoydart to Inverie and back. Then a couple of nights at glen Nevis and then the lost valley Glencoe. I have to say its the best sleeping system I’ve ever used ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

@AlphaGeekgirl 1 month ago

You need to buy a Barbie camper, to go with your quilt 😂

@jamesbeard2645 4 weeks ago

That was a great review. Thanks 🎉

@nigelgregory1349 1 month ago

Thanks for this Paul, I went for a Zenbivy system in June, really pleased with the comfort.
If you buy in a sale, like I did, you’ll get about 20% off.
They have a sale on now until about 7th Sept.
Reassuringly expensive.
Quality is superb with no ‘leaking’ of feathers & it packs down very small.
Best nights sleep in 10 years of backpacking.

@JohnClimber 1 month ago

I love my -4 ultralight system, it's the best nights sleep I've ever had outdoors and will never sleeping bag it again

@oldiecamper57 1 month ago

Nice to see you out and about. We can only dream of wet weather down south!
Many campers will just use their existing sleeping mat and just get sheet and top quilt. Sale is on at present with 20%+ off so just ordered a -12C Core Bed in XL size which is approc £255.
I find you only need to undo two of the hooks on one side to get in and out, so not a problem. I've got an EE quilt and will get the conversion kit when become availabe again.
Big Agnes have a similar design, but the sheet is permanently attached to the quilt which is fully zipped each side so no draughts at all. I have two of these in Long and Wide, and in Wide version are really roomy - great for side sleepers or if youre restless. Only disadvantage is they use 650FP down so heavier and more bulky than other 'quilts'.

@Jack_Duckworth 1 month ago

Abilene (adjective) - The pleasing coolness on the reverse side of a pillow. Douglas Adams - Meaning of Liff.

@Steinbockappreciator 1 month ago

That does look amazing!

"Out of stock" Oh...

@koolerking440 1 month ago

I’d just let the bag get air in naturally. I always read that the reason for not blowing into one is so your warm and damp air from your lungs isn’t inside the mattress

@britinmadrid 1 month ago

GBP 650?!?! 😲Okay. Great video, as always.

@kev8816 1 month ago

Got the -4 light bed and love it, got the adapters for my -12 EE quilt for winter time too haha 😂
Painful at purchase but absolute game changer for comfort.

@timothybryant649 1 month ago

I have the Pink Ultralight Quilt 25F/ 4C and I love it. I am a 70 Year old gent with style. If someone having a pink quilt gets to you, you Need More Fresh Air. Get out and hike breath the air. Let your freak out. It is over before you know it. Pink is cool!

@krisstephens2156 2 weeks ago

I have two of these sleep systems now. I absolutely sleep amazing and stay so warm in them!! I have the Overland for my RTT (20 degree) and I have the "Light" version for hunting and its a -5 bed. I havent used the pillow yet on the -5 but everyone I have talked to say its next level and better than a normal pillow. Well worth the money!!!

@derekclarke4964 1 month ago

I have a fully zipped on each side version and love it.

@Billywhizz-bl7yj 1 month ago

Paul you look like a Christmas pantomime dame dressed in that pink sleeping bag 🙈😂.

@dangerpudge1922 1 month ago

They're amazing systems. I own two (one is a Light Bed 10F and the other is a UL 25F). They're both incredible. They're also an awesome company and have even started selling loops that you can stick on other quilts to use with their Sheet, which is what really makes the system shine. Workmanship is absolutely stellar. Customer service is top-notch. Are they cheap? No, but honestly when you start comparing the individual parts of other systems, they're not really much more, and often less for a more refined and more comfortable system if you catch them on sale or if you aren't buying the UL versions.