Big Agnes Zoom UL Sustainability Report

Big Agnes doesn’t list a denier spec for the Zoom UL pad, but the fabric feels thin, slick, and slightly crinkly—more reminiscent of tent fly material than a rugged sleeping pad. Although we haven’t experienced failures in testing, it’s best to treat this pad like the ultralight product it is: with caution and limiting its use to inside a shelter.

Choosing durable outdoor gear is perhaps the most effective way to reduce environmental impact—the longer it lasts, the less it needs to be produced. Our proprietary longevity rating evaluates overall build quality based on factors such as materials, fabric denier, component durability (including zippers and toggles), real-world performance as reported by our field testers, and our experiences with the brand. Overall, we feel strongly that reducing overall consumption is a cornerstone of sustainability.

The Zoom UL is made from a recycled ripstop nylon fabric. The pad inflation sack is also made of recycled content. Big Agnes doesn’t report the total amount of recycled content it sources, but it uses recycled materials in many products, including tents, sleeping pads, sleeping bags, and backpacks. These materials include NetPlus post-consumer nylon and Regen Ocean Robic nylon, which are both made from recycled fishing nets.

Outdoor gear can be made partly or entirely from recycled materials, the most common being nylon, polyester, wool, and down. Some products include a single recycled component or a partially recycled fabric, while others are 100% recycled (generally excluding accessories like zippers, Velcro, toggles, etc.). For our sustainability ratings, we evaluate the amount of recycled materials in a particular product and assign points accordingly.

The Big Agnes Zoom UL Insulated does not incorporate Bluesign-approved materials. Big Agnes isn’t a Bluesign System Partner. However, the down in its sleeping bags is treated with DownTek, a Bluesign-approved water-repellent technology.

Bluesign Technologies, based in Switzerland, operates a third-party textile certification system that ensures materials are manufactured to strict environmental, chemical, and worker safety standards. A Bluesign-approved material indicates that it has undergone a rigorous vetting process based on the criteria above. A Bluesign Product goes the next mile, containing at least 90% Bluesign-approved fabrics and at least 20% Bluesign-approved accessories.

The Zoom UL Insulated comes with a repair kit, which includes a replacement valve seal and patches for field repairs.

Certain products can be used for longer if they come with a repair kit. Repair kits are designed for quick fixes, such as adhesive patches for sleeping pad punctures and replacement seals for inflation valves. These repair kits allow users to fix the item on the spot, continuing to use it instead of buying a new one.

Big Agnes maintains a supplier code of conduct that its manufacturing partners must adhere to. However, the company doesn’t enforce its code of conduct through a third-party program that provides certification and regular audits to ensure safe working conditions, fair wages, and reduced environmental impact. Therefore, it doesn’t meet our responsible manufacturing criteria.

This criterion evaluates a brand's commitment to fair wages, safe working conditions, and reducing its environmental impact throughout the production process. Responsible manufacturing is most commonly demonstrated through certifications and membership in programs such as Fair Trade Certified, Fair Wear Foundation, Worldwide Responsible Accreditation of Production, and the Fair Labor Association. We also recognize brands that prioritize local production, such as those that manufacture primarily in the United States or Europe, to reduce carbon emissions, maintain better oversight of working conditions, and comply with strict social and environmental regulations.

Big Agnes is taking steps to reduce packaging, such as removing individual poly bags from most tent poles and all camp furniture frames. It also uses recycled poly bags and transitioned its sleeping pad packaging from corrugated cardboard boxes to Forest Stewardship Council-certified paperboard wraps.

Packaging can add significant waste to an outdoor gear purchase and often ends up in landfills. Many brands are using recycled packaging and/or making efforts to reduce packaging altogether. For example, they may use a certain percentage of recycled cardboard or make efforts to use less plastic or paper across their packaging operation. In some cases, brands also use Forest Stewardship Council-certified paper products, which helps to ensure sustainable sourcing of forest materials.

Big Agnes offers extensive repair services for its products, assisting over 6,000 customers and providing over 1,500 parts for at-home maintenance in 2022 (the only year for which it discloses data). It performs repairs for free under its limited lifetime warranty against material and manufacturing defects, while damage due to misuse, wear and tear, or improper care is addressed at the company’s discretion for a reasonable charge.

Repair services extend the lifespan of outdoor gear and reduce overall consumption. Some brands offer comprehensive repair programs that can fix a wide range of issues, while others have more limited capabilities. If a brand's warranty policy only covers replacement, rather than repair, these programs usually do not meet this criterion.

Big Agnes tracks its greenhouse gas emissions across all scopes and has set targets to reduce them. However, it doesn’t publicly share its year-over-year emissions data or reduction targets. Its three U.S. facilities purchase 100% renewable energy through offset programs, though.

This criterion evaluates whether this brand measures its greenhouse gas emissions, along with its commitment to reduction and transparency in reporting. Typically, we require brands to follow established frameworks such as the Higg Index, Greenhouse Gas Protocol, or The Change Climate Project. Most companies use the widely recognized scope categorization system for measuring brand emissions. Those who earn the most points in this category have emissions reduction goals verified by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), a global organization that helps companies set greenhouse gas reduction targets in line with the goal of limiting global warming to well below 2°C. To verify their goals through SBTi, companies undergo a rigorous assessment process and continual follow-up to ensure consistent progress towards achieving their targets.

Big Agnes doesn’t publish an annual impact report.

An impact report is an important step toward transparency and accountability on the sustainability front. These reports vary in form but generally cover topics such as material sourcing, greenhouse gas emissions tracking, waste and water usage, supply chain analysis, and packaging efforts. For our sustainability ratings, we evaluate this criterion based on the depth and quality of the information provided in the report, and how often it is produced. Some brands produce their own impact report, while others are published by their parent company. In practice, we’ve found that reports produced by individual brands include more detailed information about their sustainability efforts.