Canadian Army Struggles with New Winter Sleeping Bags
In recent months, Canadian soldiers have raised concerns about the new General Purpose Sleeping Bag System (GPSBS), claiming it’s unsuitable for the harsh Canadian winter. The Department of National Defence (DND) spent over $34.8 million on these bags, but during training exercises in Alberta, troops experienced extreme cold, even while using the bags in heated tents.
Soldiers deployed to Alaska later reported similar issues, leading the DND to consider reissuing older Arctic sleeping bags from the 1960s, which the new system was meant to replace. A procurement request for extreme cold-weather sleeping bags has since been initiated to address the problem.
Experts, such as Rob Huebert from the University of Calgary, criticized the procurement process, suggesting simpler solutions should have been explored. The incident highlights ongoing challenges in Canada’s military equipment procurement efforts.