What to do with new JRB Springer Quilt

[RollingStone]

I have a bit of a problem I could use some experienced voices on dealing with.

Back before Christmas I purchased a JRB Springer quilt. This quilt was rated to 40 degrees. It has 1 inch by 7 inch wide baffles and is supposedly overstuffed to an inch and a half with 9.6 ounces of 800+ fill.

The temps here were finally warm enough to take the quilt out on a trip, I measured 29 degrees on Sunday morning where we camped. I am a very warm sleeper, sleep in my layers with a wool watch cap and have no issues staying warm in these temps with any of my 35 degree synthetic quilts. I'm also a side only sleeper and tend to shift back and forth alot in the night from left to right.

Early Sunday morning I was quite chilled on my exposed shoulders and hips. In the morning when I got out of the tent, my wife and daughter held the quilt up in the sunlight and as I was looking through, there was virtually no down in the center on the quilt. It had all shifted to the edges in the night.

In talking with JRB, to try and figure out a solution or option to this, I was told this is 100% normal and that I shouldn't be using this quilt at these temps.

The issue at hand here is the shifting of the down as opposed to the temp rating or when I choose to use it. I do not feel there is an appropriate amount of down for the size of the baffles.

The Springer quilt is pretty massive compared to what a lot of you guys carry. It's 61 inches wide and 85 inches long. I'm a big broad shouldered guy and any quilt below 55-58 inches in width is not suitable for me, leading to my choice in the Springer.

I have been advised by others that the baffles sizes are too large for this size of quilt and amount of down.

JRB has given me two options:

#1 - Return the quilt for 80% of it's sale price toward a new quilt with a higher temp rating and more fill

#2 - If I keep my quilt, will give me 50 dollars of price of different model.

I have no use for 2 down quilts. I have 3 synthetics in closet already. So option 2 is out. Regarding option 1, the next size quilt is rated 25-30 degrees, has 2 inch baffles, with 6 more ounces of down. I personally feel if I took that option and paid them 112 dollars more for another quilt, I will be unhappy and still have the same problem based on the increased size of the baffle height. (maybe I'm wrong)

The last option I have thought about and am seeking opinions on, is maybe adding about 6 ounces of fill to the upper 2/3rds of the quilt to help eliminate the extreme shifting so that I have an even layer of insulation over me regardless of temp.

Questions:

#1 - Would adding 750 or 850 fill be more appropriate to the baffle size?

#2 - Would adding this much shorten the quilt length?

#3 - Anything you have to offer beyond those two questions appreciated.

I realize that my own inexperience with down quilts has led to this. I have never experienced this kind of shifting in a down sleeping bag. My expectation was that my quilt would have an even layer of down across it and I am finding that with the Jacks R Better Springer, this is going to be an impossible task.

Opinions on what you might do if the quilt were yours would be appreciated.

--Joe

[skinewmexico]

Take the $50, and resell it.

[10-K]

Take the $50, and resell it.

I think he means they'll give him $50 off another quilt if he keeps that one.

[RollingStone]

They will either give me 50 bucks off a new quilt - or take mine back at 80% of what I paid for it as long as I buy another quilt from them. Both of those solutions are pretty much unacceptable. I don't have a need for two quilts and if I was dissatisfied with one, why would I buy another of the same design with just a little more down? Pretty much assured of the same issue happening again.

[climber2377]

i deduce that since you are posting in the home made gear forum, maybe you are looking for things to make with your quilt? maybe you can make some down booties to keep your feet warmer. it probably wouldnt be too hard, a little cutting and sewing.

[climber2377]

if you really want to get a better deal tell them that you are a thru hiker and plan to let everyone know how dissatisfied you are with their costomer service and their products. maybe it will strong arm them into giving you your money back.

[Egads]

The Springer is advertised as a 40-45 deg quilt and is designed for those conditions. You're unhappy because you were chilled when using it at 29 deg, and found out the down shifts in the baffles. They have a selection guide on their website http://www.jacksrbetter.com/QuiltSelectionGuide.htm. Their website states the following in their Guarantee link "If you are not satisfied with your Jacks R Better, LLC product for any reason you may return it within 15 days of receipt, in original and unused condition and with all original packaging and enclosures, for a one for one exchange or a full refund of the purchase price." The issue is, your quilt is no longer in unused condition. IMO, they have made a fair offer of resolution.

I'd either trade it in for a Mt Rogers or Katahdin quilt or sell it outright at WB or Hammock Forums then buy another product.

[Egads]

if you really want to get a better deal tell them that you are a thru hiker and plan to let everyone know how dissatisfied you are with their customer service and their products. maybe it will strong arm them into giving you your money back.

That's just wrong...RollingStone made the wrong gear choice and wants JRB to take a financial loss for it? That's like ordering a cheeseburger then sending it back to the kitchen because you didn't know it had cheese on it.

[RollingStone]

The Springer is advertised as a 40-45 deg quilt and is designed for those conditions. You're unhappy because you were chilled when using it at 29 deg, and found out the down shifts in the baffles. They have a selection guide on their website http://www.jacksrbetter.com/QuiltSelectionGuide.htm. Their website states the following in their Guarantee link "If you are not satisfied with your Jacks R Better, LLC product for any reason you may return it within 15 days of receipt, in original and unused condition and with all original packaging and enclosures, for a one for one exchange or a full refund of the purchase price." The issue is, your quilt is no longer in unused condition. IMO, they have made a fair offer of resolution.

I'd either trade it in for a Mt Rogers or Katahdin quilt or sell it outright at WB or Hammock Forums then buy another product.

First, I am not unhappy with JRB, nor should I be a dick and "strong arm" them.

Second, the temp rating is irrelevant. The issue is that the baffles are too large for the quilt and small amount of down. A temp rating is based on an even layer of insulation. If you take a bedsheet and haphazardly tape pieces of insulation to it that should be enough for 40 degrees, leaving open spaces, you're not going to have a 40 degree sheet because your heat is escaping through those uninsulated areas.

My own sewn synthetic quilts use two .75 inch layers of Climashield. They are supposed to be 40 degree quilts. I have taken them down to 20 with the exact same pad and clothing I wore with this JRB model.

Again I am not angry at JRB and their proposed solutions are unacceptable for me to consider. This is why I asked the questions I did at the bottom of the thread as I am leaning towards making modifications as well as adding more down to the quilt to eliminate the loss of insulation in the middle.

[climber2377]

That's just wrong...RollingStone made the wrong gear choice and wants JRB to take a financial loss for it? That's like ordering a cheeseburger then sending it back to the kitchen because you didn't know it had cheese on it.

i dont know if i would label it wrong. it is an alternative choice. i dont think they would be taking a financial loss either. the cost of making and selling a quilt has a profit figured in there and if they were to take the quilt back, you dont know what options the company has at that point. they could donate it to haiti and write it off for all you know. there are misers out there that have done more over less.

anyway, that being said, i think since this is the home made gear forum, the op should modify the quilt. why not sew each section in half so they are 1 by 3.5 and share the down in both pockets. this would keep the down from shifting so much.

[climber2377]

I have a bit of a problem I could use some experienced voices on dealing with.

my wife and daughter held the quilt up in the sunlight and as I was looking through, there was virtually no down in the center on the quilt. It had all shifted to the edges in the night.

In talking with JRB, to try and figure out a solution or option to this, I was told this is 100% normal and that I shouldn't be using this quilt at these temps.

The issue at hand here is the shifting of the down Opinions on what you might do if the quilt were yours would be appreciated.

--Joe

100% normal? cant imagine having a product that has all of its insulation moving to the edges being normal.

[take-a-knee]

100% normal? cant imagine having a product that has all of its insulation moving to the edges being normal.

It is normal, it happens to each and every sleeping bag purposely designed without a side baffle. Summer sleeping bags, even from top notch companies like Feathered Friends, are designed this way to you can vary the amount of down on top. The quilt only has one inch baffles, it is a summer quilt, this should not shock anyone who understands the nature of the product. Add some down and quit complaining.

[RollingStone]

Take a Knee --- There isn't any reason that you had to be rude and tell someone to "quit complaining" when it is obvious you didn't read the entire thread.

We are not discussing sleeping BAGS, and what type of side baffle they do or do not have. We are discussing QUILTS.