Looking for feedback on a quilt rather than a mummy bag

[burger]

I've never bought the argument that the insulation on the underside of a sleeping bag doesn't keep you warm. Maybe at the actual points where your body presses it against the pad it is less effective, but that isn't the entire underside of the bag, and I move around a bit. Nothing against quilts, but I've never seen that as a reason to get one.

It's a physics thing. The thing that keeps you warm in a sleeping bag is the tiny pockets of air trapped between the down feathers or the synthetic insulation fibers. When you compress those air pockets, the feathers or insulation itself isn't doing anything to keep you warm. You need the space. This is why you have to have a sleeping pad on all but the warmest nights--it's not just about comfort.

If you don't believe me, try sleeping without a sleeping pad some time and see if that compressed insulation underneath your sleeping bag is doing anything for you.

[Dogwood]

Nothing against quilts but I too never bought into the idea that the insulation under you, also considering that insulation may be synthetic, provides "no" absolutely no warmth "anything" under you. That insulation, as a side sleeping toss and turner, is not optimally insulating but the insulation AND the enclosed sleeping bag can still trap some heat. However, thanx to all for the insightful quilt recommendations. I do like the advice to buy a quilt long and wide enough and with a system such as Katbatic uses to help prevent drafts in colder weather.

[garlic08]

One issue a quilt solved for me was laundering. On a recent summer-long trip, I never had to launder the quilt. Since I never actually slept on it, a few minutes of sunshine a few times a week and the thing stayed very clean. At the end of the trip my sleep system was completely free of the usual hiker funk.

To address the "null and void" insulation beneath you, I buy down sleeping bags with a continuous baffle system. That allows me to shift down around the bag, from bottom to top in very cold or vice versa. It takes a little fiddling every day to get it right, but to me, that's the best of both worlds--maintain your insulation and avoid drafts.

[burger]

One issue a quilt solved for me was laundering. On a recent summer-long trip, I never had to launder the quilt. Since I never actually slept on it, a few minutes of sunshine a few times a week and the thing stayed very clean. At the end of the trip my sleep system was completely free of the usual hiker funk.

Totally agreed. On the PCT, I used a mummy bag but slept in a silk liner every night--my skin never touched the inside of the bag. Still, after the hike the sleeping bag had a very funky smell. On the CDT, I used a quilt without any kind of bag liner, and the quilt had almost no smell by the end of the trail.

[The Kisco Kid]

I'm thinking of getting a quilt as some point. My question: I use a Neoair. Will my body then directly touch the Neoair? It's a clammy plastic-like material and I'm not sure I want that. Can anyone elaborate? I'm a little unclear on the whole quilt setup.

[garlic08]

I'm thinking of getting a quilt as some point. My question: I use a Neoair. Will my body then directly touch the Neoair? It's a clammy plastic-like material and I'm not sure I want that. Can anyone elaborate? I'm a little unclear on the whole quilt setup.

Reread posts 8 and 15 above.

[gravitino]

My favorite quilt-maker, a one-man-band operation: http://www.mid-atlanticmountainworks.com/

[Bluegrass]

I bought an Enlightened Equipment 20 degree Revelation last year. I was never a fan of mummy bags before that - I turn a bit in my sleep, and I naturally sleep on my side.

I took a NeoAir and the Revelation on a couple of trips. The second trip got down to the mid-20's at night. I wore shorts and a Katabatic Gear Windom hood. I was fine the entire night. I was able to sleep on my side, I was able to turn over at will. I was never cold that night.

Since then I have used the Revelation on numerous trips and can now say that I would never go back to a mummy bag. It was an expensive experiment, but well worth it.

As for sleeping directly on the NeoAir, it is not quite as comfortable as it could be, especially when I first get in at night. It takes a few minutes for my body to warm up the top of the pad, and after that I do not even notice the pad's surface. This could probably be rectified with a more comfortable (and heavier) pad, but the few minutes of very mild discomfort is not worth the added weight. I think it would also be better if I wore a shirt every time I went to sleep, but again it is not worth it.

[StealthHikerBoy]

It's a physics thing. The thing that keeps you warm in a sleeping bag is the tiny pockets of air trapped between the down feathers or the synthetic insulation fibers. When you compress those air pockets, the feathers or insulation itself isn't doing anything to keep you warm. You need the space. This is why you have to have a sleeping pad on all but the warmest nights--it's not just about comfort.

If you don't believe me, try sleeping without a sleeping pad some time and see if that compressed insulation underneath your sleeping bag is doing anything for you.

I don't disagree with that, nor do I think there is anything wrong with using a quilt (I am thinking of getting one myself). I just disagree that the down on the bottom of a traditional bag doesn't contribute to warmth. It will contribute little at your contact points with the pad, but that isn't your entire body, and if you move around when you sleep that is always changing.

[Bluegrass]

I don't disagree with that, nor do I think there is anything wrong with using a quilt (I am thinking of getting one myself). I just disagree that the down on the bottom of a traditional bag doesn't contribute to warmth. It will contribute little at your contact points with the pad, but that isn't your entire body, and if you move around when you sleep that is always changing.

As they say, I think the proof is in the pudding. Enough people have slept in rigid temperatures with a quilt to know that while the bottom of a traditional bag might contribute to warmth, it is not needed.

I look at it this way - if half the weight of a traditional mummy bag is used on the bottom but only contributes to 25% of warmth (because of compression), I would prefer to go with a quilt and save a lot of weight.

Note I completely made up the numbers in the preceding example, but I think you get the point.

With the weight savings you could get a more insulated pad. I think per ounce you would get better insulation from that. You could also get a little more insulated quilt. In either of these places the ounces you spend will yield you more warmth than the bottom of a mummy bag.

Of course there are other perks to a quilt - ability to sleep on your side, ability to move around more easily inside the bag, etc.

[Connie]

I know the compressed insulation under a sleeping bag makes insulation of a sleeping pad essential.

However, the sleeping bag does keep out cold air drafts.

The sleeping quilt design dimensions help keep out cold air drafts, nevertheless, it was seeing the Cascade Designs Fast N Light snap kit that convinced me to purchase a top quilt. http://www.cascadedesigns.com/therm-...ap-kit/product