PDA

View Full Version : Looking for feedback on a quilt rather than a mummy bag



BrianOH72
10-19-2014, 18:15
I'll be section hiking the AT next summer and had my sleeping bag purchase narrowed down to the Western Mountaineering Megalite or Caribou. Being that I tend to be a warm sleeper I'm considering the possibility of using a quilt. Looking for any advise/input from someone who has used either bag or a quilt on the AT. Thanks!

canoe
10-19-2014, 18:20
in the summer a quilt is great. I like the lightweight of a quilt. I like the freedom of movement. I don't like the confining nature of a bag as I am a big guy. A larger bag would be to heavy

BrianOH72
10-19-2014, 22:53
Who is a maker of a good quality quilt?

Rocket Jones
10-20-2014, 06:10
I have an Enlightened Equipment quilt and love it. I've heard good things about Jacks-R-Better and others I can't recall offhand.

Tuckahoe
10-20-2014, 07:14
Who is a maker of a good quality quilt?

Jacks R Better -- http://www.jacksrbetter.com/

Enlightened Equipment -- http://www.enlightenedequipment.com/

UGQ Outdoor Equipment -- http://www.undergroundquilts.com/default.html

Arrowhead Equipment -- http://www.arrowhead-equipment.com/

Hammock Gear -- http://www.hammockgear.com/

These will get you started.

Deacon
10-20-2014, 07:21
Also, add Zpacks to the list.
http://www.zpacks.com/quilts.shtml

garlic08
10-20-2014, 07:57
Two years ago I decided to try a quilt for a summer trip and it was one of the best gear purchases I've made in decades. It worked well for the entire range of temps and conditions, including some wet blowing snow in the early season. It's versatile and simple, as well as lighter and cheaper than a comparable bag.

BrianOH72
10-20-2014, 10:08
What type of sleeping pad did you use and did you use any type of sheet on it?

mankind117
10-20-2014, 11:17
I you want to go the quilt route and you have the money to with Katabatic Gear. If I had to buy another quilt in the futre I would buy a Katabatic quilt. I've used several enlightened equipment quilts (I still have one, my 40 degree summer quilt) and have a 30 and 15 degree katabatic quilts. While enlightened quilts are excellent quality Katabatic gears quilt are just simply better designs. They have a better attachment system to keep the quilt on your pad and are better shaped on the bottom to keep out drafts and so on when you need to lock it down in cold weather. Finally they have an overstuff neck baffle which is very nice when it gets cold and more comfy than the enlightened quilts. But they are quilts so in warm weather you dont have to secure it to your pad and you can drape it over you. I had a couple of the revelation quilts that open flat with the zip up footbox. Honestly I zipped up the footbox 90% of the time anyway so in hindsight being able to open the quilt flat is not that neccessary (I only do this when it is really warm in the summer) and in colder weather a sewn footbox is warmer anyway.

Lyle
10-20-2014, 11:53
I use the Caribou as my summer/late spring/early fall bag. Most of the time, I use it as a quilt and find it very comfortable. I like the option of zipping it closed when necessary - it is surprisingly warmer when you do this.

While I wouldn't be opposed to a quilt, it would be less versatile. I haven't looked at the actual weight savings a quilt would offer, but the wallet savings in using what I already have is tremendous.

Odd Man Out
10-20-2014, 12:50
I have an Underground Quilt with a Neoair Trekker pad (wide torso length), no covering.

It's great. Love it. The UG quilt is not notch and very affordable. Another advantage is they are custom made so you can have it just the way you like it (width, length, warmth, color, down quality, overstuff, footbox style, etc...). They have two down options. I got the lower grade down which is just as warm, but a little heavier and a little cheaper. They use a treated down so it won't absorb moisture from the air and loose loft in damp conditions. The wide pad is nice so my arms don't fall off the sides. I got the short version figuring I don't need much padding for my legs. That worked OK for me. Short-Wide pads are hard to find. I found this pad was comfy to sleep on without a covering. If that was a problem, it would be better to just have sleeping clothes as this adds both comfort and warmth, if needed (turns out, I didn't need mine).

slbirdnerd
10-20-2014, 13:09
Quilts are great, much more versatile, usually lighter and pack smaller.

burger
10-20-2014, 13:31
I switched from mummy bags to quilts a couple of years ago, and I am never going back.

Why quilts? 1) Regular sleeping bags have insulation below you which is wasted weight. Because your body compresses the insulation under you, it's totally useless! Really, only your sleeping pad is keeping you warm from below, and quilts take advantage of this by eliminating that useless weight. 2) Quilts don't have zippers, which are usually the first failure point on any piece of gear. 3) Quilts are versatile. Too warm? Just let some air in under your quilt or drape the quilt loosely over you. I have a 15-degree quilt but I have slept comfortably in it on 50 degree nights by draping the quilt lightly over me and letting air get in underneath. It's very hard to adjust to such a wide range of temperatures in a mummy bag.

And don't let anyone tell you that a quilt can't work in colder weather. Just this weekend I was warm under my quilt on a 20-degree night. Just make sure you get a quilt that is long enough and, especially, wide enough for you to tuck the edges under your sides. I found that with a couple of nights of practice, I could roll over from side to side without any cold air getting into the bag.

daddytwosticks
10-20-2014, 14:35
I'm a very restless sleeper and go with a mummy bag most of the year (WM Megalite). But in the warm summer down south here, I use a Montbell Thermal Sheet opened up as a quilt. Weighs about 15 ounces and keeps me warm down to about the low 50's, and I'm a cold sleeper. :)

garlic08
10-20-2014, 18:49
What type of sleeping pad did you use and did you use any type of sheet on it?

I use a Z-rest or Ridgerest closed-cell foam pad, and I would put my shirt and trousers down on it.

Vthiker77
10-21-2014, 05:11
Quilt convert here as well. Neoair xtherm/xlite pads. I'm 6ft 215lbs. And a death roller. When I'm not rolling around I'm on my stomach. I've got a couple hammockgear quilts and couldn't be happier

StealthHikerBoy
10-21-2014, 06:59
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.

daddytwosticks
10-21-2014, 07:09
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.
As stated before, I'm an active sleeper. When using my mummy bag, I "take the bag with me" as I toss and turn. Because of this, the underside insulation means a lot to me. :)

garlic08
10-21-2014, 08:37
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.

I was in your camp until I tried one. The quilt I bought has a zip-up foot box option, and snaps to close up the seam. It's long enough to pull over my head, and it has a draw string around the top. So when it's cold, I can turn it into a less expensive, lighter, very basic mummy bag. The weight, bulk, and cost savings were enough to catch my interest last time I went shopping for a new summer bag, and as I said above, it turned out to be the best gear purchase I've made in decades.

Of course, I'm sure it won't work for everyone. There are plenty of gear items many people swear by and I just can't make them work for me.

Nooga
10-21-2014, 08:43
As stated before, I'm an active sleeper. When using my mummy bag, I "take the bag with me" as I toss and turn. Because of this, the underside insulation means a lot to me. :)

I'm an active sleeper as well. I make sure the quilt is sufficiently wide. Sleeping under a quilt in a tent / hammock is similar to sleeping under a quilt at home on a bed. You move under the quilt, rather than moving the bag as in a sleeping bag. I am good with a quilt to the low 20s. Beyond that I would want a sleeping bag to avoid drafts.

burger
10-21-2014, 10:34
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
10-21-2014, 13:33
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
10-22-2014, 08:42
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
10-22-2014, 09:49
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
10-22-2014, 11:24
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
10-22-2014, 20:13
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
10-22-2014, 22:59
My favorite quilt-maker, a one-man-band operation: http://www.mid-atlanticmountainworks.com/

Bluegrass
10-24-2014, 12:57
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
10-24-2014, 16:23
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
10-31-2014, 12:55
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
11-05-2014, 03:32
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-a-rest/accessories/fast-and-light-mattress-snap-kit/product