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Iceaxe
11-29-2010, 23:07
Okay.. I am about to pull the trigger and get this piece of gear.
Before I drop 400 bones I would like some input.
I am really close to clicking the mouse to purchase a cuben fiber Epiphany quilt from Enlightened Equiptment.
I am 5' 7" medium build dude so I am thinking the small size will do.
I am a warm sleeper so I thinking the 2" fill rated approx for 25 degrees is oksy for the AT.
I have a WM zero degree as well as a WM 20 degree bag if neccesary to start the AT with in mid March depending on the weather then.
I slept really warm in the 20 degree bag so that most of the nights i used it as a quilt thus I am thinking of getting this quilt.
Does anyone have any thoughts about Enlightened equiptment's quilts?
Should I opt for the "breathablity stripe"?
What should I do with the 14 ounce i will be saving? (Kidding!)
Anyhow I have been looking at Nunatak, JackRBetter, Montain Laurel, etc.
Does anyone know of any other manufacturers i could check out first?
Thanks in advance!:sun

firemountain
11-29-2010, 23:23
As far as sizing goes have you been using other quilts? The small from Tim is 46" tapering to 34". I'm 5' 8" with size 12 feet and I prefer 50" -> 40", 48" -> 38" works also. I weigh about 160lb.

Tim's quilts are very well made. A drawstring footbox is not the warmest style but offers versatile venting with the cuben.

The breathability stripe will allow the quilt to loft quicker.

My thoughts on who to buy your quilts from? If you specifically want a cuben quilt then Tim is the guy. If you want a high end down quilt with a lightweight breathable fabric like momentum or pertex there are a lot of great choices. For example check out the Cyanocitta made by Javan Dempsey sold on the ti-goat website.

If you choose the cuben you may want to check out the different weights before you order. .33 cuben is some seriously light stuff.

leaftye
11-29-2010, 23:31
I think you may already know I have one of these quilts. I've been using it since late March.

Don't just pick a size. Go with your measurements.

I went with a wider size because it was going to be my first quilt and I'm also a side sleeper. That turned out to be fortuitous decision because I've gained weight and now the quilt barely fits.

You are already saving so much weight, why not use some of that weight savings for insurance in the form of extra down? The extra down also allows you to be less careful about shifting down. If you had to pick and choose where to get extra insulation, I would say to add it in the footbox and around your hips. Also remember that the VBL will make you not want to wear extra clothing under your quilt. You can certainly do it in emergencies, but you won't want to do it often.

I haven't heard much about quilts without the skunk stripe, but I think it still works well enough without it. I think I'd rather not have it. Going stripeless makes for a safer quilt...less concerns about rubbing up against condensation on the inside of your shelter.

What weight of cuben fiber will you be using? I believe I have 0.51 oz/yd. In the future I'd like to go with 0.33 oz/yd...once I'm confident that I won't rip it apart during the night.

I believe all of Tim's quilts have the footbox with a zipper and draw cord. Do NOT opt to leave that out.

For reference, I'm 69" tall. I had my quilt made to be generously sized for my (then) 215 pound frame, side sleeping and size 11 feet. 78" long, 52" wide, 38" foot box, half taper. If you keep your feet together, 38" is big enough. If you splay your feet, get a wider footbox.

nox
11-29-2010, 23:33
Check out Warbonnet, they make real nice quilts as does Stormcrow at Hammockgear... goodluck

leaftye
11-30-2010, 00:22
If you really want the stripe, ask about Momentum 50. That's right, 50, not 90. It's new stuff.

Iceaxe
11-30-2010, 00:28
You all have given me some great pointers. Looks like I need to do a little more careful thought about measurements.
I am in the "splay footed side sleeper" category so I am glad that was mentioned.
I used my WM ultralight sleeping as a quilt on the CDT but that is the sum total of my experience with "quilt" sleeping strategy. Although every time I used it as a quilt I noticed all the extra material laying around me useless. It just seems like the natural progression is to get a quilt.
I suppose being a side sleeper the extended taper footbox might be prudent.
Part of me wants to get the thicker Cuben but then I am thinking: this is going to be my "specialist tool". If I am going to make the leap from my 10lb base to a sub 8lb base I might as well go all the way.
I will check out those other quilt makers as well.
Many Thanks!
Y'all are awesome!

Iceaxe
11-30-2010, 00:48
The length is really decieving At first I thought 76 inches would be too long but it's just right. I put pins in a scrap piece of sil-nylon to simulate the Medium sized quilt @ 49" X 37" X 78".
Looks like the medium is the best fit among the three.
I am leaning towards not getting the breatheability stripe in the interest of less seams and I generally take time to fluff my down bags anyways while let my feet dry before bedtime.

http://enlightenedequipment.webs.com/

Flippy
11-30-2010, 01:48
Hey IceAxe,

Congrats on finishing the CDT this year. I figured you would hike the AT next year.

I was looking at the specs on your quilt, and I tried to remember how long I actually needed a real sleeping bag/quilt on the AT. Around Pearisburg, VA and you can really lighten up and get rid of most of your cold weather gear. I made it there on May 11, starting on the 26 of March. You will probably make it there a bit sooner.

Some say you can get rid of cold weather gear in Damascus, but the Graceland Highlands can get pretty cold - so I held on to my gear until Pearisburg.

I never picked up my cold weather gear again. I hiked with a Lafuma 45 down bag ($100 retail in Damascus) that weights a little over 1 pound and was fine. Only a couple cool nights in Maine, as I finished on August 19th. As far the Whites, you are a fast hiker and will be a the front of the pack - so you shouldn't have any problem doing work for stay. Hence you don't have to worry about cold nights if you are staying in the huts.

Once I was in PA a sheet would have been fine until I reached Vermont. Mosquitoes are a problem in the mid Atlantic states if you are sleeping the shelters and can't cover up without sweating to death. If you are planning on sleeping in the shelters, some carry a piece of mosquito netting and tie it to a rafter in the shelter to form a teepee over their upper body.

Also getting to Maine early can be a problem with the bugs and some of the shelters are really worth staying in, because of the views overlooking the lakes.

My point is you will probably only need the quilt for 5-6 weeks at your hiking pace. Your bag from the PCT/CDT will be fine until you reach Pearisburg. I'm a gearhead too, and the quilt does look cool - but I think the quilt may be more practical on the PCT or CDT. Then again I have a feeling this is just the beginning of your hiking.

BTW when are you starting? Hope our trails cross again.

Flippy

Iceaxe
11-30-2010, 02:38
Hey Flippy!
I am thinking March 15 I will begin the approach trail to the AT.
I know I am a total gear junkie. I can't stop looking at these quilts.
Kind of a funny thing happened. I just finished sewing up some Rain Mitts and I remembered all those hours on the CDT where i was dreaming up new gear. This Cuben Epiphany quilt is a dead ringer for somehting I saw in a dream.
I also have a raging case of "Ounce Madness" right now.
I suppose I need to think logically. I have a ridiculous 0 degree goretex WM Antelope bag, An Ultralight 20 degree, but I don't have a 35 or 40 degree.
This quilt in Cuben fiber is going to be a VBL type of sleep system. I have to ask myself: Do I need another 20 degree bag(quilt) or would I prefer something with a higher temperature range for the warmer times of the AT.
Of course the quilt has much more versatility than my bag.
I am reminded of a night on the PCT in Eagle Creek Oregon. It was hot as Hades and the mosquitos were about. I had a cheapo REI minimalist Bivy and i just crawled into that without my bag to sleep.
It is funny that I used the same 20 degree bag for the entire PCT and CDT but for the AT I might want to switch out.
I am rambling now..
I have never been back east but from what I am hearing from you and others it gets real warm and humid.
Ha.. I think I will sleep on this quilt idea.. Pun intended!
Anyhow thanks everyone, you have given me a lot to think about.:sun

Flippy
11-30-2010, 14:46
IceAxe,

March 15 is a good time to start, and at your speed you should easily make it to Pearisburg by Trail Days. Trail Days is a nice part of the experience on the AT, and you'll be able to score a ride there and back pretty easily.

On my first AT hike in 2004 I used a 15 degree North Face 600 Down fill bag, and was never cold - but the bag weighed 3 lbs. So on the PCT in 2005 I bought a 20 degree North Face 900 fill down bag that weighs around 1 lbs 10 oz and I was never cold either. When I used my North Face 900 fill down bag on the AT in 2006 I had a few cold nights in the Smokies. I used my North Face 900 fill down bag in 2008 on the PCT until Oregon, and never was cold. I switched to a 32 degree North Face 900 fill bag for the rest of the hike to Canada and the Mop-Up Tour.

Don't know if you every ran into Trail Angel Apple (he's a great guy BTW), he had a $5000 Mountain Hardware BaseCamp tent they use at the BaseCamp on Mount Everest. It collapsed under the North Carolina snow, and when he tried to return/repair it - Mountain Hardware said that it was designed for the snow in Everest, not North Carolina.

I'm not trying to be dramatic, but it's a diffent type of cold on the AT. Nights in the 20's aren't the same as they are out west - the cold humid air seems to chill you more at the same relative temperature but that only last for around 5 to 6 weeks for a person that hikes at your speed.

As for starting your hike, I highly recommend Joshua and Leigh from the Hiker Hostel http://www.hikerhostel.com/prices.php with their Thru-Hiker special (They are thru-hikers too). Check it out, it's a hard deal to beat. (Sorry for the thread drift here.)

Happy Trails!

Flippy

Iceaxe
11-30-2010, 15:57
Thanks flippy!
I really appreciate the advice. Both my sisters live in Pennsyvania and I am finally going to visit them this Christmas.
Hey, I am not that fast!
Watch now that you said that I am going to fall flat on my dace on the AT!
Shootout and Money Shot made that joke when they brought me trail magic in Colorado. Shootout said "You'd better not fail on the AT now!"
The humidity you are describing is why I am leaning towards a more moisture resistant setup. I mean my WM Ultralight was great for the other trails but after three days of rain it gets pretty wet no matter how careful I am with shelter/pack etc.
I remember One night in Washington when my breath turned to this vapor that just built up inside my GG One despite the door being half open. It was snowing and 100% humidity. My next step would have been to build a fire to dry everything but Stehekin was just 25 miles away so I hoofed it in that day.
Montana or "Raintana" as I call it had similar conditions this year. I could keep my bag serviceably dry for about three days. i would not have died if I had to sleep in it wet but it was definitely getting uncomfortable by the fourth day. As long as i got even a half hour of sun I could dry it out somewhat.
I guess I am thinking/hoping the impermeable cuben fiber quilt fabric would help the down survive better in such conditions. I would go synthetic but if i am gonna spend this kind of cash I want something that will not lose loft. I ain't convinced of Climashields long term durability. I suppose like Miner said, if I went synthetic there really would be no need for the cover to be Cuben.
Maybe I am letting my recent experience on a different trail "color" my perception of what the AT is gonna be like.
When i think about all the journals I have read recently and the advice from you and others I am imagining the AT to be a cool as the Sierra in March but much warmer and humid than either the CDT or PCT for the last 2/3rds of the way to Big "K".
I have been reading Gadgets AT journal a lot lately. that guy sure has a lot of great detail. I wish I were as dedicated and talented as he is at journal writing. Anyhow it seems like a lot of folks begining late Feb or Mid March begin with at least a 20 degree but switch out to a lighter bag until the Whites if not the rest of the trail.
I am thinking a 2" loft cuben/down quilt would make a great replacement for my 20 degree WM Ultralight. For the trail beyond Damascus a 1 lb summer bag (35-40 degree) combined with the clothes I already carry for insulation would be fine. Sounds like what i really might want is a synthetic fill summer weight quilt since I am thinking a Mid March start and finishing up in August sometime.
Thanks again for the great advice!
Is it March Yet?

brian2o0o
12-01-2010, 02:00
Check out golite's website. They have a few quilts... a 20 degree and a 40 degree. They have a 40% off coupon goin right now too making the three season ultralight quilt only $165.

leaftye
12-01-2010, 20:53
If you're going to do it, order before the end of the year or you won't be able to order until about the time you plan to start hiking.

4eyedbuzzard
12-01-2010, 22:11
Check out golite's website. They have a few quilts... a 20 degree and a 40 degree. They have a 40% off coupon goin right now too making the three season ultralight quilt only $165.
Where do you get a 40% coupon or coupon / promo code?

brian2o0o
12-02-2010, 07:14
"DSW10", should be good til march or until they sell out of stuff. They usually do it at the end of each year to clear out everything for the new year. Just put it into the coupon code section in the checkout.