bag vs quilt

[saltysack]

Sleeping bag vs quilt for fall, winter,spring in Ga and Nc AT. I recently bought a 15 deg marmot helium. I tend to sleep on my stomach mostly. Wondering about using a good quilt on my zlite sol. I also tent with my jack Russell is there room for both with a wide quilt? Are they warm enough with a thin sleep pad? Good for stomach sleeper?

[Del Q]

I have thought about a quilt vs a bag, does not add up to me. Maybe in a hammock, I move around a lot when I sleep, sleep GREAT in the woods, tent, sleeping bag, works for me.

[MuddyWaters]

Dont know about with a dog, I suspect youd end up with drafts.
Fall, spring, summer, no problem
Winter, different story. Some use a bivy with a quilt in winter to help keep it tucked around, but that has potential condensation issues too.
Stomach sleeping is better with a quilt, no hood to suffocate your face in.
A sleeping bag and quilt both depend on the same pad for bottom insul, no diff really.

I prefer side-sleeping with my quilt, its actually warmer than sleeping on my back.


A Zlite sol probably doesnt offer enough warmth for winter. That would probably need to be supplemented with another pad. Above 40F, probably fine.

[SCRUB HIKER]

I think stomach sleeping is the best position for a quilt. All sides work, for me at least, but on your stomach your arms are already sort of in place to keep the shoulders and sides tucked in. I use a GoLite 3-season quilt on a Z-Lite and use the chest-level strap underneath the pad to keep the quilt in place. Mine is rated to 20 degrees and as far as I can tell that's accurate (I've taken it down to 28 and was plenty warm, making me think it can go colder than that). With the down hooded jacket that's hopefully waiting for me under the tree I would absolutely use this setup on a 20-degree night or even a little cooler.

[SCRUB HIKER]

Should add that I would get a second pad if I thought it would be well below freezing, as someone suggested already.

[ChuckBrown]

I just got as xmas/birthday present, the new Thermarest neoXtherm,(5.4 R value) thats a four season pad that weighs only 15 oz.also got the Alpine 35 degree quilt. The Quilt can be attached to pad by an additional kit of snaps or by using a thremarest fitted sheet. This action helps to cut down on drafts. havenot used it overnite yet, but i did take a nap on front porch in 35 degree weather with no problem.

[blue indian]

I just made the switch from a bag to a quilt ( golite 20 degree). Couldn't be happier. It's half as light, packs down half as small, and is way more versatile.

For a stomach and side sleeper a quilt is the way to go. I also like how I can basically turn it into a bag by cinching down the straps that are used to hold the quilt in place with a pad

[Deadpete]

blue indian.. curious why you say for a side sleeper a quilt is the way to go? I tend to find side sleeping gives me often uncomfortable drafts.

I have a War Bonnet quilt and love it, but am looking for either a bag or some kind of sleeve for when it's cold out. I can't deal with these drafts : /