View Full Version : Quilt vs Sleeping Bag for Ground sleeper
Hey guys...when I started backpacking a little over a year ago at the age of 51, I had trouble finding a bag that I could sleep in and be comfortable. I am 5'8" and built like a tank, and mummy bags made me feel like I was going to suffocate, and creeped me out that I was so constricted. I ended up buying a tall man Big Agnes Deer Park 30 degree down sleeping bag on clearance at the local outfitter for an amazing price of $150. It is roomy (in fact a little too roomy) and allows me to sleep on my side and roll around inside it to my heart's content, but is pretty heavy, even for down, at a little over 3lbs. I sleep pretty warm, and on a recent trip was just a tiny bit cold in 26 degrees in this bag, wearing only a thermal tee and long underwear. The next night the temp was in the mid 30's and I was actually getting too warm.
Now I am looking at options to lighten the load somewhat, and am hearing good things about quilts. I like the idea of being able to use a quilt most of the year due to being able to stick feet out, roll it down off of your torso, etc., but I don't see many threads about tent people using quilts.
I am not made of money, so I can't get a top of the line quilt, but I see that JRB, Enlightened Equipment and GoLite make some pretty reasonably priced stuff, and I was thinking I might be able to get a 30 degree quilt and use it for all my trips...I don't go on the trail from Jan 1- April 15th every year as I am a CPA and work every weekend during that time.
Just wondering if anyone that tents can chime in about their experiences with a quilt. Is 30 degrees going to be warm enough? Also wondering i if I need to get any special brand or size quilt due to my stout build and side sleeping?
Thanks in advance for any advice you can give.
Maui Rhino
11-19-2013, 15:56
I love my quilt for all the reasons you listed. I'm also a big, ground-dwelling guy and hate the claustrophbic feeling of mummy bags. I made a quilt for about $120 that is good to about 25 degrees. I used 5oz Climashield Apex and a light uncoated nylon fabric--the same one used in a military poncho liner, which was my inspiration for my project. Instead of trying to fit it to me, I just stayed with a rectangular shape and added toggles, loops and ties, so that I could make a foot box, if desired, or leave it flat. One advantage of Apex is that it requires minimal quilting because it is a continious fiber insulation, and not lots of short fibers matted together. The project was pretty easy to do, and only took me an hour or so to lay everything out, cut it, and sew it together.
http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp190/MauiRhino/Uber%20Woobie/IMG_4250a.jpg (http://s410.photobucket.com/user/MauiRhino/media/Uber%20Woobie/IMG_4250a.jpg.html)
I can't help on the "warm enough" question but I've visited the JRB store and Jack was pulling quilts off the shelf left and right for me to try out. You'd definitely know if they fit by the time you left! Just call ahead to make sure they'll be in. I quite enjoyed the visit.
Is 30 degrees going to be warm enough?
Where are you hiking and when? It makes quite a difference between November in the Cascades vs. July in Florida.
As far as quilts. I have used them for years and it doubtful that I would go back to a full bag. Side sleeper, doesn't matter, that is what the pad is for.
Look into Mountain Laurel Designs synthetic quilts. Very light. Proven in the field,(see Skurka). Very reasonably priced. Mine is on its way, ordered 2 weeks ago.
FarmerChef
11-19-2013, 16:46
I love my homemade Apex quilt. It's 5.0oz just like Maui Rhino and warm. I'm good in it down into the 20s no problem. Probably lower but haven't had the chance yet :D It's especially toasty with my wifey in it with me. So toasty that I've had to take off layers to keep from sweating :eek:
SCRUB HIKER
11-19-2013, 16:50
I am a ground-dwelling quilt user--I use a GoLite 3-season down quilt, which appears not to be in production anymore--and I love it for the reasons you've mentioned. I have not struggled for warmth with mine, even down to the 20s overnight, although that obviously varies by person. I think they're infinitely more comfortable than mummy bags and unless I get started on very cold winter expeditions, I'm probably not investing in a mummy bag again.
See these two previous threads about quilts for ground-dwellers:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?86544-Sleeping-Bag-v-Quilt/page2
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?92577-Quilts
daddytwosticks
11-19-2013, 17:05
Since I'm a restless sleeper and tend to kick bedding off me, I sleep in a sleeping bag. It's only in the warmest part of summer do I use a lightweight down quilt, since becoming uncovered then is no bid deal. Something to think about if you move around in your sleep a lot. :)
Love my EE RevolutionX 30*. Its great for a side sleeper like me and a lot lighter cheaper than a comparable sleeping bag for the same amount of warmth. I'm not sure I would replace my 0* bag with a quilt, but that may be as much the psychological feeling of being burrowed away against the cold as anything physical.
Slo-go'en
11-19-2013, 17:24
I just don't see where you save all that much weight with a quilt. I can use my sleeping bag as a quilt when it's warm and zipper it up to eliminate drafts when it gets cold. Best of both worlds.
Thanks for all the excellent input everyone! It looks like it's a good option to keep looking at.
Slo-go'en, if I get a 30 degree quilt from JRB or EE, I will save about exactly 2 lbs over my current 30 degree down bag. Enough weight so that I can bring 2 flasks of bourbon as a trade off! lol
Enough weight so that I can bring 2 flasks of bourbon as a trade off! lol
Best reason to save weight I have heard so far!
If your built is stout then having a quilt that is wide is better for you. EE makes great quilts . I am 5' 7'' and 160 pounds and a 20 degree Revelation X top quilt is what I will take to my next year AT Thru. Mine is regular but you may benefit from a wide one.
By spending around 215 $ you can buy a wide EE revelation X 20 degree quilt of your choice of color weighing around 25 Oz that is almost half the weight of your previous bag.
Lucy Lulu
11-19-2013, 17:43
I've gone down to 20 degrees with my older Nunatak quilt. The straps keep it snug to the sleeping pad with no cold spots. I use a bag for anything colder, although I have recently been considering a zero degree quilt.
Yeah, I am 5'8" and weigh 205...and some of it is actually muscle! lol...so I will definitely look at wide options kookork.
Someone had asked about where we backpack...so far, we have hit Dolly Sods 3 times, Grayson Highlands twice, Tarjacket Ridge, and McAfee Knob as well...I believe the lowest temp we have actually slept in was somewhere around 25 degrees. Like I mentioned, I don't believe we will go in temps below 20 much, if at all, because of my busy season coinciding with the dead of winter here in Va...plus my wife is very cold natured.
I am 5'10" 190lbs and a pretty restless sleeper. At Tim's(w/EE) suggestion, I bought a 6' wide version of the RevX 20 degree down quilt. If you have any questions, he will respond quickly to help you out. The price, quality and customer service are hard to beat! I do most of my hiking in the Cascades and this should be perfect for me. If it's too warm out, I can open up the foot box and use it as a blanket, or wrap it up around me if it gets cold at night. I just received it this weekend and I can't wait to put it to use. I am sitting on the couch fighting off a cold, wrapped up in it right now! My dog really seems to like it. Good luck!
kayak karl
11-19-2013, 19:46
ive been to zero with a JRB High Sierra Sniveller and a Exped SynMat UL 7 Air Pad. never had a problem :)
Wise Old Owl
11-19-2013, 20:56
lots of choices... I love outlet... Down 2 lbs & 7 oz
$125
http://www.rei.com/product/861136/sierra-designs-lamarck-30-sleeping-bag-mens-2012-closeout
jimmyjam
11-19-2013, 21:40
I have the Revelation X 30 with the overstuff option from EE. I can't say enough good things about it. It weighs only 19 oz and I have used it from 25 to 75 degrees. If it's cold you zip up the footbox, snap the snaps above the footbox and then connect the three small elastic cords above that. A big part of staying warm is to have a good insulating pad. I've had both a regular bag and a mummy and I would never use anything but a quilt again.
Dr. Professor
11-19-2013, 22:33
I'm a little over 6', hovering between 170 and 175. I have an EE revelation 20, 6'6", long, wide. I toss and turn a lot in my sleep. I greatly prefer my quilt to a sleeping bag for either ground or hammock use.
I use quilts down to about 20 degrees. I like the Jacks R Better models (Shenandoah and Sierra Sniveller). I have cords attached to the sides to cinch it down and reduce air infiltration when it gets chilly. If you also get into hammock camping, your quilt(s) can serve as top quilts and/or underquilts for your hammock system.
I use quilts down to about 20 degrees. I like the Jacks R Better models (Shenandoah and Sierra Sniveller). I have cords attached to the sides to cinch it down and reduce air infiltration when it gets chilly. If you also get into hammock camping, your quilt(s) can serve as top quilts and/or underquilts for your hammock system.
That's my cutoff. I have a 0°F, and will probably order another 0°F or 10°F, but I don't want to spend much time under 20°F. The problem is that drafts will inevitably get in when I toss and turn. I'll stay warm, but air that cold is shocking enough to screw with my sleep, so I'll switch to a sleeping bag if I know I'll be spending many nights below 20°F.
Old Hiker
11-20-2013, 10:50
You guys have piqued my interest about quilts, esp. about saving weight; however, I have a question or gazillion.
1. My sleeping bag has the hood with draw string, so only my nose gets cold when it's below 25* or so. How do you keep your face, head, etc. warm? A hat? Hood?
2. A Thermorest Pro-lite be enough for underneath? I didn't have a problem with my 20* bag down to 22* or so.
3. I should ask the EE site, but it states it STUFFS to 42 inches ?!?! That's almost 4 feet long ?!?! What am I missing, besides a winning Lotto ticket.
Thanks for the additional input.
:) I am lucky enough to live within 45 minutes of JRB's shop...and I will be going over there in the next week or two to have a quilt trying and learning session. How cool is that!? Thanks Mobius for letting me know about that possibility.
I see lots of love from quilt advocates. I might be alone here, but quilts don't really work for me. I toss and turn all night almost as bad as a toddler. With both quilts I've used, I end up having to re-tuck and adjust all night long. I'm a huge fan of the Montbell super stretch sleeping bags. I know that people will argue that I'm carrying sleeping bag weight that I don't need, but you obviously haven't seen me sleep. If you are a big guy and a restless sleeper, there is nothing better than a Montbell bag.
I see lots of love from quilt advocates. I might be alone here, but quilts don't really work for me. I toss and turn all night almost as bad as a toddler. With both quilts I've used, I end up having to re-tuck and adjust all night long. I'm a huge fan of the Montbell super stretch sleeping bags. I know that people will argue that I'm carrying sleeping bag weight that I don't need, but you obviously haven't seen me sleep. If you are a big guy and a restless sleeper, there is nothing better than a Montbell bag.
I would love to try a Montbell, but they have only one retailer in Va, in Damascus, and that is a 7 hour drive each way. Plus the down version is pretty pricey. I am dubious that just because they are stretchy, I would find them comfortable. Can you actual spin inside them without the bag turning with you?
I also was considering this Big Agnes bag, at 18-20 oz, it is very light, but definitely only a summer season solution...
http://www.backcountrygear.com/big-agnes-pitchpine-sl.html?gdftrk=gdfV25269_a_7c1641_a_7c7028_a_7cBIG 3P11140_d_GREEN_d_REGLEFT
I'm a hammock camper but if I find a nice shelter I perfer to sleep in one. I live down tje street from JRB and have bought several UQ and TQ from them and I cant say one bad thing about theor products. Not to mention the Jacks are great guys. I also own several TQ and UQ from Hammock gear. Adam is another great guy to work with and his quilts weight less because of the materials they use so I've been dealing with hammock gear more often.
So here is my 2 cents worth.
Pros - Weight savings and works well in a hammock set-up.
Cons - When you go to ground if you toss in your sleep you are going to get cold. Tossing will cause your quilt to open up on the sides causing you to get drafts.
My solution is that for colder weather if I plan to go to vround I bring an SOL escape bivy. You can usualy get them on Amazon for about $30. I put my quilt inside to help with the drafts and it does a great job of adding more warmth to my TQ while keeping the frost off of my TQ. I've been able to use a 40 degree TQ with this system and been warm in the low teens. My quikt weights 12oz and the bivy around 8.5. Total system weight is around 1.5oz. My brother went hardcore on our last trip about a month ago for a week and just jsed the bivy in temps that dropped down in the low 30s. I told him he was nuts. He wore all his clothes and jacket when he slept and was able to keep warm enough to sleep but he admitted to waking up a few times cold. Not something I'd recommemd but for temps in the 50s you can easily get away with using it sa a sleeping bag as long as you bring a layering system to suplement just incase.
Dr. Professor
11-21-2013, 07:43
Admittedly, the lowest I've been in in my quilt (EE Revelation 20*, 6'6", long, wide -- I'm 6', 170-175) is in the low twenties. That said, I toss all the time and have not had any trouble with drafts; my quilt clips to my sleeping pad, it snaps together under my legs, and it synches down at the bottom and around my neck with a drawstring.
Regarding sleeping in cold weather, I like to wear my Arc'teryx phase AR balaclava. It's thin so I don't find it suffocating. I like to wear it to keep my lips covered which prevents chapping. In very cold weather, I have the option of wearing a skull cap over that.
Lucy Lulu
11-21-2013, 07:50
If it falls below freezing, I will wear my fleece beanie and wrap my down jacket around my head. My recent quilt is a "long" so I just button the snap at the top and burrow down, pulling it over my head. I've seen several people wear the down hoods. My quilt has two thin nylon straps that go under my sleeping pad. These work well, and I don't have to keep readjusting the quilt like I do when I lay my bag over me. I can also cinch them up as tightly as needed.
Dr. Professor
11-21-2013, 21:29
Admittedly, the lowest I've been in in my quilt (EE Revelation 20*, 6'6", long, wide -- I'm 6', 170-175) is in the low twenties. That said, I toss all the time and have not had any trouble with drafts; my quilt clips to my sleeping pad, it snaps together under my legs, and it synches down at the bottom and around my neck with a drawstring.
Regarding sleeping in cold weather, I like to wear my Arc'teryx phase AR balaclava. It's thin so I don't find it suffocating. I like to wear it to keep my lips covered which prevents chapping. In very cold weather, I have the option of wearing a skull cap over that.
Had an additional thought: perhaps my opting to go for a quilt that is both longer and wider than absolutely necessary helps to explain why I've never had a problem with drafts when rolling over.
Drybones
11-21-2013, 22:08
When I first started hiking I had the same issue with being claustraphobic in a mummy bag and saw no way one would work for me. After getting one and sleeping in it a few times I sleep better in it than I do in a bed. For the first week or so after returning from a three week hike last month I put my sleeping bag on my bed and slept in it...it's a matter of getting used to it.
Alligator
11-22-2013, 01:15
You guys have piqued my interest about quilts, esp. about saving weight; however, I have a question or gazillion.
1. My sleeping bag has the hood with draw string, so only my nose gets cold when it's below 25* or so. How do you keep your face, head, etc. warm? A hat? Hood?
2. A Thermorest Pro-lite be enough for underneath? I didn't have a problem with my 20* bag down to 22* or so.
3. I should ask the EE site, but it states it STUFFS to 42 inches ?!?! That's almost 4 feet long ?!?! What am I missing, besides a winning Lotto ticket.
Thanks for the additional input.
1. I use a hat. A balaclava would work too.
2. I used to use a Prolite 4 with my quilt and that worked fine. My quilt is homemade though so I am not attempting to match a published temperature rating.
3. IDK, can't help on this one.
Alligator
11-22-2013, 01:19
I just don't see where you save all that much weight with a quilt. I can use my sleeping bag as a quilt when it's warm and zipper it up to eliminate drafts when it gets cold. Best of both worlds.I save about 9 ounces with my quilt over the sleeping bag I have with similar rating. My quilt rating is estimated by me as I made it myself but they are comparable. The surface area is less with a quilt as there is no bottom.
Thanks everyone for contributing to this thread..
I did have another question. For those of you who own JRB quilts and sleep on the ground, are they wide enough for you? The reason I ask, is their quilt I would be interested in buying only comes in 52" wide. EE quilts come in wide at 58". My jacket size is 44 and my shoulders measure 51" around, so I am not guessing a 52" quilt will work as I am a side sleeper.