I used a blanket and a bunch of safety pins to figure out my size before I built my quilt kit.
sort of a hijack, if so my apologies...but I think it's a related question to sizing and will be helpful to OP and others....
so regarding length
in your experience, does length need change depending on sewn footbox or drawstring type?
it seems to be that bunching up the drawstring at the bottom would eat up some of the length
so do you need to order a bit longer if not getting the sewn box? (for example to get equal ability to pull over head)
Yep, (I did answer that in the #15 post) but just to reiterate... it does. takes up about 6" extra in my experience.Originally Posted by blw2
* Warning: I bite AND I do not play well with others! -hellkat-
Not sure if I am late to this discussion but I have 2 EE quilts. First one I bought was a 20 degree regular length duck down. It was way too hot most nights and way too short for a side / stomach sleeper 5'10" 165lbs. I had to curl my legs in to get the quilt over my head in 20 degrees. It kept me alive but not comfortable. It was also way too hot for 50 degree nights.
Second one I bought was a 50 degree goose down whatever the most expensive fill they have LONG one. Much better. I can pull it over my head and somewhat sleep.
I definitely recommend going for a longer quilt if you side or stomach sleep.
Dreamweaver21, the regular being 72" long and long being 78" long? I'm also thinking 78" would be a good fit (I'm about same height and weight). What width do you have and do you find it comfortable for sleeping on side and stomach?
Thank you!
which type of footbox on those quilts?
Before going down the quilt rabbit hole abyss stop. Consider mummies also come in different measurements and cuts. Making absolute decisions about how comfortable a mummy bag is without factoring these in leads to short sighted conclusions.
It sounds like you toss from side to side to stomach. I'm a side to side sleeper. Perhaps one of the most import measurements, at least I find for myself with a lean body shape and 34" waist, or those who sleep in the fetal position is hip, followed by shoulder girth. For example, as a general ULer with light to SUL gear pieces and desiring a high thermal efficient cut I would love to opt for the lightest 20* conventional style itsy bitsy mummy cut sleeping bag from FF being the Hummingbird UL. The shoulder and hip girths don't work for me as a side sleeper and with my body shape though. Trying to sleep in a Hummingbird UL with a 58* shoulder and 52" hip girth I felt like an uncomfortable overstuffed cannoli where I thought I'd rip out the zipper when I turned onto my side. I'm much more comfortable in my sleep position with the med sized mummy cut 20* Swallow UL. FF also offers the Swift UL in larger measurements for broader shouldered, wider hipped folks and for those wearing bulkier sleep clothing. IMO, some of those folks opting for a quilt because they thought that would solve sizing and sleeping issues would have been better off if they gave greater consideration to these mummy bag factors.
I've owned or do own and have used or currently use a variety of mummy style sleeping bags and quilts. Some of which are: MB SS, WM, FF, and Valandre bags and EE, GoLite, HG, Katabatic, Nunatak, and ZP quilts. ZP quilts w/ and without a zip/draft tube.
Despite all the rah rah pro quilt UL fanaticism quilt sleep systems in the real world compared to mummy sleep systems are not always less wt, bulk, and cost and when they are are not to the extent often advertised! And, on a equally temp rated quilt piece(just the quilt) verse just a conventional high end accurately EN rated mummy bag(just the bag) piece comparison the temp ratings are not always equally warm! As you stated, in a one piece verse one piece comparison the colder the temps the more this can be noticed. When quilt fanatics rant on about all the benefits of a quilt what they are actually referring to is a quilt sleep system. *IMHO, it's more accurate to make comparisons and take conclusions from a sleep system verse sleep system perspective.
Anybody have experience with using a 10/20 degree quilt wide open as a blanket during the summer? Just right, or too hot?
It is what it is.
Too hot, I switch to a 40 degree quilt for summer.
Depends where? Out west I’ve used a 20* quilt during summer and was comfortable and simply bring lighter sleep wear/base layers....
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I saw several references above where folks are describing pulling the quilt over their heads.
I was not aware anyone used a quilt that way. Quilts usually only come up to your chin.
If it is cold enough you need a head cover you put your down hoodie on.
http://www.zpacks.com/accessories/goosehood.shtml
That hoodies then doubles as the hood for your puffy (which you buy without a hood) should you need more warmth when wearing the puffy.
You can also wear the hoodie under your rain jacket hood if you are getting cold during a windy icy rain hike.
+1... quilts pulled over the head? Are folks breathing inside the quilt (wetting insulation?)... or stomach sleeping and forming a hood?
I use JRB poncho/quilts and the down hood works in both worn poncho and sleeping quilt mode.
I do the same thing at home even.....and no not over your face. I pull it up and over, sometimes just leaving a small hole just big enough for mouth/nose. That's the beauty of a quilt to me. I find it cozier to snuggle in just like at home, not the restrictive thing that a bag can be.
The magic number for a drawstring foot box is 6" of lost length as others have said.
If you sleep fairly static... then you can get away with a shorter quilt. But many folks looking to quilts are active sleepers and frustrated by mummy bags.
Listen to the vendor they know their own product, size up if you're not sure.
As for pulling a quilt over your head:
One reason for using a quilt is versatility over a wide range of temps.
Another can be saving a little weight by leaving a dedicated sleeping hood at home.
The other is the 80% rule... in this case pick a quilt good enough for 80% of the nights you plan to use it.
The 10% it's way to hot is easy.
The 10% it's too cold for the quilt you brought- you can form a hood with the quilt by stomach or side sleeping. You don't want to breath into your sleeping gear.
You can further improve the warmth by curling up into a fetal or semi-fetal position and combining that position with the hood trick.
If you read any of the EN rating literature they describe an 'expert sleeper' and part of the methods used to establish the lower and extreme ratings in that system is to alter the sleep position to semi-fetal to increase the heat retention of your sleep system.
Also a fine trick when making a camp puffy and/or sitting around a fire on a chilly night.
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I have a 30F Enlightened Equipment Revelation in Long/Wide configuration. I am 6'1" and about 165 pounds and could have gone with the regular width quilt except for the fact that I tend to move around a lot while I sleep and wanted the ability to tuck the quilt under me. It is wide enough for me to even snap the connections together under me (rather than to the quilt straps) if I wanted to do that. So far, I have not approached the temperature rating of the bag and probably have only gotten down to the high 40s in this bag but it has been great.
I actually get daily use from this quilt now. I am renting what turned out to be an uninsulated apartment with astronomical energy bills. I have the thermostat set at 50-55 and pretty much "live" in this quilt - on the couch when reading, and every single night in bed. I love this product and would buy from EE again - very high quality and reasonable price.
Appreciate the detailed explanation - I like it, and have been in that 10% too cold situation with my summer quilt where this might made the difference. Never occurred to me to use at home, I suppose since it's heated/warm anyway. To the point of this thread though, I wouldn't size a new quilt extra long to accommodate the hood trick - rather as you say, just use the side/fetal position to create the extra length for those exceptional nights.
On the wearable quilt issue - I don't why more manufacturers do not offer a head hole option. The hooded poncho config provides for an all-limbs-inside 'mitten' effect that is the warmest (for the weight) piece of clothing I've ever used in my usual seated position. And in a survival situation, or even just for some campsite luxury, an alcohol stove multi-tasked as candle can provide a Palmer Furnace for toasty warm micro-climate 'hot tent.'
I use an EE Rev, long wide. 20 degree. 900 fill. I’m 5 10 190. Side sleeper toss and turn. I like to pull it over my head completely when it gets below 25*. I would not change a thing about it. Throw on a hooded puffy and let the mercury drop. I cured my claustrophobia problem and sleep way more comfortable. I made my first two quits and found it to be very easy to do. But I no longer have sewing machine, so I bought this one. Wide allows me to tighten the straps in colder temps and pull more quilt under me to really keep the drafts out still have room for flopping around.
And I got it in 10 denier inside and out. Very breathable and dries instantly.
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