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    • Let's talk about quilts

      I'm on a mission to lighten my pack weight. The next thing I'm considering is replacing my 3 season sleeping bag, which weighs 30.8 ounces, with a summer quilt. I know nothing about them so I'd like to hear from those of you who have quilts, use quilts, have made quilts, what features do you like and which do you either dislike or think are not important. Maybe most important I'd like to hear from those who dislike quilts and why. :?:
    • While I am all for saving weight, I personally have avoided switching to quilts because I move a lot in my sleep. From my prior research a person like myself will wiggle around and then be cold due to the underside (not down part) being up or sidesways. Having grown up in South FL, I try to avoid the potential of being cold.

      Now some quilts have straps I believe that you wrap around your pad that might help solve that. But up to this point I have not been willing to try. And since I have already invested in a Western Mountaineering HighLite (35*, 16 oz) a few years ago and UltraLite (20*, 29oz) this summer, I will probably stick with what I have.

      Do look forward to hearing others feedback and seeing where you end up. :)
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • I use quilts for hammocking. I have a summer set and a winter set, but I have taken to using my winter under quilt year round because I like its full length coverage under my hammock.

      My best recommendation is to get your top quilt customized to increase the width. If you turn like me getting that cold winter blast of air on your back is no fun if the side of your quilt lifts up. Worth a few extra dollars to get another 6 inches in width.

      For an under quilt I have a Warbonnet Winter Wookie. It is designed to be matched to my BlackBird hammock. Perfect fit, barely needs adjusting.

      For a top quilt I have gone with both the Warbonnet Mamba and the Hammock Gear Burrow 0. I prefer the hammock gear. I ordered mine wide and with another 2 Oz of overfill. Keeps me warm.

      Of course, using quilts when tenting is a different proposition. I do not have much experience there. If I am tenting, I am with my wife, and it is most likely to be car camping. For that I have some heavy sleeping bags that I can zip together.

      Still, my best advice I think would be to go a few inches wider than standard.
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”


      John Greenleaf Whittier
    • IMScotty wrote:

      I use quilts for hammocking. I have a summer set and a winter set, but I have taken to using my winter under quilt year round because I like its full length coverage under my hammock.

      My best recommendation is to get your top quilt customized to increase the width. If you turn like me getting that cold winter blast of air on your back is no fun if the side of your quilt lifts up. Worth a few extra dollars to get another 6 inches in width.

      For an under quilt I have a Warbonnet Winter Wookie. It is designed to be matched to my BlackBird hammock. Perfect fit, barely needs adjusting.

      For a top quilt I have gone with both the Warbonnet Mamba and the Hammock Gear Burrow 0. I prefer the hammock gear. I ordered mine wide and with another 2 Oz of overfill. Keeps me warm.

      Of course, using quilts when tenting is a different proposition. I do not have much experience there. If I am tenting, I am with my wife, and it is most likely to be car camping. For that I have some heavy sleeping bags that I can zip together.

      Still, my best advice I think would be to go a few inches wider than standard.
      So do you hang when you are on the PCT? ?(
      I would think there are places where trees might be hard to find.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • I have a UGQ Underground Quilt 40 deg for summer use in tents. I really like it. I am 6 ft 0 in and ordered it longer than that (6 ft 6 in, I think) because I like to pull it over my head. A lot of quilts are sized to come up to your neck assuming you will have a head cover. I can't do that. I also tend to curl up into a slight fetal position on my side, so I need a wider quilt. Hard to curl up like that in a bag. I have never messed with the pad straps. Mine has a foot box that snaps, which I like.
    • Astro wrote:


      So do you hang when you are on the PCT? ?( I would think there are places where trees might be hard to find.
      In southern CA there have been places where I had to go to the ground. I tend to be there at a time when rain is unlikely, so mostly I have been cowboy camping when on the ground. I have a sleeping bag sized ground sheet with me that I use below, if I know trees are really sparse in a section then I'll bring a pad.

      I have managed some creative hangs, even in the desert without trees. Between boulders and such. In the sections from the Sierra north the trees have been plentiful and I can camp just about anywhere.
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”


      John Greenleaf Whittier
    • Astro wrote:

      IMScotty wrote:

      I use quilts for hammocking. I have a summer set and a winter set, but I have taken to using my winter under quilt year round because I like its full length coverage under my hammock.

      My best recommendation is to get your top quilt customized to increase the width. If you turn like me getting that cold winter blast of air on your back is no fun if the side of your quilt lifts up. Worth a few extra dollars to get another 6 inches in width.

      For an under quilt I have a Warbonnet Winter Wookie. It is designed to be matched to my BlackBird hammock. Perfect fit, barely needs adjusting.

      For a top quilt I have gone with both the Warbonnet Mamba and the Hammock Gear Burrow 0. I prefer the hammock gear. I ordered mine wide and with another 2 Oz of overfill. Keeps me warm.

      Of course, using quilts when tenting is a different proposition. I do not have much experience there. If I am tenting, I am with my wife, and it is most likely to be car camping. For that I have some heavy sleeping bags that I can zip together.

      Still, my best advice I think would be to go a few inches wider than standard.
      So do you hang when you are on the PCT? ?( I would think there are places where trees might be hard to find.
      There's 36 miles of tundra, I had planned to have a pad mailed and sent back home after that section
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • I have three quilts. An EE Revelation 10° that I think if I remember right is 30 oz. It's a wide and had the zippered foot box, snaps after that up to about my waist or so and two straps that go under your pad to hold the sides down, at the neck it snaps behind you and drawstring cinches it tight. I also have a 32° Vesper which weighs 15 oz, foot box is sewn and there are two straps and neck snap and drawstring. I also have a DIY summer quilt I'll call a 45-50° that is synthetic with zippered footbox, snaps, and two straps and weighs about 12 oz. There are several cottage quilt makes that are comparable to EE and less expensive. I'm on the road but when I get home I'll try and think of those.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • LIhikers wrote:

      My plan is to use the new pad a few times with the sleeping bag as Drybones suggested before making more changes but I thought I'd start collecting info on quilts.
      I have two hammock gear TQ and one UQ, happy with each, except, I ordered the 20* in a long/wide...big mistake, just leaves a bunch of extra material to deal with, which takes away from the warmth. HG has what they call an economy bag made from duck feathers, much cheaper, I have a 40* TQ and a 40* made from duck down and 20* TQ and UQ from 850 goose down...duck is the best buy IMO.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • LIhikers wrote:

      Are quilts made for use in a hammock different than quilts made to use on the ground ? If so, how ?
      My underquilts definitely are. That is why I got my Warbonnet UQ to best match my Warbonnet hammock. Of course tent dwellers wouldn't use an underquilt, they use some kind of pad beneath them to stay warm.

      The top quilt is very generic, not tied to a particular hammock design. Could be used in the hammock, or in a tent.
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”


      John Greenleaf Whittier
    • I had a RayWay quilt I really liked, but it was a 2p quilt. This is what my wife and I used when she first started backpacking. It zipped in half which made it possible for us to each carry half of it. After a couple of hikes she wanted a sleepingbag. So about ten years ago we sold it, and got her a bag. A few years ago she started saying that we should have never gotten rid of it. She's wanted one ever since. But have yet to replace it. If we ever get a 2p quilt we'll probably go with a RayWay quilt again. If we each get our own, I'll be going with an EE, synthetic. But for us each to be able to get one from Santa were both gonna have to be really, really, really good. I don't see that in my cards, lol.
    • One of the favorite "tabula rasa" items of hammockers has been the Costco Down Throw (CDT). At about 16 (dollars AND ounces), DIY folks have made these into top quilts (TQ), 3/4 hammock underquilts, ponchos, skirts, and everything insulated short of a pot-grabber.

      A friend of mine with mad sewing skillz took pity on my envy and longing for a CDT TQ, and fashioned a 50" x 80" top quilt (incl. footbox) for me out of the bog-standard 60" x 70" CDT. Finished TQ pictured below:



      I am 6'1" and about 185 lbs, and laying on an Thermarest Ridgerest (long, 25" x 77"). If you are short, you probably don't even need to alter the dimensions - just fold over and sew the short side and 2' up the long.

      Without getting too detailed, what you do is take 10" of the width of the CDT and split it into 2 unequal parts. One long part adds 10" to the length of the quilt, and the other part forms the footbox (kind of like the bottom of an old-fashioned paper grocery bag). You also remove half of the sewn-through stitching (choose: vertical or horizontal), which allows for 4 things: 1) some down is trapped under the stitching, so that gets released, 2) you can redistribute the down to where you need it, and 3) it lofts higher because of #1 and the reduced sewn-through stitching, 4) fewer cold spots since a lower % of the surface area is sewn through.

      Many people can get to 55F with this, but that also depends on PJs, insulation beneath, airflow, and other variables. Those of us who skimp on R-values and PJs may find themselves chilly even at 60F.

      I usually turn a lot in the night, so quilts aren't great for that unless you're really good at turning under them, and keeping them from turning with you. And I wouldn't want clips or straps, I suspect I'd feel them under me like the princess and the pea. But then again, if you're going for a summer quilt, it's not a big deal if you briefly let some "cold" air in after you turn, only to have to take a second to cover your backside back up. They are light and pack pretty small with the included stuff sack (4L).
    • Time Zone wrote:

      One of the favorite "tabula rasa" items of hammockers has been the Costco Down Throw (CDT). At about 16 (dollars AND ounces), DIY folks have made these into top quilts (TQ), 3/4 hammock underquilts, ponchos, skirts, and everything insulated short of a pot-grabber.

      A friend of mine with mad sewing skillz took pity on my envy and longing for a CDT TQ, and fashioned a 50" x 80" top quilt (incl. footbox) for me out of the bog-standard 60" x 70" CDT. Finished TQ pictured below:



      I am 6'1" and about 185 lbs, and laying on an Thermarest Ridgerest (long, 25" x 77"). If you are short, you probably don't even need to alter the dimensions - just fold over and sew the short side and 2' up the long.

      Without getting too detailed, what you do is take 10" of the width of the CDT and split it into 2 unequal parts. One long part adds 10" to the length of the quilt, and the other part forms the footbox (kind of like the bottom of an old-fashioned paper grocery bag). You also remove half of the sewn-through stitching (choose: vertical or horizontal), which allows for 4 things: 1) some down is trapped under the stitching, so that gets released, 2) you can redistribute the down to where you need it, and 3) it lofts higher because of #1 and the reduced sewn-through stitching, 4) fewer cold spots since a lower % of the surface area is sewn through.

      Many people can get to 55F with this, but that also depends on PJs, insulation beneath, airflow, and other variables. Those of us who skimp on R-values and PJs may find themselves chilly even at 60F.

      I usually turn a lot in the night, so quilts aren't great for that unless you're really good at turning under them, and keeping them from turning with you. And I wouldn't want clips or straps, I suspect I'd feel them under me like the princess and the pea. But then again, if you're going for a summer quilt, it's not a big deal if you briefly let some "cold" air in after you turn, only to have to take a second to cover your backside back up. They are light and pack pretty small with the included stuff sack (4L).
      :)

      You made it easy with photographic details and schematics. For me, the details are the hardest part!
      Lost in the right direction.
    • I'm hoping to use a quilt for 3 season camping and am wondering about temperature rating. I know that many sleeping bags and quilts list a "survival" number not a comfort number. I find myself gravitating to a 20 degree rating. Is that realistic for a 3 season sleep or should Ibe looking at a higher number?
    • LIhikers wrote:

      I'm hoping to use a quilt for 3 season camping and am wondering about temperature rating. I know that many sleeping bags and quilts list a "survival" number not a comfort number. I find myself gravitating to a 20 degree rating. Is that realistic for a 3 season sleep or should Ibe looking at a higher number?
      bag ratings are not consistent from maker to maker and can't comparing quilts to bags makes comparisons harder. I look at loft as that is a more objective measure. 2.5 inches of down should provide similar insulation no matter the source. Underground Quilts list their 20 deg quilt as having a 2.5" inch loft. Looking at Western Mountaineering (one of the most respected bag makers), their 25 deg bags typically have 5" loft, I'm pretty sure they measure the loft of the closed bag (two layers) so this would mean their 25 deg bag has the same loft as a UGQ 20 deg quilt. However WM sells a 26 deg quilt with a 4.5" loft. If this is a single layer lift, that's huge. If it is a double layer, then it's a little thinner than their 25 deg bag. I may investigate.
    • I would add that you will never have a problem 'venting' a quilt, so you will never overheat. The only disadvantage to going with a lower rating for three-seasons is the weight and the cost. I like to be cozy, so I am willing to carry the extra ounces.
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”


      John Greenleaf Whittier
    • I use quilts. Sometimes.

      Not as warm as a good bag. They're all made by yahoo's just going off of some average amount of loft. when you compare that to a western mountaineering bag there's not nearly the same amount of insulation over the torso and the feet.

      More or less by the time you add a head covering and the fact that the quilt is larger so you can tuck it under you there's very little weight difference with a light bag. Maybe two or three oz..maybe. thats it.

      But if you're somebody that gets tangled up in a bag by tossing and turning then it has a lot of advantages. you can also rotate your head to the side independently of your body covering which is fantastic. It's much easier to get in and out of as well.

      Ive had a 20 degree EE enigma since Tim came out with it. I have a 40 degree since he first started making them and selling them on bpl forum. That has the karo cut baffles.

      The drawstring bottom of the 40 F revelation is good for venting it in warmer weather. I like that. Or closing it up when you're pushing the limits of the quilt. I pushed it down the 28 one night... Yes I froze my sweet arse off. I could not wait for the sun to come up so I could start moving and warm up. That was a very cold night cuz it was 34° at 8:00 p.m. it was cold all night.

      Generally I prefer the sewn foot box of the enigma. if it's hot I just take my feet out and leave it draped over my lower legs until they get cold then I'll put them back in. The wt to add the zipper and drawstring etc is just unnecessary.

      I added 1.5 oz of down to my 20° quilt because it clearly did not have enough. I still rate it as about a 30° quilt. when the temperature is going to drop too close to 20 I have more insulation....jacket and pants. At 25....my wm 30 degree bag is warmer than my 20 quilt.... Even after I added the 1.5 oz of down. Below 20, I go to my wm versalite. I dont like being cold , I like to sleep warm and happy , with nice dreams. Not fitfully all night because cold

      Basically 50+.....i use 40f quilt
      30+.......20 F quilt or 30F bag
      20-30.....quilt or bag plus insulation
      5-20....bag

      The post was edited 1 time, last by Muddywaters ().

    • LIhikers wrote:

      I've looked at all sorts of quilts on the internet.
      I'd really like to get the Western Mountaineering Astralite quilt but I'm having a hard time swallowing the price.
      I'm sure it's a top quality piece based on the WM bag that I do have as well as reviews and the companies reputation but it's still very pricey.
      I'm going to have to let the idea percolate and see what happens.
      What would be nice is if you could borrow someone else's to see if you really are a quilt person.

      I now have two WM bags and both times the $$$ was a serious consideration, but at least I knew I was a bag person. Even if a quality product, that is a lot money for something you might not even like.

      But, then again you might end up thinking it is the best decision you ever made.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • I haven't commented up to now I've never used a quilt so what do I know? But since a decision has now been made...

      I haven't tried a quilt because they don't make sense to me as a tent camper. My gut reaction is that it's just another gimmick to cut ounces and that the loss in utility is much more than the weight savings achieved.

      I also freely admit that as a cold sleeper I have a bias to staying warm.

      I may be totally wrong -- but that's why I haven't been interested in checking out quilts.

      Besides, I can -- and have! -- convert my sleeping bag into a quilt any time I want. Can't go the other way. :)
      2,000 miler
    • max.patch wrote:

      I haven't tried a quilt because they don't make sense to me as a tent camper. My gut reaction is that it's just another gimmick to cut ounces and that the loss in utility is much more than the weight savings achieved.

      You're right about one thing, quilts really aren't any lighter.
      They were.....when hikers started using top quilts made for hammocks. Due to the design of the hammock, these were very narrow 48 in or so. Might have saved half a pound over a bag. In average conditions above 30° where you're just wearing a beanie it's real weight savings.

      Then a bunch of fat average people, (not skinny hikers) jumped on the bandwagon and wanted 55-in wide quilts so they can tuck them under them with room to spare. These quilts are almost as heavy as bags. And when you take them down into below freezing conditions you need head coverings also and at most you're saving one or two ounces.

      But the real advantage of a quilt is the same reason you don't sleep in a sleeping bag at home...... You sleep with a simple cover over you. It's convenient, it's easy to get in and out of, you don't get tangled up in it when you roll over or toss and turn, easy to regulate temperature by sticking a leg out or such, etc.

      Quilts made for ground sleeping do wrap around you and keep you fairly warm. But it's not as warm as a good bag. There's drafts , and breathes a lot around neck, because who wants to cinch something up tight around their neck?

      Quilts work a lot better as closed up bags, than open bags do as quilts
    • Muddywaters wrote:

      max.patch wrote:

      I haven't tried a quilt because they don't make sense to me as a tent camper. My gut reaction is that it's just another gimmick to cut ounces and that the loss in utility is much more than the weight savings achieved.
      You're right about one thing, quilts really aren't any lighter.
      They were.....when hikers started using top quilts made for hammocks. Due to the design of the hammock, these were very narrow 48 in or so. Might have saved half a pound over a bag. In average conditions above 30° where you're just wearing a beanie it's real weight savings.

      Then a bunch of fat average people, (not skinny hikers) jumped on the bandwagon and wanted 55-in wide quilts so they can tuck them under them with room to spare. These quilts are almost as heavy as bags. And when you take them down into below freezing conditions you need head coverings also and at most you're saving one or two ounces.

      But the real advantage of a quilt is the same reason you don't sleep in a sleeping bag at home...... You sleep with a simple cover over you. It's convenient, it's easy to get in and out of, you don't get tangled up in it when you roll over or toss and turn, easy to regulate temperature by sticking a leg out or such, etc.

      Quilts made for ground sleeping do wrap around you and keep you fairly warm. But it's not as warm as a good bag. There's drafts , and breathes a lot around neck, because who wants to cinch something up tight around their neck?

      Quilts work a lot better as closed up bags, than open bags do as quilts
      Good points. I’ve found my quilt in warmer weather is perfect but beyond that, it isn’t practical.
      Lost in the right direction.
    • One plus for quilts, though, is the lack of zipper as a point of failure. Though I suppose that's less commonly an issue than with items that are exposed to dirt/rain like zippers on tents.

      That said, outside of summer, I agree with Muddywaters that the drafts let in by a quilt (as you toss and turn) are not trivial in terms of loss of warmth. I also agree with Drybones that having the pad right next to your skin isn't great (but I usu. wear PJs anyway, and in summer if I'm in shorts/tee, I sleep in a polyester liner, with a quilt as add-on if extra warmth is needed).
    • Muddywaters,

      I am one of those chubby hikers that needs an extra wide quilt :) I love it, wide enough that I don't get drafts. Easy in-and-out. I use an under quilt, so no uncomfortable pads under me. I sleep in the buff, but I find the fabric in the Warbonnet comfortable enough. I understand that Warbonnet is using a new nylon fabric now that they describe as 'cottony' in feel. When I need a replacement, I look forward to trying that.

      I have used my hammock with winter quilts down to zero degrees, it is survivable. I wear a wool beanie. I am quit comfortable at 20 degrees. Muddy is correct, there are no weight savings with my setup.
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”


      John Greenleaf Whittier