Quilt pros cons

[Matt W.]

I've been going back and forth on a quilt for some time now... Its tough call got me to make. Does anyone know of a synthetic (vs. down) quilt? Living in Alaska I'm a bit hesitant to try down and I can't stand feathers poking through the fabric.... With that said the weight savings of going with a treated down quilt vs. my Mt Hardwear Ultralamina 15 is REALLY hard to ignore....

 

[16Bore]

Enlightened Equipment does. Looks like they'll do just about any damn thing you please

 

[colonel00]

The main issue with synthetic is it appears to have a limit to how low the temp rating can go.

HC, if you are still on the fence in August, I will be up there with two EE quilts. Probably too close to your hunting seasons if they aren't already started but figured I would throw that out there.

 

[bbrown]

I've been going back and forth on a quilt for some time now... Its tough call got me to make. Does anyone know of a synthetic (vs. down) quilt? Living in Alaska I'm a bit hesitant to try down and I can't stand feathers poking through the fabric.... With that said the weight savings of going with a treated down quilt vs. my Mt Hardwear Ultralamina 15 is REALLY hard to ignore....

EE makes the prodigy which is synthetic. I picked one up last year and have used it a hand full of times and really like it. I have had mine below the rated temp and actually slept fairly warm.
http://store.enlightenedequipment.com/prodigy/

 

[MattB]

I unzipped my WM the other day and laid it out. If i dont zip it up and crawl under it on a pad stuffing my feet in the foot box, is that essentially a quilt? Maybe a bit wider?

Yep.

 

[voidecho]

If you really want to save ounces, definitely check out ZPacks. A medium length, regular width 30 degree bag only weighs 14 ounces (14.9 with the cuben fiber roll bag included). You can use it like a quilt or a bag. I'm loving mine so far. Not cheap though.

http://www.zpacks.com/quilts/sleepingbag.shtml

 

[Matt W.]

EE makes the prodigy which is synthetic. I picked one up last year and have used it a hand full of times and really like it. I have had mine below the rated temp and actually slept fairly warm.
http://store.enlightenedequipment.com/prodigy/

Thanks! Missed that.. Surprised how much heavier the synthetic is vs the down, but still lighter than my bag... Lots to chew on...

If you really want to save ounces, definitely check out ZPacks. A medium length, regular width 30 degree bag only weighs 14 ounces (14.9 with the cuben fiber roll bag included). You can use it like a quilt or a bag. I'm loving mine so far. Not cheap though.

http://www.zpacks.com/quilts/sleepingbag.shtml

No kidding on the weight savings... A 10* regular long is 22ozs with treated down!

 

[bbrown]

Thanks! Missed that.. Surprised how much heavier the synthetic is vs the down, but still lighter than my bag... Lots to chew on..

They are definitely heavier than down but FYI mine came in slightly less than advertised which was refreshing.

 

[gobbler1662]

I have been using quilts for two seasons here in Oregon. Been in temps down to the low 20's in them. For me going from a mummy bag to quilt has been so refreshing. You don't feel constricted in a quilt like you do a mummy bag and as stated they are so much more versatile. If its hot you can leave the foot box unzipped and straps unattached and use it just like a blanquet. As it gets a little colder you zip up the foot box and cinch the cords down, if it gets even colder you attach the straps that hold the quilt around your x-lite, if it gets even colder you simply snap the top of the quilt together and cinch the shoulder part down. Being a long time mummy guy I never thought I'd like a quilt but I started with an enlightened equipment rev-x 20 degree and now have since made my own using m-90 fabric and climashield apex 5.0. I know synthetic is a tad heavier but my quilt still came in at 1.4 pounds so I am quite happy.

 

[lee peet]

I was just about to pull the pin on a wm versalite when I found this talk. So do you guys still think the quilts have an advantage in the colder 20-5 deg range, or is there advantage purely in milder temps?

 

[orionsbrother]

My limited quilt experience with an EE quilt leads me to believe that the temp ratings are fairly accurate. The 30* quilt that I have is a little short for me and I felt a little cool, but not cold, when a rainy day and evening turned into a 26* night.

 

[COR]

I have a Rev X 0 degree and I've used it down to 10 with snow and winds. Full disclosure, the environment was my backyard but I was getting used to the straps and the quilt set up. With a good headcover and some merino base layers one can easily fall asleep and stay asleep until it gets drafty. I think it will do better with a tarp or bivy and the drafts will be gone. I also used my Big Agnes Q core with it and was warm. The X Therm would be even a few degrees warmer I'll bet...

I have used mine about 5 times and I am a quilt convert for the time being.

 

[Jared Lampton]

I don't know...I have a JRB quilt rated for like 15 degrees and I will not use it outside of summer and early fall when temps are pretty warm and I want to be as light as possible. I had to add some elastic straps with velcro to it to go under my pad to keep it down and minimize the drafts but I still have trouble with it being pretty drafty. I always sleep in some clothes and a beanie. The quilt seems well made and it's 900 FP down but the drafts are something that seems to negate all of that. I just won't take it when I suspect the temps might drop below the 30's, just don't trust it and will carry a few more ounces for some added sleep comfort. Maybe the EE quilts "seal" out drafts better??

 

[Floorguy]

I don't know...I have a JRB quilt rated for like 15 degrees and I will not use it outside of summer and early fall when temps are pretty warm and I want to be as light as possible. I had to add some elastic straps with velcro to it to go under my pad to keep it down and minimize the drafts but I still have trouble with it being pretty drafty. I always sleep in some clothes and a beanie. The quilt seems well made and it's 900 FP down but the drafts are something that seems to negate all of that. I just won't take it when I suspect the temps might drop below the 30's, just don't trust it and will carry a few more ounces for some added sleep comfort. Maybe the EE quilts "seal" out drafts better??

This is from katabatics website it discusses quilt draft efficiency in hiow it is set up with the pad

Ultralight Hiking Quilt
Katabatic Gear’s Quilts:
Attach on top of your sleeping pad for maximum warmth
Other quilt style sleeping bags strap under a sleeping pad instead of on top of the pad as our system does. This leaves a large draft tunnel inside the bag, particularly if you are a side sleeper. Your precious body heat is spent trying to warm this draft tunnel, which leaves less body heat for you. This design can also cause compressed insulation at your shoulder and hip. All this conspires to leave you cold.
Hiking Quilt
Other Quilts:
Attach under your sleeping pad, causing inefficient draft tunnels and loft compression
We have engineered our Cord Clips to be strong and durable, while being thin and unobtrusive. Even if you have your sleeping bag pulled in under your body, our Cord Clips are designed to lie flat and to be unnoticeable.

The EE quilts attatch either way I use it attached on top of the pad and have been good into the 20's

 

[Jared Lampton]

This is from katabatics website it discusses quilt draft efficiency in hiow it is set up with the pad
The EE quilts attatch either way I use it attached on top of the pad and have been good into the 20's

Makes sense. I'll have to try that with my quilt. I still think that as you roll over in your sleep and move around that drafts will open up unless there is some way that the entire length of the quilt from shoulder to foot is attached to the top of the pad so that it stays down?? Just spit-balling here as I don't have as much experience with quilts as many guys in this thread...

 

[colonel00]

Makes sense. I'll have to try that with my quilt. I still think that as you roll over in your sleep and move around that drafts will open up unless there is some way that the entire length of the quilt from shoulder to foot is attached to the top of the pad so that it stays down?? Just spit-balling here as I don't have as much experience with quilts as many guys in this thread...

Well, speaking from an EE RevX persepctive, if you cinch and zip up the footbox then you are contained up to the knee or so. Then there are two strap points as Floorguy mentions where you can run the straps directly under you and on top of the pad to minimize air pockets. Then you fasten and cinch up the neck area to close everything off. Granted, as you allude, when you move, there is a chance to create some drafts. I like the idea of running the straps under the pad as that seems to help reduce movement of the quilt off the ground/pad which would help reduce drafts. However, as illustrated above, you may have more air pockets this way.

Random side question, do any of you find you move less the colder it gets? It has been a while since I have been in really cold temps but from what I remember, it seems like the colder it gets, the more I enter a "hibernating" state where I am more relaxed and I can sleep fairly still.

 

[Floorguy]

Makes sense. I'll have to try that with my quilt. I still think that as you roll over in your sleep and move around that drafts will open up unless there is some way that the entire length of the quilt from shoulder to foot is attached to the top of the pad so that it stays down?? Just spit-balling here as I don't have as much experience with quilts as many guys in this thread...

Last moose season I chose a poor site to sleep and was tossing and turning all night I would keep checking and everything stayed tight around me. The EE straps have a big loop that goes around the pad and then two attachment points that fasten the edges of the quilt to that loop those points are on slim 3 bar sliders one you pull the quilt in the tension keeps the quilt from sliding away from your body

 

[Bonedalien]

Random side question, do any of you find you move less the colder it gets? It has been a while since I have been in really cold temps but from what I remember, it seems like the colder it gets, the more I enter a "hibernating" state where I am more relaxed and I can sleep fairly still.

absolutley, all of my tossing and turning is a direct result of being hot.

 

[AK Troutbum]

Not trying to hijack the thread, but what the hell does this EE emblem/logo mean? It looks like a turd to me. Or maybe sheep horns?? Sorry Tim, I'm not trying to offend you, and I really do love your quilts.

 

[Floorguy]

pretty sure its rams horns