Top Quilt - what features do you look for?

[simonm]

If you were to buy a quilt, for ground sleeping or hammock camping, what features would you want?

I know winter and summer use may have different qualities but I would like to get a general sense of what people would like to see.

For me I like to be able to vent the footbox (winter and summer) so prefer a cinch strap and snaps (like WIlderness Logics quilts) or zipper (like EE quilts). I also like to have the ability to cinch the top up around my shoulders as I feel it keeps more of the warmth in.

Width I prefer something above 52inches for my size as I can wrap that around me quite easily. In summer I can go with less width.

Length - in the hammock I don't like the quilt over my face so up to the shoulders is good. Though last night I slept with a slightly longer quilt (summer weight), on the ground, and appreciated the extra length to pull over my head.

Weight - as light as possible

What qualities would others like to see in a quilt?

Thanks all.

[vorpal]

Hey Simon,

Funny you bring this up as I just purchased a quilt from the states. I wanted a versatile piece of equipment that I could basically use all year round. In saying that, the quilt I got is probably too hot for Summer, but I will make do.

I went for the Katabatic Palisade 30F (-1C).

The reason I went for this piece of gear instead of quilts from other companies like Warbonnet, Hammock Gear, WL, JRB, etc, is because whilst it meets all the criteria for use in my hammock, it excels at use in a tent as well. I believe it is the only designed quilt that actually utilises built in clips that clip to cord that you put around your sleeping pad.

That way you can actually sinch down the quilt around you, and drafts don't get in if it's a cold night.

Umm....Katabatic make different quilt sizes, basically in 3 lenghts - 5' 6", 6" or 6' 6". They also make the 6' and 6' 6" in wide versions.

I went for the 6' Wide. I hear that it is a lot more comfortable, even if I am only 5' 7" and like 70kg. They say that the wider version is much easier to comfortably wear a down jacket if need be.

Ryan

[simonm]

Hi Ryan

Enlightened Equipment quilts have the built in clips with straps that go around your pad as well, though I find I don't use them.

[forest]

Make sure your width is enough for a good wrap, nothing worse than draft gaps, even minor. Once the temps get close to or below zero you will notice any influx of that air, no mater how small.
I'm 5'11" tall, 75kgs with a 40" chest. For me 50" is not enough for a ground quilt. Might seem fine on the lounge room floor but in real world use a bit extra to tuck under you goes a long way for bugger all weight. So all my quilts are now 55-56" wide at the head end for enough coverage.

I prefer a sewn footbox for quilts rated to freezing or below, same deal with gaps.
Not sure on what UQ you might use but I have the closed area on all my TQ's to 24". A lot of quilts (snaps, zipper, sewn) only are closed to 20". For my size with a 3/4 UQ I sometimes slide down in the hammock and get a cold draft. This little extra length on the footbox I find helps with that.

I like just 2 straps, one about elbow height, one at the waist. Nothing special, mine are just some removable bungie cords on little clips. Only requires a small grosgrain loop sewn on the edge of the quilt to clip the bungie too. For ground use I just wiggle in over the straps, no issue. That way the quilt is sealed between me, and the pad. I do get the whole idea behind the Katabatic straps going under the quilt but IMO with the thicker ground pads I use (like a neoair or exped UL downmat) the quilt wraping around that to me seems like extra and just would create a larger airgap around your body to heat. I believe having the quilt against your body is the most efficient way to create warmth.

Definately a neck snap and pull cord closure. Once it's really cold you will want that quilt sealed up tight. I don't use the quilt over my head, prefer to seal it up around my neck and use a down beanie and buff. Don't forget good head warmthm very important for a quilt.

A little overfill is always nice but it depends on the temp range.

You cannot really skimp on weight with the down, it weighs what it does for the temp rating.
Lighter shell fabrics are the only way you can shave the weight down. Plenty of good options there like 8D, 10D, M50 (Momentum 50).
I really like M50 as it's super windproof for an outer shell, something more breathable for an inner is a good move (mine are 7D but that's no longer available I believe) I used my M50 shelled TQ on Brinkley Bluff, Larapinta trail without a tent (just cowboy camped). Have a google, it gets pretty windy up there at night, and cold. The M50 buffed the wind great and I didn't feel any heat loss via the fabric. In the past with 30D shelled quilts I had you could feel the wind sapping the heat, not so with the M50.

All my quilts are Hammock Gear. I really like these guys and fine that Adam and Jenny really are happy to work with you and assist in any little design niggles / questions. There stock built quilts are great but they will also do custom jobs, just email them.

[vorpal]

Yep. The Katabatic quilt doesn't go around the sleeping pad. The clips are actually designed so you do get the quilt close to your body. If it wasn't for the Katabatic I was going to go the Hammock Gear Burrow. Regardless, I'm planning on getting the Hammock Gear Incubator under quilt as soon as it starts to get nippy again.

[simonm]

Hey Forest,

I slept last night in the tent with a 46inch width quilt (summer weight), and it got down to about 4c. It was doable at that width but like you say a bit more width goes a long way. I had a to be a lot more mindful of how I wrapped it around me though.

I know Hammock Gear now use Argon fabrics in their quilts - which I will be stocking soon, Argon fabric that is, not HG. It has a really soft, silky feel. I have not had a chance to see M50 though for a comparision.

[forest]

Yep. The Katabatic quilt doesn't go around the sleeping pad. The clips are actually designed so you do get the quilt close to your body. If it wasn't for the Katabatic I was going to go the Hammock Gear Burrow. Regardless, I'm planning on getting the Hammock Gear Incubator under quilt as soon as it starts to get nippy again.

Ah great. Not sure why I thought they went under the pad.
You would be very happy with an incubator, I have a overfilled 20°F "phincubator". Think halfway between incubator and phoenix, Covers from shoulders to bottom of feet, 68" long.
It's soooo warm, for a bit of a hit in weight over my phoenix it's nice to not need to play with a foot pad.

[vorpal]

Yeah - I've always been much more interested in carrying the extra weight in a full length UQ rather than a torso one. It may be just something unique to myself, but I get really cold in my feet, so I would much rather have down warmth than simply cutting out a small bit of EVA foam and putting it down there.

[Strider]

The cords go around the mat for the Katabatic. Is that what you were thinking of?

[andrewa]

Simon, my ideal quilts ( of which I've made 3) use a drawer string bottom closure, with 3 press studs over the lower ~40cm to make a footbox , and they are along Roger Caffin's designs, with a hood, which sits over your face/head, contrary to normal sleeping bag design where the hod sits under your head....and gets squashed. Hood over head is v warm when needed. I wouldn't change the design. I have 2 quilts for me....the other was made for a mate. One has about 200-250g of 900 loft down in it ( quilt shell is about 200g I think), and the other has about 500 g of what was sold as 550 loft down, but I think it is much better, and I use the latter for snow camping, albeit whilst wearing insulated clothing.

There are no strings or cords underneath me - the quilts are big enough to wrap around me (I'm a restless side sleeper), and I vary my sleeping mat according to what I'm doing, from Exped down mat for snow, to torso length Insulmat for summer.

I'm thinking of a new quilt though......using 0.34oz cuben and 900 loft down, a bit like this one

http://www.suluk46.com/RandD%20-%20RD4%20WLQ.html

Given that I mostly sleep in clothing anyway, the fact that the cuben doesn't breath is of less consequence to me, as my clothing will absorb any sweat anyway, and, a quilt can easily be vented when too hot to reduce the sweating issues. Unlike the siluk design, I'd probably put the strip of momentum inside the bag rather than outside,which then keeps the outside waterproof....

A.....suddenly being very inspired about making new gear. .

[Orion]

...along Roger Caffin's designs, with a hood, which sits over your face/head, contrary to normal sleeping bag design where the hod sits under your head....and gets squashed. Hood over head is v warm when needed.

I can't picture how this works. It's not actually covering your face, is it?
Do you have a photo of someone using a hood like that?

Unlike the siluk design, I'd probably put the strip of momentum inside the bag rather than outside,which then keeps the outside waterproof....

Won't that just provide a path for moisture from your body to get into the down but not be able to easily get out?

[andrewa]

Yes, hood does sit over your head....like sleeping upside down in a sleeping bag, but the hood is a lot simpler....

This picture shows the vague profile of the top of the quilt.

.

A

[vorpal]

Would you not feel like the hood is suffocating you if it is over your face?

[Onestepmore]

For additional width, Jacks R Better supply add on 'wings' and a velcro attachment modification kit.

[simonm]

Thanks all. Some useful info there.

Quilts certainly seem to be gaining in popularity, and are my preference. I may have a new top quilt on the way soon, which will hopefully see some action up in the Central Highlands of Tassie over the next few months.

[Moondog55]

I just spend a coolish nite up at Falls Creek in -6C in my cheap home made experimental quilt over my summer weight bag, my own experience with my stupidly long legs tells me if and when I make another quilt it will be sewn up to about where my legs join for maximum warmth so about 850- 950mm and it needs to be longer to totally wrap around my head just like my doona at home