Why I'm Using A Quilt vs. A Sleeping Bag From Now On
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- Опубликовано: 29 июл 2024
- 00:00 Hey y’all
00:47 My Quilt (Enlightened Equipment Enigma Custom)
00:57 Weight (15.35oz)
1:06 Sewn Toebox
01:40 Benefits of a Quilt
01:51 Less Weight
02:52 Less Expensive
03:11 More Packable
03:31 More Versatile (Freedom of Movement)
05:55 Straps
07:36 Performance in Cold Weather
09:33 How I Used it With My Small Sleeping Pad
11:06 Final Thoughts and See Y'all Next Time
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To make sleeping directly on the pad more comfortable, try using a silk sleeping bag liner over it.
Thank you. I am fighting stage 4 thyroid cancer but stable at the time. I am now at a point to get out and do things. Your videos have inspired me to get out and start hiking. Gonna have to start easy right now...just overnighters or weekend trips. But hopefully I can build up my strength to make longer treks. I love your accent. I'm from SC and really dig it. Keep being an inspiration. I look forward to learning more from you.
Hey, how is it going for you?
@@bergonius going well. Just went through a bout of radiation that kicked my butt for two months. But just spen a weekend at Sugarloaf mountain here in SC. Looking forward to hiking some of the Palmetto Trail next month. Playing golf once a week and walking three miles a day. Could be worse. Thanks for asking.
@@TRPufnStuf that makes my hesitation and excuses not to go even more laughable. Keep up the good spirit man.
@@TRPufnStuf hey how is it going?
I also had cancer (leukemia) and almost died from it but am now in remission. I got a stem cell transplant but got super sick right after and the cancer came back anyways. Thankfully I’m back into remission. I lost so much muscle i had to learn how to walk again. I’m really hoping to be able to go hiking but i have no friends to go with and still don’t know how to drive, even though I’m 22 years old. I never got to learn.
@@AlexanderMason1 everyone starts somewhere. good luck and hang tough brother.
I am also a rotisserie sleeper! I love the freedom a quilt gives you. Thanks for making the videos and sharing with us.
Love that way of describing a restless sleeper. Rotisserie!
Rotisserie sleeper! I'm stealing this phrase.
Omg, that is a PERFECT description!! Hahaha 🤣 Same here, I’m a rotisserie sleeper 😂
A dog is the single best sleeping item, for a cold sleeper you want the large size.. 😁👍👌✌
Or the small variety who thoughtfully seeks out your cold spots all night long, and stays there til they've warmed you.
I call mine my Boston bed warmer lol
🤣🤣🤣🤣
Some of us know that.
@@scooterdogg7580 Haha I have a Boston too and seriously at home I sweat because of her. We went into the Olympics the other night, probably got down to 40 and we both ended up having the quilt just drape over is not tightened, so nice lol
As a 57 year old male with a pea sized bladder and a grapefruit sized prostate, I can say a quilt makes it easier to get re-situated back in the sleeping position after one - two - three - four...... trips to the friendly tree during the night.
Sucks to be you....or me! LOL. Getting old sucks!
I’m 58 so I’m with ya on that 👍 lol
I’m 63 with the same problem. A friend suggested taking a quart Gadorade bottle in the tent to keep from going out all night. I thing it works great. Just empty out in the morning.
@@justhikingit1367 I have a 10gal sized bladder and it's never a problem, but I can vouch for the gatorade bottles. I've had to take a piss in a major traffic jam I was stuck in for hours years back. Only problem for me is I need 2 lmao
I know what you mean! I try to stop drinking two to three hours before bed. Increase my garlic intake too.
I now use a quilt when winter camping (usually not below 0F). I am all about the freedom of movement so it works well for me. I use a hammock, so it's not hard to keep the sides under me. I just like to be able to move easier or even get in and out without all of the squirming and adjusting.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS VIDEO. I’ve been going back and forth on whether I should get a standard bag or a quilt and after this video I pulled the trigger and got a quilt! 🙌🏻
I find that the less clothing I wear in my sleeping bag, the warmer I stay. Maybe I'm just a warm sleeper, but having a lot of clothes on would make me sweat. Even with just underwear on, I sometimes have to open the bag and stick a leg out. But, last night I tried a new technique. I opened my 20-degree down bag all the way until only the foot box was the only enclosed part. Then I slept directly on my Exped Synmat pad and used the wide open sleeping bag as a makeshift quilt. I loved it. No discomfort sleeping directly on the pad. The only weird thing was that my sleeping bag has a hood, so that kind of got in the way, but it was no big deal. I like the idea of the quilt and will continue to use my opened-up sleeping bag as a quilt until I can afford to actually buy a quilt and save some weight in my pack. My bag weighs 3 pounds, so the thought of a 1--pound quilt is pretty enticing. Thanks for your excellent reviews of equipment and for your wonderful thru-hike videos. My wife and I are huge fans.
I love the way your videos are illustrated with gear-in-action clips.
Keep up the great work.--- Oh yeah having that awesome Fancy in the vid is a smile inducing bonus!
I too switched to a quilt. I have an Enlightened Equipment Revelation zero degree with 850 fill. Living in CO with the high altitudes and my winter trips made the zero degree my choice.
I carried the quilt on the AZT in 2017 and recently (this month) on the first 2 sections of the Hayduke.
I'm a big fan of the quilt. Wear a hat, don't breathe into the quilt (don't pull the quilt up over your head) and use the pad straps and it's awesome.
Thx Dixie for your great channel.
Great to see another video! Thanks for sharing! Blessings
Quilts are awesome and I'm glad you're sharing the good news!
hey Dixie great video as usual! have seen most of your videos, not quite made it to the end of the CDT yet.
I want to thank you for awakening a passion in me for the outdoors like I've not had since I was a younger man. you're such a lovely young woman with the best southern accent and I wish you much success and joy in your life! happy trails, and hey maybe we'll see you out there one day.......
love everything you do. keep em coming.
My Enlightened Equipment Revelation quilt is my favorite piece of gear! I could NOT sleep in a mummy bag. I need to be able to throw my leg out at times. On really cold nights I have used a liner, but that’s only been in extreme conditions. ❤️ my EE quilt!
I like my EE Enigma Custom Long, Wide Zero degree. Yep, I wasn't taking chances on cold sleep. It is wide enough to snap shut without using the straps, and long enough to cover my head. It does weigh 30oz but is still lighter than my old bag!
One other problem with tossing and turning in a mummy bag (where the whole bag rolls with you) is that you end up flattening the loft on about 3/4 of your bag. For me, the sides end up not storing heat very well. The quilt allows me to toss and turn while the quilt stays put and I don’t have that problem. I’m a 100% quilt guy.
Watching this in my Hang Tight quilt in my bed. Its so warm and light I love it!
Welcome to the club!!!!! Its a wonderful wonderful thing.
Soon the hammock!
I have definitely thought about using a quilt but had zero experience with one. So this definitely gave me an idea about the workings of them and some things to consider when purchasing. Thanks so much again Dixie. Great video as always. Can't wait for your next Adventure. Miss watching your treks at night lying in my sleeping bag on trail before bed. Be safe be kind and may you never run out of Trail, Adventure and Wonder.
I have the Revelation 0 degree quilt, but it is 20D on the outside and 10 on the inside. I use a rectangular sleeping bag liner to keep my quilt clean, and that also makes sleeping on the pad easier to sleep on. I love it. I'm a cold sleeper, too, but I have been totally warm with my quilt. On those extra cold nights, I use the Hoodlum and Sidekicks for my head and feet. Totally awesome! It's just getting out to get dressed that I freeze!
First of all: thank you for the amazingly useful information!! I am currently planning my first thru-hike ^^
And secondly: your dog is absolutely adorable :D
Consider checking out Loco Libre quilts. I love their chevron baffle system. Really helps keep the down distributed and prevents it from settling to the edges or the feet.
I've winter camped in 12 degree temps using a 20 degree quilt. However, this was in a hammock with a 20 degree matching underquilt on the outside of the hammock, plus a winter topcover, underquilt protector, and a tarp, and I had on long sleeve pants and a top, socks, as well as a beanie. I think I also had a z-seat tucked under my torso. I was very comfortable in that setup, with the only issue being how cold the air was around me. In the morning my nose and throat were a bit sore from breathing the cold air, and I was able to fix that the next night by wearing my buff over my face.
Try starting with a 16 oz Bivy Bag, Put the insulating pad inside the Bivy bag . Next layer is your Skivvies: Tee shirt and shorts for a hot night. For a cold night the Ninja suite of Long sleeve Tee and long base layer bottoms. Next layer is bag liner ( silk, poly or wool) the next layer is the one pound quilt or sleeping bag. The next layer is the two pound down sleeping bag. Take the bivy bag on all outings and add whatever layers you need to meet your personal temperature range. The whole system should get you down to -10 F to 20F for the experienced outdoor person. A Bivy Bag is the game changer, it holds everything together and each layer has insolation between the layers.( The whole is greater than the parts) This is called MSS, Moulder Sleep System. If you are using a quilt add a 15oz hooded down jacket to protect your head and shoulders. I recommend an Alpaca bag liner. With the Bivy bag and the Alpaca bag liner you are in the comfort range for summer to the 34F range. The alpaca bag also makes a nice campfire blanket or a throw on the couch at home. A down sleeping bag that zipps across the bottom becomes a quilt at home. Something I did with one of my down sleeping bags 50 years ago that zipped across the bottom was to sew a nylon sheet to the open blanket. You can sleep inside the two layers or outside the two layers. My wife and three little kids would all climb inside on a winter trip.
In the 90's I used to use a Slumberjack Super Guide synthetic 30 + bag w/a trapezoidal design and footbox but I needed a bag that would serve me in the colder months so I purchased 6 months ago a 20 degree down quilt after watching vids from you and others I follow in the thru- hiking community. its lighter and packs much smaller.
Wanted to tell you thank you because I got the exact same fleece, summer weight, liner that you used on The AT to use as a bag in the middle of summer. It was sold out for so long but amazon sent me an email saying it was back in stock so I snagged it for a song 😁 Found out I needed a warm weather bag in addition to my cold weather quilt to hike the entire season. I found out my quilt was too warm for summer hikes even to have draped over or beside me.
Like I tell my son, you’re an alligator death roll sleeper.
Never thought of it that way
Very funny I like
It also helps if you snore like I do. It’s critter protection, anything moving in that manner and growling that loud is nothing to cross path with on a dark night.
@@salyerbrandon lol! My partner snores and scares off all the little curious critters!
LOL!
That's a great way to describe how I feel and move around in a mummy bag!🤪
I never thought I would ever use a quilt? But used one in June on the PCT in Oregon, 30f rating. One night I felt slightly cool in the morning but worked fine, very light weight, very compatible into a dry sack. Doing high Sierra soon, hope I'm still happy after that???
Always enjoy your informative posts.
+1 for quilts. I have a Backcountry Bed which is sorta halfway between a sleeping bag and a quilt. It is zipperless, which since I am a side sleeper/tosser+turner, I love. I will never have another backpacking sleep system with zippers. Anyway, my bag has a uninsulated pocket sewn in to hold my sleeping bag. I really like that I don't have to worry about sliding off the pad any more. The bag is sewn together like a regular sleeping bag on the bottom half and has a half quilt to cover the opening in the top half. I have to say, I sleep better by far in this bag than any other backpacking bag I have used.
Went to quilts several years ago and never looked back. I am much more comfortable, even in winter weather, in a quilt as I also toss and turn, being a side and stomach sleeper. Tip: if you’re a side sleeper, add some extra width to your quilt even if you are not extra wide yourself. Makes it much easier to keep it tucked in around the hips when you’re on your side.
It's become a game to find the logo Aaron puts in a creative place. I love it.
Hello Dixie, thank you for this very informative video. I agter with you, I am now leaning more towards the quilt. I look forward to your next epic trip. Take care out there.
🤗
Darwin sold me after I saw his. I bought the Revelation 18 months ago and LOVE it. I typically stomach sleep but toss and turn a good bit at times when restless or hot/cold. I am at 19.4 oz I think at 20*. I also use a Thermarest full length as well because I like some comfort. But most of all, I've been buying UL because I'm getting older and can't carry what I used to. And can afford it easier now. I have been totally happy to 40* so far in this quilt/pad. Thanks for the vid.
1 × Revelation
Down Type (DownTek Treated): 950
Temperature: 20°F (-6°C)
Length: Regular - 6'
Width: Regular - 54"
Outside Fabric Options: Black 20D
Inside Fabric Color: Charcoal 10D
I am a recent convert to quilt. I squirm a lot so I like the looseness. I am also frequently a “4” sleeper. One leg out straight and other knee up at waist level with that foot tucked against the straight knee. (Picture a number four with your legs) drove me crazy that I couldn’t do that in a mummy bag. No super cold weather yet, but I have been surprised at the warmth level. factor.
P Palom
I’m a 4 too!! It’s one of the reasons I went with my feathered friends mummy. It’s cut to allow this position. It’s been wonderful!! (I think mine is the Egret but not totally sure.)
Sounds like RLS to me. I have it too. Try a weighted blanket. Youll still roll around and do the 4 but not as much. Peace and sleep well my friends.
@@fauxname9577 - Didn't they make a sleeping bag at one time that was rated at -- 80° F ?
Thanks for this video, Dixie, I haven't really wanted to try one, but I see the benefits now and am intrigued.
I use my sleeping bag as a quilt. You could do that to see how nice it is. I've even taken the zipper off. Why not purchase a quilt? Well, I already had the bag and didn't want to spend on a quilt just yet. Next time I need a replacement, it'll definitely be a quilt! Happy hikes!
Great feedback on your conversion to quilts, Dixie. I’ve been researching quilts for a while and about to pull the trigger tomorrow on an EE Enigma APEX custom and a few other EE items in advance of a late fall section hike of southern AT. ¡Espero que tengas un buen viaje haciendo el Camino en España este otoño!
I love my Outdoor Vitals quilt, and a liner keeps it Cleaner.
My first thought when I saw the title was, " no Dixie, you're not a 'quitter'! I bought my first quilt this year too and so far I love it for the toss and turn sleeper reason.
Joel 😂
I've used my EE 20 degree Enigma in a hammock (with underquilt of course) in sub 30 degree Temps and was nice and warm. Love my quilt!
Good subject. I switched over to a quilt but I switch back to down sleeping bag sometimes depending on the shelter system I’m using. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
I slept in my 20 degree EE REVELATION with a silk liner and base layer, ghost whisperer and down booties with the X-THERM THERMAREST wide/long In Georgia last Feb and March and I was SUPER WARM. Exchanged the pad and base layer in April to no bottoms and a THERMAREST PRO-AIR sleeping pad. NEVER WAS COLD. Ended in SNP and was never cold.
Great advice, thank you!
I too am a restless sleeper so a quilt is a god sent. secondly I sleep hot and opening it up is great
I started winter camping this year after picking up my UGQ 0 degree quilt (first quilt after using mummy bags) and it worked great. The first night it got down to 12 degrees so I added an emergency reflective bivy but I was toasty warm and might not have needed the bivy. Second time I loaned out my quilt and used my 30 degree mummy bag and wished I hadn't loaned out my quilt, my friend said he slept great with the quilt, and it got down to 22 degrees. 3rd time it was in the low 30's. All trips went great and there is no looking back for me. I've even used my quilt into the 50's and because I got the cinched drawstring footbox, I used it more like a blanket and it did great. It is my mid-late fall, winter, and early-mid spring sleep choice. The only other blanket I now need is the woobie I use in temps above 55. Glad I switched and invested in my quilt!
I switched to a quilt this year and I love it!
I love my quilt too! Glad it worked for you!
Thanks for the great discussion of these two ways to sleep. Very informative from one who knows!
Great video! I use a quilt in 4 seasons and it doesn't bother me. I'm a hammock camper so I have my top quilt and my bottom quilt.
I find that in the winter months it's just more important that I spend a few extra minutes checking I've set everything up well before I go to bed. That'll be things such as, having my sit pad beneath my feet, closing my puffy jacket over myself, and making sure my bottom quilt has the right amount of slack.
I’ve maybe just been doing it wrong for all of these years, but this is the first that I’ve heard of keeping a sleeping bag zipper underneath you. For me, it runs the risk of feel uncomfortable underneath. I tend to be warmer natured, and rarely get cold at night. Just last week, spending a night at a lean-to in the Catskills with overnight temps in the upper-40s, my foot vent was unzipped, my zipper was on my side, and I eventually even unzipped my sleeping bag. On mine (which I’ve had since 2006), the zipper goes down to a little bit below my knees. Oh, and I have a liner for colder nights, and I used it as a pillow that night!
Also, in all of the quilt/sleeping bag videos that I’ve seen, quilts look like sleeping bags, and many even have zippers on them, identically placed like on a sleeping bag.
Thanks for the timely video. I'm in the process of selecting which quilt to buy for my first experience backpacking with a quilt. Good to hear that a quilt worked welll for you.
Hay Steve I have EE Enigma quilt and really like it, but I just picked up a new quilt from UGQ that I'll be taking out this weekend. One of the things I don't like about the EE quilt is the drawstring right in the middle, it lays on your face it drives me crazy. The UGQ's drawstrings are on the side and has a lot more color selections including some really sweet camo colors. I also like the toggle strap system on the UGQ versus the buckle on my EE. I find it's much easier to manipulate the toggle at night than the buckleI. The UGQ is about $50 cheaper for the same types of material unless you order one of the special order fabrics for the outside then they have the same price and same weight. You can also customize the toe box, if you go the drawstring toe box save another $25 or $15 dollars for a flat box sewn toe box. The quilt also comes with three small snaps just above the toe box allows for a deeper toe box. You can also get over stuffing for a few dollars more. The only downside is they charge $10 dollars for storage bag. I negotiated with them to throw it in the storage bag and they keep the stuff that comes with the quilt. I use a dry bag on the trail and have so many extra stuff sacks.
@@douglasvincent5409 I love my UGQ, I opted for the drawstring foot box and have not regretted it a bit. Even down to the lower limit with no overstuff my feet stayed toasty. I just use a thrift store king size pillow case for storage.
Look at ZPacks or Nunatak gear. If you buy EE - don't say I didn't warn you....
@@CanadianTexaninLiguria What don't you like about EE quilts?
I love the quilt idea thanks for the video
Solid information, thanks
UGQ Outdoor (made in USA), has superb quality and customer service and is less expensive than Enlightened Equipment. Being from Minnesota, a quilt was a hard sell but I was incredibly surprised by the luxurious warmth and freedom of a quilt. I have a 950 fill with overstuffed sewn foot box, M10 fabric, 10 degree, 20 oz.
I love my 850 fill 10* UGQ, excellent quality, excellent service and price, so comfortable, mine is 23 oz and I no longer need the liner.
Excellent info. Thanks
So glad to hear you had success with the quilt! I'm a convert too.
Don’t have a quilt but I most often use my bag like a quilt. I slide my feet in and the bag unzipped. My fix for tossing and turning, I use a silk liner. It stays in my bag and gets packed inside too. It goes everywhere. The silk liner allows a person to move and have their bag stay sill. Mine was a pickup on the streets of Vietnam, but these bags are plentiful over there meaning they are very affordable online.
I am looking forward to your Camino hike in Spain.
I purchased a ZPacks 20F long/medium version for a trip into Yellowstone last year. 8 days on the trail and I was super impressed. It got down into the low 20s in late September, so I brought the XTherm pad with me. I slept so toasty. I woke up around Mariposa lake to relieve myself at 4 AM and it was 21 degrees. I went back to my quilt and it felt like heaven. I was wearing smart wool bottoms and a 100 wt fleece top with thick wool socks. I slept like a rock. I've never used any Enlightened Equipment, but as for the Zpacks quilt, it's top-notch and amazingly warm.
Thanks for sharing 🌻
Excellent sharing, as usual. Been following you since the Applachian, and you rule! About quilts: I also dearly love my Enigma (specs: DownTek treated, 950 fill, 20°F (-6°C), Length: Regular - 6', Width: Regular - 54", Outside Fabric Options: Navy 10D, Inside Fabric Color: Black 10D, Optional 20D Weather Resistant Stripes: Black 20D). Had a quilt from Katabatic Gear before that, and loved it for a while, but its temp rating wasn't sufficient for certain conditions and I ended up disliking the way it attaches to your mat, i.e. via two cords you need to fasten to the mat first, using kind of special knots, each cord snug enough so it stays in place at the particular spot they need to be along your tapered pad, at the right height vis-à-vis the little clips sewn onto the edges of the quilt. The clips then snap onto the cord, and you can choose between a snap-in point that firmly fixes the clips in place, and another that allows for dynamic slipping of the cord when you angle the clip a bit. Compared with Enlightened Equipment's sewn-on strap system, this really sucks. First of all, don't ever lose a cord or you can't fasten your quilt! Secondly, positioning the cords is a pain. You can try to leave them on the pad when you roll it up, but they will move around and you'll need to relocate them a bit every time you set up for the night. Thirdly, if you have a couple of different pads to choose from and have stowed the cords with the wrong mat, then you'll be out in the woods and discover you're "cordless" (haha) - I guess that is the true meaning of going offline, but it can make for a chilly night, as I once experienced. I had assumed the cords were in my usual pad's stow bag, but they were still in with another pad I had tried for a change (ugh). Thirdly, it's a fiddly (though flexible) system. The straps on the Engima, by contrast, are idiot-proof, can't get lost, don't need to be positioned, etc. They simply work. And as for the comparison with zippered bags, I'm never going back to them. Like you, I normally sleep with some kind of base layer leggings and shirt (usually Merino wool), so no sticking to the mat. And like you, I switch sides a lot, and value the huge gain in freedom and comfort (also in terms of knee bending for side-sleeping) that comes from using a quilt rather than some kind of (usually rather tight) mummy bag with a zipper. The only mummy that ever worked for me was one with elastic stitching in the baffles, such that I could bend my knees during the night and have the bag stretch. But quilts save weight and work beautifully, so no need for that bag any more. By the way: If the weather is chilly, I normally pack a silk (Cocoon) mummy liner (plenty side enough for side-sleeping) to use for a bit of added warmth AND to keep my quilt and pad a bit cleaner. The thing weighs about 130g, which ain't nothin', but it keeps my sleep set-up a lot cleaner - and me a tad warmer. It's really easy to wash the liner and it dries very quickly. It's also a great option for nights that end up getting a big muggy, after all. Just push your quilt off and sleep in the liner (plus underthings).
I use quilts in extreme cold , love em. I use them with an exped downmat 9 . Perfect warmth!!!
Thanks for sharing your experiences with us. ATB : )
Had a similar experience. I went from mummy bag to trying out a wool blanket to my jungle blanket. Honestly can't believe how warm I sleep with my snugpak jungle blanket even down to around 5°C so far. Add in my ultralight sleep pad and my thermarest pillow and I can sleep almost anywhere though might add additional gear if it is expected to be cooler.
Good info. Thx👍🏻
Duixie, this was a brilliant explanation - i have been toying with getting a top quilt as i hammock and wild camp but need something lighter - thanks for this
I'm also a cold sleeper and want to try a quilt. I really like this one!
This is a great video because it pretty well covers everything that a long thread in a forum covers, without the sarcasm and snarkiness.
I bought a 10° enigma a while back and finally got to use it last month in a VA section hike where it dropped just under 30°.
I use a large size x-lite because I read at night, and like my elbows supported. The guy at EE said that the straps aren't designed for 25" wide pads, but it worked fine.
My fear was draftiness as I toss and turn. It wasn't an issue. I noticed it, don't get me wrong, but it wasn't bad.
I sleep in a base layer because the thin nylon of the sleeping bag or quilt feels weird (wet-like) against my bare skin. I wear camp only socks (wool) because my calluses and toenails could kill 10 denier nylon in short order.
I also moved from a sleeping bag to a quilt and love the EE quilt. Best move ever!
Off topic, but I wanted to say how much I appreciate what you did for that secondchance hiker dude while you were here in Oregon (Where I am and live). I have watched almost every video you have ever made just like him, and I learned a great deal from you and Darwin and others. I kicked around trying to visit you and your mom while you guys were here, but alas I could not make it. Thanks so MUCH for all you do and a big hug from Me to You {{{{{Dixie}}}}}
I love supporting a cottage company, I bought a quilt from UGQ. I was nervous, the first test run was at RRG , early spring in Kentucky. I was warm as toast for about an hour, and then the cold creeped up. My pad didn’t get it.
Second test was the Colorado mountains. Same temperature basically, high 30’s at night, different pad.
Totally a different experience. Between the UGQ quilt and a Thermarest Neo Air X-therm, I’m hooked.
I’m hate feeling confined by a bag. I woke up after my usual flopping around all night much more rested.
I’m a fan.
Can i ask what temp quilt did you get?
Hey Dixie, I converted from mummy bag to a quilt cuz I was rolling around all night like a doe boy on a trampoline trying to get comfy. Now I'm using the Nemo Tango Solo and it has a pillow sleeve, sleeves to hold the pad in place along with an optional head covering. In the colder months I attach a larger down quilt ( $35 Amazon) with small paper binder clips on top of the Nemo. Its incredibly stable not sliding off, comfortable and encapsulates the bottom edges not allowing the cold draft to come in and freeze my frostacles. The extra combined weight with the (Amazon) down throw is still lighter or as light as a sleep system with lower temperature rating and gives me an economical option of adding for those colder days. Just wanted to share my method, and for me it allows for a great night's sleep in the wilderness.😉👍😴💤💤
Great job, you are very thorough
I just started backpacking last year. And my BF loves winter camping (my first experience was christmas, in montana, it was freezing...) So I loved my 0⁰ Marmot sleeping bag I got. However, when camping this summer it was uncomfortable cause I felt constricted, so I'd completely unzip it and turn it almost like it was a quilt! Never realized I could get a product like that! My bag is perfect for the winter months when I need to be tightly wrapped up, but we've talked about getting summer bags and I think I will definitely go with a quilt now!
I use a western Mountaineering ultralite 1 lb 13 ounce sleeping bag. I never zip it closed and it ends up looking like your enlighten. I own a 0 degree 950 revelation enlighten quilt. Have always been cold in the enlighten. That is the difference between the 0 degree enlighten and the 20degree WM. Not sure why. I use an Exped winter down pad good for -25.
Western Mountaineering is like quilt. Just leave unzipped and put feet in end and leave it open over you. Never a question if it will be wide enough cover to you. If you fit in sleeping bag to begin with, the bag will act as quilt to cover you.
^ ^ ^ All of this, exactly. I really don't get all the exaggerated bag "issues". Makes for good content i guess. I dig quilts but there are more variables to worry about. Bags are simple and if you're too hot, they *all* can become a quilt.
I have the EE Revelation(20 degeree) and a Klymit static V sleeping pad, and sleep in "less than long sleeves and long leggings". I't doesn't bother me to have my legs and arms touching the pad. At first, (pre-purchase of the quilt) thought it might. I'm on my fourth season with this system, and honestly hadn't thought about the issue until you mentioned it. I love that I can adjust the toe box and make it like a blanket as I'm a warm sleeper. Being able to custom size the quilt was great.
😂omg...👵🏻... I literally thought u meant like a quilt, like my mom makes. I just started getting camping/outdoor gear, and I have plenty of quilts❤️😂😂.
I would hate to get my hand-stitched quilts dirty, especially after all the laborious hours making something so colorful. Traditional quilts are coveted as a piece of highly-prized art to be passed on from generation to generation. I guess a real quilt could be used off the ground, preferably in a RV camper when on short hikes away from home.
If you use a sleeping bag liner over your mattress pad it's like sleeping in your bed And I Use a quilt
mike jacques thanks for the idea! I hate the feeling of sleeping pads...
@Pretzel … and the squeeeeeeak squeeeeeeak squeeeeak squeeeeeeeeak squik. (that was my hike mate every thirty minutes on a five day section). She slept fine. I counted the squeaks, all of them.
I love that too.
I do the same thing! Got a cheap liner off Ebay for about $6.
This an is absolutely brilliant idea. I used a quilt for about 3 weeks in the Absorkas on a BA SLX (it's the neon yellow one) and had a terrible sweat/oil stain body outline on the mattress pad from sweating through my sleep clothes.
Thanks, Dixie. It’s hard to know what to invest in without the experience. Your gear reviews help. I think I’m going to get a 20 degree quilt for an upcoming hike this December in the Midwest. The temps could be anything, but I think the the average low is in the upper 20’s. 10 degree quilt might be a better choice, but also more expensive. I’ll have to think about it. Best to you!
I’m 100% satisfied with my Enlightened Equipment 10 degree Revelation quilt for this year’s hike which I started in February- many nights at 13 degrees and I was toasty. Love my quilt and I was a skeptic!
Just found out about quilts and I’ve been sleeping with my summer mummy bag like a quilt for years! Definitely ready for a change.
I carry a silk liner and when I am warm, I will use liner as a sheet for my neoair xlight; slip pad into liner; works great.
Underground quilts! Cheap, fully customizable and they can deliver faster than the EE. I needed mine for a 5 day Yosemite hike in less than three weeks and they got it to me. I'm in for quilts now also as I too am an active sleeper
So, to save weight with the quilt, you have to get a heavier, bulkier sleeping pad? Considering the increased dependence by the quilt on the sleeping pad, what do you do when your sleeping pad leaks?
In a sleeping bag, the insulation gets compacted under your body. However, this only occurs at a couple pressure points. The rest of you is still insulated. How does removing that layer help you? Not only does the quilt remove that layer, leaving even more of your body in direct contact with the sleeping pad, but it opens the entire inside of the quilt to that sleeping pad. If you have cold spots with a sleeping bag, you're going to have even more and colder spots with the quilt. It seems like a lot of effort is being expended to make a quilt work like a sleeping bag.
I use a sleeping bag. When temperatures are mild, I use it like a quilt. When it gets cold, I get inside, zip it up, and everything is great. The only time I haven't been comfortable, was when my sleeping pad leaked, but that's a problem for quilts too, isn't it?
I used one of their 30 degree quilts last winter on my AT hike with a silk liner. I too would put on layers before going to bed including a puffy coat and my hooded Sitka pullover with a wool cap. This setup keep me warm enough most nights except for one 24 degree night with wind which required that I wrap my tent ground cloth over the quilt to keep all the warmth from blowing away.
I love my Jacks R Better quilts. I'm also glad I'm not a cold sleeper like you. I can go down to like 20*F with just needing a beenie on my head. Probably colder but that's the coldest I've done. My wife always complains the house is too cold when she's in flannel PJs and under like 3 blankets and I'm hot in just a pair of shorts and not under blankets.
Thanks for this review.
So nice of you to support Second Chance you are a special lady to do that, and the reason you are so respected in the hiking community carry on hats off to you. And thank you for all your own work always appreciated and special.
My solution to the discomfort of sleeping directly on a sleep mat was to use spray on contact adhesive to secure a light fleece layer to the aluminised surface. Definitely a kinder surface to sleep on. I doubt many who own hi-end mats such as neo airs etc would want to modify their investment in this way, but iits a cheap and easy way to add warmth and comfort to a closed cell roll mat.So far the disadvantage I have found is the very slight diminishment in useable pack volume insidethe rolled tube, and and for the base weight obsessionals those extra ounces will be a no-no. If warmth comfort and better sleep at low cost, along with the puncture proof reliability of closed cell foam, appeal, this is a route you might try in order to get the most you can out of a foam mattress.
I totally love my quilt because I need the versatility of being able to hang my feet out at a moments notice cuz I get hot flashes still after the menopause transition is long over. And the mummy bag I had for years was a zero degree so I always had to keep the zipper open cuz I hated having to fiddle with it multiple times during the night. I love my quilt do much that I have it in my house on my bed. It’s super comfy. More so than any blanket I ever owned.
I use a quilt and find it brilliant. I also take my dog and will use it to cover her (and keep me warm too) if she is cold and snuggles up to me. I use a silk sleeping bag liner I have had for yonks and slip the mat into it which is like having a silk sheet to lie on and find the added tiny bit of weight is worth it. It also (I think) helps protect my mat (same as yours but full length) especially with the dog who kinda likes to try and lie on it and shove me off. Anyway, another quilt convert here :-)
Love my quilts! I have three different ones and take them not only for backpacking, but also for all traveling! I've used them in the airport, motels and and friends' homes. They are just super comfy.
I just started camping again and used a hammock and I was worried about the zipper and if it would chafe. I also had quite the time trying to slip into my sleeping bag and zip it up so I wound up giving up and leaving it open. You brought up some other good points so I think I'm going to give a quilt a try, thanks!
I'm a big fan of the Enlightened Equipment quilts. I have a 20° Revelation and love it. My ONLY gripe is that on cold windy nights I have to be more mindful of tucking the edges under me so I don't get drafty. That happens too often. The Revelation can completely open to a full quilt and I've used that at home in the winter on the couch a few times... But the rest of the year I can open it up to cool down on warmer nights easily. Super lightweight.
Love my quilt! Thanks for sharing. :-)
I have a 40 F topquilt for warmer temp, and a 20 F for cooler temps, both from Hammock Gear.. Love them. I use them for both hammock and tent camping (have the matching temp rating underquilts for the hammock). I've tented with the 20 F topquilt on a Klymit Static V insulated pad just below freezing temp and didn't have any issues.... I do not use a pad attachment kit (extra kit to fool with), but I ordered both my topquilts in the 55 inch width for the purpose of ground camping so can tuck it under me...
I sleep with a german shepherd at home and at camp. Being in East Texas, I just primitive camp in my local woods in the coldest parts of the winter. Which isn't as cold as you have encountered. I only backpack in spring through fall. That keeps me from needing sleeping bags for such low temperatures. I prefer a hammock anyway and a 30° rectangle hooded bag that weighs 3.6lbs works fine in a tent with a dog is fine in our winters except for winter storms. A compact 2lb 40° bag is fine in a hammock the rest of the year. In summer just a fleece blanket.
Living in NE Wyoming I cannot always use my hammock. Part of my gear is a 0° HammockGear quilt with 2 oz of overstuffed 800 down. On trips where hanging isn’t an option I take my quilt and my Nemo Alpine pad and my LightHart tent. I’ve used this in temps approaching the rating of the quilt and been perfectly comfortable, even sleeping on snow. Love my quilt.
You are doing the Camino Frances? SJPP to Santiago? How exciting! Can’t wait to watch your journey!
I tested my 15* Paria Ouutdoor Gear quilt in a couple of our 4 rare snow storms this winter in my yard. It quit on me at about 29* leaving me very cold. I got an UGQ 10* 850 fill quilt with extra fill that is standard plus I ordered additional fill in the zipped foot box. I was toasty warm, bare legged with a light weight base layer top in the low 20s. Reviews stated it was warm at below zero. At first I too inserted the pad pulling the quilt under the pad but found it to be warmer if I strapped it on top of the pad, and more comfortable. No drafts ever. I'm 5' so I can pull the quilt over my head, no need for a hood, though I do have a separate down hood if desired. The same quilt was comfortable with temps of 55* At first I didn't like the feel of the pad on my bare skin, however once I was asleep it wasn't an issue. I do use the sea to summit pillow and I use a full length 25" wide 6R pad with side rails. I'm thinking of making a light weight top sheet that straps on over the pad with a bit of sleeve top and bottom to keep it in place. My feet do get cold, even in the summer at home and two pairs of socks helped but in the future I will take insulated booties that are also fleece lined as I found I was putting my feet in the sleeves of my fleece zip up in the foot box to keep them warm even though the rest of me was toasty. I used it this summer on the JMT in temps from 29* to 55* and was always comfortable. I liked being able to wrap up in it when sitting in my big Agnes Cyclone 7 oz chair of an evening as I cooked, filtered water and journaled. It was entirely custom and under $300, $269, I think.
Best thru-hiking channel on the YT. Best channel, period.