Good video. I enjoy the flexibility a quilt gives me. Was that a UGQ? I've got a zero degree Bandit, I've had it down to 13 degrees, toasty warm. Of course the right pad plays a big part in staying warm.
@@outdoorthorbackpacking I'm getting old, joints hurt so I've got a 4", R-4 Big Agnes. It is also one of the more quiet pads I've owned. I'll put a foam pad under it to supplement in very cold conditions.
@@garrycollins3415 That’s awesome! I think a lot of people get lost in the ultra light gear and forget what’s most important is that you get out and enjoy yourself.
@@outdoorthorbackpacking as the Schill brothers say, invest in sleep. My winter load with water and food is around 30, 24 for summer. Lower if water is available. My summer loadout includes a 1lb chair.
@@garrycollins3415 That’s awesome! I definitely agree that you should invest in your sleep, that’s what’s most important while you’re out there. I also carry a chair as well, I never go without it!
I used a quilt and found it too draughty. I move a decent amount in my sleep and would constantly be waking up because it wasn’t properly covering me up. I bought a mummy sleeping bag a few days ago and found that I slept waaaay better. I thought it would be too restrictive and hard to move around in but for some reason I barely moved in my sleep and woke up pretty much in the same position I fell asleep in. I absolutely love the hood piece on it, never knew I needed it in my life but now I’ve got it, I honestly couldn’t sleep without it.
Hello my friend, I have both a quilt and a sleeping bag. I prefer the sleeping bag over the quilt but both are good. Take Care and Keep Exploring The Outdoors.
That was a very well-organized and informative presentation of the differences between quilts and bags. Maybe the best I've seen. You covered all the pros and cons..except one; wiggle room. The older I get, the less I can bear being confined in a sleeping "sack". It drives me crazy. A quilt allows me spread out, toss and turn and feel more like I'm in my own bed.
I’m totally on the same page as you!! I have to have room to move around or I get too claustrophobic. Thanks for your positive feedback and adding to the channel. 😀
I like my Zenbivy quilt. With the added sheet, you get a hood to keep your head warm and pillows in place. The quilt can attach to the sheet to keep it from moving around while you sleep. It's the most comfortably I've slept while camping.
Fill power is the volume in cubic inches that one ounce of uncompressed down fills. Fill weight is the total weight of down used in a garment usually quoted for a Men's Medium or regular length regular width sleeping bag. More or less.
Holy cow! I think I need to change the channel name to “Jean-Marc” outdoors because that was an awesome explanation. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with all of us, I know it doesn’t seem like much but it really helps those that are confused or still wondering. Thank you for your awesome contribution!
I am going to disagree with you in this one Thor... my Sea to Summit Spark II has a 850+ fill, 300gr of it actually AND it weighs only 540gr. I paid 325€ for it and it is much warmer than any equivalent quilt. IMO it all depends on the usage. Let me explain, hiking at high altitude means that the weather and temperatures change unexpectedly and having the ‘cocoon’ you’ve mentioned gives you an extra ‘blanket’ (pun intended) of safety. Quilts are great and if you are a ‘nervous’ sleeper like me, they are definitely more comfortable. HOWEVER, if you move in a weird way while sleeping, you might freeze and wake up intermittently during the night to re-adjust yourself... In a nutshell, less experienced hikers that don’t intend to camp in crazy cold conditions should be ok with a quilt as long as their pad and base layer is right for the temperature. For anything else, a good sleeping bag will be the better option. Experienced folks know what do do anyway ;)
Thank you so much for adding all that awesome information for us to read over! I think you made some really good points and I agree that you have to figure out what works best for your situation and stay safe!
I’m not sure quilts save a “ton of weight”. We’re talking feathers here. I also think that you don’t save much (if any) money. The research I did suggests that if you look at comparable quilts and bags you can save maybe 6-8 oz. by deleting the hood and back on the quilt and you save no money. I bought a quilt because I’m an active side sleeper and quilts provide the freedom to move around. It has made a huge difference in my comfort. If you are a quiet sleeper who just lies there like a dead person, I would get a bag.
I’m a side sleeper who moves back and forth a lot during the night but I prefer a center zip sleeping bag. I also backpack 99% of the time below 40F and regularly as far down as the teens so a mummy setup keeps my warmth more contained. YMMV
I do this crazy thing and unzip my bag and mostly use it as a quilt. And since I'm like 99% of other hikers who are not thru-hikers, I'm cool with a few extra ounces.
Well explained video brother. One thing though: Traditional sleeping bags do also come in center zip (like mine) not just LH/ RH, and these can be unzipped all the way and function exactly like a quilt (I do this when it’s hot in the summer but prefer a full mummy bag for cold weather which is majority of the year here in the rainy PNW). I’ve tried it with a LH/RH zip bag and it’s more awkward. I do like being able to do either setup with 1 bag.
I tell you the Sierra Designs Cloud 800 that your boy Devin raves about is the best of both worlds. My UGQ 0 is so comfortable and warm I honestly can't bring it because I sleep in because it's so perfect. Seriously sleep till 9 am every time I wake at 6 something everyday but UGQ keeps me down lol
Quilts till the day we die! UGQ bandit for the win. Just can never go back. Esp in deep winter, the zero degree for me and a zero degree with thermolite Sea2Summit for Elisa(cause as you already know the ladies near 10 more degrees comfort.) Last month those combos were a big win at 0 degrees F. That was a cold trip, so glad we had our smaller Luxe MiniPeak XL 2p. Thats a great tent esp with the inner winter tent. Can actually fit 2 people if the wife is same size as the guy .....well....if there are like Elisa and I. We should go out next month bro on a weekend someplace in the uintas. Would be awesome.
You actually changed my mind :D I was going to have a poofy pad and a bag, but hearing that quilts will usually be lighter AND cheaper, the quilt will be my option. Also I use a "quilt" in my normal bed, so I will be fine XD
@@outdoorthorbackpacking Nothing to add but this was quite helpful as I am in the process of buying a UGQ and to add to my camping and hiking gear. ... Any recommendations as to options and accessories?
@@HikeCamp I would say that the extra few ounces for things like draft collar, dynamic tension, extra width are TOTALLY worth it. It’s the type of gear item that i know I will have forever so I thinks it’s a good idea to get extra features
Some great information there man! It has been a rollercoaster for me and my family when it comes to this subject. Originally...all sleeping bags. Then all quilts. And now recently were kind of in the middle. If I had it to redo I would have gotten us all wider quilts (went with 55" but would probably go with the xwide 60") just to help more with possible drafts when you roll around. But like anything...the bigger the heavier and too big of a quilt could end up being basically the weight of a sleeping bag.
I totally agree with everything that you’re saying! If only we could go back in time right? Haha Do you typically go backpacking with your whole family?
@@outdoorthorbackpacking In 2020 they came with me on about a third of my trips. My daughter is six now and is always asking when the next trip is lol.
@@JourneyontheTrail that’s adorable, my son has made me promise that as soon as it “gets warm outside” I need to take him on a backpacking trip with me haha
@@outdoorthorbackpacking That'll be awesome! Sharing the experience with kids just adds to the enjoyment of nature...seeing them soak it all in. Though brings on a whole new dimension of challenges lol. I plan on eventually starting a series on planning and gear for kids to hike & backpack.
Another big factor for me switching to quilts was due to my quilts clipping onto my sleeping pad which keeps my quilts from moving as I toss and turn in the night. I would often get tangled in a full sleeping bag and it would wake me up to have to fix everything to get back to comfortable.
Good video I'm considering a quilt as I hate that restricted feeling you get in mummy sleeping bags, I'd love the UGQ quilt but it's way out of my budget here in the UK
Great information here, but it is kind of ruined by the bad sound management. As you change camera angles, the volume changes dramatically.... I'm surprised you didnt notice this when you previewed after uploading. You do preview before releasing, correct?
I’m waiting for my UGQ 20 degree to arrive later in March. Your recommendations were extremely helpful. I went with the sewn foot box though. Totally agree that things have changed since Boy Scouts days, haha. I’m curious about your Nemo Switchback sleeping pad.. did you go with the short or regular size? I’m grappling with which size I should go with.
I’m glad that I could help!! You will be so happy with UGQ, they’re amazing. I got the short because I think with that type of pad the extra pieces below my knees is kind of useless because if I was using it as a stand alone pad it would be really warm weather. But i will use it to stake with my tensor for 4 season!
I think the concept of a quilt is interesting, but I value coziness above being a few oz lighter. It seems like it might be uncomfortable sleeping on your mat with no soft sleeping bag underneath you? If I had the chance I'd probably try a quilt, but I don't want to spend $200+ and then realize nah I'm a sleeping bag kind of gal anyway.
Nice vid!!! You don’t have to be a beg backpacker to still have this confusion lol You should try the Sierra Designs Backcounty Bed.. super cool! Synthetic is better for wet/humid conditions imho.
When doing review it's usually a good idea to stay neutral to make sure the person without experience who would be watching this video get non biased information. You can feel your're biased towards quilts from the very beginning of the video. There are a couple of wrong statements within this video. Comparable sleeping bag (same materials, same fill, etc) weight less than a quilt. Quilt have to be wider and larger by design, thus actually taking more materials and more fill to achieve the same temperature rating. 50F SeaToSummit Ember Quilt weights 14.8 oz, whilst 40F SeaToSummit Spark sleeping bag weights only 12oz. So sleeping bag is lighter and warmer and it also takes less volume compressed. Speaking about temperature ratings, sleeping bags have official ISO rating you can trust and compare. Quilts don't have one, so stated temperature is just a manufacturer speculation and are not comparable between different brands. There are also no mentions you have to use straps to keep quilt in place and avoid drafts (although, you're going to have one anyway). And there is no sheet as well, so you're sleeping on your sleeping pad and most likely you'd want to bring a sheet and a beanie or something with the hood, increasing the weight you bring even more. The only area where quilt really shine is comfort. It's way roomy and allow more freedom for you and your movements. But you pay for that with increased weight and price to buy additional extra items like a sheet. I personally prefer quilt when I don't care about the weight and it's warm outside. It gives you feeling similar to sleeping in your bed at home. But when it's colder, I don't want to care about drafts, bring all that extra weight with warmer quilt and sheet and a hood or a beanie, so sleeping bad is my choice.
Irrespective of the content, I dislike the "Don't buy one before watching THIS!" in the title, so you get a dislike from me. It's clickbait, but it worked, and the only way I can live with myself watching this video is if I dislike it.
Good video. I enjoy the flexibility a quilt gives me. Was that a UGQ? I've got a zero degree Bandit, I've had it down to 13 degrees, toasty warm. Of course the right pad plays a big part in staying warm.
Yes, I have the bandit 20. I also really enjoy having the flexibility and lack of constriction that my quilt gives me! Which pad do you typically use?
@@outdoorthorbackpacking I'm getting old, joints hurt so I've got a 4", R-4 Big Agnes. It is also one of the more quiet pads I've owned. I'll put a foam pad under it to supplement in very cold conditions.
@@garrycollins3415 That’s awesome! I think a lot of people get lost in the ultra light gear and forget what’s most important is that you get out and enjoy yourself.
@@outdoorthorbackpacking as the Schill brothers say, invest in sleep. My winter load with water and food is around 30, 24 for summer. Lower if water is available. My summer loadout includes a 1lb chair.
@@garrycollins3415 That’s awesome! I definitely agree that you should invest in your sleep, that’s what’s most important while you’re out there. I also carry a chair as well, I never go without it!
I used a quilt and found it too draughty. I move a decent amount in my sleep and would constantly be waking up because it wasn’t properly covering me up. I bought a mummy sleeping bag a few days ago and found that I slept waaaay better. I thought it would be too restrictive and hard to move around in but for some reason I barely moved in my sleep and woke up pretty much in the same position I fell asleep in. I absolutely love the hood piece on it, never knew I needed it in my life but now I’ve got it, I honestly couldn’t sleep without it.
Hello my friend, I have both a quilt and a sleeping bag. I prefer the sleeping bag over the quilt but both are good. Take Care and Keep Exploring The Outdoors.
That was a very well-organized and informative presentation of the differences between quilts and bags. Maybe the best I've seen. You covered all the pros and cons..except one; wiggle room. The older I get, the less I can bear being confined in a sleeping "sack". It drives me crazy. A quilt allows me spread out, toss and turn and feel more like I'm in my own bed.
I’m totally on the same page as you!! I have to have room to move around or I get too claustrophobic. Thanks for your positive feedback and adding to the channel. 😀
I like my Zenbivy quilt. With the added sheet, you get a hood to keep your head warm and pillows in place. The quilt can attach to the sheet to keep it from moving around while you sleep. It's the most comfortably I've slept while camping.
Fill power is the volume in cubic inches that one ounce of uncompressed down fills. Fill weight is the total weight of down used in a garment usually quoted for a Men's Medium or regular length regular width sleeping bag. More or less.
Holy cow! I think I need to change the channel name to “Jean-Marc” outdoors because that was an awesome explanation. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with all of us, I know it doesn’t seem like much but it really helps those that are confused or still wondering. Thank you for your awesome contribution!
Very well presented ... good info - I'm actually going thru the sleeping bag vs quilt right now
I’m really glad I could help! I remember being so confused and not knowing which one was right for me. Thanks for watching
I am going to disagree with you in this one Thor... my Sea to Summit Spark II has a 850+ fill, 300gr of it actually AND it weighs only 540gr. I paid 325€ for it and it is much warmer than any equivalent quilt. IMO it all depends on the usage. Let me explain, hiking at high altitude means that the weather and temperatures change unexpectedly and having the ‘cocoon’ you’ve mentioned gives you an extra ‘blanket’ (pun intended) of safety. Quilts are great and if you are a ‘nervous’ sleeper like me, they are definitely more comfortable. HOWEVER, if you move in a weird way while sleeping, you might freeze and wake up intermittently during the night to re-adjust yourself... In a nutshell, less experienced hikers that don’t intend to camp in crazy cold conditions should be ok with a quilt as long as their pad and base layer is right for the temperature. For anything else, a good sleeping bag will be the better option. Experienced folks know what do do anyway ;)
Thank you so much for adding all that awesome information for us to read over! I think you made some really good points and I agree that you have to figure out what works best for your situation and stay safe!
I’m not sure quilts save a “ton of weight”. We’re talking feathers here. I also think that you don’t save much (if any) money. The research I did suggests that if you look at comparable quilts and bags you can save maybe 6-8 oz. by deleting the hood and back on the quilt and you save no money. I bought a quilt because I’m an active side sleeper and quilts provide the freedom to move around. It has made a huge difference in my comfort. If you are a quiet sleeper who just lies there like a dead person, I would get a bag.
I have the same problem too! I move around way too much for sleeping bag to be comfortable, I always get super claustrophobic haha
I’m a side sleeper who moves back and forth a lot during the night but I prefer a center zip sleeping bag. I also backpack 99% of the time below 40F and regularly as far down as the teens so a mummy setup keeps my warmth more contained. YMMV
Watched every quilt vs sleeping bag video on youtube. Yours is the best. Thanks, for all the info man. Great channel. Keep'em coming!
Thank you so much for your comment! Which bag did you end up going with for your load out?
I do this crazy thing and unzip my bag and mostly use it as a quilt. And since I'm like 99% of other hikers who are not thru-hikers, I'm cool with a few extra ounces.
Well explained video brother. One thing though: Traditional sleeping bags do also come in center zip (like mine) not just LH/ RH, and these can be unzipped all the way and function exactly like a quilt (I do this when it’s hot in the summer but prefer a full mummy bag for cold weather which is majority of the year here in the rainy PNW). I’ve tried it with a LH/RH zip bag and it’s more awkward. I do like being able to do either setup with 1 bag.
That’s a good point, I really appreciate your comment. I thinks it’s so great to hear advice and ideas like yours. Thank you!
Well presented and informative. A great place for newbies plus to start.
I tell you the Sierra Designs Cloud 800 that your boy Devin raves about is the best of both worlds. My UGQ 0 is so comfortable and warm I honestly can't bring it because I sleep in because it's so perfect. Seriously sleep till 9 am every time I wake at 6 something everyday but UGQ keeps me down lol
I have heard that that’s a really good bag! I love the UGQ quilt. I just want another one now haha
Quilts till the day we die! UGQ bandit for the win. Just can never go back. Esp in deep winter, the zero degree for me and a zero degree with thermolite Sea2Summit for Elisa(cause as you already know the ladies near 10 more degrees comfort.) Last month those combos were a big win at 0 degrees F. That was a cold trip, so glad we had our smaller Luxe MiniPeak XL 2p. Thats a great tent esp with the inner winter tent. Can actually fit 2 people if the wife is same size as the guy .....well....if there are like Elisa and I. We should go out next month bro on a weekend someplace in the uintas. Would be awesome.
You actually changed my mind :D I was going to have a poofy pad and a bag, but hearing that quilts will usually be lighter AND cheaper, the quilt will be my option. Also I use a "quilt" in my normal bed, so I will be fine XD
Excellent Thor... A bases covered very well and under 14 minutes... Perfect!
Thank you so much! Glad you liked it
Anything you would’ve added to it?
@@outdoorthorbackpacking Nothing to add but this was quite helpful as I am in the process of buying a UGQ and to add to my camping and hiking gear. ... Any recommendations as to options and accessories?
@@HikeCamp I would say that the extra few ounces for things like draft collar, dynamic tension, extra width are TOTALLY worth it. It’s the type of gear item that i know I will have forever so I thinks it’s a good idea to get extra features
@@outdoorthorbackpacking Thanks Thor
What a breakdown !! I’m blown away.. you just earn my sub 🤙🏼
So glad you found the channel and took the time to subscribe, it means a lot. Hope you have a great week!
Some great information there man! It has been a rollercoaster for me and my family when it comes to this subject. Originally...all sleeping bags. Then all quilts. And now recently were kind of in the middle. If I had it to redo I would have gotten us all wider quilts (went with 55" but would probably go with the xwide 60") just to help more with possible drafts when you roll around. But like anything...the bigger the heavier and too big of a quilt could end up being basically the weight of a sleeping bag.
I totally agree with everything that you’re saying! If only we could go back in time right? Haha Do you typically go backpacking with your whole family?
@@outdoorthorbackpacking In 2020 they came with me on about a third of my trips. My daughter is six now and is always asking when the next trip is lol.
@@JourneyontheTrail that’s adorable, my son has made me promise that as soon as it “gets warm outside” I need to take him on a backpacking trip with me haha
@@outdoorthorbackpacking That'll be awesome! Sharing the experience with kids just adds to the enjoyment of nature...seeing them soak it all in. Though brings on a whole new dimension of challenges lol. I plan on eventually starting a series on planning and gear for kids to hike & backpack.
@@JourneyontheTrail That’s a great idea I look forward to seeing that!
Another big factor for me switching to quilts was due to my quilts clipping onto my sleeping pad which keeps my quilts from moving as I toss and turn in the night. I would often get tangled in a full sleeping bag and it would wake me up to have to fix everything to get back to comfortable.
Good video I'm considering a quilt as I hate that restricted feeling you get in mummy sleeping bags, I'd love the UGQ quilt but it's way out of my budget here in the UK
You should check out the thermarest vesper! I have had that for awhile and it’s awesome!!
Great information here, but it is kind of ruined by the bad sound management. As you change camera angles, the volume changes dramatically.... I'm surprised you didnt notice this when you previewed after uploading. You do preview before releasing, correct?
I had mic issues early on in my channel. They have been fixed since.
I hate being confined in a mummy bag. Quilt me all the way! If your tall or a bit thicker (like me), Enlightened Quilts are top of the line!
I’m waiting for my UGQ 20 degree to arrive later in March. Your recommendations were extremely helpful. I went with the sewn foot box though. Totally agree that things have changed since Boy Scouts days, haha.
I’m curious about your Nemo Switchback sleeping pad.. did you go with the short or regular size? I’m grappling with which size I should go with.
I’m glad that I could help!! You will be so happy with UGQ, they’re amazing. I got the short because I think with that type of pad the extra pieces below my knees is kind of useless because if I was using it as a stand alone pad it would be really warm weather. But i will use it to stake with my tensor for 4 season!
maybe the western mountaineering terralite could be a good alternative of both !
I think the concept of a quilt is interesting, but I value coziness above being a few oz lighter. It seems like it might be uncomfortable sleeping on your mat with no soft sleeping bag underneath you? If I had the chance I'd probably try a quilt, but I don't want to spend $200+ and then realize nah I'm a sleeping bag kind of gal anyway.
Nice vid!!! You don’t have to be a beg backpacker to still have this confusion lol
You should try the Sierra Designs Backcounty Bed.. super cool!
Synthetic is better for wet/humid conditions imho.
Very helpful!
Thank you for watching!!!
Both too expensive for me.
Cool.. for quilt, collar necessary?
No it’s not necessary, but I would prefer to have one. If you didn’t have it already you wouldn’t miss it
@@outdoorthorbackpacking thanks man good knowledge
When doing review it's usually a good idea to stay neutral to make sure the person without experience who would be watching this video get non biased information. You can feel your're biased towards quilts from the very beginning of the video. There are a couple of wrong statements within this video. Comparable sleeping bag (same materials, same fill, etc) weight less than a quilt. Quilt have to be wider and larger by design, thus actually taking more materials and more fill to achieve the same temperature rating. 50F SeaToSummit Ember Quilt weights 14.8 oz, whilst 40F SeaToSummit Spark sleeping bag weights only 12oz. So sleeping bag is lighter and warmer and it also takes less volume compressed. Speaking about temperature ratings, sleeping bags have official ISO rating you can trust and compare. Quilts don't have one, so stated temperature is just a manufacturer speculation and are not comparable between different brands. There are also no mentions you have to use straps to keep quilt in place and avoid drafts (although, you're going to have one anyway). And there is no sheet as well, so you're sleeping on your sleeping pad and most likely you'd want to bring a sheet and a beanie or something with the hood, increasing the weight you bring even more. The only area where quilt really shine is comfort. It's way roomy and allow more freedom for you and your movements. But you pay for that with increased weight and price to buy additional extra items like a sheet. I personally prefer quilt when I don't care about the weight and it's warm outside. It gives you feeling similar to sleeping in your bed at home. But when it's colder, I don't want to care about drafts, bring all that extra weight with warmer quilt and sheet and a hood or a beanie, so sleeping bad is my choice.
what nonsense not comparing the same fill rating.
skinny pants? Outdoor Thor? i must not be your demo
Irrespective of the content, I dislike the "Don't buy one before watching THIS!" in the title, so you get a dislike from me. It's clickbait, but it worked, and the only way I can live with myself watching this video is if I dislike it.
47 pound.. lol