12 oz summer quilt

[David Wills]

Hey everyone, I made a summer quilt last night out of 4.5mm silk, 1 layer of 2.5 oz Climashield XP, and a shell of Momentum. It weighed in at 12 oz with the stuff sack , and packs down to 3 Liters without too much effort. I opted to make a 4 liter sack though, to remove risk of overcompression. The outer shell is seamless by design, so it creates a bivy-like qualities as far as water resistance goes. To stabilize the insulation, I only quilted to XP to the silk to keep the Momentum unpunctured. I am going to put a snap on the head ends so it encompasses my neck for colder weather and a add a 2 sets of grosgrain loops for bungees to snug the quilt around me, hold a sleeping pad, and block any drafts for colder weather. Heres some pics.

I based the pattern on Bill’s 7 oz Delta quilt, except about 4-6″ bigger in various areas to fit me. I thought it would be more practical in the long run to use the heavier, but more thermally efficient insulation and a great DWR shell instead of silk (and skip the bivy). I used it in the yard last night and it got down to about 60* or so and I was sweating in my Terramar Silk PJ’s. The XP is incredibly warm for the weight. I could get down to 45* or so in just the PJ’s, and to 40* comfortably (I sleep pretty hot) with the addition of a rain jacket I would have with me on a backpacking trip. I can’t wait for cold weather to test the limits of the XP. Thanks for posting your pattern Bill, it is truly awesome and blocks more drafts than my Ray-Way quilt does with less surface area.

-David Wills

[Sam Haraldson]

> I can’t wait for cold weather to test the limits of the XP.

Wow, David, where do you live? Down to a chilly 60 last night? C’mon up to the Northland and you can test your quilt all you’d like : )

The quilt looks great, another fine piece of home made gear from the BPL’ers.

[Bill Fornshell]

David,
Your quilt looks good. I have made two now and each one was easier than the last.

I have plans for something like you made. I have some of the same material you used and just ran out of time to make one to test on my GA Hike.

[Michael Davis]

Nice looking quilt!

I am in the middle of making a double summer quilt with Momentum 90 and 1 layer of Climashield XP for me and the misses.

I’m right at the point of sewing it up and your idea of quilting to only the inside is very intriguing! I have had some reservations in the back of my mind about the quilting compromising the water resistance. I can still take that option at this point since I will need to quilt it before sewing it.

How is that quilting holding up?

[David Wills]

It’s too early to tell at this point, but I can’t see any problems arising. I figure if one of the loops comes undone, you could raise the outer shell, do another loop going from the liner, through the insulation, and back down, then do a knot outside the liner, and pull the knot through the liner to get it off of your skin. I’ve slept under the quilt in my bed every night since I made it, and it feels amazing. It doesn’t get too hot at 68* in my room, and feels much better than my sheets. I think it will be great for a winter booster, hammock quilt, and pea pod booster too. On another note, I was trimming down my 3 layer rayway quilt and went a bit overboard, so now I have a hammock only winter quilt :(, although the sacrifice of a winter ground system did drop 18 oz from the quilt itself, giving me a packable 0-10* synthetic hammock system. along with my primaloft peapod-ish system.

[David Wills]

I used my quilt friday night when it got down to 40* in Athens. I had on blue jeans and a thin button up dress shirt, no hat, no socks. I had no tarp or other form of wind protection, and a wal-mart blue torso pad. I awoke at 8 AM surprsingly comfortable, except my feet were a bit chilled. Hopefully I can test it with more accurate conditions (clothes, shelter) next time, but I was only planning to use it on the couch at my buddies house until I saw the weather report. The Climashield XP continues to impress me.

[Christopher Plesko]

With a WP/B top and a cuben bottom do you think you could eliminate a bivy all together? Very cool. I am going to make one like this :)

[David Wills]

I’ve never used a bivy before and don’t quite see the justification for weight and cost in them, when techniques like interior quilting loops make seamless shells. Although I haven’t tested the quilt in a hurricane (yet!!!), the DWR on the momentum seems bomber and more than adequate for protection under a suitable shelter. I think Epic would be well suited if you are looking for a bivy-like quilt or topbag. I personally wouldn’t use anything less durable than 1.3 silnylon for the underside of a topbag, especially if its $25/yd. A mylar or polycryo groundsheet is about the same weight and a lot cheaper. I do think the idea of an insulated bivy/ WP/B topbag is much more efficient than regular bag-in-bivy systems. Hope to see your creation soon.

[Christopher Plesko]

Can you tell me more about the interior quilting loops? I am seeing that it leaves the bottom and the insulation tied together with the top just “floating” except for the outside edges.

The WP/B top/cuben bottom bag/bivy combo would not be for every trip and would be used as the sole shelter. It would be combined with a hooded sythetic vest for a combo summer racing sleep system. I can’t seem to shake the idea from a weight and easy of use standpoint. Sure it is less durable and somewhat costly for a limited use setup but in the right situation might work nicely? WP/B like the 2oz yard available from Oware?

[David Wills]

You got it. In construction, I just put the insulation on top of the lining and looped them together with the knots on the insulation side. I then put those layers on top of the shell, sewed the edges, turned it inside out, and topstitched the edges.

Sounds like you got the idea for just what you need. It would be cool to have the WP/B hood on the bivy have a support system to make it more breathable. Something similar to Bill’s balloon, or maybe some of the wire out of those pop-up laundry bins.

[Christopher Plesko]

Forgive the newbie questions, sewing is a very new skill to myself. For the quilting loops. How do you keep from compressing the insulation where you tie it to the liner fabric? Do you use a hand needle and thread? How many places do you tie them together?

I’ve been using a summer weight down bag in combo with just a montbell UL bivy. To cut weight out of the system I can still make a few changes but none are really commercially available. Don’t want to clutter up your nice thread with the discussion. I am really excited to sew one of these up. Must practice more sewing when I get home from work today.

[Brian Kelly]

Chris-
I’m looking to do something similar, and found a good tip for it here:

http://www.backpacking.net/makegear/make-quilt/

He suggests tying the knot around a cardboard strip. The width of the strip will be the same as the loft of the insulation. Just tie the knot around the strip, remove the strip, and voila!

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