Ultralight HOT Summer Quilt Material

[Corey Downing]

I'm looking at making an ultralight summer quilt/blanket for the Ohio/Kentucky region, which is hot and humid at night. I'd just sleep with my clothes on a pad or in my hammock but I really like having something draped over me for whatever reason. Here is what I'm looking for:

– Good down to 55 or 60 wearing a thin baselayer.
– Good a bit lower than that if coupled with an insulated vest or jacket.
– Whole thing lighter than 1 pound.
– Still comfortable when it's 70+ and humid when draped over me.
– Quick drying

What fabric should I make this out of? Would I be better off putting some light insulation between two layers of very thin fabric or a single layer of heavier fabric? Please give me some suggestions.

[Tim Marshall]

almost wondering if a sheet of 20D .9oz ripstop nylon would be enough for most of the hot nights. Maybe 2 layers with the lightest weight row cover you can find in the middle.

-Tim

[Brad Walker]

What about a MYOG version of something like the Marmot Trestles: http://www.backcountry.com/marmot-trestles-trails-sleeping-bag-synthetic

It's only a little over a pound as they make it (full zip), so I'm sure it could be sub-1 lb. MYOG. I've had one for a few years and used it more for traveling, but it did feel great on warm/muggy nights.

[Ryan Slack]

I'd second that you may just need a single layer of breathable material: nylon, silk, or very light wool/fleece. Just change your clothing to suit. Try a light sheet at single or double thickness, or a cheap fleece throw from your house in the backyard with your clothing to see if that will work.

I don't usually use a sleeping bag/quilt if it's above 40, sometimes lower, but that's just me. Long underwear+hat+silk liner bag+light bivy is enough for that. Adding raingear, thick socks, and a very light primaloft sweater gets me well into the thirties in midwest summer weather (where it's nearly guaranteed not to plummet temps like it can in the mountains, and where the days will almost always be warmer than nights).

If you are only on an overnight where you are certain it will be muggy, a cotton sheet–cut to fit if you wish–can be your most comfortable option (maybe not the lightest). Blasphemy, I know. Not recommended for big mountains, long hikes, the unknown, or Antarctica.

[BlackHatGuy]

Tim Marshall made me a cuben/down summer quilt that works great. Weighs something like 7-8 oz, could easily take to 50 with light clothes, probably lower with more substantial clothes. I used it on a trip in PA last July (sweltering) and found it comfortable during the evening. Important to remember that if it's 90+ during the day, then 70 or below will feel downright chilly overnight. At least that's how it is for me.

[Rick Dreher]

Marmot once made the Black Magic–a nylon-shelled Dryclime-lined light bag/overbag that I'd consider ideal for those conditions. IIRC it's around a pound but in quilt form would be considerably less.

The advantages over a simple nylon shell would be extended warmth and better moisture management, not to mention feeling better against the skin than slick nylon (IMHO). The next level might be a thin fiberfill quilt, ala the Cocoon series. Of course that would incorporate two fabric layers, for added complexity and weight.

Perhaps a simple fleece quilt deserves a look? You'd be giving up wind and precipitation protection but it would be simple and comfortable. Fleece is available in many weights.

Cheers,

Rick

[Corey Downing]

I think a two fabric approach would work well. Outer layer a DWR treated 1.1oz nylon or momentum? Not sure of the advantages/disadvantages here. Inner layer a really light fleece, or wicking polyester. I wish I knew more about the fabrics and haven't seen anything jump out at me for the inner (yet).

[Ron Bell / MLD]

Any DWR top bivy sack works well, I use only a SuperLight Bivy in the mid summer hot weather on the AT in VA. Only about bout 5 – 7 oz and it is modular to the whole sleep system the rest of the year.

[Joe Clement]

How do you not feel clammy in a bivy? I used one last weekend (won it on a wild Facebook promotion!), and I just felt…….wet. Maybe it's just me.

[BlackHatGuy]

"How do you not feel clammy in a bivy? I used one last weekend …, and I just felt…….wet."

Ensure you're doing things in the proper order: First pee, THEN go to bed…….

[Daniel Fosse]

Hey Corey,
Yer from my neck of the woods. I was thinking about this too. Those Kentucky/Ohio/Indiana nights when it's 88 degrees and 90% humidity. UG! I can't sleep unless I'm covered with something, I'm sure it's psychological. I've used a single layer of super thin fleece which works when you have lows of 60-70. When your lows are 70-90 how about a bug netting sheet? The problem is humidity, you want to capitolize on any air movement. I think your nylon and cuben type materials will block the breeze. Super thin fleece may be better or that cotton sheet isn't a half bad idea. hhhhm now I thinking about it………..

[Corey Downing]

I might pick up a jersey knit cotton top sheet and cut/sew it into a typical quilt shape and give it a whirl in addition to whatever else I come up with, but I also want to pursue this other project because I don't think the cotton would prove if it got wet, though I suppose it would help cool me off.

[Joe Clement]

Thanks Doug, I knew I was missing something! We had 9% humidity, so I knew it came from somewhere.

[Carl Holt]

Please check out a surplus army poncho liner. I used to live in Cincy so I know what you mean about the summer nights.

I have several and one version is very light (well under 1 lb) and is fast drying and cheap. My cheapest one was $10 or so on eBay. I have really good ones from Wiggy's in Grand Junction, CO but they were more $.

If you want a new one, check out Campmor, US Cav or Brigade Quartermasters.

[Corey Downing]

I can't seem to find any that are less than a pound, all closer to 1.5 which is a 3-season bag weight for me. However, it looks pretty similar to my current ideas:

– A thin cotton sheet trimmed and sewn like a quilt for nasty overnights in July/August
– A dual sided nylon or momentum top on a thin polyester liner (Any advice on liner material?)
– A thin synthetic quilt good to 50 easy with a momentum or nylon shell. (Any advice on what synthetic insulation/weight to use?)

I'm getting a couple fabric samples in. I hope to begin work on this by the end of the April so I'm ready for summer.

[peter vacco]

i found a real big "packtowel" at REI on deep sale. so, i bought it. no real need to something like that, but the thing is about the size of a blanket. you could lam some nylon to it, make a blanket, and have a primo huge packtowel to boot.
just the thing for warm wether swimming.
v.

[Corey Downing]

I think I'll use the cotton sheet as a test run–the material is cheap and if I do a good job I can use it for super hot and use the pattern of it for a more expensive quilt for 45/50 deg weather.

I also think my Summer 45-50 degree quilt will be a nylon or momentum shell (weighing cost vs. weight) with a single layer of 2.5 oz Climashield Apex.

I'm still not sure if the middle option (nylon shell, wicking inner) will come to fruition but I am getting a few fabric samples soon.

[. .]

Consider a 50/50 to 30/70 cotton/polyester sheet – it will dry way quicker and feel less "clammy" outside.

[HkNewman]

Update: Backpacking with lows guaranteed at 60 worked wearing clothes inside a silk travel sheet plus an RI fleece sweater and Buff headband.

[Daniel Fosse]

Corey,
You said "I also think my Summer 45-50 degree quilt will be a nylon or momentum shell (weighing cost vs. weight) with a single layer of 2.5 oz Climashield Apex."

This is the formula I came up with. Though I think I am going to do 1.1oz ripstop to save cost. By my math I will take about a 2oz hit doing this. Kinda like the MLD quilt but with $80 in materials instead of MLD's $188 one. I don't want to spend much on it because of it's limited use. And If I can't get it down to 14-18oz, it's not worth it because my bag is 22.

The reason I think something beefier is in order is my last trip to RRG. They called for lows in the 60's but I slept in a valley and it easily got down to 50. Shorts, a teeshirt, and a cotton sheet would have made a chilly night. I had my MB Downhugger #3 and was OK, my hiking buddy had a single layer fleece blanket and shivered all night. I gave him my MB down inner late that night which helped but he said he was still cold. 70-80 degree nights are a different story, but you never know.

Can anyone help me with a very simple quilt pattern? Quilt pattern for the sewing illiterate.

[Ben C]

If you can find anything to make summer camping in Kentucky tolerable, you have done well.

[Author]

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