Sleeping Bags vs Quilts

[James holden]

thats not correct IMO

were talking about the same quilt vs the same bag with the same rating with the same fabric and the same insulation by the same company … 2 oz difference

thats apples to apples if there ever was one

as to sleeping systems … you can easily use yr other clothing under a bag same as a quilt … now some may say that you need a wider bag (i dont personally) …. but as witnessed by those "narrow vs wide" quilt threads, youll likely need a wider quilt for the same use anyways .. some may say "well it doesnt fit my very large puffy" (something like a mex reflex), i would say are you using a quilt at temps where you need that kind of jacket, ie below 0F ???

people choose to use what ever they want … just dont be one of those "only quilts are UL" or vice versa people

like i said if i need one single do it all bag for any sport (climbing, backpaking, at the cabin, ledge bivies, snow caves, etc …) in as many conditions as possible id get a 20F bag ….

[Ben F]

Yeah, Eric's spot on here. For once. That's as apples to apples as a comparison gets. I get the sleep system concept, but the simple fact is, a mummy bag can do everything a quilt can, and then some by adding draft protection depending on the climate. If you're one of those people who need more space to thrash, feel claustrophobic, I totally get not buying a mummy bag. But quilts are presented here as the fix for all possible sleeping situations and that's simply not the case. The quilt kool aid gang around here is pretty intense, but there's room for both, especially given that mummy bags have dramatically come down in weight.

[David Ure]

I think the difference between those that use quilts and those that don't is that those that use quilts have used mummy bags and found a superior option. For those who have not used a quilt then their perspective becomes moot.

Not to mention it is easier to drink koolaid under a quilt than under a mummy.

[James holden]

thats an easy theory to test … have there been people here who used quilts and went back to bags?

i remember seeing a few people a while back …

im not saying quilts are shiet … but theres likely certain conditions and for certain people where they dont work as well

[Nigel Healy]

don't have quite experience, but just to clarify, you can get mummy bags with no zip, is lighter and you never end up with your bag's zip digging in you, if you turn you do end up with the hood warmer not where you wanted it but that's all. I tried mummy zipless and I found that no problem relative to only having mummy zipped previously. I think a full zip is about 150g?

So that's one more minor approach….

[Lawson Kline]

6' of #5 zipper tape and 1 #5 locking slider weigh 1.5oz so your talking very little weight difference between a quilt and a sleeping bag with the same amount of fabric and fill. The only real way to shed weight in a quilt would be to reduce the shoulder, hip and foot circumference but this is rarely the case.

[Warren Greer]

And there's your answer. Use what ya like.

[Steve B]

So where does the pillow go with a mummy bag? Underneath the bag and it can slide away, on top and the hood is useless (this assumes there is no retention system for holding the pillow in place).

I don't care for the feeling of liner fabric against my face and would rather have my face against pillow material.

Steve

[David Ure]

Zipper snag, tear fabric and make getting out to pee a beotch.

[Kier Selinsky]

>>were talking about the same quilt vs the same bag with the same rating with the same fabric and the same insulation by the same company … 2 oz difference<<

If you're only in the market for a Nunatak, then the comparison is valid. However, if you don't trust Nunatak's sleeping bag design (as I don't), then the comparison of quilts to sleeping bags falls apart. Two reasons I don't trust Nunatak's bag design: I've heard lots of warmth complaints related to top-zip bags like GoLite's due to the lack of insulation from the zipper area, and if you need to cool off your options are more limited (e.g. not as easy to stick a leg out).

Anyone ever heard a gear review for a Nunatak bag? I'm very skeptical that it performs as well as the equivalent quilt. Unless it has equal performance, it's not a valid comparison.

[David Ure]

No doubt some specific cherry picking to get the 2oz difference.

[James holden]

so basically some people are saying that the 20F rating on the arc alpinist bag is false? perhaps someone with the bag will comment on it ….

as to cherry picking … this is off nunatuks own website with the same name, same rating, same fabric, same fill, etc …

its as "same" as you can get ;)

[David Ure]

If you add a hood, a zipper, fabric, and presumably down (to the backside) of the quilt and then claim only a 2oz increase, where do you think the weight is going?

This is likely a misprint.

[James holden]

id be very interested to hear if a "high end" UL gear maker like nunatuk is fudging the numbers ;)

[David Ure]

I just want to know how they do it.

[Larry De La Briandais]

If all you do when you make a quilt is basically leave off the zipper then sure, it will only weight a few ozs less than the bag.

If you want to make a real comparison you need to weigh a bag that works for you at the lowest temp you want and then weigh a quilt that works for you at the same temp. This is a real involved and expensive process, but gives an accurate comparison. If your quilt ends up being that same size as the bag, well then it's not going to weight much less. However, if it ends up being smaller then it will.

Personally, I think the real advantage of a quilt is that it a much more comfortable sleep with no weight penalty. It takes all that useless insulation and puts it somewhere I can use it, namely to spread out!

As always, everyone is different. Quilts work better for some, bags for others.

[Kier Selinsky]

I don't think they're fudging the weight numbers, I just don't think the bag is going to be as warm as the quilt.

As Lawson said:
6' of #5 zipper tape and 1 #5 locking slider weigh 1.5oz…

Check the site and you'll see they're only adding 1oz of fill to the bag, but the bag is only 2oz heavier. SO, 1.5oz of zipper plus 1oz of fill does not equal 2oz. There's compromise happening somewhere. Not to mention, since they put the zipper on the top, most of the fill is now underneath you (unlike a traditional bag where at least 50% of the fill is on top and sides).

I'm very skeptical this bag is as warm as it's "equivalent" quilt.

[James holden]

id say that qualifies as fudging the temp numbers ;)

id love to hear from someone who uses that bag …

[whitenoise .]

I'm a side sleeper and I tried a prototype quilt for a bit but quickly realized that draftiness was a problem that I didn't want to have to deal with when temps really started to plummet.

The perfect compromise for me is a zipperless, slim cut mummy that opens up wide at the top to accommodate wearing a jacket and other layers to bed. Doesn't feel constricting, and you can turn with the bag.

For example, the Feathered Friends Vireo. Weighs 16oz With a light insulating jacket and is conservatively rated to 25 in the feet, 45 in the torso. Combine that light jacket with a beanie and you're sitting pretty at around freezing temps. For 16oz.

[Stephan Doyle]

Joe at Zpacks has made hoodless bags at incredibly light weights.

I like quilts because I can control the width. In warm weather, it's easy to vent, twist, turn, or cinch it up in the middle of the night. In cold weather, I put on a puffy jacket, widening up my quilt, but I'm still protected from drafts.

[Aaron Robson]

I tried quilts for a period of time, and went back to a WM Summerlite as my main sleeping piece. I sleep on my side most of the time, and turn quite frequently – the drafts I got with a quilt lead to a few cold nights. To properly eliminate them, I would need a quilt almost as wide as the girth of my Summerlite, which negates most of the weight savings. I also felt the hood on my bag helped keep warmth in a lot better. Just my experience…

[Kier Selinsky]

Aaron – curious to know – were you using any sort of strap or tie-down system to keep the quilt sealed down? Or were you letting gravity do the work?

[Chris S]

What's the big disadvantage with the Big Agnes style bags where there is no insulation on the bottom, but there is a sleeping pad sleeve instead? Seems like it solves the problem of compressed down on the bottom of regular sleeping bags and the problem of drafts in quilts.

Also, another same manufacturer quilt/sleeping bag comparison would be the GoLite 3 season (20 degree). The sleeping bag is 1 lb, 14 oz and the quilt is 1 lb 7 oz….or a 7 oz difference in the regular size.

[David Ure]

The issue with BA bags is for side or stomach sleepers. You roll but your face gets buried in the hood.

[Larry De La Briandais]

I loved my BA bag, until I switched to a quilt. But, I don't use the hood. However, the few times I have slept when it was cold enough to use a hood I stayed on my back for some odd reason.

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