Good UL quilt for desert

[Gregory Stein]

Hi,

I'm looking for replacing my old BP gear.
Need a comfortable -5 Celsius (23F) quilt as light as possible. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

P.S. In case I plan to trek in Alps, can this quilt still be helpful? Does it mean it must be much more heavy?

[Christopher Yi]

A few off the top of my head: Enlightened Equipment, Virga Outdoors, Katabatic Gear, Nunatak, Jacks R Better.

[drowning in spam]

You could use the quilt as a liner or overbag in the Alps. You could also get a quilt that is made for colder temperatures, but has a footbox that opens the quilt completely open like a blanket and with karo baffles so that it can still be comfortable in warmer temperatures. I find the drafts in my quilt to start getting uncomfortable when the temperature drops to the low 20°F's. I usually wear my nylon hiking clothes to bed and no other insulation over my body and I move a lot, so those colder drafts are felt strongly, immediately and frequently. You might be better off on cold night if you wear more to sleep or sleep like a rock.

[Gregory Stein]

Thanks! Enlightened Equipment Revelation 20 deg. quilt is best bet for buck. $250 and only 18 oz.

[Eugene Smith]

Planning to use it in the alpine?

Get it wide. You can extend the range of use with a 3 season quilt by getting a widely cut quilt that affords you room to layer underneath. It only takes one night of sleeping in a narrow quilt to turn you off quilts for good.

I find 56" is a great width for the torso, 58" if you're broader and want to use a puffy underneath and mitigate drafts without using a bivy.

Just some thoughts.

[Devon Cloud]

check out the quilts at http://hammockgear.com/. they are very light, you can increase width and overstuff. I have the 40 degree and it is feather light (no pun intended) and they go down all the way to zero degrees. They have the ability to close up the footbox or leave open or sew the footbox closed. Excellent workmanship.

Another option (after they are restocked) is the 20 degree topquilt from golite. I own this and is very warm for the money, much better than their previous attempt.

[Gregory Stein]

What I don't really understand is how quilts are used. I saw some pics where quilt enclosing the whole pad, so you sleep on the pad, I guess? Another thing is how bottom part of the pad (where legs are) can be enclosed? The bottom of quilt is narrow…

[drowning in spam]

Some people wrap their quilts around their pads. I don't. I assume the people that do have a mummy pad with a narrow foot end.

In all ways you sleep on the pad.

If you're trying to figure out the right width to get a roomy foot box, try some painters plastic and tape the bottom two feet, and then put a cord or rubber band around the end to close of the simulated foot box.

[Devon Cloud]

The way that quilts are fitted is that right around the thigh area up their are straps that go underneath your pad and pull the sides of the quilt around you and keep them snugly around you and your pad. Usually there is a foot box which will not be tucked under your pad and just rest on top of it. Some of the designs will allow you to un-due the footbox so the whole design is like a blanket.

I don't know your size… but they really work better for smaller individuals as they have a tendency to shift and a side pull up with bigger guys. I am a BIG guy and if I sleep on the ground I prefer a sleeping bag… I use the big agnes bags. They are not the lightest but they fit me while the lightest do not, and they use something similar to a quilt but instead of straps they have a sleeve for your pad to fit into.

That being said, I am a hammock camper mostly. That is where I use the quilts. For hammock camping in cool or cold weather, you have an underquilt and a top quilt. the underquilt goes underneath your hammock while the top quilt goes over you while in your hammock. It's the best night's sleep you will ever have out on the trail, but expensive if you have all the bells and whistles… but so worth it. My energy levels are highly increased on multiple-day treks when I use a hammock to sleep in and my back does not hurt.

[Edward Z]

Ok, just to weigh in here for a touch. I have tried the golite, the bpl name quilt, and WM bags. All have their merits. But since I went to a wide model Katabatic Quilt I have never looked back. The fit and ability to toss and turn along with the materials and workmanship is exquisite and I got so hooked I bought three for different temps. I will never go to another product. The ability to vent, the snug draft collar, the domed loft in any position I sleep has made ALL the difference. I would try one, or borrow one, or something to that effect before settling. Once you do I think you'll go with it… I admit to not having tried the Enlightened Equip, or the Nunatak quilts… so I could be over praising… but since trying my Katabatic Quilts, I have no need to try another. They're just plain THAT GOOD. Ok, end of rant. Order the wide as others mentioned and you'll be glad you did.

Ed

[Link .]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9hPKzf9D4o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g46SUD27nf0

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