Cut the Zipper out and have no regrets doing it. DO IT!!
Topic
Summerlite Quilt Conversion?
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I think you would do well to track down something like a GoLite 20 and try it on for size. I found the 55" inch of the Arc to be too narrow to work well for me, but maybe that's because my duvet at home is king size ;)
59" is much more civilised, and 62" is even better! If I were you I would do everything i could to make certain the narrower width will work out before you take scissors to such a great sleeping bag.
Lynn-
You don't have to buy the Specialist at the exact measurements given. You can change it. We have been so programmed to buy on the rack and settle for what's out there.
Quilt lovers don't want a bag used as a quilt. The hood is a pain to deal with; heavy tosser-turners get tangled; who needs it. A person can be just as warm in a quilt as a bag.
Personal preference.
"You don't have to buy the Specialist at the exact measurements given. You can change it. "
Yes, but to get a wider specialist would add weight, negating the weight savings of making the switch.
"Quilt lovers don't want a bag used as a quilt. The hood is a pain to deal with; heavy tosser-turners get tangled; who needs it."
Perhaps there is a minority who feel this way, but all I was pointing out to the OP was that he should do more research to be sure that a) the hood would be a problem when used as a quilt, and b) what is the minimum width he will be comfortable with. When my partner and I used to share a Versalite as a double quilt, he would always get the hood side of the bag as he was a side/front sleeper and liked the option of putting the hood over his head. As a back sleeper I detested the hood in my face so always got the other side, but never found this a problem as a solo sleeper since my head was in the middle and well clear of the hood at the side.
It is easier to convert a wider quilt or bag to a narrower quilt, but nor so easy to reverse this. If he butchers a very re-saleable sleeping bag and doesn't like the end product, he will have great difficulty re-selling it, so I only advise caution. I wish I still had my Arc quilt as i would have happily swapped the OP and I'm sure we both would have been very happy. Since I am right now looking for a Summerlite for my partner's summer quilt, I am a little distressed to think someone else out there would do this to a Summerlite without being certain that a narrower quilt will be the best solution for his sleeping needs. It's just potentially a huge waste. This is coming from someone who thought that a Nunatak quilt was gonna be the answer to all my UL sleeping dreams. Fortunately I was able to trade my Nunatak on for a bag that I have loved and cherished for years now :) Thank you Pedro!
> Quilt lovers don't want a bag used as a quilt. The hood is a pain to deal with;
> heavy tosser-turners get tangled;
I for one would disagree with each of these points. I converted my (MYOG) SB to a quilt, keeping the footbox and the hood. Wouldn't make another quilt without both.
Tangled? No way!
Cheers
How about buying a Specialist and if you like it, you can sell the Summerlite on the gear swap forum, if you don't, you will also have no problem selling the Specialist here at BPL. You will lose some money on the transaction, but not as much as you would if you take scissors to the Summerlite and don't like the results.
Have you tried contacting Nunatak to see if they would do the modification for you?
WOW alot of responses, I figured as much. Thanks for all the input.
For those who think I'm cutting the bag to save a few ounces it is not true. I was trying to save some cash. Arc Specialist $362+ shipping. Reselling Summerlite and buying the Specialist will still leave me around $100+ short. The Summerlite is wider than the Specialist. I was mostly wanting to know the functionality of this project, i.e. will it work just as good as the quilt?
As far as my gear I have moved from GGs The One to MLD tarp and bivy. I like to use my clothes as part of my sleep system. I have the cocoon pullover and balaclava.
Also, if all you have to do is unzip a WM Summerlite bag and BAM its a 19oz quilt, then why are people paying $350+ on Nunatak quilts that weight 3oz less?
Looking at my summerlite just now I think I will sell it and get the Arc Specialist. Reason is this:
Summerlite 59" width 10oz down
Specialist 55" width 8oz down
So looking at the square footage of the two its seems the Specialist has more down per foot, because some of that 10oz of down in the Summerlite is in the hood(which I don't use) and draft tube (but since I use a bivy now, I have no drafts) and the extra width in the bag.
(Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong with my assumtion)
Man I think I answered my own question from early in this message. Thanks for all your input and help on this matter.
"Reselling Summerlite and buying the Specialist will still leave me around $100+ short."
Well, if you put it that way then altering the Summerlite seems a reasonable prospect, especially as you can keep most of that extra width if you do it carefully.
"Also, if all you have to do is unzip a WM Summerlite bag and BAM its a 19oz quilt, then why are people paying $350+ on Nunatak quilts that weight 3oz less?"
As you've seen from other posts in this thread, some people have been traumatised by sleeping "bags", or just think it's worth the extra ~$100 to save 3oz. Quilting is a religious experience for some, and the thought of having those excess bits that they'll never use is repulsive.
Ultimately they are both excellent sleep systems and you will hopefully be very happy with your cut-down Summerlite.
If you haven't done anything on the quilt yet, check this out. It's a steal!
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