Using a quilt as a camp shawl to avoid carrying down jacket…

You can do it, but in my opinion it's a bad way to cut corners. Really the only purpose to using a sleeping bag like that is to save weight. Thing is, a light down jacket weighs only about 5-6 ounces and can be used in many different configurations (on cold nights inside the bag, on the trail, around camp, as a pillow, etc.). Using a quilt as a shawl also makes you far less mobile unless you add weight to the configuration to make it work well…

All in all, I've entertained it but the multipurpose functionality of keeping a basic down/insulating jacket separate from your sleep system is far more useful.

I agree with everything Sean said.
Bring the jacket, make the quilt lighter if you must shave weight.

The Jacks R Better wearable quilts are a bit more practical in this respect, but I admit that I haven't quite got the gist of it yet. In the evening I usually just want to conk out and not fiddle with getting my quilt off and reconfigured on my pad, plus I'm just too paranoid about food spillage or other damage that might result from me being a little tired and careless. In the morning it's nice to be able to throw it on though and go warm up a cuppa joe.

I'm not a big fan of the shawl idea either. My down bag is a sacred item in the sense that I'm always extremely careful to keep it dry and free from damage and food contamination. Wearing it around camp is sorta asking from trouble IMO. You can get away with it with caution, but I don't think it's the best strategy. As mentioned, a down jacket/vest can used to supplement your quilt, so the down jacket + lighter quilt would be a better combo because your eggs wouldn't be all in one basket and you can layer your sleep system according to the weather.

For summer/2 season camping, I personally use a Montbell Ex-light vest which is just 3.6oz.

I did this once last May using a WM summerlite bag. The only clothing I brought was a merino 150 top, convertible pants, and a windshirt. Temperatures were anticipated to be in the 35-50 F range and I planned to be either walking or in my bag most of the time. The first night, temps dropped to 25 F, and with no supplemental insulation to don, I had a pretty chilly night. Not concerningly so, but not exactly comfortable either. The following morning, temps were still below 30 F and it was hard to shake off the chill for the first several hours. The shawl idea was useless for camp chores so I hurried through those as fast as possible. In fact, I never ended up using my sleeping bag as a shawl except when I stopped for coffee and breakfast later that morning. It was just not particularly convenient to have a blanket wrapped around me while trying to do anything, as you might imagine. The next night and following day, temps were in the mid 30s and totally comfortable.

Despite the various challenges, or possibly because of them, I did enjoy this trip tremendously and plan to try this again in similar conditions. Next time though, I plan on bringing a 3.5 oz down vest to address some of the problems encountered previously.

I was considering something like this just for extra warmth. My plan was to try using my spirit quilt as an over bag for the Palisade quilt that I am ordering for below 30. I thought about using it as a shawl to add warmth to my UL down inner jacket when needed while sitting around camp. Might not be worth the trouble as a shawl and I should just order the MB Alpine Light for those temps.

Using your quilt/bag as a shawl is only practical when you are lounging in dry weather.
You wouldn't want to use it while cooking, setting up camp or puttering.

A down vest weighs next to nothing and can supplement your quilt when nights are cooler than expected.

A down sweater or jacket is good as well, but a vest provides the best weight to warmth ratio.

I would probably go with a jacket and very light bag/quilt

If I expect lows down to around 50 F, I usually don't bring an insulation layer. I plan instead to stuff my down bag inside my rain jacket (DriDucks). I've never had to actually use my bag as a garment though because my metabolism was cranking out the heat after hiking, or a rain jacket alone sufficed to block the wind.

I might consider doing this on a trip down to 30 F, as long as I would only need the extra insulation around camp.

dont get it wet … or youll have to bail fast … and actually be in a dangerous position if you cant

dont rip it … or youll be spending $$$$ on a new one or repairing it

etc …

ask yourself what would you do it that quilt got soaked … if your answer is press the SPOT button and wait for SAR ;)

first the savings are very small- you can't just merely deduct the weight of the jacket as the jacket functions as part of an overall sleep system and allows you to push the lighter quilt your carrying; sans the jacket means the need for a heavier quilt

sooooo now that we're probably only talking a couple of ounces, it really looks even less appealing when you add in all the disadvantages of using your quilt/bag as a jacket

save a couple of ounces on your quilt bag w/ a good down jacket and then thoroughly enjoy the couple of extra ounces of the jacket when your at camp :)

I will not use my quilt as a shawl!

One is nearly forced to do this though in order to try XUL when defined as less than 5 lbs for total base weight/from skin out base weight (packed base weight plus worn weight).

I did this Wednesday night. I wasn't planning on it, but it was a bit colder than I figured it was going to be. Not a bad way to do things, but not really that advantageous. I would rarely if ever plan a trip using my quilt as my wear around insulation, but in a pinch it worked out great for me.

Maybe an UL vest of a different material would be a good compromise. Easier to sleep in than a jacket or pullover, if needed.

Since childhood, we sat around camp with sleeping bags draped over us, especially in the morning after latrine call and waiting for breakfast. No one wanted to give up that wonderful warmth.

If you are cold and you have a nice thick quilt at hand, by all means, be comfortable! With all the credence given to multiple use, I am amazed at the nay-sayers on this idea. It's no different than wearing your clothes for sleep to extend the range of your bag. Unless you have the Jacks-R-Better style head hole I think it would be clumsy for packing up and I would be really careful cooking. People crawl back in the bag for coffee and breakfast all the time.

I carry a down sweater always. I use a quilt for everything under 5 F these days. I would never think of using my quilt as my coat.

I need my quilt to sleep in. Sitting around the camp in it is inviting disaster IMHO. Oops, I knocked over the stove lighting my Ti-Tri. Cold night tonight, I guess…

My sweater, jacket or parka (depending on temps) is something that can be used to bolster my quilt but is also useful in camp or even hiking in should temps warrant. I can't see hiking in my quilt.

Now I am not UL. My crazy, experimenting BIL Dave is thinking about a Jack's Sierra Sniveller as he likes living on the edge…, I mean pushing the envelope…, I mean living dangerously. ;-) Here he is with NO bag, NO tent, NO quilt to wear as a shawl… You guys would like him.

(Taken by me at 1:00 am when I got up to, um, look at the stars.)

Hey Ray:

How much of a temp boost is your down sweater do you estimate?

I have never had an issue with this because I always cook over an open fire. I can walk into camp with my wet t-shirt and stay like that as the temps go way low. Just putting that out there…
That's the only real solution I can offer.

My down sweater of choice these days is a MontBell UL TEC and I have only needed to wear it inside my quilt twice. Once was at 13 F with a 20 F quilt (and I am a cold sleeper) and the other was at 19 F with a 40 F quilt. Usually I start by spreading my down piece over my torso area on top of the quilt when I get cold.

Last winter I was playing with half bags and the Arc Expedition quilt and always had pretty warm parkas/coats along. (Even a battery powered one a few times. Oops, did I say that…;-)

Ray