Quilt to Bag

I've come to like a quilt, when it's warm out, because it's easy to kick off or stick my feet out, but when it gets chilly, like below 40F, I still prefer being able to zip out the drafts. A few ounces are worth it, for me, to sleep better and I don't really like quit straps around me or my ground pad.

I have never owned a quilt, but for a while I was opening my bag and using it as a blanket. I stopped doing it because I roll around way too much and sleep on my side. Every time I moved, I became paranoid that there was a draft somewhere even if I couldn't feel it, so I kept readjusting constantly.

Right now I'm trying to force myself to sleep on my back. It's almost impossible for me to sleep that way. I am perfectly comfortable on my back, but I just never fall into sleep. Only when I'm on my side. I use a foam pad and I wake up ever 1-2 hours with a very sore side. Once I accomplish that, quilts might become easier for me.

I've gone back to a bag from a quilt mostly because there is less fiddle factor and it is easier to seal out drafts. I picked up a WM Sycamore that I absolutely love. It is roomy enough that I can spread out when I sleep, I can unzip just the footbox if I need to vent, and I have a hood, so there is usually no need to carry extra insulation for my head.

I agree with the above: a few more ounces is worth the comfort for me, in all honesty. Especially with the crazy winds and ever changing weather out here in Colorado.

I've always used semi-rectangular bags. Best of both worlds for me. Quilt when I want, bag when I need it.

I used to like those rectangular bags too. The corners can get a little chilly, when it's cold, but tucking them under my feet always cured that problem. I still have a 20 some year old -20F Scheels, thinsulate bag, that I keep in my trailer, for emergency. It's a lunker though. I wish someone would make an ultralight rectangular synthetic bag, in the 30F range, as I wouldn't mind having one. It's nice to have the best of both worlds -open when it's warm and zipped shut when it's cold.

I considered it because the quilt I've been using is not quite wide enough for my liking. It covered me fine, but I felt like if I moved around too much it may leave me exposed (I move around A LOT at night). Slept in my wife's bag recently and went right back to quilts. Decided I just like it better. I sold my old one and ordered a new one a little wider – should solve the problem. Lesson learned: quilt width is key.

"Lesson learned: quilt width is key."

Same lesson I learned, and I have seen others make the same comment. Definitely worth remembering.

for shoulder season/winter I use a bag- anything with a high likelihood of mid 20's and below; otherwise I'm good w/ my Palisade

I tried a quilt and bivy combo in a spring camping trip in Canyonlands and like to froze my rear end off. Lows I would estimate in the 30's. I walked back to the car and grabbed my trusty WM Alpinlite and had a fantastic rest of the trip. The quilt was a standard JRB rectangular No Sniveler. I love that quilt for hammock camping, but it wasn't wide or lofty enough for me on the ground.

Just this past spring I decided to give it another try, and ordered a Katabatic Alsek. I ordered it wide and overstuffed 1 oz. I just spent a week in the Winds, hard freezes each night, and it was fantastic. All other things equal, the footbox and extra width made the difference. I'm converted. This is a beautiful piece of gear. I'm a side/stomach sleeper, and the quilt was plenty wide never drafty with my MLB Superlight bivy. I brought the necessary straps line to experiment with fastening it to my pad or even fastening it around me, but I never felt the need. This is a great piece of gear.