Pushing a 50F Syn quilt below its rating.

I'm guessing around freezing comfortably.
But that's just a guess.

I'm hesitant to make recommendations but with the setup you have I'd probably feel safe to about 35-40 for short nights. In other words if its summer and it will only dip to 35 for a couple hours you're probably fine, if its a long night continuously at 35 I'd be more concerned.
Keep in mind I'm just one guy and I've pushed limits and had a couple cold miserable nights for my trouble.
I think freezing would be pushing things a lot, you might not die but you might not sleep much either.

Is the goose feet hoody a down hoody? If so that's 2 down hoodies, lots of upper torso insulation.

nm

Cheers Luke,

I am thinking 40f myself just wanted to hear what folk had to say.

Hi Justin,

I typed hoody instead if booties :-)

Thanks both,

Stephen

p.s. I bought the 50f quilt a while back for summer trips in Michigan and to use as an overbag in winter but the temps have been getting down to 45f

just edited that one Ken :-)

I would backyard test this setup but our adopted stray cat would more than likely try to claw its way in during the night.

With 1 down hoody, Luke is probably right.
40 sounds reasonable if the quilt is somewhat accurately rated (EE is a well respected company, so I would I think so.)

Spot on Justin,

I do have a warmer Gooses Feet Hoody I could use but at that stage I would be better of packing my Wm alpinelite.

I've taken a 45* cheap lafuma synthetic bag down to 35 with a Klymit static V (r 1.0) with only thin running tights and 150 wool shirt with a MH Compressor PL synthetic jacket and light socks and a thin beanie. I slept fine through the night but admittedly, I was cold in the morning when I woke up and wanted to snooze a little before getting up.

However, sounds like you've got much more insulation than I did so I'd think you'd be able to take it down to around freezing. I've got a hadron anorak hoodie now, too and it's a very warm jacket for the weight. Throw on your windshirt or rain shell under the down jacket and that should give you even more warmth.

One VERY important thing I forgot to mention, I used a bivy when I took mine down to 35. That adds a few degrees of warmth in any situation and it makes a huge difference if you are using a quilt not a sleeping bag. I would NOT take that quilt down below 45-50 without a bivy because the drafts would be miserable. YMMV

Good idea on the windshirt/rainshell, if they where dry I could wear them over the Hadron/ul inner trousers to somewhat negate the cold spots from the sewn threw baffles.

My big issue is I am such a light sleeper (even after copious amouns of booze) that if I wake up even slightly cold I find it hard to get back to sleep.

I have tried out a few 30f down quilts but the hassle of migrating down always bothered me and thats why I use a 20f bag.

Very good advice Luke, I used a 30f quilt last year down to 20f with appropiate clothing and the drafts pissed me off, that's where I realised I need a 58" wide quilt.

I think that is the limiting factor. At some point no matter how many clothes you wear you're going to have drafts and cold spots. Once I had money for a warmer quilt I quit using the 50 degree quilt except on summer trips. I'd skimp on clothing instead because I could warm up by hiking.

"My big issue is I am such a light sleeper (even after copious amouns of booze)"

Copious amounts of booze may aid in putting you to sleep, but supposedly alcohol interferes greatly with the quality of sleep. Also, alcohol causes you to vent heat much quicker than you would without it, so you will tend to sleep colder.

After decades of training, I've gotten to the point where I want to consume the least alcohol possible before sleep.

–B.G.–

Bob,

I hardly ever drink booze while backpacking, but when car camping at a Music festival it kind of goes with the territory :-)

Most definitley Luke, its not an exercise to save money as have a WM aplinelite and Puma but more so to see if those clothing items could keep me warm on a summer trip that ended up colder.

~40F with the down

~30F with all the tricks … wearing everything including the rain jacket, putting yr feet in yr pack, and a hawt nalgene … you probably wont be too comfortable but youll be fine

;)

I would test it out at varrying temperatures. If the cat is a problem, try going to a campsite where u can bail at any given time if needed. You don't want to caught miles deep in the backcountry at 2 am and find yourself freezing!!!

cheers Eric, the hot water bottle is a great trick indeed.

Hi Joe, if I went to a camp ground I could keep a warner bag in the car.

OK, geek question: What’s the total loft that you’ll have on top of you?

From what I understand, and this is from a guy living in the tropics (so I’ve got zero cold weather experience), that will give you a pretty ‘standard’ approximation of how low you can take the setup.

FWIF this is what I was reading to ask the question.

Backpacking Light Position Statement on Sleeping Bag Temperature Ratings
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/bpl_sleeping_bag_position_statement.html#.UiyG1Lxx0xB

Edit: added the link

If you get a little cold, no big deal, next time bring a little more

You can always bring an extra garment and not wear it. If you're fine after a few trips, then you can stop bringing it.

My experience (correct me if I'm wrong) is that it's much easier to push the temperature rating of a 20º bag or so to -10º or 0º using clothing because there's a lot of loft, so you've got kind of a "baseline" of how much warmth you're getting. If I have a way to break the wind, like a tarp or (what I used last night) a bivy, loft goes even further.

However, with 45-55º bags, I don't think it pushes quite as far. There's just so little heat retention that even with clothing, you can't boost it.

YMMV, this is backyard testing theory.

Gents,

Thinking about it now it will more than likely be below freezing soon enough so
I am better of packing the 20f bag. I had hoped to test out the quilt last weekend but had to cancel
the trip.

Thanks all for the input, much appreciated.