Nunatak quilts with Epic shell?

I went with the quantum shell for the Arc Alpinist I ordered up. If you are getting the Epic for water resistance then just put the quantum bag inside your epic bivy. I think the double Epic would be too redundant.

I had trouble deciding between the Alpinist and Specialist, but I chose the Arc Alpinist becasue I sleep cold and didn't want to layer with Cocoon pants. For a couple more ounces you can get a warmer quilt in the Alpinist than the Specialist. The Alpinist is the same weight as the 180 Cocoon quilt. Since it is a quilt it will be easy to vent if it is warm so the specialist or alpinist would probably be about the same in warm weather, but the alpinist being warmer in the cold weather when you will want the warmth. Just some more things to think about. I also ordered a 180 quilt, but I decided I wanted something that will last longer than the synthetic insulation and I didn't want to always worry about over compression so I sent it back.

Thanks for your insight, David. I still haven't decided on whether I'll keep the Cocoon or not.
Yeah, it makes sense, that if I intend to use a quilt inside an Epic bivy, that you really don't need the extra protection, with the quilt also being waterproof as well.

I'm leaning towards keeping the 180, and for staying warm in it, just wear my Montbell Therma-Wrap jacket, along with 100# fleece pants or mid-# poly-pro bottoms and my Montane shell pants. When doing trips where I expect the low temps. to be at or below freezing, I would bring these extra clothes anyway.

It may also, add a few degrees of warm, using the 180 inside my bivy, which I, always intend to do.

I have one month to return the 180, unused of course

Compared to an epic shelled quilt or bag, an epic bivy top has fewer quilt seam lines to leak. I'd only consider the epic shell if a bivy was totally out of the question. The nice part about epic in a bag or quilt is that the dwr effect is permanent; just ws periodically in a down safe or low residue sopa and it sheds water like new. I don't have any experience with epic below freezing. Epic does have the nasty static buildup that picks up dust.

A few years ago, I used an Arc Alpinist with Epic shell on a trip into Alpine Lakes Wilderness in Washington. Didn't check temp at night, but there was snowfall that left a couple of inches on the ground. I was sleeping in a tent, so the Epic shell may not have been exposed to freezing temperature levels.

In any event, no ice crystals formed, and I was very pleased to stay as warm as the proverbial bug in a rug.

JRS