First MYOG Synthetic Quilt

Nice work. I like the color combo. The chocolate brown looks realy nice. Also, that's very light for a 5.0 synthetic! Mine is 24oz, but I used 30D 1.1oz ripstop, and it ended up being quite roomy for my 5'6" frame.

Any particular reason you made the footbox and leg seam on the outside?

If you're warm bodied like me, you'll be able to take that quilt to just about freezing easily.

Thanks, I like the color combo too.

I was not actually sure how to sew up the leg part once I turned everything inside out, so I just stitched the pieces together. And I realized after I finished I should have sewn the up footbox with the quilt inside-out, but oh well :) Do you have any recommendations on how I could have finished the leg part? Edit: never mind, I see, I could have done seams, then turned it outside too.

Enlightened Equipment uses 4 oz Climashield for their 40 degree quilts and 6 oz Climashield for their 30 degree quilts, so I hope this quilt will be a solid 35-40 degrees.

EE is conservative with the temp ratings, so you should be able to hit the 30-40 mark easily. You'll have the proper layers for those conditions anyways so you could always layer up. The ultralight purists would say that any bit of clothes you don't wear to sleep is extra weight you didn't need to bring, but I like to wear cleaner clothes and have a separate jacket for around camp.

"I was not actually sure how to sew up the leg part once I turned everything inside out, so I just stitched the pieces together"

Sewing fabric with insulation inside is awkward

That works to just sew it together

You can make the ugliness on the inside for aesthetics

"That works to just sew it together"

Good to know – thanks. It feels plenty strong so I think it will be fine.

– Stupid question from somebody that doesn't know anything –

Uh, I don't see any quilting or such to hold the insulation in place?
When I make a quilt I tie it through here and there as per Ray Jardine, to prevent the insulation from shifting, and of course store bought bags have all sortsa baffles and junk sewn through.

That climashield insulation doesn't need any of that?

Nice! I like the foot box design, very clever. 14oz is a great weight. The narrow cut and lack of a strap system helps cut some. Sewn foot box helps too. I have a down version that is very similar and have had good luck with it. Let us know how it works in the field!

Ryan

Robert-

Correct. Climashield Apex doesn't need quilting for stabilization.

Ryan

I don't believe it is. I made a quilt years ago with Rays insulation, and 'stabilised it' his way as you describe. Many of the threads pulled out cos my inner fabric was too loose a weave. It seems to have made no odds. It is fine 4 years later.

I think the insulation is fine if not pulled around roughly when unpacking yr quilt.

Yea, the sewn footbox saves a lot of weight and bulk vs a drawstring footbox.

I mainly intended this as a warmer weather quilt (my down quilt is good to at least the upper teens), but we'll see how low it works out to.

I had thought of using silk for the inner shell, but the Argon fabric is only $10 per yard, so a good price for such a low weight. I have some extra fabric left over which I plan to use as the inner for my vest.

I got to try out my quilt this past weekend. Temps got down into the low 30s. My lower half was fine, but my upper half was a little cold since the quilt turned out to be too short. By the time I add in my wool socks, a light fleece, and stuff my filter in the footbox, I didn't really have enough wiggle room for it to be a comfortable length when on my sleeping pad.

At this point, I am planning to either cut the top off and add a few inches (not 100% sure how to do this, but I have an idea), or just call it good and designate it as a +40 degree quilt (where the length won't matter as much); currently leaning towards the latter.