Help with 3-season quilt

I have a 20° quilt and I have never once been cold in the 75+ nights I’ve spent in it with temps getting down to below freezing with wind many times. (I don’t carry a thermometer but I know what a frozen bottle looks like!) These night have been in the Sierras during June/July and then pretty deep into the shoulder seasons around 8000’ in AZ. All of this happens on a NeoAir Women’s pad in a splash bivy/tarp or enclosed tent or in a hammock with a short 20° UQ.

I have come to the conclusion that I sleep warm. If I was buying a new quilt I would go with a 30° temp rating, particularly if it was from a brand that has conservative temp ratings (like Nunatak).

My quilt is from Hammock Gear. If I got another one from them I’d go 30° and feel pretty confident that if I got cold I could put on my puffy and long underwear. I usually sleep in my briefs and a fleece or tee so I always have more clothing I could wear if I got chilly.

All that said, I don’t think anyone can answer your question because it’s so specific to what conditions you go out in, how warm you sleep, and the specifics of your shelter/pad.

All that said, I don’t think anyone can answer your question because it’s so specific to what conditions you go out in, how warm you sleep, and the specifics of your shelter/pad.

Agreed.  I’ve realized that I sleep warmer than the vast majority of people, so what I consider adequate is usually far too minimal for others.  Conversely, my hiking partner sleeps so coldly that it can be difficult for us to share a bag or quilt, at times.  That being said: I would not spend a great deal of time fretting over a 5° difference in two otherwise-identical quilts.  If a 25° doesn’t keep me warm, a 20° probably wont either.

Thank you both. You’re right – there’s no way to know how warm someone else will be with any given product, at least within the range I specified. And so many factors play into it.

I’ve been trying to pare down my total pieces of gear and simplify things. So, I decided to return the REI Magma and get one quilt for year-round use (outside of deep winter).