Quilt instead of sleeping bag?

Joined
Jul 25, 2012
Messages
435
Location
New Orleans, LA
Anybody use a system involving a quilt or down blanket instead of a sleeping bag. I'm more comfortable sleeping on my stomach with my arms tucked under my head and it's really hard to get in this position in a mummy bag. I see Therm-a-Rest makes one (Alpine 35F Down Blanket they call it). Anybody used one or heard anything about them. I'm looking for some way to get a more comfortable sleep and would be willing to carry a little more weight to do it versus my current WM Highlite.
 

JG358

WKR
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
1,081
Location
Colorado
Ya, I tried the pancho liner/woobie thing opening weekend since I was a little late on ordering my slickbag. We were at Just under 12k and I'll just say I'm glad my sleeping bag was waiting on my porch the day after I got home.
 

muleman

WKR
Joined
May 8, 2012
Messages
1,522
Location
Utah
I have a hate hate relationship with mummys. I go from back to side to back to side all night. In a mummy it is a PIA, so this year I decided to experiment. I used a GoLITE Vario, 600 Fill, 25 / 40 degree bag all summer for scouting. I used the bag unzipped except for the foot box and slept directly on pad. I really liked it. So when the long GoLITE UltraLite 800 Fill, 20 degree, 1# 10oz, quilt came back into stock I picked one up. I don't have enough time in it to recommend it just yet. In a couple of weeks I will have eight strait days in it. From my use so far my only complaint is the sewn foot box. It could be sewn less up the leg, if that makes sense. The foot box itself seems ample and anatomically shaped.
 
Last edited:

Lawnboi

WKR
Joined
Mar 2, 2012
Messages
7,746
Location
North Central Wi
I run a kifaru doobie for 3 season use. Have used it multiple nights down to freezing without a problem. I added a bivy and it should be good down in the 20s. I am a very warm sleeper mind you. I chose a quilt over a mummy because I like to sleep with my arms all over the place. Been happy with it so far.

I plan on adding a woobie to my collection as well for warmer weather as the doobie cooks me in anything over 45. Between the woobie, doobie, marmot lithium for really cold times. nd bivy I'm good in about any condition
 

cmeier117

WKR
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
1,552
Location
Salem, OR
I am running a Zpacks quilt this year. 20 degree and weighs 20oz. Kinda a modified bag quilt hybrid.
 

luke moffat

Super Moderator
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
102
I've spent quite a few nights under golite quilts. Even shared a GoLite quilt with my wife on 4 different occasions in bivy scenarios as we use the quilt to take up dead space in our zipped together sleeping bags when in camp, but always throw it in a dry bag in our pack along with our puffy coat/pants in case we spend some unexpected nights away from camp. I have also used a GoLite quilt as my main bag on summer trips. Used it down to freezing temps with a 25 degree rating I was still roasty toasty. A nice way to shave some weight over other down bags at time, but sleeping bags are preferred for me most of the time.
 

Lawnboi

WKR
Joined
Mar 2, 2012
Messages
7,746
Location
North Central Wi
I wouldnt reccomend a quilt if your a cold sleeper. Mummies do a very good job at keeping you warm!

I like my kifaru quilts because they are tall enough where if i need to i can wrap my head and arms up ( i like to keep my arms above my head)
 
Joined
May 29, 2012
Messages
3,474
Location
Lewiston ID
Pretty sure this is the last season I"ll be using my current Mummy... I never found it too big of a deal to have it unzipped when in hot weather to be able to keep my arms free during the night. And when its cold I don't mind and actually enjoy how cozy it feels and I'm even a side sleeper... Not sure if I'll make the jump to a quilt or not in the future. The thing I think I would like about a quilt is the ability to have my clothes on and ready to roll quickly in the morning. Right now with my setup I almost always sleep with just my boxers on and have noticed that I stay warmer this way by allowing my body heat to warm up the inside of my bag. Not sure that it would work this way with a quilt!

Mike

Mike
 
Joined
Jun 17, 2012
Messages
1,700
Location
O.C NY
Quilts are very nice. They are widely used by hammock sleepers as they are easy to get in and out of. The top two Down Quilts made are the Warbonnet Mamba 850fp, and the Hammock Gear Burrow 900fp. Both very high quality quilts.
 

rye_a

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 23, 2012
Messages
290
Location
Colorado
I too sleep on my back/side/stomach and thought long and hard about getting a GoLite 20* UL quilt (30* EN comfort rated). In the end I wound up going with a Montbell Spiral #1 (rated 15*, EN 25* comfort) that I got on sale at Backcountry.com for $70 more than the GoLite quilt, and am glad that I did. It is very warm and stretches enough to allow me to sleep in any position that I want including with my arms folded across my chest, hands under my head, or with my foot pulled up into a "figure 4", all without any drafts. At 2.25 lbs it is very light, and with a woobie it is comfortable well into the teens.

I just spent a week in the backcountry, and between my Spiral (2.25 lbs), my Exped Synmat UL7 (1 pound) and Katabatic Bristlecone Bivy (9 oz.) I was EXTREMELY comfortable.

While I know some people (especially ultra light backpackers) swear by quilts, I think I will be happy in my roomy mummy bag for a long time to come.
 
Last edited:

JG358

WKR
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
1,081
Location
Colorado
I tried out a Kifaru woobie last weekend. Way better(warmer) than the quilt I used opening weekend. With just the woobie, I was just a tad chilly at 29 degrees. Probably would have been perfect if I pulled out the bivy or added another light top layer or hat. I was sceptical since the woobie is lighter and thinner than the first one I tried.
 
Joined
Jun 17, 2012
Messages
1,700
Location
O.C NY
I too sleep on my back/side/stomach and thought long and hard about getting a GoLite 20* UL quilt (30* EN comfort rated). In the end I wound up going with a Montbell Spiral #1 (rated 15*, EN 25* comfort) that I got on sale at Backcountry.com for $70 more than the GoLite quilt, and am glad that I did. It is very warm and stretches enough to allow me to sleep in any position that I want including with my arms folded across my chest, hands under my head, or with my foot pulled up into a "figure 4", all without any drafts. At 2.25 lbs it is very light, and with a woobie it is comfortable well into the teens.

I just spent a week in the backcountry, and between my Spiral (2.25 lbs), my Exped Synmat UL7 (1 pound) and Katabatic Bristlecone Bivy (9 oz.) I was EXTREMELY comfortable.

While I know some people (especially ultra light backpackers) swear by quilts, I think I will be happy in my roomy mummy bag for a long time to come.

I have wanted the Montbell for some time now. Do you have the 650 or the 800 down??
 
Top