Talk to me about quilts....

[Ben98]

Ok, so, i'm after making my kit lighter (as is the general norm). So one thing that needs to be lightened is my sleeping bag (currently a snugpak softie 3 900g). and i thought that maybe a quilt would be a good option.
So i have a few questions,
How do they actually work, i.e. lacing up the back and mats etc?
Could i use one with my 3/4 length ccf mat?
Does anyone have any suggestions about a good, budget (preferably around £150) and light (around 600g) quilt that i could use most of the year round? (Yeah i know its a big ask )
Thanks in advanced
Ben

[Bearbonesnorm]

How do they actually work, i.e. lacing up the back and mats etc?

Most have some type of strap set-up underneath that you can tie under your mat ... I very rarely bother to use them unless it's VERY cold.

Could i use one with my 3/4 length ccf mat?

Yes ... most quilts still have a footbox like a sleeping bag.

Does anyone have any suggestions about a good, budget (preferably around £150) and light (around 600g) quilt that i could use most of the year round?

There's not much choice in the UK but a bit more in the US. My first port of call would be Enlightened Equipment in the US, Flatfisy says they've got a sale on at present. Their stuff's very well thought out and well made, they'll also do custom stuff too. The Revelation X was / is their budget model and is superb: http://www.enlightenedequipment.com/

Thermarest have had a dabble with quilts, the Navis and the Alpine (they call them blankets): http://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/ ... g-bags-c88

Another entry into the quilt market this year were Cumulus. They do 4 different weights (150 - 450) and I'd suggest the 350 would suffice for 3 season use if you wear your jacket: http://www.highmobilitygear.com/PBCPPla ... ID=1172579

There's a few others out there but they're going to start going waaay over budget ... if it were my money I'd buy an Enlightened.

[Taylor]

What Stu said.
I used my enlightened quilt again this weekend gone and came to the conclusion that I'll never buy another sleeping bag again.
Quilts all the way for me now.
Enlightened sale finishes on Monday. See the bargain thread for discount codes.

[Ben98]

Cheers for that guys :D
I like the look of the cumulus ones, but they look like there designed to go ON rather than OVER the mat? how does that work?
also, how do they work in bivi bags like the hunka? i'm struggling to see how they would work?

[Bearbonesnorm]

I like the look of the cumulus ones, but they look like there designed to go ON rather than OVER the mat? how does that work?

Forget about strapping the quilt to your mat ... In reality it just complicates things

how do they work in bivi bags like the hunka? i'm struggling to see how they would work?

Although not ideal ... mat on floor, quilt and you inside bivvy bag on top of mat. A bigger bivvy bag that allows the mat to go inside is usually better. Sometimes you can't take 1 piece of gear in isolstion, you need to think of it as a 'system' which might mean changing something to maximise something else ... it's all got to work together.

[Ben98]

So just tie the back up and use it like a sleeping bag?
and what do you do with your head with there being no hood? is it not uncomfortable with your head inside a nylon coffin?
Sorry for all the questions btw, these things are just really intriguing me :D

[Taylor]

Hat

[johnnystorm]

My thermarest haven is pretty good, like a quilt with a hood....haven't bothered with the straps after the first outing and haven't bothered putting the mat into the footbox again either.

[Dan_K]

My revelation x quilt is the bee's knees. Kept me warm in freezing conditions on several occasions this year, including on a glacial campsite in Iceland and the Corrour bothy this week!
Mat choice is paramount though to keep you warm from underneath. Can't remember exactly what specs I ordered but there's a post on the forum about it somewhere.

[FLV]

Interesting.

Quilts confuse me.
I always assumed they wouldnt be as good as a sleeping bag, mainly as I assumed that a sleeping bag works by trapping your heat inside the 'sealed' bag, thus using your own heat to warm up inside there.
Quilts always struck me as a compromise as although I understand I am squashing the sleeping bag on the side i'm laying on quilts seem to be open and therefore allowing the heat to escape easier.

Obviously, I am prepared to be wrong and would like to try one. Tarps used to confuse me too and now I rarely use a tent any more.

[Dan_K]

Just wrap it around you like you would in bed. Does get draughty if there's a gap but I went for an extra wide one to wrap around my waif like figure...

[Bearbonesnorm]

There's always the option of making your own? I'd suggest a synthetic quilt first as it'll be much easier / cheaper ... there's plenty of on-line instructions and videos.