[at-l] sleeping bag thoughts

[Amy Forinash]

On Sep 30, 2009, at 3:39 PM, JPL wrote:

> I'm intrigued with the quilt idea.  I know that quilts have been  
> around for awhile.  Does anyone really use them?  I don't see how  
> that can be warmer than a sleeping bag?  Thoughts?

I wouldn't say it's warmer than a sleeping bag.  There are more  
opportunities for air to get in around the edges.  But it's not a ton  
colder.  I've been using quilts exclusively for nearly a decade.  I  
started using them because it was difficult to deal with a sleeping  
bag in my hammock.  I kept using them in the tent because I was so  
much more comfortable with being able to move around under the quilt  
than being confined in a sleeping bag.

The fact that they're a lot lighter doesn't hurt, either.

My quilts have straps under them that can cinch the quilt around you.   
They are effectively sleeping bags when you're lying down with them  
snug around you.  The one exception to that is the hood.  The quilt  
doesn't have one.  I wear a warm hat.

I outfit a friend for hiking with me who also uses a quilt since it's  
what I pack for her (I have a 20 degree quilt and a 32 degree quilt).   
She looked at it askance at first but I haven't gotten complaints  
about being cold.  (Similar with my ultralight backpack, alcohol  
stove, tarp tent.. they all got a little bit of the hairy eyeball from  
friends but the light load on the back won in the end.  :)

I have gotten comments many times from other hikers that they "can't  
believe" I'd sleep under a quilt, where things can get in with me.   
(Not that I've ever had a visitor under the quilt.)  I think the  
zipper makes people feel safe.  It's a bit funny to me since they've  
already given up the "safety" of a tent to sleep in the more open air  
of the shelter.  Ironically, these same folks deal just fine with  
gnats while I'm hiding behind my head net.  I am not bothered by the  
idea that a mouse might touch me, but I can't deal with gnats in my  
face at all.

-a