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Down quilts for alpine bivis

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 tehmarks 29 Nov 2016
I'm after a new lightweight sleeping bag for summer alpine use, and came across a company called Nunatak a while back. They make a range of down quilts which seem ideal for that sort of use, but I'm slightly dubious. Does anyone have any experience of either Nunatak quilts, or using down quilts more generally?

I'm looking specifically at the Arc Lite:
https://nunatakusa.com/arc-quilts-closed-footbox/81-20-arc-lite.html

I'd ideally like to also make it work in spring conditions, but I feel that might be pushing it somewhat?
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 galpinos 29 Nov 2016
In reply to tehmarks:

I have an ME down quilt. It's mainly used in the campervan (so not exactly the scenario you're after but......) and I'm not convinced for really cold weather use. It's great in summer and I prefer it to a bag but because it's so light it moves about a lot, so if I move, the whole thing lifts and you get a draught of cold air under it. You really feel this in winter. if you were using it in a bivy bag maybe not but all these down products (bags, jackets, etc) work by trapping air and if that air gets lost everytime you move..........
 benp1 29 Nov 2016
In reply to tehmarks:

Nunatak are a very well regarded cottage manufacturer in the US. You can find out more on backpackinglight.com

Quilts are excellent if you don't use the hood on your sleeping bag, they should be proper camping style quilts though, duvets

I have an Enlightened Equipment quilt, which is excellent. Cumulus makes quilts which are available in the EU if you want to avoid import charges, they're also very well regarded
OP tehmarks 29 Nov 2016
In reply to galpinos:

The strap system on the Nunatak quilts seems to be really well designed, and is supposedly quite good at keeping air in and draughts out. Of course, how well that works while sitting is a different matter entirely...
OP tehmarks 29 Nov 2016
In reply to benp1:

Thanks, I'll have a look at Cumulus. I don't tend to use hoods on sleeping bags, so the loss of a hood would be no big concern.
Removed User 29 Nov 2016
 benp1 29 Nov 2016
In reply to Removed UserBwox:

Personally I'd avoid PHD's range. They're nothing like a real camping quilt, they are much more like a duvet that you can use to boos the warmth of a bag

A proper camping quilt will have a permanent footbox, or a way of creating a proper footbox (drawcord and zip on my EE quilt), a way of pulling in the top, and often shaped baffles to support the way it's designed to be used

 nufkin 30 Nov 2016
In reply to benp1:

> A proper camping quilt will have a permanent footbox, or a way of creating a proper footbox (drawcord and zip on my EE quilt), a way of pulling in the top, and often shaped baffles to support the way it's designed to be used

Doesn't all that pretty much make it a sleeping bag?
 Dark-Cloud 30 Nov 2016
In reply to nufkin:

That's what i thought, in the OP's link its just a sleeping bag without a zip !!
 Mark Haward 30 Nov 2016
In reply to tehmarks:

I have used a down quilt - just unzipped the sleeping bag. However, I usually wake up cold later and re zip it again.
 3leggeddog 30 Nov 2016
In reply to tehmarks:

They are great if modified by stitching a zip around the edges to help cut out draughts.

Oh, wait...
Lusk 30 Nov 2016
In reply to 3leggeddog:

I've seen it all now, a sleeping bag without a zip.
People will buy any old rubbish.
 benp1 30 Nov 2016
In reply to tehmarks:

Two main benefits to a quilt

No redundant insulation/weight underneath you that is being compressed

No hood, use your jacket or a hat

I find them great as a side sleeper, and venting when you're hot is easier

Don't look at elephants foot bags... you'll be shocked! It's the bottom half of a sleeping bag!
OP tehmarks 01 Dec 2016
In reply to benp1:

They were my thoughts; insulation underneath isn't all that effective, and I'll already be carrying (and wearing) a jacket and probably also a hat anyway, which negates the obvious problems. Besides which, I really don't get on with sleeping bag hoods. It works out to be a couple of hundred grams lighter than the (also ridiculously light) PhD bag that I was considering instead, so the weight savings aren't insubstantial. I've gone and bought one, so I'll soon find out whether it works for me or not!
 DaveHK 01 Dec 2016
In reply to Lusk:

> I've seen it all now, a sleeping bag without a zip.

> People will buy any old rubbish.

I've got an Alpkit quilt and it's a great bit of kit for summer camping mainly because it's ridiculously light and packs down tiny. It was also cheap, don't think I'd pay the prices in the links above!


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