Sleeping bags vs quilts for outdoors

[LittleLebowski]

I just bought (excellent deal) a Wiggy’s bag after talking to an Alaskan that’s an instructor for the SnipersHide class I took. Now I’m reading that a proper mat (also needed for bags) and purpose made quilt are the way to go. Anyone here using a quilt instead of a sleeping bag for the outdoors?

[Welder]

I just bought (excellent deal) a Wiggy’s bag after taking to an Alaskan that’s an instructor for the SnipersHide class I took. Now I’m reading that a proper mat (also needed for bags) and purpose made quilt are the way to go. Anyone here using a quilt instead of a sleeping bag for the outdoors?

A quilt? I just got back into backpacking after a 20 year hiatus, and as far as I know a good down bag with the sleeping pad of your choice are still the go-to that they were back then as well. Are we talking about camping out of a car at campgrounds or way in the backcountry where you have to pack it all in on your back? And what temperatures?

[Lester Polfus]

I just bought (excellent deal) a Wiggy’s bag after taking to an Alaskan that’s an instructor for the SnipersHide class I took. Now I’m reading that a proper mat (also needed for bags) and purpose made quilt are the way to go. Anyone here using a quilt instead of a sleeping bag for the outdoors?

I think it depends entirely on your use case.

Also, just like in the shooting world where there's an element of "I have the latest in tactical fashion and you people still shooting a Glock 19 are lOSers" there's an element of gear fashion in the outdoor world.

The argument for the quilt is they run 20% to 30% lighter than a sleeping bag, take up less volume in a pack, and don't have zippers that can fail on a trip. It's also a bit easier to thermoregulate if your bag is a bit too warm for conditions.

The argument against is that they are colder for the equivalent weight, particularly if you are the kind of person who shifts positions in their sleep a bunch. There are systems where they attach to the pad underneath with straps, ties, and etc that honestly look like a pain in the ass to me. I like to just inflate my pad throw a bag on top of it and go to sleep.

Personally I've never adopted a quilt. I look at my key pieces of gear: clothing, tent, sleep system not only through the lens of how well they work for the trip I'm planning to take, but how well they work if things to shit and my trip goes sideways. I try to save weight, but in the shoulder seasons in the PNW when things go bad, they go bad fast. A lot of my trips used to be solo too, so I would go a little heavier. I feel like there's more margin in a mummy bag.

[Crashpad]

I'm a big quilt user. More versatile than a regular bag, IMO. I'm generally in a hammock with tarp setup or just a tarp/pad/quilt unless we are car camping in which case I'll sometimes use a tent.

I do trend towards the UL side of things when outdoors so that plays a big part in my gear selection.

I also spend most of my time in the southeast so I can get away with less and lighter gear year round.

[MickAK]

It's a pretty niche thing unless you're hammock camping when there's no real risk of the weather getting nasty or you're dedicated to the ultralight thing.

I like mine because it's easy to wrap around while I'm getting a fire going in really wet country which can take a minute. Otherwise I've never found it attractive enough to test one out in cold temperatures or potentially cold temperatures. I forget who made mine. It's light and packs nice.

[MickAK]

A quilt? I just got back into backpacking after a 20 year hiatus, and as far as I know a good down bag with the sleeping pad of your choice are still the go-to that they were back then as well. Are we talking about camping out of a car at campgrounds or way in the backcountry where you have to pack it all in on your back? And what temperatures?

I think you're thinking of a different sort of quilt. They're basically sleeping bags without the backs, more or less. Most of them have footboxes.

[mtnbkr]

I'm mainly a Fall through early Spring camper and use an older Cabelas Alaskan Guide -15deg mummy bag. These days I'm 100% a hammock camper, so I added a light underquilt to my hammock and sleeping bag. That combo keeps me warm down into the upper teens. Getting in and out of a sleeping back in a hammock can be tedious until you figure out a method. Heavier underquilts and a proper top-quilt is better for that, but I'm cheap and already have sleeping bags.

I'm a cold sleeper, hence the heavier bag. I have a +15 deg bag that I use when temps are above 40deg and a 55deg bag that I only use in the summer (when I actually go out in the summer).

It's backpackable too. I put the bag and underquilt, minus the stuff-sacks, into the bottom of my pack (there is a bottom access port) and pack everything on top of that. I've set up camp on hillsides, something you can't do when sleeping on the ground. :)

I could get onboard with a quilt for ground sleeping, but only in warmer weather (50deg and above). Otherwise, I want a bag that I can snuggle down inside of. My bags also have footwell zips that I can use to stick my "temperature control foot" from if necessary. :)

From a camp last winter:
96723

Chris

[vcdgrips]

I used a quilt successfully to the mid 30s on various BSA campouts and at Philmont. Any colder that that and I like a more conventional mummy bag. The quilt comes back into play at 15 and below where it augments another bag. I caught both a 30 degree down and synthetic (for my son) on sale as a second in the fall of 2013.

https://enlightenedequipment.com/sleep-systems/

[Lost River]

May depend on the environment/temps. In the typical terrain/environment of the Rocky Mountain West, I would take a traditional bag that I can zip up every time. There tends to be rather significant temperature swings from pre-dawn where it may be 25 degrees, then to the evening where it could be 85 degrees. I have found a bag is simply easier (for me) to stay warm and comfortable.

[Tensaw]

From a camp last winter:
96723

Chris

That looks... great!

I have a sleeping bag that I use like a top quilt with a homemade primaloft underquilt hammock camping (cause I'm a savage). So, zip the sleeping bag down half to 2/3's of the way, hop in the hammock and stick my feet in the "footbox" and tuck the upper part in around my torso/neck. Works pretty well to accommodating shifting positions during the night. That said, in colder weather, I have been known to roll the zipper to the side or on top, and zip all the way up. As said, its a PITA to get in and out of, but it does cut down on drafts and helps if the underquilt is out of adjustment/drafty.

[littlejerry]

I use a quilt(with an underquilt) in a hammock. I've taken the combo down into teens in high wind.

For a hammock quilts are vastly superior to bags.

I didn't go to quilts until I converted to hammocks, so I've never done a quilt on the ground. Based on my hammock experience I wouldn't hesitate to try a quilt with a good pad. I really appreciate the freedom of movement and ease of taking a leak at 2AM.

[LittleLebowski]

A quilt? I just got back into backpacking after a 20 year hiatus, and as far as I know a good down bag with the sleeping pad of your choice are still the go-to that they were back then as well. Are we talking about camping out of a car at campgrounds or way in the backcountry where you have to pack it all in on your back? And what temperatures?

Backcountry. Something like these:

https://viamoutdoors.com/product/rts-ready-to-ship-quilts/

[Dark Star Gear]

I converted to quilts through hammocking and won't go back. I'm a little more comfortable sleeping in a quilt as I can get out quicker, it's more versatile all around, etc.

[Mark D]

I don't sleep outdoors much anymore, but I keep my mummy bag handy. It's just so versatile, I can use it backpacking, car camping, or just at home in a cold-snap/grid-down situation.

It's pretty dry around here, but my strong preference is for artificial loft. I've spent too much time in places where a loss of insultation can lead to an unpleasant death due to hypothermia. I realize there's down with water-resistant treatment, but I haven't researched it.

I'm also told there's a subset of outdoorsmen who prefer wool blankets, but that seems...nostalgic.

ETA - I always keep a knife with me in the bag in case I need to get out quickly. I think I learned that in the Corps, or perhaps it's just a manifestation of mild claustrophobia.

[PNWTO]

Started using a few different items from Enlightened Equipment about 4-5 years and don’t see myself ever going back to a bag for my normal range of uses, to include snow camping.

[Clusterfrack]

I just bought (excellent deal) a Wiggy’s bag after taking to an Alaskan that’s an instructor for the SnipersHide class I took. Now I’m reading that a proper mat (also needed for bags) and purpose made quilt are the way to go. Anyone here using a quilt instead of a sleeping bag for the outdoors?

I use sleeping bags unless it's very warm, and Mrs CF is with me.

[masternave]

I’ve been using a quilt for an about half a decade… hammock and tent. In the SE US it’s a great call because it’s so easy to regulate temps, but I’ve used it in 20 degree weather in a hammock and been fine. I’m a fan, not going back.

My wife doesn’t like it that much, still prefers a bag.

We have two Enlightened Equipment Revelations. I love them.

[Wake27]

Weird. I’ve never heard of this. But all of my camping has been armyish so that has something to do with it. I also don’t think I’ve ever used a hammock, I’ve never gotten the appeal.

I did learn the hard way about the cons to a down bag at JRTC (LA) in February. I don’t think it actually rained but there was so much humidity in the air that my bag (and everything) was soaked. It was in the high 20s I think and I was cold for hours after the sun came up and it warmed up. I don’t think I’ll ever use a down again, just not worth the trade off to me.

If the weather is chilly to cold, the ground and air will suck the temp out of you so a mat that helps insulate is essential.


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[SCCY Marshal]

...don’t think I’ve ever used a hammock, I’ve never gotten the appeal...

Swaying in a nice breeze on the side of a mountain brook as you puff a pipe and read a book, waking up not covered in slugs, a dog can sleep under you rather than constantly crawling over you, if weather forces a stop in a bog you're off the ground, more real estate to stick gear below to have it under your tarp, can shift a bit without rolling out from cover in the hail, two extra drip lines available to route into a waterbottle. I don't usually do the hammock thing but definitely see why it as a very dedicated following.

[Wake27]

Swaying in a nice breeze on the side of a mountain brook as you puff a pipe and read a book, waking up not covered in slugs, a dog can sleep under you rather than constantly crawling over you, if weather forces a stop in a bog you're off the ground, more real estate to stick gear below to have it under your tarp, can shift a bit without rolling out from cover in the hail, two extra drip lines available to route into a waterbottle. I don't usually do the hammock thing but definitely see why it as a very dedicated following.

I’ve never even setup my Snugpak hammock (bought it because of how much I love their jungle bag) so I’m speaking from complete ignorance but I’ve watched enough people struggle to find places to hook up that I stopped bringing it after like one trip. Fully expect that it might be a not knowing what I don’t know.


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[runcible]

This topic is rustling the jimmies of my desire for a good synth-fill elephant's foot bag, to pair with either a belay parka or a poncho-liner\great-coat combo. I don't get to do a lot of traditional camping out with overnights these days, but I certainly have spent a few unexpected overnights in or around my work truck.

It's not quite a full intersection with the present discussion, but kit such as the HPG Serape and OR Wallcreeper certainly advanced the multi-function concepts of the old ECOTAT series to a more viable endstate. I have a 15 year-old Snugpak Junglebag that plays to both sides of the discussion, minus the thermal rating and it lacks a footbox; it goes wherever my work truck goes. I've used it as a bag, quilt, and liner.

(Ultimately, to get the combination of features I want in such a bag, I'll probably have to make it myself.)

[41magfan]

I'm a hardcore quilt user but 99% of my outdoor sleeping involves Fall & Winter backpacking on established trails (like the AT) where pack weight and pack space is a major factor. I have two quilts; a cottage made 40 Degree synthetic (Climashield Apex) for milder conditions and a Katabatic Gear 15 Degree (900 FP down w/OVF) for Fall/Winter.

Anyone considering a quilt might want to consider these factors;

Do you sleep warm? Do you toss and turn a lot? Do you need something that packs down small? Do you need something light in weight? Are your outdoor pursuits casual/benign? If the answer is yes to these situations, then a quilt may suit you. If none of this is applicable however, then a quilt just may not provide any useful benefit.

Note: As others have noted, an appropriate sleeping pad is always a necessity, but it's especially relevant when using a quilt. Don't cut any corners here.

This last comment has more to do with the insulation than it does the difference between quilts and traditional sleeping bags. Wiggy's bags are different from everything else out there because of his exclusive use of Climashield insulation, which he laminates using a proprietary process called Lamilite. This insulation doesn't pack down small and it's not lightweight, but it works, it's durable and the temperature ratings are conservative - not optimistic.

If I were participating in an outdoor activity where my life might be dependent on my sleeping gear, I would NOT consider the use of ANY other sleep system but an appropriate Wiggy bag, period!

I bought my first Wiggy bag in 1999 and currently have three of his bags in my inventory. They don't get much use because my outdoor pursuits don't involve much perilous weather, but I consider them essential "just in case" gear options. If Wiggy offered backpacking style quilts I would use them exclusively without reservation.

[Clusterfrack]

Aren't hammocks basically burritos for bears?

[MickAK]

Aren't hammocks basically burritos for bears?

The first time I hammock camped was in Olympic National Park when they had bear lines and I fell asleep imagining a bear going 'Oh, that foods too high...that one's just right!'

[ECK]

I spend about 60-70 nights a year in my sleeping bag (May thru Oct). 90% of the time I use it unzipped like a quilt. Insulated air mattress (Big Agnus) under me.

Its only the coldest nights (when its below freezing) that I am thankful to be able to zip it and mummy up using the hood over my head.

I have contemplated switching to a quilt, but just haven’t gotten there yet.

[Malamute]

I spend about 60-70 nights a year in my sleeping bag (May thru Oct). 90% of the time I use it unzipped like a quilt. Insulated air mattress (Big Agnus) under me.

Its only the coldest nights (when its below freezing) that I am thankful to be able to zip it and mummy up using the hood over my head.




^^^ This.

I lived 5 or 6 years camping about 10 months/year, I rarely zipped up my sleeping bags unless it was very cold, and then only if it was a problem keeping it tucked under me to stay warm. I liked having a bit more room to move around and get up easily, and with the dog, they like to get under the edge when it gets teens and lower. When it got down around single digits F to zero and below, it was nice to zip it up.

[Clusterfrack]

If it’s at all possible for your gear to get wet, a sleeping bag in a waterproof sack beats a loose quilt any day.

I remember a precision rifle match where the weather forecast could not possibly have been more incorrect. Many unhappy people…

[Cookie Monster]

I read Ray Jardine's "Beyond Backpacking" i (https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Backpacking-Jardines-Lightweight-Hiking/dp/0963235931/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1WH2GUEB6S4F1&keywords=beyond+backpacking+by+ray+jardine&qid=1667828789&sprefix=ray+jard%2Caps%2C82&sr=8-1)n 1999 and promptly went to Sears and bought a sewing machine and sewed my first backpacking quilt.

Used a quilt on the warmer sections of my AT hike in 2001 and a quilt for most of the PCT in 2005 - abandoning in Washington State for a 0 degree sleeping bag.

I think there is a lot of experience already in the thread.

I think quilts for 30+ degree conditions and sleeping bags for colder, nothing like closing up a hood and just having your nose stick out. But of coarse that varies. I am mainly sleeping out or tarping. Or quilts if you are trying to lose some ounces and need more specifics in how you sleep. Quilts have gotten much more refined then the ones I sewed and just tucked under me.

[Welder]

I think you're thinking of a different sort of quilt. They're basically sleeping bags without the backs, more or less. Most of them have footboxes.

Yeah, I was imagining all of y'all sleeping under patchwork quilts your grannies sewed for you 😂

I was like, "Seems a little odd, but who am I to judge?"

[texag]

I've been using an Enlightened Equipment 10* quilt for 3 or 4 years. I bought a long wide even though i'm relatively thin, which lets me wrap the whole thing around myself and pull it over my head in really cold weather (like last weekend sleeping on snow where it dropped to low teens overnight). I love them as a side sleeper. Using the strap system it comes with doesn't bother me at all and prevents drafts. I've slept down to single digits by throwing a kifaru woobie (synthetic insulated blanket) over the top of it.

[Doc_Glock]

I just bought (excellent deal) a Wiggy’s bag after taking to an Alaskan that’s an instructor for the SnipersHide class I took. Now I’m reading that a proper mat (also needed for bags) and purpose made quilt are the way to go. Anyone here using a quilt instead of a sleeping bag for the outdoors?


I used a down quilt and under quilt while hammocking. Now, for ground camping I prefer to just sleep on a good pad and use a quilt on top. The bottom of a sleeping bag does essentially nothing for insulation. It’s really nice and I don’t feel trapped in a bag. Occasionally I will get a draft but you just reposition.

[rd62]

I picked up a Wiggys for 10 bucks at a military surplus store about 6 years ago.

Its a great bag but overkill for most of my needs. I'm big and sleep hot so I rarely zip it other than when its really cold. I've used it to single digits with ice on it and its worked great then!

In warmer weather I either use a lighter bag or sleep on top of it and use a poncho liner as a top cover. In the summer I may just use a thermarest with a poncho liner bottom and another for a top.

Sounds similar to this quilt concept or are these bigger, thicker, or more insulated? I've never seen these before.