[at-l] quilts on the AT?

[m_factor at hotmail.com (Mara Factor)]

When using a standard sleeping bag, the insulation below your body is 
crushed under your body weight and provides no useful insulation.  
Therefore, the theory is that you can save weight by using a quilt that 
covers only your top and sides.

Those who sleep on their backs and don't toss and turn, can get away with a 
fairly small quilt.  These folks probably see the greatest weight savings.  
For those who do toss and turn and need that extra converage to prevent gaps 
while turning from side to side, the weight savings may not be as apparent.

Quilts and top bags are two different ways manufacturers have tried to save 
weight.  Quilts are shaped blankets with filling like a sleeping bag and 
usually with straps to go around your pad to keep the quilt in place.  Top 
bags are sleeping bags designed with fill on the top and sides but with a 
bottom that has no fill.

I'm sure there are others, but an example of a manufacturer that offers 
quilts is Nunatak (http://www.nunatakusa.com/).  For top bags, Big Agnes 
(http://bigagnes.com/).

I find the bells and whistles on the Big Agnes bags may reduce the weight 
savings (a full pocket to hold the shaped pad, etc.).  If you look at full 
sleeping bags from manufacturers such as Western Mountaineering and 
Feathered Friends, their weight is about the same as Big Agnes and you get 
fill top and bottom.  Given continuous baffles, the WM and FF bags may have 
a bit more versatility than the BA top bags.  Also, you can always unzip a 
full bag and use it like a quilt but zip up if it's colder and/or you toss 
and turn.

Mara
Stitches, AT99

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Visit my Travels and Trails web site at:

http://friends.backcountry.net/m_factor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




>From: Jim Lynch <jplynch@crosslink.net>
>Date: Sat, 21 Jan 2006 14:42:43 -0500
>
>Delurking.  What are the advantages of quilts over sleeping bags?  Its not 
>immediately apparent?