Mummy bag or Quilt

[Googan]

I know that I would be more comfortable in a quilt but I'm a little bit concerned about warmth for a thru hike of the AT starting around the middle of March ending hopefully in Maine in September or October. Should I be concerned with using a quilt the whole way

[nsherry61]

Totally personal preference. Many people have been happy with both options. Some people don't like one option some don't like the other.
I personally think most people that shy away from quilts just haven't used and worked with them, or they don't like sleeping with their cloths on, in which case sleeping under a quilt directly on you pad, next to you skin isn't the best, although, you can buy pad sheets to fix that problem as well. . . or gosh, wear some cloths.

[nsherry61]

Personally, I use a mummy bag unzipped as a quilt much of the time.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Funny enough I'm wrestling with this question right now. I've decided I need a new 3 season hag and can't decide between a 3 season bag with standard hood, a hoodless bag, or a true quilt.

My biggest concern is drafts in a quilt when it is cooler. Any quilt users have any feedback as to whether or not this concern is a real issue?

[nsherry61]

Drafts are a much bigger perceived issue than a real issue, but, they do occur at times and are pretty easy to overcome. Many quilts come with straps or some other system to keep them wrapped around your pad. I frequently sleep under a quilt with a puffy jacket and other clothing on so most little drafts just aren't a big issue.

[johnnybgood]

It really comes down to what you prefer. I have a 20* quilt and love the versatility it offers me.

A con to quilts are they can let cold air seep in along the sides as you toss & turn through the night. ~ Remedy : If you are a someone that does thrashes a lot then buy a wider quilt.
-- A Pro is a quilt is more compressible and lightweight than a bag. I like the idea of more freedom of movement a quilt gives you once you get in your tent.

I sleep with a long sleeve baselayer and a puffy jacket when the weather is cooler and usually get too warm and begin dialing back ...first the jacket .

Quilts also are used on the trail by hammocker's and ground dwellers alike.

[DuneElliot]

Both Enlightened Equipment and Zpacks offer a crossover type quilt. EE has a model called the Convert which is basically a quilt with a zipper and can be used either way. ZPacks offers you add-ons for their quilts, including either a 3/4 or full-length zipper and draft baffle should you choose.

I have the 10° EE Convert and am very happy with my decision as it gives me the best of both worlds...a mummy bag in cooler temps and a quilt for warmer temps

[Rocket Jones]

Jardine's quilt kit includes a "draft stopper" feature that works well. It's basically a 6" wide strip of non-insulated material along the sides of the quilt. You can grab them and tuck them under, or just let them lie naturally and they help to eliminate drafts. Works well.

[Puddlefish]

I bought a 32 degree synthetic mummy bag that I kind of hate when fully zipped. I then bought a 40 degree down quilt that fits perfectly over the mummy bag. Just in testing in the backyard, the combo gives me a lot of flexibility. I can leave the bag unzipped, with the quilt over and it gives far more freedom.

I'll start the hike with both, which is an extra pound of weight, but it far makes up on the sleeping comfort. Once I get past the higher elevations I'll mail home and swap them as the weather dictates. I'll leave my 8 oz. fleece behind as well, which frees up some pack space and reduces the weight penalty to only 8 oz.

Probably overkill, but it's nothing that should hurt long term.

[Mtsman]

I am struggling with this question as well. I have a marmot plasma (mummy style) that I adore but I am also a hammock hanger and I know that half that bag is going to waste (even though I have shifted most of the down around to the front already). Once it gets a little bit older I think I will move to a top quilt. I cant justify switching with just 3 years of use on the mummy I have right now though and I will wait another year or two so the newfangled quilt can come out that doesn't exist yet.

[Hosh]

How you sleep makes a big difference. I toss and turn all night, my wife looks like an Egyptian princess staying on her back all night.

I have 2 EE quilts, a 40 and a 20 degree, both Revelations. They provide a comfortable sleep over a wide range of temps being used blanket style to fully tucked under my sides. The insulation below the person is generally useless, as it is compressed. EE's strap system provides lots of flexibility in adjusting dead air space, as a side sleeper, I can tighten down one side and leave the other "looser" for venting heat. When colder than expected, the increased volume allows the use of extra clothing. A key element in using quilts is adequate head gear.

Quilts generally cost less than comparable bags, weight less, have less volume and can be purchase with high quality, high tech materials. As stated above, a wider quilt will be easier to eliminate drafts. I use a 25" BA Q-core SL pad with the EE full circumference strap system. The Revelation series gives you lots of length, width, fill type and shell material options.
In very cold conditions, EE has a quilt layering strap system that accommodates attaching 2 quilts to allow use in colder temps.

[heatherfeather]

I love my quilts. I almost always used a mummy bag like a quilt anyway. I do not like sleeping in a confined space. Plus my face always got cold easily. I just bought my quilt one size longer than my height recommendation, and because I sleep on my side with my legs slightly tucked, the sleeping bag can completely cover my head on a cold night. No additional hood required.


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[Vegan Packer]

I bought a long and wide Prodigy Quilt from Enlightened Equipment. Instead of using it in the traditional way, I did a little surgery to the bottom (leg) strap, and made the quilt so that I can tuck the bottom under and around the foot of the mattress, so that it is more like traditional bedding on a traditional bed. This gives me the full room of the mattress pad, instead of having my legs and feet confined. The long and wide sizing means that, even with the quilt tucked at the bottom of the pad, I still have enough length on the quilt to pull it over my head when it gets cold outside.

I had the strap for the top part of the quilt, but I found that it really didn't make much difference, and I could be just as comfortable by tucking the quilt around me at the top.

[High Mileage]

I guess mummy bags are great, if you can manage to sleep in a straight jacket, but I move around alot and sleep on my side.