How Long is Full Length?

Thanks to an unseasonable cold snap I've been able to experiment with various temporary DIY fleece and sleeping bag underquilts and suspensions - and slept comfortably from lower 50's down to mid 30's. Now it is time to order some goodies and fire up the sewing machines, er, thread injectors, to produce a nice UQ or two.

I'm sure I want full length and a bit on the wide side, as I sleep cold and move around at night - trying a narrow short UQ with a foot pad was miserable and led to waking with cold toes. But just how long IS full length? I've search HF and the gear makers, seen various finished sizes, but most outdoor gear is made for people much taller than my 5'2". One post praised a 78" full length which was 5" longer than the poster. What seems reasonable to add to a person's height for a comfortable full length quilt?

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Originally Posted by sweetmusic

Thanks to an unseasonable cold snap I've been able to experiment with various temporary DIY fleece and sleeping bag underquilts and suspensions - and slept comfortably from lower 50's down to mid 30's. Now it is time to order some goodies and fire up the sewing machines, er, thread injectors, to produce a nice UQ or two.

I'm sure I want full length and a bit on the wide side, as I sleep cold and move around at night - trying a narrow short UQ with a foot pad was miserable and led to waking with cold toes. But just how long IS full length? I've search HF and the gear makers, seen various finished sizes, but most outdoor gear is made for people much taller than my 5'2". One post praised a 78" full length which was 5" longer than the poster. What seems reasonable to add to a person's height for a comfortable full length quilt?

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For me, I made a sew-up PLUQ, so dimensions are 5' long. I stand 5'10, and it does a great job at coverage, I sleep pretty much on the diagonal (Pythagorean relation, 3.5' wide, 5' long, 6 feet diagonal centerline, maybe only toes sticking out).

In reality a full length quilt only needs to cover from your shoulders to your feet. If you're sleeping in an gathered end hammock on a diagonal, you can have a shorter under quilt based on the Pythagorean theorem as Aardvark mentions.

As for me, I have a full length underquilt from LeighLo and it is 72" long. I am 5'9" tall and that quilt fits great. Also since it is 6" shorter and tapered to the foot end, it ends up weighing less than other full length offers which are mostly 78" long. Leighlo is also making 60" underquilts.

I have also read where a number of lady hangers that are less vertically gifted than others have used 3/4 length quilts and that is essentially full length for them. For your case, I would perhaps use 60" length as a good starting point and go from there.

Cheers

Brian

i had hammock gear make me a custom 65" long UQ. that is exactly halfway between their full-length incubator and 3/4 phoenix.

i'm 5'7" - so 67" tall - and this gives me total coverage in my gathered end hmmks.

the massive 78" stock incubator was just too much quilt for my frame. i was able to shave weight and bulk with this custom build.

They will hook you up. Like Rip, I chopped an Incubator down to fit my 5'5" size. What I did ask for was for them to keep the same amount down as a standard full length in to my shorter quilt. Made it a bit warmer. Since you are a cold sleeper this would work out nicely for you. Also hammock gear quilts are wide and come up for great coverage on my shoulders. Regarding moving a lot, I do this too. The way the Incubator sildes on it's suspension makes it really easy to reposition if needed as you thrash about.

Good luck in your decision.

~S~

For me at 6ft 2 a Jarbridge UQ is a 1/2 UQ while the same UQ is a FL for my wife as she is 5ft 3 :lol:

Its all relative to your size.

the wife is 5' 2" and just used her new Jarbridge UQ from Arrowhead and it fits her like my full length fits me,,and down to 30 degrees over the weekend with a dash of snow, ice, and wind over 40mph,,was toasty as all get out with no cold spots anywhere. She was very happy with her first hang and how warm she was. The Jarbridge size is 42" x 58" long and works perfect for her. Make it 48" x 60" and your covered as a full length in my book.

Thanks so much for the suggestions - time to place my orders so that a nice new underquilt is in my future.