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I think that I'm going to begin to design a quilt that I will someday make. The only problem is is that I have no idea about down or how much to use to achieve the temp rating that I'm going to want. Is there anywhere that tells how much down is needed to get a certain temp rating? Having this for different fill powers will be good too. The donw info is the most important, but I will be greatful for any and all info!
There are some info out there somewhere. I think it basically says 2.5" is around 20, 3.5 is around 0, 1.5 is around 40 or 50. I would double check that.
I did an article that is linked on the home page that might help. The fill power will only effect the amount of down you use, not the loft.
There is an article on thru-hiker that has a table for temp vs. loft.
To arrive at the amount of down you need, you just divide the volume by the fill power. So, decide on the thickness T, the width W and length L of your quilt and compute down weight = W*L*T/(fill power).
Then, you can decide how much you want to overstuff it...
If you want a full-size quilt, make it about 8" longer than you are tall. If you are never going to use it on the ground, 45" will work for the width if you are concerned about weight, even less if you are on the skinny side. Personally, I prefer at least 50" and will take the weight penalty. A head-hole is also an option to consider. It is easy to make and adds versatility.
Another tip: If you have some fabric that is not wide enough like the 48" wide Walmart ripstop, you can still use it to make a quilt by cutting 4 panels and joining them in the middle, like you would do if you made a head-hole with two different colored fabrics. The seam will be hidden as it becomes part of the center baffle.
Don't get discouraged when you read horror stories about the big mess it makes and how difficult to sew a down quilt is. You can do it. If you are careful, there won't be any mess to speak of.
Good luck and let me know if I can help.
Schneiderlein,
so, is this chart saying that no matter what down I use, I need to get to a certain amount of loft to get the temp rating that I want. I was under the impression that the amount of down used was what determined the temp rating.
That is right and wrong. If you measure the amount of down by volume, then you are correct. If you measure by weight, the fill power becomes a factor.Quote:
Originally Posted by dufus934
From what I understand, the temperature ratings for down insulation are based on loft. More expensive down achieves more loft with less weight, that's all.
Couldn't have said it better myself.Quote:
Originally Posted by Schneiderlein