Down Underquilt Questions

[chrislrob]

I'm planning to convert an old lightweight "featherbed" into an underquilt. I am 6'1, 280 lbs. Wondering how to properly figure the dimensions for my UQ. I generally don't like half or three-quarter anything. The featherbed is 7x7,so I am hopeful that I can cut it in a way that will work.I had hoped to have enough to make an overquilt, too, but clearly I won't. My plan is to cut it, finish edges with...some edging that I first saw here, encase in some waterproof material, put some channels on it, and try it out. I like to think of it as "down and dirty". Get it? Down and dirty!

I kill me...

Edited to add: Naturally, I just noticed that someone posted that they are modifying a featherbed, too. And that led me to realize that i really just have a feather quilt, not a "featherbed"!

[tight-wad]

If you sleep perfectly straight on your back, no side or bent knees, and never shift around during the night, then you could get by with a tarp that is exactly as wide as you. For me, 6' tall, a 72" x 48" x 3.5" 800 fp quilt is the ticket. I have 15 ounces of down and this baby is warm, stuffs to less than the size of a volley ball, and let's me move in the night as I want. I've never had a cold spot and I've been below freezing a few nights. Haven't tried it below 20 as I don't hike in the winter, the days are just too short and the nights too long. I hang it under the hammock with shock cord and paracord. The paracord passes through loops on the ends of the hammock and ties to a loop in the middle of my fixed ridge line. I can vent the quilt as needed for warmer nights by loosening the paracord. Many of the gram weenies on this forum like the idea of 3/4 or minimal quilts, but for me, the little bit of extra weight for a very comfortable sleep is well worth it!

[G.L.P.]

I'm planning to convert an old lightweight "featherbed" into an underquilt. I am 6'1, 280 lbs. Wondering how to properly figure the dimensions for my UQ. I generally don't like half or three-quarter anything. The featherbed is 7x7,so I am hopeful that I can cut it in a way that will work.I had hoped to have enough to make an overquilt, too, but clearly I won't. My plan is to cut it, finish edges with...some edging that I first saw here, encase in some waterproof material, put some channels on it, and try it out. I like to think of it as "down and dirty". Get it? Down and dirty!

I kill me...

Edited to add: Naturally, I just noticed that someone posted that they are modifying a featherbed, too. And that led me to realize that i really just have a feather quilt, not a "featherbed"!

i would stay away from Waterproof anything when it comes to UQ...you want them to breathe if not your going to have a soggy UQ from condensation