using down blanket as UQ

[wetcatcarl]

So I got a down blanket that was being thrown out. could i sew shock cord on it with webbing around it then just make a over cover for it? I would imagine using the down out of it inside would be next to impossible.

[RWillieK]

I did this very thing this weekend. I have been hanging in the basement, which has a bare concrete floor - its fairly cold without any kind of underquilt (I don't have a real one yet).

I took one of those $10 down blankets thats measures probably 5-foot by 6-foot or something and hung it under my HH Expedition ASM. I used a tarp ridgeline with a couple of prussiks, a nacribiner, and a single peice (per end) of shock cord. I attached the blanket to the shock cord with some of those blue tarp alligator gripper things....I had them laying around for the boat tarp.

While I noticed a big difference, I had my wife get in the hammock and lay down for five minutes. I then pulled the blanket out.....her words were "WOW! That makes a huge difference!"

I would be cautious about using it as an over quilt as I bet it will gather moisture like a sponge.

Robbie

[Knotty]

Sure can. I made an under quilt with a cheap $10 Sports Authority down throw.

From another thread:

Made my first under quilt from the Sports Authority down throws. Trimmed the perimeter of the throw with grosgrain ribbon, sewing it to the throw with two rows of stitches to create a channel. Down the length I pulled gutted paracord for the suspension. On the ends I used bungee cord with cord locks so the ends could be drawn in to shape the UQ and prevent gaps.

I made this UQ for use with my indoor Brazilian hammock. The throws are pretty heavy (25.5oz finished), don't compress too well and kind of thin for backpacking use. It's basically a 3/4 length UQ and works just fine indoors. I sleep in a top quilt with foot box, so my feet haven't been getting cold. Mission accomplished. Now to make a TQ for the throws.

[lilricky]

Yeah, those Sports Authority throws have sewn through baffles that just leak the heat right out. So it works if there is no wind around, but almost useless out in the field. I'm sewing a UQ and going to pull the down out of those throws and see what I get. Its most likely only 550 down, but I'm curious how warm I can get it to be. Worse comes to worse, I open up the side seam and change out the down with some quality down.