Mix and match temps on quilts?

[Pj1008]

Im going to be ordering a set of quilts coming up pretty soon and the one thing i'm still really thinking about is what temp quilts I should get. I mostly do 3 season hiking so at first I figured 20* quilts but I'm worried that come the summer I might get too hot so now i'm thinking a 20* UQ and a 40* TQ and in early spring / late fall i could just add a sleeping bag liner for the TQ and just vent the UQ a little bit in the summer.

Does anyone else mix and match quilts like this? Unfortunately since I don't have a lot of money to spare on camping gear so whatever quilts I end up getting will be my only quilts for a while so i'm really trying to make sure what I get is best for what I need.

Also a question about overstuffing, does it increase the temperature rating of your quilts or does it just help protect from loss of loft?

[MAD777]

There's nothing wrong with your idea of a warmer underquilt. There is no easy way to supplement an under quilt except to add an uncomfortable pad. However, if you bring a heavy jacket and insulated pants for camp use, simply wear all your clothes to bed and that will boost your top quilt warmth.

Note the extra clothes get crushed under your weight and that is why they don't boost the under quilt performance.

Over stuffing makes a quilt warmer!

[nacra533]

I frequently mix and match my quilts. Depending on mood when I'm packing
I'll mix theses up for different load outs.

30 degree rated kaq style synthetic full UQ. It's closer to 40 for me.
45 degree down bag use a TQ
20 degree karo step down TQ
15 degree super toasty Marmot Sawtooth bag used a TQ
neat sheet for UQ in 70-75 degrees and up
Thin poly bag liner as a tq for warm temps

But..I never intentionally go out with gear not rated for expected temps.
I've had weather changes that caused temps to be lower than my gear load and I slept in all my clothes and a down jacket.

I find that I'm a cold sleeper, so 20 degree rated gear for many is really about 30 for me. Also, I'm in GA and it gets cold sometimes, but usually not cold like northern areas.

I wouldn't skimp on the UQ because if you can't stay warm on your back, you can't stay warm. Layers like a down jacket, etc can still loft on the top, but not if you're laying on them.

I would reccomend buying gear 10 degrees below the anticipated low temps you are LIKELY to plan a trip and enjoy camping in, not the worst case scenario. That's what te extra clothes, water bottles, and extreme measures are for.

In my case, if it's going to be much below 30* (20 degree gear), I may punt and try again another weekend. I've spent nights in the low 20s and was fine.


Over stuffing. My understanding is it helps to ensure the whole chamber fully lofts or over lofts. So the baffle stitching is the true smallest thickness. Applying the exact amount of down per volume does not leave any margin for error in down movement/migration. You end up with a flat look instead of a puffy look, which is fine as long as its sitting on your floor, but In the woods, you could end up with cold spots where there isn't enough down.

[Sidewinder]

I always mix and match. Your idea will work fine. Consider a hammock sock to extend your range.

S

[lazy river road]

Nothing wrong with mixing and matching quilts and your idea of having a warmer UQ and a lighter TQ most people would agree is the correct way of thinking about things. In a hammock its easier to insulate on top then it is on the bottom. So if your using a 20 rated UQ with a 40 TQ and its going to be cold then extra clothing and an extra bag liner may be sufficient to supplement your top insulation. However if you go out and its going to be low twenties I know I personally would be cold with a 20 rated UQ and a 40 rated TQ without a lot more insulation on top of me or me wearing lots of clothing. However YMMV and you only know how you sleep. Another option would be to get a 20 rated TQ and UQ and in the warmer months lets say 50's and above use the 20 rated UQ along with a sleeping bag liner of some sorts and not even bring a TQ.

[The RidgeRunner]

I recently got down to around 18 f with a 3 season Crowsnest and a summer burrow. Now i also had a fleece bag liner, my down booties, my Marmot Zeus jacket, Merino wool head to toe and Mil Spec Poly Pro pants. The only clothes i did not have on were my Day clothes and Rain gear.

I will say that 18 f is the bottom temp i can go, had it been 17.5 i would have been cold. I was cool all night, but not cold per se.

[Pj1008]

Thank's everyone for confirming exactly what I was thinking. I do not plan taking the quilts down below 30 so it looks like this set up will work great for me. I tend to sleep a bit warm anyway so I may even be able to take them lower with the right clothes and maybe a hammock sock.

[mtndragon]

Last night I did a little mix and match testing in the backyard- A 0 degree Incubator with a 1+ season Go-lite quilt purchased from the recent sale. It was 25 degrees when I woke up at 5:30am, and that was probably close to the low temp. I was slightly chilled, but it was doable-I went back to sleep until 7:30am. Wearing only wool long underwear and a hat-no tarp, windsock, etc. Like others have said, stay warm from below and the rest can be managed-

[Boomer]

And if you're not warm enough on bottom, then a 0* TQ won't help much. I'd rather a 0* UQ and a 40* TQ than a 0* TQ & a 40* UQ on any cold day!

I can vent either, but you can't add down to them when you're out in the field. Buy to the coldest temps you expect, unless you can afford more than one of each.