JRB Shanendoah vs WM highlite

[jscalia]

Looking for a lightweight summer top quilt for my Clark hammock. Weight and compressibility are my top priorities. I like the wt and quality of the JRB Shanendoah but also am attracted to the lower temp rating and versatility of using a traditional bag like the Western Mountaineering Highlite as a top quilt.

WM HighLite

59"/38" Shoulder/Foot Girth
Sewn-Thru & Baffled Box Construction
3 1/2" Loft, 35° F
8 oz. Down Fill
16 oz. Total Weight 850+ down

[Coldspring]

I think the Shenandoah would be a better choice. There's not a lot of difference in weight, the WM has a higher quality of shell material, and the WM has 2 oz more down, but the JRB quilt would concentrate the down where you need it, and it's about $50-60 less.

[BillyBob58]

I think the Shenandoah would be a better choice. There's not a lot of difference in weight, the WM has a higher quality of shell material, and the WM has 2 oz more down, but the JRB quilt would concentrate the down where you need it, and it's about $50-60 less.

Or, for about $20 and 1/2 oz more, you could get the wearable Stealth. Which might save you some weight on clothing carried. Also, either JRB quilt would be usable as an UQ if you ever desired to go that route. I think the JRBs would be easier to use as a quilt considering that 1/2 zipper on the WM. I'm wondering if this short zipper would add any hassle factor when it comes to quickly getting in quilt style? I can't help but think a 3/4 or full length zipper would be easier, at the cost of some weight. Then again I sometime worry about zippers getting between me and the hammock, wear and tear wise.

OTOH, I think the WM would be 5 or 10*F warmer, with a bit more loft and some baffles ( part sewn through part baffled)- plus the ability to use as a bag with hood if forced to do so. Plus the recently discovered ( recent for me any way) capability to use a hood even quilt style, when laying on my side. I can cover my entire head in a real snug fashion with my Cat's Meow mummy hood while leaving myself a nice small breathing hole out to the side. Plus the extra width of the WM might be beneficial at preventing drafts, at least if that short zipper doesn't interfere with quilt style use. Has any one here ever used the WM Highlite quilt style? If so, how did it go?

Lot's of pros and cons. I'd love to get either one for a Christmas present. And I kind of like the looks and color of the WM. But especially at the cheaper price plus with the head hole, and specifically for hammock use, I'd have to go for the Stealth. Or even more attractive at the current sale price( $229/239long), making it still less expensive than the WM($260/270long), the No Sniv! Unless of course you can find a good sale on the WM. But the head hole really puts things in favor of the wearable JRBs. Multiple use!

[warbonnetguy]

i've always liked the multiple use abilities of a jacket. you hear about wearable quilts being better because they are multi-use, but it seems to me if you leave your jacket at home, you are leaving behind an item with more multi-use ability than is offered by a wearable quilt.

you can go near the campfire with it, something you probably wouldn't do with a wearable down quilt. it has sleeves which is nice for obvious reasons, if it's synthetic you don't worry about it getting wet while you're wearing it, even if it's down and it gets wet at least you still have a dry quilt to climb under. as far as multiple use goes, it can easily be used as part of the sleep system, stuffed in a uq or in a top quilt. used in the hammock you can use it under the legs, as a pillow, to keep you feet warmer or over your torso to boost your tq warmth. i don't have a wearable quilt, but don't see leaving my jacket at home even if i did, as it seems to have more multiple uses than a wearable quilt does, especially for the weight.

[Coffee]

I would go with the bag myself. The extra loft ontop will make it warmer than the rating. Plus if you are like me and can't use a quilt on the ground, it will give you a warm option that way.

[BillyBob58]

i've always liked the multiple use abilities of a jacket.

you can go near the campfire with it, something you probably wouldn't do with a wearable down quilt. it has sleeves which is nice for obvious reasons, if it's synthetic you don't worry about it getting wet while you're wearing it, even if it's down and it gets wet at least you still have a dry quilt to climb under. as far as multiple use goes, it can easily be used as part of the sleep system, stuffed in a uq or in a top quilt. used in the hammock you can use it under the legs, as a pillow, to keep you feet warmer or over your torso to boost your tq warmth. i don't have a wearable quilt, but don't see leaving my jacket at home even if i did, as it seems to have more multiple uses than a wearable quilt does.

Yep, that is certainly another way of looking at it, and in actuality that is exactly how I do it so far. Mine is kind of reverse No Sniv approach. Instead of saving weight not carrying a jacket because I am going to be wearing my quilt, I save weight on my quilts because I am going to wear my jackets and vests and pants to sleep in. Especially now that I have followed Shug's tip to put them on backwards once in the PeaPod, which works so well. I guess it is really six of one 1/2 dozen of the other. So on this last trip using a PeaPod, instead of following Ed Speer's advice to use a light top quilt ( probably at least 17 ozs) to be comfy on top below 40 or 50*F in the Pod, I just used my light PG parka and a vest that I had with me anyway, layered between me and the top pod layer. This combined with my PG pants ( plus a narrow hammock allowing the pod to be closer to my body) kept me warm enough in the 20s, toasty in the 30s, without a separate top quilt. I probably could have done without the vest, but it sure made for luxury warmth sitting around camp.

But I can also see some advantages ( as well as disadvantages you have mentioned) to the quilt as jacket approach also. A 17 oz JRB Stealth ( instead of either my 14 oz PG hooded jacket OR more likely my 9 oz down vest) would have probably kept me even warmer in the PeaPod, since it would cover my legs and feet also with 1.5" additional loft over my PG pants. But the main thing is I think it would have been more comfortable, allowing me to leave the pod more open around the head and shoulders, maybe wearing my jacket and hood in a normal fashion. Not having to close the pod as much on the coldest nights ( near the neck/shoulders/face area) would have been more pleasant. On the warmer nights it would have allowed me to leave the pod about wide open down to my waist or even lower.

Of course, this might be strictly a PeaPod advantage, a moot point if using a separate under quilt( or pads) and overquilt, where there would be no pod to leave open for a roomier experience.