UQ made from old down bag?

[Red Hat]

What do you think? Now that I bought my MacCat, I have my stock HH tarp and an old Backside Down bag... how feasible do you think it is to make an underquilt using them? I'm running out of money

[Just Jeff]

Use the tarp for something else, but lots of folks have converted bags into underquilts. There are several threads here and at WB, some with directions.

[Mule]

I converted a down bag into an underquilt and hung it just like a JRB and it works great. I used it last weekend as one of my two underquilts at 5 degrees F. Go for it. Mule

[Cannibal]

I haven't done it with a down bag, but I've messed around with a couple (OK, three) of synthetic bags. Works great, just a little heavy with the second-hand bags I was using.

[fin]

Did a mod on a Eddie Bauer 0* down bag - turned out OK. Heavy, but it works. All I did was cut off the zippers and sewed a waterproof cover with drawstring channels at the ends.

[bubblingwells]

I was at Walmart and saw a $19 quilt-like blanket and picked it up. I though it was light so I bought it and cut and folded the edges, punched holes with a giant needle and heavy cord like threads and used shock cords and works like a charm. I think it was a pound or pound and half. Since it's cloth-like, it gets dirty when you have to drop it on the ground during setup. I hope to do the same with my old tent walls but this time I want to make a UC shield and try different insulations via Velcro along the edges. Its an old pup tent coated nylon so it may be too waterproof and heavy. Maybe foam blankets, neat sheets, etc. Any ideas?

[Doctari]

I turned an old synthetic bag into an overquilt, based on that, seems it would be easy enough to make an over or underquilt out of a down bag. Just a few judicial cuts & some action with a sewing machine & TaDa!

[Red Hat]

I converted a down bag into an underquilt and hung it just like a JRB and it works great. I used it last weekend as one of my two underquilts at 5 degrees F. Go for it. Mule

What did you do to the down bag? I figure I'd cut off the hood and the zipper (after sewing seams to keep the down in place before cutting). Then I'd make a small cord baffle and run cording along each side and the foot. (the collar already has cording) Then pull it tight and hang it underneath. Would that work or do I need to do some cutting and dart mods to get it to fit? Also, my Backside down has nylon exterior, but do I need something more waterproof sewn to it? Thanks for any suggestions...