How do folks backpack with under/over quilts (size and weight issues)

**Northern Mike** · 09-13-2013, 08:07

This might be a nit of a silly question, but I thought I'd ask as my hike is a week away.
How do you guys manage to carry all your insulation gear on longer hikes?
I have a 4 day super rough trip coming up and am wondering how people manage to carry down under and top quilts.
We're looking at 30-40 degree nights, and even with my 50l pack, I can see how I would fit all that stuff and stay in the 25lb ball park? I normally use my trusty 30l pack but opted to try this new pack.

**Brute1100** · 09-13-2013, 08:16

25 lbs is a nice goal, but cold weather camping has it's own demands... I fit all of my gear in a 50l, but I don't pack like everyone else... I take what the situation dictates and regardless of the weight penalty... I would rather sleep comfortable and carry a little extra on the trail than freeze my butt off and have a light pack...

**FLRider** · 09-13-2013, 08:17

The majority of folks who hike ultralight here (and I did this, back when I had a standard-design pack) tend to stuff the quilts and any other items that must stay dry into a trash compactor bag pack liner. Then, the liner gets placed at the bottom of the pack, so that the weight of the items above it compresses it into the bottom of the pack and the down fills out any gaps in other items in the pack. This offers near-ideal weight distribution (the heavier items go higher in the pack, over your spine) and volume use (the puffed-out quilts take up whatever extra space is to be had in the pack, instead of leaving dead spots due to them being so compressed that they resemble soft rocks).

As far as reaching 25 lbs, the rest of your gear might warrant a look. I don't know what else you're bringing, but I can reach a ~30* F FSO (Full Skin-Out; in other words, "everything but what mama gave me") weight of ~25 lbs over 4 days with 3 L of water carried and ~3,000 calories a day. That's using synthetics for quilts, a much larger hammock than what's really needed, and my not-so-light (~3 lb) DIY pack.

Weigh everything before you go. Then, go through your gear and decide if you really need everything you normally pack. That should help you get down to your target weight as you leave unnecessary items at home.

Hope it helps!

**Northern Mike** · 09-13-2013, 08:27

Originally Posted by Brute1100

25 lbs is a nice goal, but cold weather camping has it's own demands... I fit all of my gear in a 50l, but I don't pack like everyone else... I take what the situation dictates and regardless of the weight penalty... I would rather sleep comfortable and carry a little extra on the trail than freeze my butt off and have a light pack...

I tend to be the same, but this trip will be a killer, even if I had no pack on my back.
We're looking to cover about 50 miles, on a trail that pretty much doesn't exist, through very ruggid, rocky country. Basically 50 miles of bush whacking.

I'm going to be using/testing a new sleeping bag liner my wife's online store should be carrying soon provided I can source the fleece and a decent price. The liner is fleece, wrapped in a light weight thermal reflective fabric (R8 they say) with two internal pockets for either shake and bake heaters, or other heaters. Even this is bigger then I would like. Compressed, it comes down to about the size of a nfl football.

Weight wise, hammock, tarp (using a cheap poly tarp this trip) rigging and sleeping back/liner/stuff sacks are under 5lb).

For your quilts, how small can you get them down to?
I much rather carry my try and trusted 30l pack over a 50l.

**Northern Mike** · 09-13-2013, 08:34

Originally Posted by FLRider

The majority of folks who hike ultralight here (and I did this, back when I had a standard-design pack) tend to stuff the quilts and any other items that must stay dry into a trash compactor bag pack liner. Then, the liner gets placed at the bottom of the pack, so that the weight of the items above it compresses it into the bottom of the pack and the down fills out any gaps in other items in the pack. This offers near-ideal weight distribution (the heavier items go higher in the pack, over your spine) and volume use (the puffed-out quilts take up whatever extra space is to be had in the pack, instead of leaving dead spots due to them being so compressed that they resemble soft rocks).

As far as reaching 25 lbs, the rest of your gear might warrant a look. I don't know what else you're bringing, but I can reach a ~30* F FSO (Full Skin-Out; in other words, "everything but what mama gave me") weight of ~25 lbs over 4 days with 3 L of water carried and ~3,000 calories a day. That's using synthetics for quilts, a much larger hammock than what's really needed, and my not-so-light (~3 lb) DIY pack.

Weigh everything before you go. Then, go through your gear and decide if you really need everything you normally pack. That should help you get down to your target weight as you leave unnecessary items at home.

Hope it helps!

3lb pack is a nice weight.
most of my gear is on the less expensive side (3 kids and a large old house doesn't permit high end stuff).
Going over my gear and lists from previous trips (I do personal trip reports, including what was packed and what was used), I've stripped everything that was not used before or could be replaced with something else already in the pack.

My cheapy pack (I admit, just took the tags off it as it was a flooded basement replacement) comes in just over 5lb before I cut off the useless junk.

**Bubba** · 09-13-2013, 08:37

You can lose some weight and bulk by getting a silnylon tarp. I'd venture a guess that 3 season down TQ and UQ's would not be significantly larger than your current sleeping bag.

**Northern Mike** · 09-13-2013, 08:39

Originally Posted by Bubba

Are you on a budget? You can lose some weight and bulk by getting a silnylon tarp.

That is definitely on the list to replace.
Budget this trip is super tight. Kicking stones right now after 7yrs with the same company.

**Shug** · 09-13-2013, 08:41

This is my average comfortable load.....quilts and all.
Carry forth and have a fun trip.
Shug

**Dead Man** · 09-13-2013, 08:42

The thought is that you would pack the UQ/TQ loose at the bottom (no stuff sack). You can get them (a general term for average scale product) stuffed in a sack pretty small but this is not the optimal way both because of compression of the down (assuming you are using down UQ/TQ) and one small lump versus a flatter, thinner, more dispersed presentation of the UQ/TQ in the back.

+1 on having all of it in a compactor or dry bag of some sort. Otherwise, go wack the bushes in confidence.

**Mountnman** · 09-13-2013, 08:48

That sounds like a rough 4 days, good luck with that

As for TQ/UQ packing I do the compactor bag in bottom of pack as FLRider stated. My quilts I use mostly in cool weather is my 20 degree set and they are just under 2 pounds for the set. I have a DIY pack that is patterned after the Gossamer Gear G4 pack and it weighs 1 pound. I do have an osprey aether 70 that weighs in at over 5 pounds. I would just weigh everything like FLR suggested and only take necessities. Most of all be careful and enjoy!!