Climashield Apex temp rating??

**craige** · 03-31-2014, 18:53

I'm thinking about making a climashield quilt and was wondering if anyone knew or could make sense of the ratings?

The stuff I am looking at is 3.9oz/y.

I know there have been previous threads similar to this but I couldn't find much in the way of actual ratings or proper experience.

**sargevining** · 03-31-2014, 19:57

Temp ratings are very subjective. I can tell you that as a six foot tall 61 year old man in Texas weighing 215# using the 5.0 Climashield APEX from Thru Hiker (are you sure your 3.9 is APEX?) in both my top and underquilts, I can sleep in my skivvies down to 40* and down to 30* if I wear a good base layer and some warm clothes. Any lower than that and I add another light quilt.

**craige** · 03-31-2014, 20:20

Thanks Sargevining, are you a cold sleeper? I'm a warmish sleeper and was hoping this would get me to about 30°f.

That's what my calculations (from grams per metre) say :s here is the link. http://www.extremtextil.de/catalog/I...499f1a7ec64e1d I'm in the UK so buying stuff from the US costs a fortune for shipping and customs charges.

**Boston** · 03-31-2014, 20:30

I did a rough study of CLO vs loft of down based on EN rating's a while ago. I found that Loft of Climashield was equivalent to Loft of down for warmth ratings. My base line was comparing a 30*F EN CLO rating (6.0) to 30*F Down Loft (1.75").

**Hangs4Fun** · 03-31-2014, 22:15

I own several of Kifaru's products (8 man tipi, 0 degree Slick Bag wide/long, Doobie) And they use Combat Climashield, which is slightly different from Climashield APEX (http://thru-hiker.com/materials/insulation.php). However, in general (by no means an EN rating), each layer of Climashield gets you 20 more degree's starting at 40 degrees with 1 layer. The stuff is great for projects like this, because it is a continuous piece and does not need baffles to keep the insulation where you want it, simply sew the edges of your project.

I have gotten in my slick bag soaking wet and it warms me right up and by the time I wake up, I am dry (don't ask me how that works, it just does thank God). I am able to fit my slick bag into the compression sack as small as my equivalent temp down bags, yet when wet it still provides insulation. The only thing I can't vouch for, is that Climashield APEX is not the same thing as the Combat Climashield that Kifaru uses. Though my son and I do plan on doing some ClimaShield projects soon and will post what we find in our tests.

Here are links to my Kifaru gear:
- http://store.kifaru.net/slick-bag-p73.aspx (I use the wide/long 0 degree, which fits my body size very well (6'3", 230lbs large should width) I use it like a top quilt)
- http://store.kifaru.net/woobie-p72.aspx (I use the doobie which is 60"x93" of double layer Combat Climashield and I fold it over which effectively gives me 4 layers)
- http://store.kifaru.net/8-man-tipi-p78.aspx (I use for winter back country Hunting with the large stove, liner, and netting)

**sargevining** · 04-01-2014, 08:18

Originally Posted by craige

Thanks Sargevining, are you a cold sleeper? I'm a warmish sleeper and was hoping this would get me to about 30°f.

That's what my calculations (from grams per metre) say :s here is the link. http://www.extremtextil.de/catalog/I...499f1a7ec64e1d I'm in the UK so buying stuff from the US costs a fortune for shipping and customs charges.

OK, so its 3.9 grams/meter, so its about 5.0 ounces I think, (I've made a very purposeful effort to fight the metric system).

I'll confess I've never been able to understand exactly what "cold sleeper" and "warm sleeper" really means. My general impression is that near 30* it works better as a TQ than a UQ. IOW, I can stand lower temps better on top than on bottom with the same thickness Climashield on both quilts, but that's affected by which hammock I use as well as fit is also at work here. My rectangular quilts work better on a channel end than on a Hennessy at the lower temps.

I have a small DIY quilt that I bought from a member that I use when it gets to around 30*or lower. I can't recall the insulation used, but it appears to be 2.5 (ounces/yd) or thinner Climashield. My UQ is 7'-0" long and the smaller, thinner one is torso length, so I arrange it so that its under my torso. That works well, especially if I wear a hoodie and down socks. I'll be making a similar one that will snap to the 7 foot quilt as soon as I finish a couple of other projects here.

**turnerminator** · 04-01-2014, 11:34

I find it punches above it's weight for ratings. My -30 sleeping bag is good down to -40.

I concur with Boston and I'd say the warmth for the loft is equivalent to decent down.

**craige** · 04-02-2014, 20:52

Thanks for the experience guys.

Originally Posted by sargevining

OK, so its 3.9 grams/meter, so its about 5.0 ounces I think, (I've made a very purposeful effort to fight the metric system).

I'll confess I've never been able to understand exactly what "cold sleeper" and "warm sleeper" really means. My general impression is that near 30* it works better as a TQ than a UQ. IOW, I can stand lower temps better on top than on bottom with the same thickness Climashield on both quilts, but that's affected by which hammock I use as well as fit is also at work here. My rectangular quilts work better on a channel end than on a Hennessy at the lower temps.

I have a small DIY quilt that I bought from a member that I use when it gets to around 30*or lower. I can't recall the insulation used, but it appears to be 2.5 (ounces/yd) or thinner Climashield. My UQ is 7'-0" long and the smaller, thinner one is torso length, so I arrange it so that its under my torso. That works well, especially if I wear a hoodie and down socks. I'll be making a similar one that will snap to the 7 foot quilt as soon as I finish a couple of other projects here.

No, it's 133g/m, there are 1.196 sq yards in a sq m, 133÷1.196= 11.2g/y, then divide that by 28.35 (grams in an ounce) and it's 3.92 oz/y.

Does anyone have any knowledge of how to convert clo to a rough temperature rating??

**sargevining** · 04-02-2014, 23:41

Originally Posted by craige

Thanks for the experience guys.

No, it's 133g/m, there are 1.196 sq yards in a sq m, 133÷1.196= 11.2g/y, then divide that by 28.35 (grams in an ounce) and it's 3.92 oz/y.

Does anyone have any knowledge of how to convert clo to a rough temperature rating??

Danged ol' yoorpeein measurements.

**Tr1ppler** · 04-03-2014, 06:14

I made a 5.0 oz Apex top quilt for my trip to the Himalayas in June. I can tell you that in 90* F weather you can keep it on for about 3.5 seconds before it feels like your whole body is on fire. I'm hoping it will get me down to freezing as I'm a warm sleeper.