DIY Climashield UQ and Golite Ion Mods

[Captn]

my summer set-up (50* and up) would work in an Ion - but barely.
Your a better (smaller) packer than me!

Well, I did put a roll top on mine making it a 2200 cu in pack.

[Captn]

I ordered a 700 fill down king size pillow from Overstock.com today .... next project is a new down top quilt.

[Coldspring]

Depends on how you sleep...I use 2.5 oz/yd alone to about 50*

I feel pretty comfortable about taking my 2.5 oz/yd UQ to 50* and 45*, have had it down to a very damp upper 30*s and didn't die.

What clothing are you basing this rating on? If 50* is going to be the very low for the trip, I consider that a warmer season and probably wouldn't have more than perhaps a vest or rain jacket packed along. Would you sleep in a thin T-shirt, shorts, simple beanie and thin socks at that temp with the 2.5 oz/yd insulated underquilt and no leg pads?

[mbiraman]

So maybe i'm missing something which could be quite possible but is the main tradeoff here space vrs money. Is the clamshell that much cheaper that its worth the bulk, or does down pack small enough that its worth the extra $$$.

[animalcontrol]

I feel pretty comfortable about taking my 2.5 oz/yd UQ to 50* and 45*, have had it down to the upper 30s and didn't die.

What clothing are you basing this rating on? If 50* is going to be the very low for the trip, I consider that a warmer season and probably wouldn't have more than perhaps a vest or rain jacket along. Would you sleep in a thin T-shirt, shorts, simple beanie and thin socks at that temp with the 2.5 oz/yd insulated underquilt and no leg pads?

My 2.5 is a off sized TQ (36"x51" - left over pieces of ripstop) so I really treat it as a summer TQ. IOW, hard to say
at 50*? I would be wearing close to what you have (minus the beanie and add a sit pad under my legs)