5 Foot Underquilt

[warbonnetguy]

well, i'll say that i don't incorperate my pack into my leg insulation at all, i use a seperate piece of 1/4" ccf. the sizes vary depending on temp, and i'm still trying to figure out how big it needs to be. the biggest one is 20x30" and weighs 2.7oz. together with my 3 season yeti, the total weight of bottom insulation is right at 15oz. a full length 3 season uq is going to be around 20oz by itself and most folks will still be carrying a seperate sit pad which is probably another 1.5oz. so the weight savings right there is around 6.5oz, and that's without multitasking anything

in addition, if i'm carrying a piece of ccf larger than a standard size sit pad (sometimes i don't) i can stack the torso uq and leg pad together if temps are pushing the limit of my 3 season uq, now my pack could still provide insulation for the lower legs if by some horrible circumstance i had to put the ccf pad under my torso, this option will take me way below the rating of my uq. this is something you can't do with a full length uq and a reg. sit pad.

folks always bring up the added weight of a larger pad, but you're talking about adding 1oz of ccf to your sit pad and saving 7-8 oz on the uq, and you get a lighter more versatile system that keeps you just as warm. if you multi-use the ccf in your packframe, the weight savings is even higher.

[Hogg Tyed]

Next on my list one of those short quilts....All that downy goodness!

[Take-a-knee]

I shortened an older (1.5in baffle) JRB Nest to five feet. I love it. I'm only 68" tall so it works great for me. I just use a little Z-sit pad (2oz) for my feet with it.

[Doctari]

I have a full length UQ, & will likely continue to use one,,, maybe!
BUT, I know me, & if I used a 3/4 length, or even one only 7" shorter than me (I'm 5'7") the sit pad I carry would do double duty keeping my feet warm on the rare times I need that much insulation. So far my feet havn't gotten cold yet, & I have done temps below 10 on at least 4 occasions. BUT, I always have dry socks for in camp, so start out with dry warm feet BEFORE I go to bed.

Now that I have thought about it, , I'm starting to wonder why I'm carrying a 6' long UQ
I wonder how much work it would take to shorten my No Sniv, & put the "Extra" down in the other baffels,,,,,,,,,

Nah, I'll leave it be.

[Take-a-knee]

I have a full length UQ, & will likely continue to use one,,, maybe!
BUT, I know me, & if I used a 3/4 length, or even one only 7" shorter than me (I'm 5'7") the sit pad I carry would do double duty keeping my feet warm on the rare times I need that much insulation. So far my feet havn't gotten cold yet, & I have done temps below 10 on at least 4 occasions. BUT, I always have dry socks for in camp, so start out with dry warm feet BEFORE I go to bed.

Now that I have thought about it, , I'm starting to wonder why I'm carrying a 6' long UQ
I wonder how much work it would take to shorten my No Sniv, & put the "Extra" down in the other baffels,,,,,,,,,

Nah, I'll leave it be.

It wasn't too bad. I added the down from the four compartments at the foot end of the Nest, one each to the 2nd,3rd,4th and 5th baffles, counting from the head. My older Nest was not overstuffed, now it is. Works for me. I used Just Jeffs' vaccuum technique to move the down:

http://www.tothewoods.net/StuffingDown.html

[sclittlefield]

If I make an underquilt 5 feet long and lay diagonal, won't 99% of me be on it(I'm 5'8".)?

- or is this what ya'll are referring to when you say "torso quilt"? Seems like if it only covered the torso, even though that's the core, it would leave my legs pretty cold.

However, if 5' of quilt would cover me, I could save a lot of weight/pack size over a full length one.

Yes?

Jbo

Getting back to the 5' length.

It works for me. I'm 5'10" and have a 5'x4' UQ. Laying on the diagonal I get full coverage. Granted, this is not a backpacker's UQ (made from a crappy sleeping bag), but it works great.

[TinaLouise]

I'm not sure what "size" to call my quilts???
I've made all of them and I start out with the material being about 5' in length but by the time I've finished (darts, baffles, folding and sewing all the edges) the quilt is shorter. Plus when I hang these creations under my hammock, just by the act of conforming to fit the bottom, the quilt is relatively shorter. So what I've found that works for me is to shift the quilt either more to my head end or foot end depending on what the night time temps should be. I do use a z-rest sit pad and can add that to the foot end if needed. Usually if my feet become cold, I just sort of curl up and sleep through it. My plans in making these quilts were for them to be full length (well full length for me, I'm 5'1"!!!) I now think of them as 3/4 lenght!!! I would not want to go any shorter on the length though. And after using them, I also wouldn't want a longer quilt.
TinaLouise

[te-wa]

I'm not dissin' your ideas of torso-length quilts, guys.
No offense implied or meant, Hang Your Own Hammock, and enjoy the ride.

hey no worries, mate. but you just know if you be talkin' smack about the short quilts we's gonna come after you

the best approach for the OP is to try both styles, like many of us did/do, and side with whichever size fits your needs.

now, go write a haiku and be happy

[jbo_c]

Thanks for all the feedback.

I think I will try a 5 foot and see how it works for me. I'm planning to make a G4 pack soon, so I'll use the Z pad for my feet if I need it.

I may also add a small "foot" section velcro part later too if necessary.

Jbo

[stevebo]

Great discussion! Im in the process of making an underquilt and have been wrestling with the same issues---full length or torso length. Thanks for the help!

P.S.good luck with your G4 project---its a great pack! (I love the big side pockets!)