"Budget" top quilts

**geno3821** · 09-26-2016, 13:34

I've gone the DIY route for my bottom quilt and I'm now looking at some top insulation while keeping an eye on the bottom line. I just picked up a 0* bag from EMS on clearance but it's way too heavy and won't fit in my pack so it's being relegated to car camping. I'm hoping to have something comfortable to the mid 30's and I'm not afraid to throw on a few extra layers or add a liner bag of some kind to make it work.

I'm not really prepared to shell out over $150 which seems to exclude pretty much every down offering out there. What I've found so far that are in my budget are the DD quilt ($85), Snugpak quilt and jungle blanket ($70), ENO Vesta (at $160, def at the top end of my price range) or a DIY with the thickest climashield ($80ish depending on shell fabric). I'd definitely consider a traditional down sleeping bag, I'm just not seeing one in my price range. I have an overnight planned for 2 weeks from now which makes shipping time a little bit of a problem (I knew I should have checked the size of my bag before now!)

thoughts?

**Marmaduke** · 09-26-2016, 13:46

Originally Posted by geno3821

I've gone the DIY route for my bottom quilt and I'm now looking at some top insulation while keeping an eye on the bottom line. I just picked up a 0* bag from EMS on clearance but it's way too heavy and won't fit in my pack so it's being relegated to car camping. I'm hoping to have something comfortable to the mid 30's and I'm not afraid to throw on a few extra layers or add a liner bag of some kind to make it work.

I'm not really prepared to shell out over $150 which seems to exclude pretty much every down offering out there. What I've found so far that are in my budget are the DD quilt ($85), Snugpak quilt and jungle blanket ($70), ENO Vesta (at $160, def at the top end of my price range) or a DIY with the thickest climashield ($80ish depending on shell fabric). I'd definitely consider a traditional down sleeping bag, I'm just not seeing one in my price range. I have an overnight planned for 2 weeks from now which makes shipping time a little bit of a problem (I knew I should have checked the size of my bag before now!)

thoughts?

You could probably get a 3 season arrowhead TQ made for you in that amount of time. It's just a bit higher than that ENO, and way better imo.

**captaincoupal** · 09-26-2016, 13:52

I'm going to agree with Marmaduke, if you don't want to DIY it, go to Arrowhead. They've been around forever and are very affordable. http://www.arrowhead-equipment.com/s...torefront.html

I think they're running a sale right now too.

**zukiguy** · 09-26-2016, 13:55

Have you looked into the Costco down throw as another DIY option? Looks like lots of folks are converting these to both top and under quilts with success. There are a number of threads on here.

I have the snugpak jungle blanket and had the UQ. The "underblanket" was kind of bulky but seemed to be very warm once I got the suspension dialed in. The jungle blanket is pretty thin. I don't know if you'd get into the mid 30s without augmenting it pretty heavily.

I've slowly learned the hard way that buying stuff on the cheap is pretty much false economy. Getting a couple of cheap bags "on sale" to satisfy a current need burns the cash you could have spent on one piece of quality gear. Maybe you can just suffer a bit for a trip or two while you save your pennies.

**Carbon** · 09-26-2016, 13:56

I don't think it'll take you down into the 30's but I've been using the SnugPak Jungle Blanket ($25) for a TQ. At 70 inches long it's long enough for my 5'8" height. I sewed shut the bottom third of the blanket for the foot box. And it compacts down to almost the size of a Costco down quilt.

**dakotaross** · 09-26-2016, 14:22

Loco Libre is making some inexpensive syn TQs, and he doesn't do anything cheap. $160 for the std size is pretty hard to beat, but I don't know how long it might take to get one.

You can always find a sleeping bag to get the job done in your price range. I noticed this one at Campsaver...

http://www.campsaver.com/outlet/bero...hetic#tabshere

**Flash Grundelore** · 09-26-2016, 14:33

You could ask in the "Want To Buy" thread if anyone would part with one of the old Ozark Trails 250 down bags that WallyWorld had a couple of years ago... they were in the $75 range new, and they pack to the size of a 2 liter soda bottle.

I used mine this last weekend over in the Pemigewasset in NH. Went down to 37°F ... I had a Costco throw inside and it was probably overkill. Most anything inside would get you into the 30°s...

**Speedogomer** · 09-26-2016, 15:25

You list the Snugpak quilt and Jungle blanket as $70. The Snugpak quilt alone is $37 on Amazon now and would get you to 40 degrees, some people say closer to 30 degrees. Adding an extra layer of clothing would help get there. If you have Amazon Prime the snugpak top quilt would be at your door in 2 days.

You can get a Costco down throw online now for not much more than buying in store. You can add one of them for extra wsrmth, or order 2, and double them up for a top quilt. If you're tall you may have to modify them to get the length you need. Will take about 5 to 6 days if you order today.

Arrowhead equipment and Loco Libre are slightly above budget, but would be excellent high quality pieces of gear. Arrowhead has a really short lead time of only a few days, you'd probably be able to have the quilt in a week. Loco Libre I believe right now has a few weeks lead time for synthetic quilts. You could contact them to see if they could expedite the process.

If you're made an underquilt, making a top quilt is even easier IMO, especially if you do a flat sewn foot box. I think I made my first DIY Apex top quilt in under an hour. Makeyourgear.com or Ripstopbytheroll.com could probably have your stuff to you in a week easy enough.

If you're brave enough, you could take a knife and scissors to the EMS bag and chop it down from a sleeping bag to a top quilt. Wouldn't be that hard to do with a little cutting and a little sewing.

**syc** · 09-27-2016, 23:44

Originally Posted by Carbon

I don't think it'll take you down into the 30's but I've been using the SnugPak Jungle Blanket ($25) for a TQ. At 70 inches long it's long enough for my 5'8" height. I sewed shut the bottom third of the blanket for the foot box. And it compacts down to almost the size of a Costco down quilt.

I've had the SnugPak jungle blanket for a few years, and I'd call it a 50 degree blanket, definitely not mid 30's.

The AegisMax Sleeping Bag looks like the cheapest, compact way that might get you to 40 degrees, you'd have to cover the rest with extra layers o n your body. You could pack a couple of the CostCo down blankets, but it would be more bulky. If you want to support domestic cottage suppliers then you would be getting a synth TQ, but supporting our local economy. I don't think the SnugPak, or CostCo solutions are any better than AegisMax when it comes to sending money offshore.

**Chesapeake** · 09-28-2016, 06:32

I agree with speedogomer, the Snugpak TQ is pretty nice. It feels like it would go to 32° with the right clothing. I got mine back in may and used it all summer and now into the fall with no problems. If you want something now and low cost( not cheap) go with it. But if you want something from a cottage vendor that's a little better I'd go with e AHE. Also, Snugpak has the cocoon that's around the same price. The jungle blanket is definitely for warmer temps tho, but still nice. I bought my Snugpak UQ from zukiguy and avoided the long wait from Amazon, but that problem is fixed now it looks like....