Upper and Lower Limits for Topquilts - 2 quilts needed..

[W8lkinUSA]

I am extremely close to purchasing my first topquilt, but I have been on the fence about which two temperature ratings to get for topquilts. I have been reading forum threads until I fall asleep every night, but am without content.. I hope to draw upon the experience of our seasoned hammockers.

I live in Central Texas, but hope to camp in the Colorado Rockies and maybe New Hampshire White Mountains for Autumn (late October or early November) as well as late Spring. I also intend on winter-camping in Texas. Summer car-camping probably won't require topquilts.

Since my injury 4+ years ago, I have had to sleep 2-4°F warmer than usual. I currently use the 5-R NeoAir Xtherm air pad with hopes of getting a 20°F underquilt after summer 2018. I currently own mid-weight merino wool thermals, balaclava, and Darn Tough socks; I plan to get light-weight and heavy-weight thermals by 2019 for motorcycle commuting. I have a Ridgerunner and just purchased a Blackbird XLC. (EDIT: I also have the SuperFly. No other options at the moment..)

I have been considering the following goose/duck down topquilt combinations from USA cottage vendors.
1 - 20° & 50°
2 - 10° & 50°
3 - 20° & 40°
4 - 10° & 40°
5 - 10° & 30°

I hope to have a 10-15°F safety margin in case last minute weather is colder than the average historical temperature.

Question 1 - What are your maximum temperature range (coldest and warmest) for your topquilts?
Question 2 - Which region do you camp?
Question 3 - What are your recommendations?

Thank you kindly for your consideration.

-td

[Peppy]

I am in Northern Arkansas, but camp from the mountains to the coast. I typically use a 20 and a 40-45 degree tooquilt. They are easily stacked for colder weather, and are versatile and vent easy in warmer weather. I recently picked up a deep winter TQ, JRB High Sierra Sniveler, to try this winter. I use a fleece blanket from 65 degrees and up. I use a 40-45 from 50-65 degrees. I use my 20 from 25-50 degrees. After that I stack.

[W8lkinUSA]

I am in Northern Arkansas, but camp from the mountains to the coast. I typically use a 20 and a 40-45 degree tooquilt. They are easily stacked for colder weather, and are versatile and vent easy in warmer weather. I recently picked up a deep winter TQ, JRB High Sierra Sniveler, to try this winter. I use a fleece blanket from 65 degrees and up. I use a 40-45 from 50-65 degrees. I use my 20 from 25-50 degrees. After that I stack.

Thanks for that insight, Peppy. I have been using a cheap 45*F sleeping bag for temperatures above 60*F, but -- thanks to you -- I've managed to snag a JRB fleece liner for $20 plus shipping; smaller than my empty duvet cover as well as less than half the weight.

Your maximum comfortable temperature of +25*F higher than the quilt's rating gives me confidence with my choices. After further research, it appears people have comfortably gone as high as 50*F on their 0*F-rated quilts. In retrospect, I should have just mentioned my goals and choices. :-)

It's starting to sound like a 20*F topquilt, 40*F topquilt, and the JRB fleece liner will provide adequate coverage for my needs. Stacking two quilts and a liner should keep me more than comfortable without additional clothing layers; now, the question is whether all that weight is tolerable.

My hopes are to use the following with adequate warmth for inaccurate temperature forecasts:
-> 20* topquilt -- 30-55*F (most likely Hammock Gear with 1 or 2 oz overfill)
-> 40* topquilt -- 50-75*F (most likely Massdrop Pine Down Blanket for winter indoor usability; just came across this offering and am intrigued)
-> fleece topquilt liner -- 70+*F (Jacks R Better for car-camping)

Thanks again!

[W8lkinUSA]

Hah. I've just checked the details of my thermals. It appears I have heavy-weight Minus33 thermals after all. This definitely changes my low temperature tolerances somewhat..

[blgoode]

I use 20,30and 40 TQ. I chose the 40 as a summer quilt option simply because the 50 seemed so limited. I can now use the 30 when 40 isn't enough and 20 when 30 isn't enough. Stack 20 and 40 for when 20 isn't enough.

[Floridahanger]

<snip> I live in Central Texas, but hope to camp in the Colorado Rockies and maybe New Hampshire White Mountains for Autumn (late October or early November) as well as late Spring. I also intend on winter-camping in Texas. Summer car-camping probably won't require topquilts.<snip>

I have been considering the following goose/duck down topquilt combinations from USA cottage vendors.
1 - 20° & 50°
2 - 10° & 50°
3 - 20° & 40°
4 - 10° & 40°
5 - 10° & 30°

I hope to have a 10-15°F safety margin in case last minute weather is colder than the average historical temperature.

Question 1 - What are your maximum temperature range (coldest and warmest) for your topquilts?
Question 2 - Which region do you camp?
Question 3 - What are your recommendations?

Thank you kindly for your consideration.

-td

Q1- I have DIY so I wing it. New CDT TQ good to 40* so far. Summer TQ in HangCon 2017 to mid 40's and don't want to try and go lower, used in July(Florida) vented at 80*(great for those unexpected 68* Summer nights in the woods). I used the Summer TQ inside the CDT TQ to mid 30*s and was almost too warm earlier this week.
Q2- So far only Central and South Florida
Q3- Due to where you want to camp, I would think #4 would be the choice.
- Lowest temp rating you have on the list
- 40* can be vented for warmer temps
- 40* can be used as an insert to reach -10* temps if needed(maybe lower if not for medical issues).

Good luck and have fun experimenting.

[Peppy]

Thanks for that insight, Peppy. I have been using a cheap 45*F sleeping bag for temperatures above 60*F, but -- thanks to you -- I've managed to snag a JRB fleece liner for $20 plus shipping; smaller than my empty duvet cover as well as less than half the weight.

Your maximum comfortable temperature of +25*F higher than the quilt's rating gives me confidence with my choices. After further research, it appears people have comfortably gone as high as 50*F on their 0*F-rated quilts. In retrospect, I should have just mentioned my goals and choices. :-)

It's starting to sound like a 20*F topquilt, 40*F topquilt, and the JRB fleece liner will provide adequate coverage for my needs. Stacking two quilts and a liner should keep me more than comfortable without additional clothing layers; now, the question is whether all that weight is tolerable.

My hopes are to use the following with adequate warmth for inaccurate temperature forecasts:
-> 20* topquilt -- 30-55*F (most likely Hammock Gear with 1 or 2 oz overfill)
-> 40* topquilt -- 50-75*F (most likely Massdrop Pine Down Blanket for winter indoor usability; just came across this offering and am intrigued)
-> fleece topquilt liner -- 70+*F (Jacks R Better for car-camping)

Thanks again!

Sounds like a great plan! Add it all together and you'd probably get to negative numbers fairly easy! So -10 up to Texas Heat... Sounds like you're good to go!

[Grey Mouse]

Hi W8lkin. I was recently in a similar predicament. Granted that by no means am I an expert or "seasoned" thru hiker but I though that I might share my info. I needed to get a TQ & UQ and beat myself up over what I might need on the worse days in Sipsey (Alabama) and Linville Gorge (NC). Sipsey's coldest average day is about 25° and Linville Gorge can hit 6° some nights but seems to stay around 15° on average. My experience at Sipsey has taught me that anytime that I am near the waterfalls I can expect a fifteen degree drop in temp at night form the "norm". I sleep colder now due to blood thinners so that was a consideration. I finally purchased a 20° TQ (Ghost Pepper) with 2oz overstuff, and a 0° UQ (Carolina Reaper) with 4oz overstuffing from Locolibre. That way I should have a good safety margin for the worst nights that I might encounter. I don't know exactly what this combo will get me down to but I should hopefully be good for the majority of hangs. I can always supplement the TQ or add more mid-layers if it gets too cold. I would love to get a 40°, 20°, and 0° set from George but that is a bit pricey at x-mas time plus the wife wants a set too. Also, I purposefully have my 20° and 0° quilts different colors (they will be sets) so that I can recognize them easily instead of having to read the tags. I hope this helps.

[W8lkinUSA]

I use 20,30and 40 TQ. I chose the 40 as a summer quilt option simply because the 50 seemed so limited. I can now use the 30 when 40 isn't enough and 20 when 30 isn't enough. Stack 20 and 40 for when 20 isn't enough.

I would love nothing more than to own 3+ quilts, but I find it hard to justify having so many quilts since I live so far from mountains. Free primitive mountainside camping is preferred over state parks and campgrounds.

Q1- I have DIY so I wing it. New CDT TQ good to 40* so far. Summer TQ in HangCon 2017 to mid 40's and don't want to try and go lower, used in July(Florida) vented at 80*(great for those unexpected 68* Summer nights in the woods). I used the Summer TQ inside the CDT TQ to mid 30*s and was almost too warm earlier this week.
Q2- So far only Central and South Florida
Q3- Due to where you want to camp, I would think #4 would be the choice.
- Lowest temp rating you have on the list
- 40* can be vented for warmer temps
- 40* can be used as an insert to reach -10* temps if needed(maybe lower if not for medical issues).

Good luck and have fun experimenting.

Fine point regarding using a summer quilt up to 80*F. I think I'll do 80, instead of 75*F.

A 10*F quilt would make a lot of sense in being able to stretch out my gear choices.

- Do you think a 10*F topquilt would keep me too warm at 60*F?
- When stacking quilts, would a 40*F be better on the inside or outside when stacking quilts?

Sounds like a great plan! Add it all together and you'd probably get to negative numbers fairly easy! So -10 up to Texas Heat... Sounds like you're good to go!

-10 sounds great! I never thought 20 + 40 quilts would keep you warm at such low temperatures.

Hi W8lkin. I was recently in a similar predicament. Granted that by no means am I an expert or "seasoned" thru hiker but I though that I might share my info. I needed to get a TQ & UQ and beat myself up over what I might need on the worse days in Sipsey (Alabama) and Linville Gorge (NC). Sipsey's coldest average day is about 25° and Linville Gorge can hit 6° some nights but seems to stay around 15° on average. My experience at Sipsey has taught me that anytime that I am near the waterfalls I can expect a fifteen degree drop in temp at night form the "norm". I sleep colder now due to blood thinners so that was a consideration. I finally purchased a 20° TQ (Ghost Pepper) with 2oz overstuff, and a 0° UQ (Carolina Reaper) with 4oz overstuffing from Locolibre. That way I should have a good safety margin for the worst nights that I might encounter. I don't know exactly what this combo will get me down to but I should hopefully be good for the majority of hangs. I can always supplement the TQ or add more mid-layers if it gets too cold. I would love to get a 40°, 20°, and 0° set from George but that is a bit pricey at x-mas time plus the wife wants a set too. Also, I purposefully have my 20° and 0° quilts different colors (they will be sets) so that I can recognize them easily instead of having to read the tags. I hope this helps.

Thanks for the input. Sounds like you camp mostly in colder weather. 25*F is very cold for me since we rarely see 32*F where I live. I'm now finding that 40-45 lows are hardly tolerable with my existing clothes when hanging out in the patio after midnight (more so with 5+ mph wind). Therefore, I doubt investing for 25*F (and lower) clothing would happen. Backpacking is a goal for vacation, but not very likely within my 6-hour radius since I prefer large mountains.... We shall see..

[Grey Mouse]

I actually hang in all sorts of weather including thunderstorms and snow (soon) from the wilderness to the swamps. I have never been to Linville but the wife and I are going to take a week off next winter in the coldest months to experience the Shortoff trail. I live in the panhandle of Florida so hot weather is the norm. I normally use my Snugpak cacoon for 40° weather with a Therm-a-rest Scout pad in my Claytor jungle hammock. It's so hot here that we purposefully set out to find cool or inclement weather to relax in and enjoy a nice hot soup by a campfire if possible. That way the skeeters and heat don't bother us so much. There's nothing like hanging during a frog strangling thunderstorm hence why I can't do the cuben fiber tarp thing (too loud). We love hanging in Sipsey next to a waterfall where it's 58° on a midsummer night with the sound of the water lulling us to sleep. I'll be buying some Minus33 gear this year to help keep me warm in the lower temps using that 20° TQ. The projected low next month on our hang in Sipsey is 27°. It actually snowed (one inch and 30°) here last week and I was going to hang but work got me. Snow is so rare here. I can't be outside if it's under 55° without starting to look like that kid off of the christmas story lol. My daughter just got stationed in Lawton OK and so we are going there later next year to hang also

The math:
The best way that I could figure it out for myself was to look at the weather forecast of the most desired place in the most desirable months (January/February due to my business) for me that I wanted to hang for several days per year (minimum of seven days) and subtract ten to fifteen degrees (inclement low temps) from the lowest temps in that month for a safety margin. That meant 25°-15°=10° for Sipsey (-5° by a fall) and 10°-15°=-5° for Linville. I also took into account the all time record lows (-13°) hence the overstuffing. This way of figuring might be useful for you in the areas that you wish to frequent the most during the times that you want to be there. You can probably get by with a ten degree safety margin but you'll need to make that call for yourself. Again, I'm no expert at this stuff but after reading posts on here for a month and falling asleep at the computer more than once this is what I came up with for myself.