Has anyone made an interchangeable underquilt?

**Tendertoe** · 11-04-2011, 08:37

Originally Posted by ShadowAlpha

hmmm.. if you used tubes of down with drawstring on each end. there would have to be something on each end of the tubes to hold them straight so they don't slide & bunch up to the middle

I imagined a completed UQ shell - baffled and all - with no down in it.

You would then just slide your down-filled tubes into the baffles.

I also don't know how well a drawstring would keep the down in the tubes. I think I would go with a permanently sewn filled down tube and a baffled UQ "shell". Then you would have different "tube sets" you would have with different amounts of down in them to slip in the shell.

**R00K** · 11-04-2011, 08:38

I can see us all buying and selling used "down tubes" lol.

**ShadowAlpha** · 11-04-2011, 08:43

Originally Posted by Tendertoe

I imagined a completed UQ shell - baffled and all - with no down in it.

You would then just slide your down-filled tubes into the baffles.

I also don't know how well a drawstring would keep the down in the tubes. I think I would go with a permanently sewn filled down tube and a baffled UQ "shell". Then you would have different "tube sets" you would have with different amounts of down in them to slip in the shell.

exactly - what I meant was the sewn tubes need some sort of attachment at each end so they stay in place other wise they will more than likely slide to the middle & bunch up.

**Tendertoe** · 11-04-2011, 08:46

Originally Posted by ShadowAlpha

exactly - what I meant was the sewn tubes need some sort of attachment at each end so they stay in place other wise they will more than likely slide to the middle & bunch up.

ahh I thought you meant side to side bunching. I see the issue.

**ZMad2000** · 11-04-2011, 08:49

I think Syb was thinking of something similar but gave it up cause it wouldnt be worth it. My thoughts are that it would be cool but the added weight and hassle wouldnt be worth it.

**Fibby** · 11-04-2011, 09:01

Originally Posted by ShadowAlpha

exactly - what I meant was the sewn tubes need some sort of attachment at each end so they stay in place other wise they will more than likely slide to the middle & bunch up.

maybe a little loop on each end of the tube that clips/ties to each end of the baffle.

**nothermark** · 11-04-2011, 09:03

I was going to agree but thought about this. Make a light sewn through synthetic summer weight inner layer with the baffles hung below the synthetic layer so the tubes hang between the synthetic and the bottom cover. That gives min and max insulation while the synthetic layer adds a bit of body. Probably need flaps over both ends to keep the tubes in place and strings on the tubes to pull them through. Button the flaps like a duvet cover instead of velcro. More repairable and reliable. If the tubes try to bunch lengthwise add a button at each end of each tube to put a couple of wraps of the pull string around.

**Fibby** · 11-04-2011, 09:03

Originally Posted by ZMad2000

I think Syb was thinking of something similar but gave it up cause it wouldnt be worth it. My thoughts are that it would be cool but the added weight and hassle wouldnt be worth it.

I agree with the added weight part but the hassle would only be seasonal when you change the tubes. At the very least it would save from hanging 3 full UQ's in storage.

**ShadowAlpha** · 11-04-2011, 09:05

Originally Posted by ZMad2000

I think Syb was thinking of something similar but gave it up cause it wouldnt be worth it. My thoughts are that it would be cool but the added weight and hassle wouldnt be worth it.

with the right materials - weight might not be a factor

Originally Posted by Fibby

maybe a little loop on each end of the tube that clips/ties to each end of the baffle.

A loop would work!

**FLRider** · 11-04-2011, 09:07

Perhaps I'm just not visualizing well, but wouldn't there be issues with either:

A.)gaps between the tubes and the hammock when using low-loft ones for summer

or

B.)compression of the down in the winter tubes,

depending on the underquilt attachment points?

Or, maybe, two sets of attachment points could be used? One that is at the very top edge of the quilt for the high-loft winter tubes, and one that is in the middle of the vertical dimension of the quilt for summer/3-season use? Would that solve the gap/insulation compression issue?

Or, maybe even better, a single summer/3-season quilt that then has omni-tape attachment points on the bottom for a winter add-on quilt shell as opposed to pre-set tubes?