Do all down top quilts ( tqs) understate warmth

[BillyBob58]

Maybe part of it is in the title of your thread: conservative, understated ratings.

Have you measured the loft on these quilts? A review of the JRB No Sniv in BP light said it was a rare experience when they actually measured MORE loft than rated. My JRB MW def has maybe 1/2 to 1" more loft than advertised 4" ( measured flat on the ground, less actually on the hammock)
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery...hp?i=4565&c=13
That much extra down loft can be significant.

My Speer PeaPod, again when laid out on the ground, has way more loft than it's 2.5" single layer rating (5" total top+bottom). Look at this picture after 4 years:


So is the loft on your quilts thicker than advertised? Still, to take a 40 quilt to 22 would require it to be a lot thicker than advertised. Might also be the other factors already mentioned.

[Cranky Bear]

My theory which has worked very well for me is you need more under you than over! I have slept extremely warm using a 40* TQ and a 20* UQ in the high 20's and low 30's! FWIW I am a very warm sleeper and I can push the ratings of most quilts by at least 10* without clothing be supplemented to accomplish this!

One needs to remember also that most, not all down quilts are overstuffed by at least 15% (some more than this)!

Today one has the option to have down products temperature tested via the EN 13537, here re some link's for some information on it http://www.verber.com/mark/outdoors/...ep-system.html, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EN_13537, http://sectionhiker.com/sleeping-bag...ct-or-fantasy/

There are many more links that can be found with a little google foo for reading! Also there are may other factors that play into this such as health, metabolism, general shape a person is in (triathlete or couch potato are the extreme ends) and much much more which is why the temp rating and such can be such a personal thing and varies from person to person!

[DemostiX]

Maybe part of it is in the title of your thread: conservative, understated ratings.
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So is the loft on your quilts thicker than advertised? Still, to take a 40 quilt to 22 would require it to be a lot thicker than advertised. Might also be the other factors already mentioned.

NO, lets not get rhapsodic over basic quality stuff. It is what it is, and the 2-3 year old 40F -rated HG top quilt is no more overstuffed than WM bags I've used instead.
Without repeating myself:Maybe what is going on is that the body puts out heat to stay warm, and not having to put heat into a sink-- cold ground or 100lb of mattress -- relieves the body of need to put out the heat we are used to finding comfort, some of it risen and trapped under covers, usually in a bed, but also in the usual sleeping bag.

I was as surprised as any new and disbelieving hammocker about chilling from underneath if unininsulated in a hammock at temps no lower than 60F. Couldn't happen to me.....until it happened and it wasn't subtle. So, I'm not especially cold- tolerant. Further, --and now I am repeating--I'm not feeling heat beneath the TQ the way I feel heat beneath the top of quilts or a sleeping bag used well within its operating limits on the ground or on bed. With one layer of clothing I'm comfortable feeling the underneath of the TQ as slightly cool to touch.

Repeating: I think it this is unique to hammocks over mostly-air underquilts.

This isn't an argument for too-light top quilts. More warmth will be needed if you are forced to ground or, by my hypothesis to a pad.

Of course, the more important the UQ is, the more benefit is lost due to bad seals. Notice that refrigeration motors are smaller these days? Because insulation and seals are better. Hang the door wrong so the gasket is compromised and burn out the motor from longer duty cycle, even if your food doesn't spoil sooner.

More data: For starters, how does the R value of 3" =76mm of UQ compare to that of a $100 pad exposed to air on the other side of a human body?