Deciding on top quilt

[littleBEAR]

Ok, i have been using a old eureka 30 degree sleeping bag as top insulation and its getting cold, worn, and heavy. It weighs 36oz which isn't bad, but i feel like i can do much better with a newer down bag or quilt. For an upgrade i have a few goals:

budget friendly
Lighter, around 20oz
More compressible than my synthetic bag
Warmer, between 32 to 20 degrees

I'm torn between these:

Montbel U.L. Down Hugger Super Spiral #3. it weighs 22oz, warm to 30 degrees, and costs $340. It is the most i would be willing to spend on a bag, but ive herd good things about Montbell.

Or

Hammock Gear's 20*F Burrow top quilt. I would get it in regular length, wide cut, and over stuffed 2oz. I weighs roughly 21oz, warm to 20 degrees, and costs about $230.

Obviously the top quilt is a much better value for warmth and weight to cost. My only concern is that i don't always use a hammock. I would like to hear your opinions on the pro and cons of the two and most importantly have people had experience using a top quilt on the ground? Also what are the benefits of over stuffing down?

[Callahan]

I've got the UL spiral down hugger #3 and it is awesome for all around use as it has the 3/4 zip and I use it much as a topquilt in the hammock. I find that if it is really cold out, I seem to get a little bit warmer taking it from topquilt mode, to zipping right up in it, and cinching down the hood. It is made out of really nice material, and stuffs down to close to the same size as my underquilt. I move around alot when I sleep on the ground, and having the option to zip in is good.

That being said, as I lean more and more to hammocking only, I would really like to get a HG Burrow to match my Phoenix. No matter which you choose, they are both really nice, and I don't think you can go wrong with either.

Cheers

[skyclad]

I also have a MontBell bag. I got the 15 degree and it's great. I made my own top quilt, using a kit from Ray Jardine (http://www.rayjardine.com/ray-way/Quilt-Kit/index.htm). I've used it several times on the ground, and the same principles apply. When you're lying in a sleeping bag the part that's under you gets compressed and loses its power to insulate. In the hammock or on the ground I tuck my quilt in all around me, and stay plenty warm. Given that quilts generally weigh less, keep you warm and stuff down a little smaller, I'd say that's the way to go.

sky

[lazy river road]

I would get the Hammock Gear 20 Burrow and have stormcrow (Adam) mod it with wings (two semi circles of material that run the length of the UQ allowing you to tuck them underneath you creating a seal when on the ground keeping the Burrow nice and snugged underneath you. So you still have the material under you which will help with keeping the Burrow in place but save weight on the down that would be compressing anyways as well as saving weight on the zipper. You could even have the wings removable by having Adam sew loops down the side of the UQ and ribbons on the straight edge of the semi circle wing and tie them to the Burrow when your going on and sleeping on the ground or detach them and leave at home when in a hammock. Let me know if you did not understand what I'm talking about I confuse myself sometimes.

[Hooch]

Let me know if you did not understand what I'm talking about I confuse myself sometimes.

Huh?

[pig.slayer]

[QUOTE=littleBEAR;735500]
Hammock Gear's 20*F Burrow top quilt. I would get it in regular length, wide cut, and over stuffed 2oz. I weighs roughly 21oz, warm to 20 degrees, and costs about $230. [QUOTE]

Exactly what I have to a tee
Works great on the ground, Mines seen probably an equal if not more use on a Exped UL Syn Mat over the hammock.

I had Adam put 2 extra snaps on the footbox (So it closes up a bit higher)
And two small loops on the remaining edge so I can bungie it around my back when ground camping. I find the 56" width at the top works great for me. The regular 50" width was a little narrow on the ground. Probably the perfect width @ 50" but I kept getting drafts any time I moved around (which is a lot)

FYI
I'm 5'11" and about 180 ish lbs.

[olzeke]

I was in a similar situation recently, but for a truly Summer quilt. Underground Quilts was recommended to me, and I think you could get something from them for 20*, 22 ounces, $209. Scroll down the link until you see the 20* quilt.

I sleep on a pad when I am on the ground, and use the quilt for a top cover, just like in my bed at home. Even when I had a sleeping bag, I would open it up like a quilt. I think this will be the same for others if they are comfortable sleeping on their side or back. It might be tougher for folks used to sleeping on the stomach and bending a knee 90*.

[adkphoto]

Since you are from Florida, I would not recommend the overstuff unless you are a very cold sleeper. I have a HG 20 ° Burrow and it is very warm without overstuff (it has kept me warm in the teens). As a matter of fact, I also have a 40° Burrow, and I would not be afraid to use it when the temperatures are predicted in the 30s...it's that warm!

Unless I missed someone else saying it, when using a quilt, your under-insulation cannot be an afterthought whether in a hammock or on the ground. Make sure you have a good underquilt or a pad to use in the hammock and/or on the ground.

As a side note, you can get a 40° top AND bottom quilt from Paul at Underground Quilts for about the same price as the MontBell sleeping bag.

Peace,
David

[koaloha05]

Ok, i have been using a old eureka 30 degree sleeping bag as top insulation and its getting cold, worn, and heavy. It weighs 36oz which isn't bad, but i feel like i can do much better with a newer down bag or quilt. For an upgrade i have a few goals:

budget friendly
Lighter, around 20oz
More compressible than my synthetic bag
Warmer, between 32 to 20 degrees

I'm torn between these:

Montbel U.L. Down Hugger Super Spiral #3. it weighs 22oz, warm to 30 degrees, and costs $340. It is the most i would be willing to spend on a bag, but ive herd good things about Montbell.

Or

Hammock Gear's 20*F Burrow top quilt. I would get it in regular length, wide cut, and over stuffed 2oz. I weighs roughly 21oz, warm to 20 degrees, and costs about $230.

Obviously the top quilt is a much better value for warmth and weight to cost. My only concern is that i don't always use a hammock. I would like to hear your opinions on the pro and cons of the two and most importantly have people had experience using a top quilt on the ground? Also what are the benefits of over stuffing down?

Use a HG summer tq & a light weight synthetic BMW tq for warmer nights. Have used both on the ground with a 3/4 to full length pad. Being small and I sleep like a rock tq work fine on the ground. Overkill on the under quilt and sometimes wearing my insulating layer of clothing extends the summer HG tq significantly lower than the rated temps. Personally I would choose HG.

[Moondoggy]

GoLite makes great topquilts and they are pretty reasonable price wise!