I decided to take the plunge and try to make a cheap KAQ-type UQ. A few clicks on Ebay and I picked up a lightly used Ridgeway by Kelty sleeping bag (not made by Kelty I hear) and started ripping out the seams. I found the bag was actually two-layered with a layer of insulation (Holofil)tacked to the liner and the other layer tacked to the shell.
That got me thinking.
I am not a cold weather person. I really didn't need a sub-freezing UQ for the "3 season" camping I do. So I figured I would make two UQs. They should be just about right for 90% of the camping I do and if I needed a colder rating I could just double them up.
I started with the liner side first, for no reason. I found it was not long enough for the KAQ pattern so I cut it diagonally and sewed it back together in a rhombus that the pattern would fit on. I then laid some WW DWR nylon on top. Tracing, pinning, cutting, and sewing ensued and I had the basic shape with raw edges. I trimmed back to the stitching and ran grosgrain and bungee down each edge with toggles and loops in appropriate places.
Then I went back and sewed where the lining came out of the grosgrain. All I can say is I sew like I weld. It ain't pretty but it will hold.
I took it for a test run last night. A little background. I am a cold sleeper. Wore a cotton t-shirt, cargo shorts, and cotton socks. I didn't put on my knit hat until 40 degrees. Lows were projected to be in the mid to low 30's with light winds.
I used my 30 degree bag as a top quilt. It has never kept me warm under 40 degrees. At 45 degrees I started getting a little cold on the bottom side. I slipped into my bag to see how far it would take me. At 40 degrees I was getting chilled all over.
I retrieved my CCF from the house and went back to using the bag as a top quilt and made it down to 35 degrees, the low for the night. My biggest problem was my feet. They are normally cold and the bag and thin socks just couldn't keep them warm. I slipped a sweat top down in the footbox but it didn't help much. I figured they would be my downfall as I didn't really make any preparations for them.
Overall, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I purposefully didn't wear a polypro thermals and wool socks so I could get a real feel for what the UQ could do. I would call it a 45 degree UQ that could be stretched comfortably to 35 with the right clothes (or a better sleeping bag). That should do me for most outings I go on.
If I would have had some light thermals and wool socks I don't think I would have had much trouble down to the low for the night. If I was out on the trail and it turned colder than expected then a few extra layers of clothes would suffice I suspect.
I haven't made the second one yet so the double-layer testing will have to wait.
One issue that I found was with the lining of the UQ. It is a polyester weave and will stick to the Velcro of the HH slit (and grass and leaves). Not a big problem, just something to keep in mind if you use this sleeping bag for a conversion
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