Quote Originally Posted by Soda View Post
Following up a bit on the quilt question. The vast majority of my hanging is done while backpacking so reducing the amount of gear I carry is important. In the rare event you have to go to ground and are carrying an underquilt instead of a pad, does the quilt provide adequate insulation while sleeping on the ground?
The short answer is no. At least for down quilts. Synthetic ones don't crush quite as much, but still don't provide enough insulation in cold weather. One of the things to help mitigate the problem is to use your backpack underneath you when going to ground. It's not as comfortable, but if done right you can survive the night. It helps if you can gather some leaves, etc. and put underneath you. Not a bad option if you're pretty good at finding hanging spots and rarely, if ever, have to resort to going to ground.