Am I Doing It Wrong?

[Sailor]

I have yet another question for you experts. I have a RevX top quilt from EnLIGHTened Equipment that I can't seem to stay warm with. When I used this with my hammock, I always woke up cold during the night at 20+ degrees. This is unfortunate given the bag is for 0 degrees and I have 2oz of overstuff. This is my first down bag. The specs are 6'6", regular width, and the overstuff. I took it out last night and slept on a air mattress. I woke again feeling like I had nothing except a sheet over me. Luckily I had a -40F TNF sleeping bag that I could crawl into I have it tucked around my sides and layered up appropriately but still was cold. Is down just not my thing? Could it be a flaw in the quilt? Would hate to sell it so soon. Thanks in advance.

Where are you cold? Top, bottom, shoulders, hips feet, back, butt, legs...?

[Kodaking]

I was cold on the surface(not on the bottom) but that's where I noticed it. It sounds like even if I feel OK on the bottom I still might have been cold. I put two thin pads(1/8"?) on the Thermarest and I slept through the night, waking up only occasionally with a lil chill before falling back asleep. I don't know if I should credit this towards the pads or the fact it was in the 40's. A shame that I am barely warm at 40 degrees in a 0degree TQ. Could be that the TQ isn't wide enough for ground use or maybe sleeping on the ground with a quilt isn't my thing. Thank you everyone, hopefully I have better luck in a hammock

[SM_Shawn]

I was sleeping on the ground on a thermarest air mattress but its only a 3 season, but I thought this had to do more with inflation loss than temperature. Gargoyle, if it doesn't work with my Darien UL than I will have to meet you when I'm down in Wyoming(we can meet halfway from there). Didn't realize that it had anything to do with the equipment under me so this brings me hope!

Thanks everyone!

I think that's your problem...you were on the ground. The air in that mattress is as cold as the air outside, and it's sucking the warmth out of your body to try to warm the ground. Impossible feat. Cold doesn't travel to you, heat travels away from you. That is why your top felt cold and your back felt warm.

If you are sleeping on the ground (it's OK to say that here), then you need to get some insulation between you and the ground. Ground, Reflectix, CCF pad, sleeping bag, then you. Layer up, clothing-wise, also. The frost just came out of the ground.

Any insulation you would have in your bag or UQ will be compressed, offering no insulating qualities.

Hope this helps