Stuffed

[Geck0]

Another new-guy question.

Everyone talks about weight, but what about size? My bargain basement sleeping bag and pad take up way more room than everything else I pack, (car/scout camping, so no stoves, food, etc)

I'd like to see how small the TQ/UQs stuff.
I think a tarp is first on my list, but an UQ will follow as soon as funds allow.

Thanks!

[Caveman]

For quilts, down is the best at packing down.

My tadpole tarp packs down to about as tall as a 12oz soda and about as big around as a 2 liter (close to that). My superfly packs down pretty well, but it's about twice as long.

The tq and uq depend on what you got. My summer uq packs down to smaller than a soda can and weighs 10oz (it's good to about 50*). My 0* Incubator packs down to about the size of a 2 liter (maybe a bit larger) and weighs quite a bit more than that.

I can try to take some pics later, but I don't have any right this minute.

[Loki]

Yup. Down seems to stuff down to the smallest bulk. Maybe Dutch can invent something better?

[doogie]

I try not to squeeze my down too much (I could easily squeeze it down to 3/4 of the size shown here), here is a photo of my 20 degree top quilt (bigger than my under quilt) in its stuff sack.


I normally put both my under quilt and top quilt (both 20 degrees) in the compression sack that I used for my 40 degree down sleeping bag.

[Theosus]

I know my top quilt and underquilt together (rated 20 and 0 degrees respectively) take up the same space as my 20 degree synthetic sleeping bag alone. They weigh just a little more than it does, but with the sleeping bag I still have to take the UQ...

[nothermark]

If you watch the video's about pack content I think you will find that the sleeping gear is the single largest item(s) in folks packs. This is particularly true with pads and synthetic fillers. OTOH the weight is not horrendous so a larger light weight pack works. The problem is sourcing a high volume light weight pack. ;-)

I tend to regard quilts/bags and clothing in waterproof packing as extra floatation in a canoe. ;-)

[Brute1100]

For reference my 40℉ synthetic underquilt packs down about the size if a football... Which is about the same size as a not fully compressed 20℉ or even 0℉ rig... So it's all a balance... Yes insulation is going to be a big part of your pack volume... It's just the name of the game... Without insulation I could probably get by with a small camelbak pack, but with insulation I need the full 50 liters my pack offers...

[sara736]

I have a 10ft DB and my te-wa quilts work great and HG phoenix works just as well. im sure any quilt you choose will work great.

[Boston]

Since a pad can usually be placed outside the pack (strapped on), I'd say UQ/TQ take more space in general. A comparable down sleeping bag will probably be smaller than a down UQ/TQ, especially if a full length UQ. Of course, if you go TQ/Pad, you'd be MUCH smaller, but definitely not as comfortable as even a SB/Pad combo.