Golite Ultra

[BillyBob58]

Two things are confusing me at this point...Baffle height measures the height not the width, right? Also, if this is a quilt that is baffled to 5", doesn't that mean baffles that are 5" in height? I don't understand why on a quilt they would put two layers together to measure, when by definition a quilt lacks insulation on the bottom side. If it really is 2, 2.5" layers, why aren't the baffles listed as 2.5"?

This quilt, Golite Ultra, is not baffled to 5", but maybe to 2.5" max. Before quilts- missing part or a lot of the bottom layer- were available, the traditional method of measuring a sleping bag was to measure the total thickness. This made sense as it was not usually easy to completely separate the top layer from the bottom layer of a SB, even if it had occurred to someone to do it.

Hence, pre-quilt days and even now, a typical 20*F down sleeping bag, measured full thickness counting top and bottom, was 5" of loft. If you cut the bottom off and managed to measure only the top layer, that same bag would measure 2.5". Though some might have a higher percentage of thickness on top.

I have slept out in some cold nights in this Golite Ultra Quilt- 11, 18 and mid 20*F nights, and have been at least OK augmenting with warm clothing and separate hoods. I'm not sure it quite reaches it's 2.5" single layer loft spec, but it is very close. I'm not sure it would be warm enough for me at 20*F with out some augmentation with more than long johns. But again, fairly close, and part of that is the lack of a hood and neck collar. IOW, I am not sealed up inside a 20*F mummy bag. Another problem has been getting the segment near my face quite wet with condensed breathing, but this would be a problem with any quilt. And ways around this problem have recently been discussed here.

I think it is a pretty darn good quilt for the weight and the sale price I got. I would prefer that it was about 2" longer ( I am 6'1") for making a faux hood when I am on my side. But then again, I have been using either my parka's hood or my separate Marmot Dryloft sleeping bag hood any way. On a recent cold night ( maybe 26*?) in the Sipsey, adding that hood ( I had been using my parka hood) transformed me from just a tad too cool to one toasty warm hammock hanger, for one of the best nights sleep I ever had in the outdoors.

[GrizzlyAdams]

my experience with the quilt is pretty much like BB58's. Wearing insulated pants and jacket I slept in the high 20's OK. It just doesn't seem to be enough down there to go to 20 degrees...but I recall a thread here or somewhere about Montbell bags and how they seem to get warmer temps with less loft.

But it will be a great quilt for spring and fall when temps aren't expected to go below mid 30's. Very compact. Just the right dimensions for a hammock (although like BB58 I wouldn't mind a little more length). Price was definitely right.

Grizz

[dakotaross]

Put it in a dryer on _NO HEAT_ along with a couple tennis balls for about ten minutes. Then check the loft.

This worked well to fluff it up some, but mostly my disbelief in the 5" advertised loft was the way I was looking at it - thanks Take-a-knee for setting the record straight.

I had to take the sides and tuck them all the way under so that it looked like a narrow sleeping bag in order to get what is essentially a sleeping bag measurement on loft. The 5" ended up being mostly accurate. The footbox measured 7".

[neo]

Five inches total (both sides) equal 2.5in baffles, 20F is an accurate rating. You would need 3 inch baffles or more to get near zero, unless you are a Neo.

i have been down to the mid 20's with my jrb summer quilt neo

[Heber]

I've got the Golite Ultra and I like it. The down is good quality and it lofts up nice and is quite warm. Have used it at around 20 degrees and it was fine.

The loft is not 5 inches but actually that's what you'd expect of a 20 degree quilt. You might expect it of a bag but that's because the bottom of the bag has some loft too --useless of course since it get's crushed under you.

[dufus934]

Just a little FYI:

Parctical Backpacking puts out a series of informational podcasts, and one of these was solely on the GoLite Ultra 20. Not sure, but I think its pretty old. However, it is still on the website, just scroll down a little bit.

[BillyBob58]

I've got the Golite Ultra and I like it. The down is good quality and it lofts up nice and is quite warm. Have used it at around 20 degrees and it was fine. .

What did you wear for clothing and head coverage? Were you in a hammock?

[adkpiper]

Any comments from the people who just bought the GoLite Ultra 20 quilts? I'm thinking of getting one, and would welcome a few more reports from the field.

[whitefoot_hp]

i got some pics in my gallery of it.

[napster]

Anyone know how long this top quilt is and is it still on sale?