Responding the the original question. I've got all three and have used all three in various conditions over several years. Bottom line-put a name tag for each on the wall, blindfold yourself and throw a dart-you can't loose with either.
Having said that I will say I'm really digging the vertical baffles of the Greylock....when you think about it your top quilt wraps around you and goes down the sides....with the Grelock's vertical baffles IF you need to you can shake the down, down, getting more of it under you versus around you-make sense? And a lot of us have figured out over the years that more underneath means less need on top.
Another observation on the Greylock-it has way more loft then logic would say it does. Pan explained it to me but I didn't completely understand it.
I know you can push the limits on all three underquilts; I've done it out of necessity but I do think push come to shove you can push the Greylock the furthest. Just one man's humble....
I love my Phoenix and the argon fabric is great.
How about the Hudson River starting out as a UQ, then migrating to become a TQ once I can afford to have a set with the Greylock under me......until then just keep on using my North Face Cats Meow up top....UNZIPPED from now on. Not sure why I didn't just use it TQ style in the first place D'OH!
There might come the time, when you are approaching the limits of that bag, that you will be happy to use it as a zipped up mummy bag, PITA or not! With hood and neck collar battened down. Even more so if you are also approaching the limits of your UQ, as I have found that, in my Cat's Meow and especially with an even warmer synthetic NF bag- that I pick up a few degrees of extra back warmth when inside the bag. Years ago, when I was deep in the learning curve of all of this, I went from overall too cold to sleep to toasty warm, just by getting in the bag and especially using the hood and neck collar.
But you are right, under most conditions, quilt style is the convenient and comfy way to go in a hammock. Or, using a dedicated TQ but with head insulation ( as in separate hood) equal to those wonderful mummy hoods. Which is no problem for me as I have a Marmot Goretex down hood meant for deep winter, and a very warm JRB hood that weighs nothing. Both add a ton of warmth.
I've been on just one hunt where I learned to hang, with the cats meow, reflectix and a pad inside a HH deluxe asym, and the temps were high 30s. I was dang glad I was IN that bag and had the warm hood drawn tight....windy night. I watched stars rather than tarp it for wind pro...The wriggle factor is sort of annoying and I'm no giant but that bag is snug....could have been the HH shoulder pinching me though.
Last edited by Seventyfivefj40; 07-23-2013 at 15:26.
For what it is worth I just pulled the trigger on a JRB Greylock 3. Did you decide yet?
Leaning that way myself.
After reading through much of what is being said I have come to think there will never be a consensus on the topic of which UQ is best. So yesterday I pulled the trigger on a Greylock 3. Looking forward to getting it and trying it out later this month.
Since it will be my first UQ it will be the best I have ever used. Been using a pad a long time.
Do you stake out your BB? The more narrow and asymmetrical shape of the Yeti probably works better on the BB. I don't know, don't have a Yeti, but had a BB and have the former version of the Greylock.
With cordage going out horizontally, a larger UQ won't wrap around you in the BB like I prefer. I'm sure the others work fine or else folks would be screaming for the Yeti, but I think you have to consider that the Yeti probably requires less fuss on the BB compared to the others which may require some adjusting to make sure the bottom is where you need it to be.
Again, I'm a former BB owner (short-term) and I don't have personal knowledge of the Yeti. Maybe some others can confirm what I'm saying or allay those concerns.
"I wonder if anyone else has an ear so tuned and sharpened as I have, to detect the music, not of the spheres, but of earth, subtleties of major and minor chord that the wind strikes upon the tree branches. Have you ever heard the earth breathe... ?"
- Kate Chopin
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