On the subject of backpacking gear, your nighttime sleep system might be one of the crucial essential choices you’ll make. You’ll have heard some buzz about backpacking quilts and need to know what they’re all about. Many backpackers have an interest within the flexibility and flexibility {that a} quilt can present, however are nervous to go away the recognized reliability and heat of a sleeping bag.
We’ve used many various fashions of sleeping luggage and quilts over 1000’s of path miles and we will attest to the truth that there’s a time and place for each. We wished to place collectively this information to debate the variations and clarify among the professionals and cons of every mannequin to assist inform your subsequent gear choice.
For extra info on crucial issues and suggestions of sleeping luggage and quilts, try our lists of the greatest sleeping luggage and greatest backpacking quilts.
What’s the Distinction Between Sleeping Baggage & Quilts?
Sleeping luggage are typically absolutely enclosed methods with an extended zipper and a cinchable hood. They’re normally mummy-shaped and tight-fitting to create an environment friendly and heat inside for holding warmth. A sleeping bag with a full-length zipper may be opened and draped over your physique on heat nights or may be absolutely zipped and cinched with solely a small opening close to your mouth on frigid nights.
Backpacking quilts supply extra versatility for hotter climate, however not as a lot heat on chilly journeys. There are a lot of various kinds of quilt designs, however usually, quilts are much like a down comforter that may be absolutely opened on heat nights like a blanket, or may be cinched across the footbox and used with pad attachment straps to include warmth on chilly nights.
Heat
There are a lot of totally different temperature rankings for each sleeping luggage and quilts so this measurement varies a bit. Usually, sleeping luggage are typically a more sensible choice on chilly journeys the place you’ll desire a absolutely enclosed system with a hood. For us, this tends to be when nighttime temperatures dip to the 30’s and beneath.
A great query to ask your self is how typically you propose to sleep in temperatures round freezing. If the reply will not be typically, then a backpacking quilt could also be a good selection for you. Quilts are extraordinarily comfy in summer time backpacking situations and are our primary selection on many of the backpacking journeys we take. Take into consideration your down comforter at house and the way it simply lays on prime of you, however nonetheless retains you heat.
A quilt works the identical means, so long as you get one that’s lengthy and huge sufficient to suit you. One huge draw back with quilts are that the underside is open to allow them to be drafty in chilly and windy situations. Although some quilts include pad attachment methods and the choice of a closed footbox, the heat nod nonetheless goes to the sleeping bag.
WINNER: Sleeping Baggage
Hood
Nearly all sleeping luggage include a hood, which you’ll pull over your head and cinch down tightly to include warmth on chilly nights. As a result of backpacking quilts don’t have a hood, you’ll must put on a hat, an after-market down hood, or throw on a down hooded jacket on chilly nights to maintain your head heat. For facet sleepers, you possibly can all the time pull the quilt up over your head and go away a small opening for respiratory.
WINNER: Sleeping Baggage
Weight
There are light-weight choices for each sleeping luggage and quilts, however usually, backpacking quilts are likely to have the perfect warmth-to-weight ratios of any sleeping system in the marketplace. It’s because quilts reduce out the additional supplies and down that usually get compressed beneath your physique in sleeping luggage. This places the down fill the place you want it most – on prime of your physique.
This does imply that in a quilt you’ll be sleeping immediately on prime of your sleeping pad, which may trouble some who don’t just like the skin-to-sleeping pad really feel. We don’t assume it’s that huge of a deal, but when this bothers you, you possibly can all the time sleep in full clothes or buy a further sheet to your sleeping pad.
In the event you’re searching for the absolute best warmth-to-weight ratios, select a quilt with a closed footbox. In the event you’re keen to hold just a little bit extra weight for elevated versatility, select a quilt with an elective footbox zipper.
There are additionally quilt fashions which have full-length zippers, however these are typically the heaviest of quilt choices, and should even rival weights of sleeping luggage. Usually, sleeping luggage are typically heavier than virtually all of those quilt choices, however they supply the added heat of a totally enclosed system.
WINNER: Quilts
Consolation
An important measurement for sleeping consolation is definitely heat (lined above) as a result of when you’re too chilly to sleep, you’re in for a depressing night time, it doesn’t matter what. When you’ve acquired heat lined, consolation will rely upon how tight-fitting your sleeping bag is or the pliability of your quilt.
In the event you transfer round quite a bit at night time and dislike constrictive sheets or dislike tight-fitting mummy luggage, it’s possible you’ll actually favor the consolation of a quilt. Conversely, when you just like the safety of being wrapped up tight and fear about chilly air drafts, it’s possible you’ll favor a sleeping bag.
WINNER: Quilts
Versatility
Once we speak about versatility, we’re largely speaking in regards to the other ways every bit of substances can be utilized. For instance, a quilt may be opened absolutely and used like a blanket (in your tent or across the hearth) or cinched up tight when nighttime temperatures drop.To completely enclose the footbox on some quilts, zip up the zipper and pull the drawstring to create a draft-free enclosure. Although cumbersome, many quilts additionally include pad attachment methods, which can enhance heat as nicely.
Sleeping luggage, however, have much less versatility resulting from their closed footboxes, however may also be opened up and used, roughly, like a blanket on heat nights or absolutely zipped on chilly nights. On heat nights, we actually love the flexibility to make use of our quilts absolutely opened like a down blanket, so we give the flexibility nod to quilts.
WINNER: Quilts
Value
There are clearly many various merchandise from many various producers of various levels of high quality and value. Usually, we’ve got discovered that quilts have a tendency to supply a smaller value level, however top quality choices in both class will nonetheless require a large funding. Simply keep in mind, when you take excellent care of a top quality piece of down gear, it may final for many years.
WINNER: Quilts
Packability
As a result of down quilts are likely to have much less supplies and down fill, in addition they pack down a bit smaller. Prime quality down merchandise in both selection (down fill of 800+), will nonetheless pack down very small.
WINNER: Quilts
Conclusion
In the event you’re searching for detailed suggestions, try our lists of the greatest sleeping luggage and greatest backpacking quilts.
In the event you usually backpack in hotter climate (nighttime temps within the 40s), we’d suggest making an attempt out a quilt. We virtually all the time select quilts for our summer time backpacking journeys. Alternatively, when you’re searching for one piece of substances that may nonetheless perform nicely on hotter journeys, however may even maintain you heat on colder journeys, then a sleeping bag could also be the best choice.
Severe backcountry vacationers might want each a quilt and a heat sleeping bag for the selection, relying on the journey.
