Relating to backpacking gear, your nighttime sleep system will likely be one of the necessary choices you’ll make. You will 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 depart 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 determination.
For extra info on essential concerns and suggestions of sleeping luggage and quilts, take a look at our lists of the greatest sleeping luggage and greatest backpacking quilts.
What’s the Distinction Between Sleeping Luggage & Quilts?
Sleeping luggage are typically totally enclosed programs with a protracted zipper and a cinchable hood. They’re often mummy-shaped and tight-fitting to create an environment friendly and heat inside for holding warmth. A sleeping bag with a full-length zipper will be opened and draped over your physique on heat nights or will be totally zipped and cinched with solely a small opening close to your mouth on frigid nights.
Backpacking quilts provide extra versatility for hotter climate, however not as a lot heat on chilly journeys. There are lots of various kinds of quilt designs, however normally, quilts are much like a down comforter that may be totally opened on heat nights like a blanket, or will be cinched across the footbox and used with pad attachment straps to comprise warmth on chilly nights.
Heat
There are lots of totally different temperature rankings for each sleeping luggage and quilts so this measurement varies a bit. Basically, sleeping luggage are typically a more sensible choice on chilly journeys the place you’ll desire a totally enclosed system with a hood. For us, this tends to be when nighttime temperatures dip to the 30’s and under.
query to ask your self is how typically you propose to sleep in temperatures round freezing. If the reply shouldn’t be typically, then a backpacking quilt could also be a sensible choice for you. Quilts are extraordinarily comfy in summer time backpacking circumstances and are our primary selection on a lot of the backpacking journeys we take. Take into consideration your down comforter at dwelling and the way it simply lays on prime of you, however nonetheless retains you heat.
A quilt works the identical approach, so long as you get one that’s lengthy and broad sufficient to fit your needs. One large draw back with quilts are that the underside is open to allow them to be drafty in chilly and windy circumstances. Although some quilts include pad attachment programs and the choice of a closed footbox, the heat nod nonetheless goes to the sleeping bag.
WINNER: Sleeping Luggage
Hood
Nearly all sleeping luggage include a hood, which you’ll pull over your head and cinch down tightly to comprise warmth on chilly nights. As a result of backpacking quilts don’t have a hood, you’ll have to 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 may all the time pull the quilt up over your head and depart a small opening for respiration.
WINNER: Sleeping Luggage
Weight
There are light-weight choices for each sleeping luggage and quilts, however normally, backpacking quilts are inclined to have the very best warmth-to-weight ratios of any sleeping system in the marketplace. It’s because quilts minimize 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 hassle some who don’t just like the skin-to-sleeping pad really feel. We don’t assume it’s that large of a deal, but when this bothers you, you may all the time sleep in full clothes or buy an extra sheet on your sleeping pad.
Should you’re on the lookout for the very best warmth-to-weight ratios, select a quilt with a closed footbox. Should you’re prepared to hold just a little bit extra weight for elevated versatility, select a quilt with an non-obligatory 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. Basically, sleeping luggage are typically heavier than nearly all of those quilt choices, however they supply the added heat of a completely enclosed system.
WINNER: Quilts
Consolation
A very powerful measurement for sleeping consolation is definitely heat (coated above) as a result of if you happen to’re too chilly to sleep, you’re in for a depressing night time, it doesn’t matter what. When you’ve received heat coated, consolation will rely on how tight-fitting your sleeping bag is or the flexibleness of your quilt.
Should you transfer round rather a lot at night time and dislike constrictive sheets or dislike tight-fitting mummy luggage, you might actually want the consolation of a quilt. Conversely, if you happen to just like the safety of being wrapped up tight and fear about chilly air drafts, you might want a sleeping bag.
WINNER: Quilts
Versatility
After we speak about versatility, we’re largely speaking in regards to the other ways each bit of substances can be utilized. For instance, a quilt will be opened totally and used like a blanket (in your tent or across the hearth) or cinched up tight when nighttime temperatures drop.To totally 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 programs, which can enhance heat as properly.
Sleeping luggage, then again, have much less versatility as a result of their closed footboxes, however can be opened up and used, kind of, like a blanket on heat nights or totally zipped on chilly nights. On heat nights, we actually love the flexibility to make use of our quilts totally 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. Basically, we now have 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, if you happen to take excellent care of a high quality piece of down gear, it may final for many years.
WINNER: Quilts
Packability
As a result of down quilts are inclined to have much less supplies and down fill, in addition they pack down a bit smaller. Top quality down merchandise in both selection (down fill of 800+), will nonetheless pack down very small.
WINNER: Quilts
Conclusion
Should you’re on the lookout for detailed suggestions, take a look at our lists of the greatest sleeping luggage and greatest backpacking quilts.
Should you usually backpack in hotter climate (nighttime temps within the 40s), we might advocate attempting out a quilt. We nearly all the time select quilts for our summer time backpacking journeys. Then again, if you happen to’re on the lookout for one piece of substances that may nonetheless operate properly on hotter journeys, however may also hold 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.
