Stuck in the analysis/paralysis quagmire

[Pedxing]

By definition, I don't think it is even possible to think one's way out of analysis-paralysis, but help me try anyway

I've decided I'm ready to move on beyond a pad in the hammock. For a couple trips a year to Northern Utah mountains and southern Utah desert, I've used a 1/8" Exped Multi-Mat in a double layer Wilderness Logics hammock. It's a useful piece of gear for hammock insulation, sit pad, emergency rain shelter, and large enough to wrap around the shoulders in the hammock. But I'm not here to praise this gear, but to complain about it. It works fine for me to temperatures somewhere in the 40's (I don't carry a thermometer with me), but below that it just isn't quite enough. It works great in So. Utah desert but it often gets too cold at night in the high mountains in the summer above 10,000 feet many nights for this to be viable for me. I've experimented with a custom cut 1/4" pad which is great warmth wise, but the bulk and stiffness are more of a bother than I want to tolerate for the kind of backpacking I want to do. Currently, I use a 30 degree down sleeping bag zipped open as a top quilt.

So I'm ready to go down underquilt. Down for compactness and weight. The mental dilemma is with temperature ratings. I'm looking for a little hand-holding with this decision, and would especially appreciate advice from anyone who spends their time out west and in the higher elevations of the Rocky Mountains. I'm not sure how to translate the experience of folks down south or back east with a little more humidity in the air when it comes to a given temperature. Having lived in Michigan for a few years, a given cold temperature out there certainly felt colder to me than where I live now in Utah.

So I think I want a 40 degree setup - maybe with some overstuff (or not) - but maybe I want 20. Or 30. I'm of the school of belief that I want to carry the minimum amount of clothing and the lightest weight of sleeping bag or quilt that I can. Meaning rather than a heavier bag/quilt and sleep in shorts, I prefer to be wearing my thermal layers, down vest, puffy jacket, beanie hat and warm socks in a lighter weight bag/quilt. I'm generally a warm sleeper. And I am willing to spend the occasional cold night for weight savings.

Recognizing that there is no for sure right answer besides jumping in with both feet and maybe join some of you obsessives with multiple setups for differing conditions, I'm asking for your thoughts anyway. For my first and maybe only underquilt, should I be looking at a 40 degree given my needs, or do I strongly need to thinking about taking the penalty of weight, bulk and cost for something warmer?

[SilvrSurfr]

The first quilts are definitely the hardest and where most people struggle with analysis paralysis with thoughts like, "Should I get a 40* UQ with .68 oz. overstuff to bring the rating down to 36.5 degrees?"

Quilt ratings aren't regional, and aren't humidity-based . Nobody sells an underquilt rated to 40* in the humid south, but good to 37.5 in more arid regions. That's not a quilt issue; it's a personal issue. Unfortunately, quilt ratings just don't mean much until you try them and find out what's right for you. Personally, I find the less layers I wear, the warmer my quilts keep me. I always had a problem with cold feet until I stopped wearing socks. The layers and clothing were an impediment to moisture transpiring through the down and made matters worse for me.

Then again, I have a 40*, 20* and 0* quilt set so I'm not trying to milk a 30* overnight low out of a 40* quilt set with layers. My first quilt set was 20* and it worked fine for me from 70* F down to 13* F for a couple of years. Eventually I wanted to camp in colder conditions and got a 0* quilt set. And then I finally got a 40* quilt set so I could go as light as possible when hiking. However, the 20* quilts are by far the most versatile and get the most use.

I'm neither a hot sleeper nor a cold sleeper, but one thing I don't do is test the limits of my quilts. If the overnight low will be 50* F, I'll bring my 40* quilts. If the low is expected to be 40* I bring the 20* quilts, etc. I'd rather be warm than have to resort to layering and other measures to attempt to boost the ratings of my quilts.

[humer91]

I lived in Layton for 3 years, and based on that, I would recommend a 20degree. Summer, you wont need the quilt at all except at elevation. But fall and spring can be freaky with overnight temps in the 50's one night and dropping into the low 30s or 20s the next. Basically, buy for the coldest you think you might hang, not what you plan to regularly hang in. Here in South Texas, winter lows only rarely get into the 20s, so I bought a set of 20degree quilts first, and a set of 40's later.

[Pedxing]

thanks to you both for your thoughtful replies. What you say makes sense. And based on reading of others' experience on other threads, the place for me to go experimenting with layering for different temps is on the top, not the underquilt. 20 degree underquilt sounds like the right choice.

[Burg54]

Sounds like you wish they made a 30° UQ/TQ...

Well good news, they do! You can have HG make you a 40° with 2-3oz overstuff built to 30° specs. Meaning they will increase baffle height a bit to allow for the extra down to loft. Maybe best of both worlds (Light/warm).

I had them make me a custom 10° UQ this way and it rocks. Just more food for thought.

I say do that or go with the versatile 20° as others have stated.

[joshcrsn]

Another vote for the 20ºs. I have been from 60º to 11º in mine. You might consider a 2/3rds or 3/4th length to save some weight BUT they will have more "fiddle factor" with the pad under your heels. I have a full length Incubator and a torso length Greylock 3 (from Jacks R Better) and I find myself liking the full length much better.

[dakotaross]

HG will do a custom for you if you really know what you want. You might just want to go with the 20 Incubator and get to know how it works, then sell it later - they hold their value well - and get something custom later.

You might also check out Enlightened Equipment's offerings as they have more ordering choices for temp and length. I use a short Incubator for my 5'10" frame and find it sufficiently full coverage while using a pillow under my head. Just another way to save on what you really don't need.

[Pedxing]

Thanks. I knew you folks would help me push through. I decided to go full-length 20 degrees for first quilt. Seems the most versatile, plenty of margin for error. Now I'll work on getting enough posts to be eligible to sell this baby on the forum in case I decide in the future to get more specialized. But probably if I decide I want something different, I'll accumulate rather than exchange.

[jackh]

Sounds like you wish they made a 30° UQ/TQ...

Well good news, they do! You can have HG make you a 40° with 2-3oz overstuff built to 30° specs. Meaning they will increase baffle height a bit to allow for the extra down to loft. Maybe best of both worlds (Light/warm).

I had them make me a custom 10° UQ this way and it rocks. Just more food for thought.

I say do that or go with the versatile 20° as others have stated.

I was going to say this. I emailed HG about my similar dilemma several weeks ago and they suggested "Order an Incubator 40 with 2 ounces of overstuff, then in the comments section tell us you want it built to 30 degree specs and we will make it happen."

[Twister]

Jacks r Better has the 20* Hudson River that is a top quilt or under quilt AND it's on sale. You could use it as a under quilt now and later as a top quilt with a torso length UQ..