Just picked up a down mummy bag... UQ idea

**CamoDeafie82** · 12-05-2015, 14:17

Just picked up a vintage Hirsch-Weis /white stag down mummy bag for $15... tag says 100% gray goose down fill and 2lbs of it... that is a lot of down even with leaking hole... I have an idea that I've not really seen.. but want to run it by you guys...

Suppose cut it into a shape; then overstuff it w the down from the cut pieces.. if I were to cut the top part then sew the top part to where the hood attached after cutting hood off and footbox off; into what is basically a hex shape.. then I do two diagonal cuts on the narrow ends to become an asymmetric UQ; would that work?
Or would it be just simpler to order the fabric and harvest the down and make a complete UQ instead?

**Rolloff** · 12-05-2015, 16:31

Mods are Mods but when it comes to UQs and fitting correctly, overall weight is important. Most SB mods to TQ or UQs run a bit on the heavy side, from my experience. Mostly due to the use of less than state of the art shell materials, and construction. I would lean heavily toward harvesting, then making a shell of proper dimensions, baffle width, height, ect, for the temp range you're shooting for. While there should be room in the remaining existing baffles for the excess overfill, you'd have making the above mods, it might not be good enough for optimum loft.

If you harvest and fabricate with modern materials, both above problems would be better addressed. IMO

**Dcolon13** · 12-05-2015, 16:48

I was thinking of something similar for a while, but opted to make my own instead (with down harvested from a pillow). The problem with a modded down UQ is that you won't have the differential cut so the down will get somewhat compressed. If there's 32oz of down in it, it's probably only 550 fill so you'll be taking away warmth from something that already is a little heavy for it's warmth. IMO a mummy bag is way more suited to be modded into a TQ (which is also way easier!)

**CamoDeafie82** · 12-05-2015, 17:07

I dont know the fill power on this; but it feels to have more down than the red North Face down mummy bag and its about the same weight as the NF bag. Little heavier materials yes but I think this is from the 70s; since other tag mentioned a revision of the law for content dated 1968

EDIT: You might be right, and its 550-600 FP.... no temp ratings on this, and its SO old it might need a lot of re-fluffing and such....

**CamoDeafie82** · 12-05-2015, 22:42

HMMM> Harvesting it seems a better use for the down in the bag.

SO...

Is there anything wrong with a pattern in which the baffle tubes running lengthwise are tapering towards the ends, with the differential cut top and bottom layers being a sort of long and narrow Hex shape; with the width being 50" maximum, and length being approx 70"?

**wa4chq** · 12-06-2015, 06:57

I don't have any down gear yet so I can't help you with the details etc. but I'd say for $15, try your idea. If you aren't pleased with it, you still can use the down for a proper uq.