Do you have to have more than one top quilt?

**ccolclou** · 02-08-2016, 19:39

I have one, a 20 degree. I have never been too hot in it, although, I admittedly rarely overheat. I find down to vent very well and adjust to my temperature.

**climbing.kevin** · 02-09-2016, 08:29

I have a burrow 0 and a marmot plasma 30 sleeping bag. I use the marmot for late spring early fall and the burrow 0 for winter and early spring late fall.

**cataraftgirl** · 02-09-2016, 08:46

I'm about 50/50 hammock sleeping & tent/pad sleeping. I use a TQ all the time. With the pad in the tent, I need a little more "cushion" temp wise than when I'm in the hammock with an UQ. I use my 20 degree TQ 80% of the time, and my 0 degree 20% of the time. The 20 degree covers me down to about 35 in a tent/pad situation. Below 35 in the tent or below 20 in a hammock I switch over to the 0 degree TQ. I still use my 20 degree TQ in the summer. It's so much easier to stick a foot (or both feet) out of a TQ when you're hot, than with a sleeping bag. Last summer I used it on a rafting trip with triple digits temps & night time temps in the 80s. I kept my feet out and covered my torso. If I got chilled I just tucked my feet back in. Easy Peasy.

**brohawk** · 02-09-2016, 20:10

I have a 10, 40, and a 20 degree. They are all Enlightened Equipment. The 20 degree is my main go to Quilt. For longer hikes when ounces count in the summer I grab the 40. When I'm winter camping or crashing in the back yard I grab my 10 degree.

**TrailSlug** · 02-09-2016, 20:23

Originally Posted by brohawk

I have a 10, 40, and a 20 degree. They are all Enlightened Equipment. The 20 degree is my main go to Quilt. For longer hikes when ounces count in the summer I grab the 40. When I'm winter camping or crashing in the back yard I grab my 10 degree.

Which model of Enlightened Equipment quilt do you have? The Revelation, Enigma, Convert, Prodigy?

**SteveJJ** · 02-22-2016, 09:57

While I was investigating top quilt 'answers' for myself, GoLite had a sale on down top quilts. I picked up both their 1 season and 3 season long quilts. I use one, the other, or both as conditions arise. I sleep in my hammock year round indoors and out so the 1 season gets lots of use.

I'd recommend getting the best 1 season and a slightly larger 3 season so you can combine them for the cold times. When it's really cold (I also work outdoors year round so have learned to keep comfortable) I have down vests and jackets that I can combine, and am contemplating pants now too.

Watch for inexpensive down vests and jackets at costco and grab them in the size that fits and another the next size up for similar layering combinations. These are thin and light, sewn through so not your arctic gear by any means, but with the layering I've been comfortable using them as insulation between my shirt and my outer jacket and kept warm down to below zero temps. These can be worn to supplement your quilts. A zipped vest ads warmth to the footbox by the way, I push it down inside where it flufs a bit better.

With a little imagination and creativity you can extend the range of your gear without breaking the bank. Hope this gives you some useful ideas!

**SteveJJ** · 02-22-2016, 10:04

Originally Posted by markr6

I used my 20° the other night for a low of 50°...horrible! I don't know how anyone can do this more than once in a while. There's no "venting" a TQ. You're in the hammock, it's in the hammock. It's always touching at least a majority of your body and simply holds and pumps that body heat out like a furnace. Maybe I'm missing something, but I couldn't find a way to stay covered without getting too hot.

I now have a 0, 20 and 40.

I find that if I stick a leg out on top of the quilt all of me will cool down while remainging mostly covered. Then as the cool of the night progresses the leg comes back in and all is well again.

**Jhp45auto** · 03-15-2016, 13:18

Still going with 20 burrow and 20 Phoenix for now, and venting as described. Have a snugpack but it seems to weigh and pack about same as burrow. So for now I can kick it off to vent until nights get really warm, and I avoid anyway. What can I say, down is just awesome.
For hot summer camp type weather it may be bag liner and reflectix pad. I love my UQ but I didn't ever have real condensation issues with using sleeping pad some folks experience, so a little something to slow the wind works for me.

**OneClick** · 03-15-2016, 13:21

Originally Posted by SteveJJ

I find that if I stick a leg out on top of the quilt all of me will cool down while remainging mostly covered. Then as the cool of the night progresses the leg comes back in and all is well again.

I couldn't do that. I guess I could make do, but one of the reasons I started hanging was for comfort. With the right quilt and clothing, I fall asleep...as in a light coma...and don't wake until it's time to wake. Sometimes a pee break, but that's it.

**Caminante** · 03-15-2016, 13:42

I'm with markr6 - I think I could make a 20F topquilt work for pecuniary reasons, but I don't think it would be especially comfortable to me. When I started hanging last summer I was using my summer (45F) sleeping bag as a topquilt which was fine, then I made a 20F (or perhaps 15...) down tq for this past winter. Last night I switched back to the summer bag and was way too warm with lows in the 60's to sleep well and the bag was a PITA, though serviceable. When my wife is not looking I'm going to make a ~1" down TQ or maybe a 2.5oz Apex quilt (if I have a narrow window of opportunity to make one...) for warmer weather, and of course it will pack down well and be less ruly in the hammock.